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Commission approves Washington Road water-main contract amid questions about signed agreements and escrow
Summary
Piqua commissioners voted to award a contract for a 6,300-foot water-main extension to Mnt Excavating LLC while residents pressed staff for final signed agreements, escrow-account details and clarity on who bears construction risk for data-center–related infrastructure.
Piqua’s City Commission on Monday approved Resolution R-67-26, awarding a contract to Mnt Excavating LLC to install about 6,300 feet of 16-inch water main to serve annex property on the city’s south side.
The commission’s vote followed public questioning about earlier project documents and financial protections. Jonathan Wessel asked whether Fishbach design costs previously approved by the commission would be reimbursed and requested a public accounting of expenditures and reimbursements. Cam Meisler and Steve Yenni pressed staff to confirm whether the water-and-sewer agreements and the escrow addendum in the meeting packet were the final, fully executed copies, noting some pages in the packet lacked dates or signatures.
City staff acknowledged errors in the packet versions provided and told commissioners they would post the fully signed documents online and add the executed signature pages to the meeting record. City staff also said they are tracking Fishbach invoices and are working on a way to report escrow account activity and reimbursements to the commission and public, likely on a quarterly basis.
Staff described why the city is contracting directly for the water main: the infrastructure will become a city asset on completion, so the city will oversee bidding, inspection, construction oversight and final acceptance. That, staff said, requires the city to manage construction risk and inspection rather than delegate those duties solely to a private developer.
Several members of the public urged greater transparency before the commission’s vote. Petitioners asked for proof of escrow funding and full signature pages for the development and water agreements; staff responded that some unsigned or undated versions were inserted in the packet in error and that finalized versions would be posted and added to the record.
The commission also approved a motion to add the final signed and dated agreements to the meeting minutes once they are available. After that motion passed, the commission moved, seconded and approved R-67-26 by voice vote.
What happens next: the city will oversee construction by the awarded contractor, and the water main is expected to be installed as part of the broader utility buildout for annex land. Staff said the city will continue to track invoices and escrow activity and present updates to the commission.
