Timberlake council approves Laketran grant application and creates sidewalk fund as OPWC match falls through

The Village of Timberlake council on Aug. 20 unanimously approved an ordinance to apply for Laketran Transit Accessibility Grant funding and established a dedicated sidewalk construction fund to track local match and outside contributions.

Chair Ryan Konrad said the sidewalk drawings included in the meeting packet inspired the Laketran application and that the village is pursuing design funding. The council suspended the standard three-reading rule and passed Ordinance No. 10-2024 by roll call vote. Jerry Joyce moved to approve the ordinance and Nancy Marra seconded; the vote was unanimous.

The council also adopted Resolution No. 2024-18 to create the 4202 Sidewalk Construction Fund, which Fiscal Officer John H. Roskos said will track local grant matches, ODOT and Laketran funds, and project expenses. Konrad told council the Laketran CEO can authorize up to $25,000 per phase without board approval, which could cover remaining design costs for phases of the project.

The vote followed news that a planned local match for a separate OPWC stormwater grant — previously expected to be covered by IDA Power for $116,000 tied to the former CEI powerplant parcel — will not proceed. Konrad said he will consult CT Consultants and OPWC about whether the award money can be transferred to another project or otherwise preserved. Ordinance No. 9-2024, the OPWC application authorization, was tabled earlier in the meeting.

Council members also discussed other grant updates at the combined Grant Committee meeting. The village has received an H2Ohio Rivers Chloride Reduction award administered by the Ohio EPA that will fund a GPS-controlled spreader to reduce excess salt use; the grant did not include funding for a proposed new salt-storage facility. Officials noted NOPEC Energized Community funds are available to reimburse LED streetlight upgrades; the quoted fixture cost for Lake Shore Boulevard is $207 per fixture for 10 fixtures, the village currently has $3,117 appropriated for that grant, and NOPEC operates on a reimbursement basis.

Mr. Konrad reported that Timberlake has $1.33 million in grants secured so far this year after an earlier $116,000 match fell through; he said the total had been $1.63 million before the OPWC issue. Council members did not take further action on reallocating the OPWC match during the meeting.

The council and grant committee discussion was procedural and focused on next steps: filing the Laketran application, pursuing design-phase funding, and consulting with OPWC and consultants about the withdrawn local match.