'I want a vibrant and equitable city': Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley gives inaugural State of the City address (VIDEO)

LORAIN — Republic Steel's long-rumored reopening and a potential decrease in water bills marked Mayor Jack Bradley's first State of the City address. The address brought more than 260 people to the Ariel on Broadway hotel Thursday afternoon. The hotel, restored over the past year and a half by developer Radhika Reddy, is set to open Monday. In early 2018, Republic Steel announced plans to restart its Lorain mill, including its idled electric arc furnace, casters and rolling mills, in response to steel tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Trump touted during a speech in Lima that it would mean 1,000 jobs for the International City — but the mill has yet to fully restart, even after hiring 60 additional workers last year. "I was at the U.S. Conference of Mayors and I made it a point to go to Sen. Sherrod Brown's office and also Sen. Rob Portman's office to talk to them about these 1,000 jobs in Lorain," Bradley said. "And both offices said 'Hey, we don't know anything about it, can you get us some information.' Bradley contacted Republic Steel and spoke to Senior Vice President Elizabeth Evans. She explained the tariff situation being on-again, off-again has allowed purchasers to "game the system," Bradley said, with foreign suppliers paying half the tariffs and it's still cheaper to import than buy from Republic. "Elizabeth Evans told us that if we could get some things done they're willing to fire those furnaces back up and that would cost them about $50 million to do that," Bradley said. "But they're willing to do it if we can get things attracted to them." Evans, who is Lorain County Coroner Stephen Evans' daughter, also requested the city not shut off the mill's water — something Bradley said happened in 2018 that resulted in an audit showing Republic had overpaid the city for the utility. He agreed their water would not be shut off without a dialogue first. That dialogue will soon extend to citizens. Bradley said he is still working to potentially lower residents' water and sewer rates, after a fee hike in 2017 has caused a spike in complaints and shutoffs. Safety/Service Director Max Upton implemented a rate freeze on water rates earlier this year, and City Council is set to do the same to sewer rates while the utility department is audited. Bradley said they have contacted experts to see if they can renegotiate the terms of the consent decree the city is under from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and is looking at financing some of its required projects over 30 years, rather than paying for costs upfront. In the meantime, Bradley noted residents facing water shutoffs will receive a new notice that complies with a 1995 federal order. That notice will outline how residents can request a hearing from an impartial hearing officer to contest their balance or provide good cause as to why they can't pay their bill. "I know right now it's just kind of a Band-Aid, this freeze, but I think in the very, very near future I'm going to be able to announce to the citizens of Lorain that we're going to have a cut of their water bill," he said. In the coming months, Bradley hopes to announce a summer jobs program for youth ages 16-24 in the city. About 100 young adults could work for the city, groups or organizers like Bob Earley with Rockin' on the River. He is also looking into a reentry program for residents returning from incarceration, helping them find housing and employment opportunities in the city. He is also looking to reopen Oakwood Park's pool, which closed years ago due to budget constraints. Bradley said the city is in discussions with the YMCA to run the facility. Bradley is also hoping to capitalize on talks of a Great Lakes cruise line by Switzerland-based Viking Cruises. Currently the line is set to stop in Traverse City, Michigan, and Bradley is hoping it will make a trip to the International City as well. According to a January article in the Chicago Tribune, the Great Lakes' excursions are set to start in 2022, with two ships currently under construction. "I want a vibrant and equitable city, a city where there's affordable housing, early childhood education, and economic development," he said. "We want a city where everyone thrives. Where everyone feels a deep sense of belonging, in Lorain, to Lorain and to one another. We are Lorain proud." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.