Port Clinton council approves no-feasible-alternative engineering study as USDA review delays belowground work

The Port Clinton City Council on Feb. 10 adopted Ordinance 4-26 to contract for a No Feasible Alternative (NFA) engineering study for the city's wastewater work tied to the Lakeshore Drive revetment (the FLIP project), a time-sensitive step staff said is needed to keep construction on a spring schedule.

Mayor (addressing council) said crews have responded to an estimated 12 waterline breaks in recent days and emphasized urgency: "they have to have shovels in the ground by spring," he said, explaining why the administration requested the ordinance be passed on first reading.

Staff detailed outstanding issues that must be resolved before bids and construction: the USDA's regional office had delayed its engineering review, and Norfolk Southern rejected the project's Plan A route along the roadway centerline because of foundations. Staff said Plan B shifts the alignment east and would require an access agreement with the county commissioners if the route exits into the county jail parking lot.

Doug Ner, an engineer who joined the meeting by phone, provided preliminary cost and financing information: he identified a proposal cost of $348,000 for planning work and described a financing path that begins with a zero-interest planning loan for five years, which can roll into a zero-interest design loan and later into a construction loan at about 1% interest for a long-term amortization (he indicated a 30—40 year construction financing horizon could be possible).

The ordinance authorizes contracting with the engineering firm to perform soil studies and NFA work required for the wastewater treatment plant and related belowground designs; the council waived the three required readings, retained the emergency clause and adopted the ordinance by roll call.

Council and staff also described a separate flow-monitoring contract (the Ordanis project) to install 12 flow monitors in storm drains and two rain gauges, with the contractor to collect data through at least three high-velocity rain events, produce an implementation recommendation and deliver the final report by Oct. 26 (staff said that start timing could move completion into the following calendar year depending on when monitoring begins). The stated goal is to reduce inflow and infiltration entering sanitary sewers so the wastewater plant treats less storm water and gains effective capacity.

Next steps: staff said they will report back when the USDA and other funding agencies have signed off and when the team is ready to go to bid. Doug Ner indicated he would return to update council once approvals were in place.