Lorain County Commissioners met Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 3:30 p.m., with Commissioners Redell, Moore, and Gallagher present. The board approved a series of financial items and took action on contracts, stormwater management, and sewer delinquencies.
The meeting opened with routine approvals of investments, appropriations, transfers, advances, requisitions, travel, and bills. Staff noted that heavy weather created a backlog in ditch maintenance, leading the department to subcontract small projects to keep work on schedule.
Two long-term cybersecurity agreements were approved with Conversant Group of Chattanooga, Tennessee. One contract, valued at $124,829 over 60 months, provides comprehensive endpoint management. The second, $105,140 over the same term, covers security, system management, recovery, backups, and data protection. IT Director Todd explained that the upgrades create a single perimeter for county systems, provide multiple redundant and immutable backups, and bring operations in line with new state requirements. The system can be extended to elected offices across the county, including the prosecutor, judges, sheriff, recorder, auditor, and treasurer.
Job and Family Services received approval of its updated statement of policies for the Prevention, Retention, and Contingency program, effective Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2027.
Commissioners voted to certify 1,999 delinquent sanitary sewer accounts totaling $634,245.67 to the auditor for placement on the 2026 tax duplicate. During public comment, attorney Gerald Phillips asked where those accounts were located and how to obtain the list. He was directed to submit a request through the clerk, who will forward it to the sanitary engineer.
A public hearing was set for Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 4:30 p.m. on a proposed stormwater project for an unnamed tributary of Wellington Creek Ditch in Penfield Township. William Zimmerman of Avon Lake questioned how unnamed ditches are identified and tracked. Stormwater staff explained that maintenance ditches can be viewed through the county’s Stormwater GIS, while additional watershed mapping is available on the auditor’s website. Commissioners discussed the possibility of a project to research and name unnamed ditches, suggesting it could serve as an internship or historical research effort.
The board awarded a $71,031 contract to Leiby Construction, Inc. of West Salem for drainage improvements along West North Street in Rochester Village. The project will replace about 330 feet of storm sewer and must be completed by Dec. 1, 2025. Funding includes $38,356.74 from the Ohio Public Works Commission and $32,674.26 from the engineer’s project account. The village will reimburse the county for the remaining costs.
Commissioners also approved participation in the latest round of national opioid manufacturer settlements, which will collectively provide $1.1 billion nationwide in cash and pharmaceutical products. Officials noted that the share for Lorain County will be small once divided across states and years.
County Administrator Jim Cordes reported that the long-planned 911 communication towers and radio project remains on schedule. Testing is expected to begin in mid-October following state approval to install fiber under the railroad at the fairgrounds.
The meeting closed with a note that Thursday, Sept. 11, marks the 24th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, and residents were asked to pause at 9:11 a.m. to reflect. Commissioners also recognized Elyria’s Jada Holt, recently crowned Little Miss Ohio, for her community service and upcoming participation in the national competition in Florida.