Good morning.

Today is Thursday, August 23rd.

It's 1001 a.m.

Uh calling this utilities uh committee to order.

Madam Clerk, can you please call the roll?

Present.

Here.

Can I call it second?

And at this point, Madam Clerk, uh Councilwoman Welsh is in the room.

So if we can name her pro temp for this meeting only.

And then if you could please excuse Councilman Bishop from today's committee hearing.

Director, you want to come on up?

We have four pieces of legislation today.

Ordinance number 1012, 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

An emergency ordinance, amending section six of ordinance number twenty-nine-sixteen passed January twenty-fifth, two thousand sixteen, entitled an emergency ordinance authorizing the issuance of the sale of water pollution control revenue bonds for the city of Cleveland for the purpose of paying costs of improvements to the water pollution control authorizing a master trust agreement to secure water pollution control revenue bonds of the city authorizing approving related matters and declaring an emergency.

Authorizing a third supplemental trust agreement and other agreements documented and actions related to amendment of the WPC general bond ordinance and authorizing and approving related matters.

Uh council gave us the authority at the division of water pollution control to borrow approximately $32 million.

At that time, this opportunity for refunding did not exist through the OWDA for subordinated debt.

We're seeking authority to amend the enabling legislation that we borrowed and spent on behalf of our customers in order to refund those obligations into this opportunity through the Ohio Water Development Authority and realize an approximate savings if issued soon, but 4.3 million dollars to our customers.

And over what length of time?

So it's four million over 20 years.

Well, this would be two only two projects of water pollution control, but they've only borrowed twice in its history to perform the necessary capital improvements for our customers.

But we have a lot of experience with OWDA as a funding partner.

So we do try to capitalize on those opportunities through the OWDA when we can.

So this was this was debt taken on by our customers in the traditional debt bond market, right?

So the refund is to pay that back and enter into a new agreement through the OWOWDA with more favorable terms to the benefit of.

All right.

Any other questions on 1210?

All right.

CNN 1210 2025 stands approved.

Part two.

Ordinance number 1211 2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance authorizing the city to apply for and accept and enter into a cooperative agreement between the city and the Ohio Water Development Authority for the refinancing of the city's water pollution control revenue bonds series 2016, the proceeds of which were used for the purpose of paying costs improvements to the water pollution control authorizing approving related matters.

Thank you, Chairman and the members of the committee.

Um this ordinance be acceptable to the committee and then finance on Monday, we would anticipate submitting to the OWDA board within the next two weeks.

Um and then hopefully they would act it their November board meeting to give us the approval to participate in this program.

So then it would be then we could realize the savings and and uh intend and refund these obligations.

Is there a chance that that board will say no?

No.

Okay.

Any questions on 1211 2025?

Mr.

Chairman, Councilman Palency.

The only question I would have are there specific projects tied to that.

Uh Chairman of the council member, those projects were completed between the years of 2016 and 2019.

Um there's there were projects, but these dollars have been spent.

Yep, but there's there's nothing new coming that's attached to the chairman of the council member that's correct.

Okay, thank you.

This is refinancing old debt.

Yeah, that's Chairman Cut's correct.

All right, 2011.

Any other questions on 2011, 2025?

Seeing none, please sign up.

Ordinance number 1219-2025 by council members Casey and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance determining the method of making the public improvements of constructing and installing replacement sewers and repairing and rehabilitating existing sewers and sewer connections, religion sewers and constructing and repairing catch basins and manholes at various locations throughout the city on an as-needed basis, and authorizing the public department the director of public utilities to enter into one or more public improvement requirement contracts for making of improvements and authorizing gifts, grants, or loans for a term of one or two, a term of one or two years.

Thank you, Chairman.

So it for these requirements contracts, what we have traditionally done is give the benefit, the option of a one we'll take a bid from the open market for a one or a two, and then should the numbers be substantially similar, we would try to extend it.

But in that lies the problem, if you would look at the existing contracts in your executive summary, they'd now expire at various times.

The one the reason that we're here today is we have one of these very important contracts that expires in January of 2026.

There's another contract let under this piece of legislation that doesn't expire until May of 2027.

So the commissioner and I, and he's happy to answer any questions.

The commissioner and I are going to put some effort into getting these contracts closer aligned, even if there's some benefit to the one or the two, we should go out to bid at around the same time to realize the the efficiencies of scale.

Um and the commissioner can say what all of these contracts do, but essentially it's our contract assistance, our staff aug in the event of emergencies, or if we do get inundated with work, um, we would use these contracts to then to perform the necessary improvements for our customers.

So this is an emergency situation.

We have two contracts that are out, four contracts that are out.

We're trying to align those contracts to all come up at the same time.

Around the same time.

I we we it's it's uh it wasn't the intention of the ordinance when it passed to have one expire in January and another one in May of 2027, because if you were to ask me how much did you spend on the one that expires in May of 2027, it's barely anything, but the one that expires in January, like it's just I understood we understand the purpose why council gives us this kind of authority to do these important this important work, but over the years with the one and two-year um differential, we've gotten a little further away than we're comfortable with.

So we're gonna realign that and make sure that they come closer in time was the only point I brought it up, Chairman.

You were gonna ask why are we here for a contract that expires in May of 2027?

Correct.

And I was gonna have to tell you that the fourth one expires in January, the um religion.

Religing?

So when this one expires in January, January 2026, right?

It's your hope to have that at least go out to June of 2027 or as close to as possible.

That's our intention, Chairman.

Okay.

Any other questions on 1219 2025?

CNN 1219 2025 stands approved.

You got this one.

And finally, ordinance number 1220 2025 by Council Members Casey and Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance.

Determining the method of making the public improvements of constructing the East 185th Street, East 68th Street, East 113th Street, East 151st Street, Shore Acres Drive, Chatfield Avenue, Chatfield Avenue, Melgrave Avenue, and Grimms Grimsby Avenue, Sovesky Avenue, Area Sewer Replacement or Rehabilitation Projects, authorizing the Director of Public Utilities to enter into one or more public improvement contracts, authorizing the director to employ one or more professional consultants necessary to design the improvement and authorizing the director to apply for and accept any loans or grants from any or pub any public or private entity.

This is our annual capital ordinance for the Division of Water Pollution Control, which outlines a number of projects which would have have been identified by the Commissioner and his staff, and the Commissioner is more than capable of answering any questions you should have.

Mr.

Chairman, I have a question.

Commissioner.

Do you have anything?

Opening?

Well, good morning.

Good morning.

To the chair.

Good morning, counseling.

You're just waking up.

No.

Good morning.

Any questions you may have on any of these projects I can answer for you?

Have they been notified of these?

Say that again, I'm sorry.

Have the council members whose pro whose ward these projects are in.

Have they all been notified?

They should have been, yes.

Yes.

Chairman, annually we do identify our capital improvement plan for a five-year span, and these are consistent.

Nothing has moved off of our five-year capital improvement plan.

However, the coordination with council typically happens closer to when we go out to bid and identify a contractor in a time frame.

So we tip we would consider the notice of our five-year capital, both through the budget process, operational hearing, and our annual notice to be notifying council of our intent.

But we are not going to have public meetings or get into details if we don't really have we're not far enough along, Chairman, if that makes sense.

Okay.

Does anybody have any questions?

Councilwoman Spencer.

Thanks, Mr.

Chair.

I just I have a comment uh for the good of the order, having just uh had a major project in my ward on West 70th Street.

Um wanting to through you, Mr.

Chair, just thank WPC and specifically Cecilia Mazie for her professionalism and fielding a lot of questions that came from residents.

I also want to gently provide the feedback that the residents did not feel that the contractor that was selected was very professional, and so uh I would just recommend a an audit of their work and uh Cecilia.

I could I could put her in touch with residents about what they observed in the field of helpful.

And part of that could be residents just don't understand sequencing of projects like this.

But these are uh high-intensity projects.

The street is there's a lot going on with these projects, and they they're lengthy.

It's not like a street resurfacing.

Um but anyway, please the primary intent of my comment is please extend my appreciation to your team in Cecilia for the excellent communication throughout.

Thanks.

Thank you.

And I know one of one of these projects uh is from an old piece of legislation is currently happening in my ward now.

And these projects they work throughout the winter, correct?

Because this project was just started not too long ago, and it doesn't look like it's gonna be done any time soon.

So these projects will uh this is a year-round project, correct?

It's not just done during construction season.

Yes, to the chairman, yes.

Okay.

Councilman Palency.

Okay, Mr.

Chairman.

Um here's my concern.

I'm seeing East 185th Street.

Now we know, Mr.

Chairman, to the director to the commissioner.

By commitment by the way, Commissioner, are you still acting?

Yes.

And you should have an Academy Award by now.

Okay.

Um the um we are look I'm looking at um calling the East 185th Street sewer project.

So you are going to be doing nothing on 185th itself, correct?

Chair to the Councilman, no.

185th will not be disturbed.

Okay.

But I am looking at Pawnee Avenue, Mohawk, Muskoka, and Arrowhead.

Nobody told me that there was going to be a sewer replaced on Muskoka, which just got resurfaced.

Nobody told me that.

And I paid for that out of my ward allocation.

So that troubles me greatly.

Now I know there are three streets there.

And I don't have them off the top of my head, they have to have the water lines replaced as well.

So I am hoping there is coordination that if we're going to do the sewers, that the let's do the water, if the water line is going to be replaced, let's have some coordinate, because I have already been notified by water of three streets that need to have the water lines replaced.

But this Muskoka, this is the first time I am hearing about it.

Nobody gave me any advanced notice.

I would have never resurfaced the street, which was a substantial amount of money because of the length, and now it is going to get torn up again.

And Mr.

Chairman, to the Director and to the Commissioner.

Resurfacing?

Chairman of the Councilmember, yes.

Yes.

So again, I mean, what a waste of money.

I could have used those funds somewhere else.

Chairman of the Councilmember, if I could.

Again, these projects are identified on a five-year basis.

And I but we always run into this and we have the conversation regularly.

But it's a matter of funding and then timing.

And I understand Muskoka needed to get resurfaced.

This might not happen for three or four years, right?

We have to get out there.

And it's not the entirety of the street.

It is sequenced with the significant improvements completed on East 185th Street, which now can push more storm and sanitary.

So it was sequenced and phased, and it's unfortunate, but it happens, and we still don't know available funding.

I mean, we have pots that we put into these projects, right?

Including the bond funding that Council gave us the authority to borrow last year.

But there's also any ORSD money and state money.

That we have to put together for these things.

Okay.

And we will coordinate better.

But let me say this again through the Chair and to you, uh Director, and to the Commissioner.

You know as well as anyone how closely I look at this stuff, and I coordinate it.

So I don't have these kind of situations happen because it just it irritates me that after and you look at the c what it cost me to do Muskoka.

I mean, this this street was a monster street.

And um, and now again, those are funds that I could have directed to other streets in the neighborhood.

So uh again, I want to just say this.

I want to make it perfectly clear through the chair who has been uh very um aggressive on this as well.

We have got to you got to give us advanced notice.

You gotta give us something that these are the streets.

On the water, they gave me advanced notice.

They gave me advanced notice because I asked for it.

Three years ahead, they gave me advanced notice.

I know that these streets, and then I notified people on those streets who are all calling me about the condition of the streets, that we're not gonna resurface them now because it would be a waste of money.

We will patch the holes, but you're gonna get a new water line, you are gonna get the street resurfaced.

So I didn't get any pushback.

I can tell you on this, there is gonna be pushback on this one.

When you get out, they are gonna say, what the heck are you guys doing?

No coordination.

Now, 151st Shore Acres.

Um, tell me again, you're gonna do is it gonna be Shore Acres or 151st Street?

It's good uh to the count, Chair to the Councilman, it's gonna be Shore Acres.

Shore Acres.

Yes.

Um but you can't tell me where on Shore Acres.

Not at this time.

Okay.

Well, I hope you can, because again, that street is in relatively good shape because I did it a few years ago.

So uh I just want to make sure.

So uh Chairman, if I could, and I apologize to the council member, but it is in the executive summary, some of the specifics on shore acres, and it would be east of I'm sorry, west and shore acres drive west and east of East 151st Street.

The existing combined sewer was built in 1915.

It's undersized, and we will improve approximately 1,500 feet on East 51 and Shore Acres Drive.

So it appears to me that it would be primarily on East 151 and then spur off into the existing connections on Shore Acres.

But again, we don't know until we engineer it to get it, and you will be apprised of it.

So, Mr.

Chairman, again, through the chair to you, whatever you can provide to me, I'd appreciate I am total in total support of replacing water lines and sewer lines, because we know we have to do it.

So I'll leave it at that point.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Councilman Palency.

Yes.

Any other questions for 1220?

CNN 1220 stands approved.

That concludes the legislative portion of today's meeting.

I want to remind the committee that we are meeting again next week.

Next week's uh purpose is to get an update from Digital C on where they stand with uh with their term sheets for their agreement for their ARPA dollars uh for year two.

So again, next year next next week we'll be here in digital C.

It'll just be presentation and no no uh no legislation.

Mr.

Chair, while we're still on the record, may I may I uh request before that meeting that we obtain a list of their uh subscribers so that we can check independently to verify the numbers that they are reporting.

Uh we don't have staff here today, but oh we don't shield I I did you catch that?

I couldn't see did you get that?

I I just want to put on the record I would like to request a copy uh uh a report of their subscriber base so that we can independently verify the numbers that they're reporting to us and again the city the city will do its own its own audit of them as well.

Yeah, and but not just the numbers, the actual list of customers.

We might be able to do the quality control calls.

Thanks.

Anyone else for the good of the order?

Seeing none, director, I'm gonna hang out here for about another 45 seconds because it's 1022, and I want to end it at 1023, which is today's date.

And that's an inside thing between myself and the director.

As soon as it hits 1023, we'll we'll uh we'll gavel out.

The cabs back college utilities committee uh adjourned to the call of the chair next Thursday.