North Ridgeville council votes 5-2 to join Lorain County's urban-county CDBG program

North Ridgeville City Council voted 5-2 on Aug. 3 to adopt Resolution 2026-75, authorizing the city to participate in Lorain County's urban-county CDBG program and allowing the mayor to execute the HUD cooperation agreement.

Supporters on council and county staff said the designation unlocks more direct, multi-year federal funding that can be targeted to local infrastructure and low- and moderate-income residents. "What we get by making the switch is the opportunity to obtain more money," Mayor (Mayor) said during debate, arguing the city faces large long-term sewer and water needs and could use the additional funding for local projects.

Residents and several longtime county employees urged a no vote. "Vote no on the block grant program at least for now," Susan Olsen told council during public comment, echoing widespread concerns about county decision-making and transparency. Robert Baumgartner, a resident speaker, linked the matter to broader worries about county governance and said the city would be surrendering autonomy to an administration that, he said, "is the subject of a federal RICO lawsuit," an allegation raised in public comment but not litigated during the meeting.

County staff and local county-development representatives responded during the meeting with procedural clarifications. Brandon Timke of the Lorain County Community Development Department told the council that federal law requires at least 70% of CDBG funds "directly benefit low to moderate income residents," and Garvin Carrington, who administers the county CDBG program, said that claims conflating HUD and state programs were incorrect and that specific projects must still originate with participating communities.

Council dispensed with the third reading and adopted the resolution by recorded vote (motion carried 5-2). The council did not specify a local breakdown of anticipated awards in the resolution; county allocation formulas and the advisory committee Timke described will determine project selection and proportions going forward. Council members who voted for the measure said they did so to preserve the city's ability to apply directly to HUD and pursue additional funding for water, sewer and other infrastructure needs.

The most immediate procedural next steps are to complete the county cooperation agreement and begin the application processes described by county staff. The resolution takes effect as adopted; council recorded the outcome at the meeting’s conclusion.