County nears contract with 911 dispatchers

The county is closer to having a new contract with its emergency dispatchers, Lorain County commissioners learned Wednesday. Interim County Administrator Rob Weber told the board that negotiations had yielded a tentative agreement on a contract with the Fraternal Order of Police union that represents Lorain County 911 dispatchers. He said FOP members ratified the tentative agreement Monday. It now moves to commissioners for a presentation and final approval, probably within the next two weeks, Weber said. Among other business, commissioners: Amended a previous resolution, adopted July 14, awarding and entering into a contract with Tri Mor Corp. of Twinsburg worth $993,193 for the Hampshire Farms underground utilities project.An additional cost of $248,375 was incurred at the request of developer John Eavenson so the sanitary sewer system 788 feet south along Oberlin Road in Amherst Township from the entrance of the subdivision could be constructed concurrently with other improvements. Approved a contract with Williams Brothers Builders of Elyria worth $101,700 to do interior alterations at the Lorain County Board of Elections offices at 1985 North Ridge Road in Sheffield Township.The work will start before Oct. 4 and be completed on or before Feb. 4. Renovations to the building's eastern entrance were done in 2020, and included adding an entrance more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Amended an agreement with contractor H.R. Gray of Akron, first passed by the board on Jan. 27, for inspection services on a bridge in Penfield Township. The cost was increased by $35,940 "due to the exceeded number of work days resulting in nearly 247 hours of additional inspection time," according to the commission's agenda. Awarded the WallacePancher Group Co. of Mansfield $34,446 to do additional professional services work on the runway rehabilitation project at the Lorain County Regional Airport in New Russia Township. Federal grants are available to reimburse the county for the cost. Awarded a $14,750 contract for tree planting in the Margaret Peak Nature Preserve in Eaton Township to Big Trees Inc., a Columbia Township firm. Don Romancak, community and small-business development coordinator with the Lorain County Community Development Department, said it was the last contract paid from the $1.15 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The funding helped restore floodplains and eliminate invasive species in Lorain County in partnership with local, state and federal authorities. A University of Michigan study found that for every $1 spent on the restoration initiative, $3 was returned to the community, Romancak said. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.