Another shot at long-awaited sewers for frustrated South Amherst officials

SOUTH AMHERST — After being burned time and again for nearly two decades, Village Council members appear frustrated and suspicious of a new $40 million plan that may potentially pay for sewers on Lorain County's west side. South Amherst officials have been strung along since 2004 on the promise of development at the former Cleveland Quarries. That project, which at times in the early 2000s was supposed to be worth upward of $1.25 billion, has never materialized, and neither have the sewers that would have serviced it. Now county commissioners are applying for $20 million in federal infrastructure grant funding through the office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland. That bid is far from a sure thing, said Don Romancak, the county's storm water and community development coordinator. "I wish it were easy," he told Village Council in a meeting Monday night. "I wish it were something that we could say, 'All you need is this.' But unless you have a printing press that can print U.S. currency, we are stuck." South Amherst officials, including Mayor David Leshinski, vented at Romancak — they were upset his office hadn't included the village in its fresh attempt to grab federal money. Several said they only learned that plan existed by reading about it in The Chronicle-Telegram. Leshinski said he felt South Amherst was "a red-headed stepchild" that was left out, even though village residents desperately need sewers. All over town, their septic systems are failing, said Councilman David Troike, who went on the offensive against Romancak. He said broken septic systems are putting increased pressure on South Amherst's storm sewers, which are also crumbling. "Our storm sewers, we already know, are aging. They haven't been touched in 50 years," and the water has to go somewhere, Troike said. Similar conversations were held last July, when county officials and engineers visited South Amherst to talk about the prospect of extending sewers to the village. At that time, Romancak said he was trying to lock down a Tax Increment Financing District deal that would have diverted taxes to help pay for sewers, with the Firelands Schools chipping in. That plan doesn't seem to be on the table anymore. And South Amherst officials are chaffing, saying Monday they feel their needs are not a priority — that the county is only interested in big-money projects like the so-called Sandstone Mega-Development in neighboring Amherst Township. It calls for 770 new homes and 44 acres of commercial land between the Ohio Turnpike and Route 113, just east of Route 58. Council members noted the newly proposed sewer, which would travel south along Baumhart Road, is being spurred by the prospect of a large industrial development in Vermilion. Land on the northern end of Baumhart is rumored to be targeted for construction of an Amazon Fulfillment Center, though officials have declined to specify what company they are negotiating with. If that line is built, it would turn down Middle Ridge Road and then hit Quarry Road, where Industrial Realty Group has for years been slowly advancing plans for nearly 50 million-dollar houses. Romancak said the sewer would be gravity fed, and pump stations would need to be built "to work with the geology that you've been blessed with" — the difficult terrain of the sandstone quarries. It would be a 48-inch line to make sure it has the capacity to serve not only South Amherst, but a great deal of commercial, industrial and residential growth, he said. If half the project cost is covered by federal dollars, the county commissioners would put forward $10 million from their budget, and a non-school TIF would be needed to cover the rest, Romancak said. The county would not assess residents or the village per linear foot for construction or charge tap-in fees, he said. A federal grant award announcement could come within four months, Romancak said. If $20 million goes to the Baumhart Road sewer, it could take another six months before funds would be in hand to allow it to progress further, he said. Councilwoman Jeri Leigh Siss was irritated by the prospect of possibly having to wait another 10 to 15 years before sewers are finally a reality in the village. She said that's another full generation of residents that would have to deal with failing septic systems. Romancak admitted he's appeared before Council for years with no answers. "Unfortunately, it's going to take money and the money has to come from somewhere," he said. He said South Amherst is not a wealthy community that can afford to sink tens of millions of dollars into building its own sewer system. But neither is it poor enough to qualify for Community Block Development Grants through the state. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.