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Wickliffe leaders warn county proposal to shift State Route 2 costs could saddle six cities
Summary
Mayors and council members said Lake County discussions could move responsibility for SR2 maintenance from the county to the six cities the route crosses; Wickliffe’s mayor said he has raised the issue with ODOT and county leaders and warned of shortfalls if the county terminates the existing agreement.
Wickliffe’s mayor told council on June 8 that county discussions about the 52-year maintenance agreement for State Route 2 could force the six cities bordering the corridor to shoulder new costs if commissioners accept the county’s proposed terms.
The mayor said he and other municipal leaders have met with the director of the Ohio Department of Transportation to explore alternatives and to prompt county officials to reconsider the proposal. “We met with the director of ODOT to just simply ask, hey, would they consider making a new deal with the municipalities,” the mayor said, adding that ODOT could not commit to taking over snow-and-ice removal but had not ruled out other options.
Finance Director Mus briefed council on the county’s agenda and on a separate property-tax credit issue that last year cost the city about $135,000. Council members described the county’s new proposed cost items — including personnel and equipment charges — as additions to a 1974 agreement and urged continued negotiation. One council member suggested a countywide, modest license-plate fee as an alternative revenue source to spread costs across the whole county rather than concentrating them on six cities.
Council members emphasized the urgency of keeping the current agreement in place through the end of the year and said they will continue to press the county for a negotiated solution. The mayor warned that if the county terminates the arrangement in July and cities do not agree to the new terms, municipalities may face scrambling to cover maintenance costs after the current contract year ends.
