Lake County commissioners approve array of infrastructure, finance measures and an appointment

The Lake County Board of Commissioners on the 6th regular meeting approved a series of routine but significant measures including advertising bids for road projects, levying sanitary-sewer assessments, awarding a landfill gas system contract and approving payments and purchase orders totaling several million dollars. The board also authorized a federal equitable sharing agreement and appointed Michelle K. Johnson to the Lake Development Authority board to finish a term expiring Dec. 31, 2028.

The meeting opened with the pledge and an invocation. The board waived the reading of the Jan. 29, 2026 minutes and approved them by roll call. The public-comment period for agenda items produced no speakers and was closed.

Among the approvals, commissioners authorized plans and specifications and bid advertisements for the Hopkins Road Culvert Improvement (Manor City) and the Haines Road Culvert Improvement (Madison Township), project number 2022-011, with a bid opening set for March 18, 2026. They also approved advertising for bids on the Lake County intersection realignment project for Concord and Painesville townships (OPWC number DGAC07, LCE project number 2025-001) with a March 4, 2026 bid opening.

The board approved a final change order for project 2021-006 (referred to as the Saint project) and authorized the county engineer to use force account and make material purchases and issue road permits in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code (section cited in the reading). The utilities department’s resolution amending and levying revised special assessments for the Kirtland Old Town Sanitary Sewer Project was approved and certified for collection.

Commissioners awarded operation, monitoring and maintenance of the Lake County Solid Waste Facility gas collection and control system to Stearns, Conrad and Schmidt Consulting Engineers Inc. They also certified unpaid water and sewer sums and administrative charges to the Lake County Auditor and approved a separate resolution deleting certain water sums previously certified. The board authorized acceptance of a Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) energized community grant and approved entering a federal equitable sharing agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Treasury to receive federally forfeited property or funds on behalf of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

The commissioners appointed Michelle K. Johnson to the Lake Development Authority Board of Directors to complete the remainder of a four-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2028.

On financial matters, the board approved payment of bills listed on the commissioners’ approval journal totaling $3,409,482.80 and approved purchase orders in the amount of $2,205,240.09. A separate resolution transferring appropriations within various general and non-general fund accounts was also adopted.

During departmental reports, a Job and Family Services representative thanked Commissioner McIntosh and County Administrator Jason Boyd for visiting the agency and interacting with staff, saying, “I did want to thank Commissioner McIntosh who stopped by the Job and Family Services building yesterday afternoon to learn more about the programs administered through our agency.” The clerk reminded the board that a workshop would begin at 10:30 a.m. and that the next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m.

All formal motions recorded in the transcript were approved by roll call; recorded votes show affirmative responses from Commissioner Plecnik, Commissioner McIntosh and Commissioner Beveridge. The meeting then adjourned and the workshop start time was reiterated.