The Cleveland City Council Utilities Committee approved four emergency ordinances Thursday, Aug. 23, during a roughly 22-minute meeting that the chair opened at 10:01 a.m. The measures cover refinancing of 2016 water pollution control debt, authorization to apply for OWDA refinancing, alignment of public-improvement requirements contracts for sewer work, and authorization of specific sewer replacement and rehabilitation projects across multiple neighborhoods.

Committee members said the refinancing could produce direct savings for ratepayers and that timing and coordination of capital projects remain priorities. Director Barrett, representing the Department of Public Utilities, told the committee the city seeks to amend the 2016 enabling legislation so the Division of Water Pollution Control can participate in a new subordinate-debt refinancing opportunity created by OWDA in 2022. "We are seeking authority to amend the enabling legislation ... in order to refund those obligations into this opportunity through the Ohio Water Development Authority and realize an approximate savings if issued soon, but $4,300,000 to our customers," Director Barrett said.

The committee also approved an emergency ordinance authorizing the city to apply for and enter into a cooperative agreement with the Ohio Water Development Authority for refinancing the city's water pollution control revenue bonds series 2016. Director Barrett said, if the committee and finance committee approve, staff expect to present to the OWDA board within about two weeks and hoped OWDA would act in November to allow the city to participate and realize savings. "Is there chance that that board will say no?" a committee member asked. Barrett responded, "No."

Councilmembers pressed staff on project coordination and the sequencing of street resurfacing with sewer and water work. Councilmember Polensek raised concerns that some streets recently resurfaced could be torn up again for sewer replacement, noting he had funded resurfacing in his ward. "What a waste of money. I could have used those funds somewhere else," Polensek said, and asked for better advance notice and coordination among departments. The director and the commissioner for the Division of Water Pollution Control said projects come from a five-year capital improvement plan and that staff will work to better coordinate timing with water and public works.

On alignment of public-improvement requirement contracts, staff said two existing contracts now expire at different times (one in January 2026, another in May 2027). The ordinance authorizes one- or two-year requirements contracts and gives the director authority to enter into one or more contracts in order to align contract expirations and capture efficiencies when possible.

The fourth ordinance is the division's annual capital ordinance identifying specific sewer-replacement and rehabilitation projects at multiple addresses and streets including East 180th Street, East 150th Street, Shore Acres Drive and others. The commissioner said the projects align with the division's five-year capital improvement plan; details and exact limits will be determined during design and bidding. Councilmembers asked for and were told they would be notified as projects move toward bid and construction.

Committee members voted to approve all four ordinances as presented. The committee chair closed the meeting at 10:23 a.m. and reminded members the committee will meet next week for a presentation from DigitalC on ARPA-funded work and requested subscriber data for independent verification prior to that presentation.