Penfield Township moves to opt out of proposed urban county designation

Penfield Township trustees voted Friday to opt out of Lorain County's proposed urban county designation, saying they want more transparency and a greater role in discussions before supporting the proposal. Trustees held a special meeting Friday morning ahead of the county's July 8 deadline for communities to opt out of the designation, which would allow Lorain County to receive Community Development Block Grant funding directly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rather than through the state. Trustee Eric Flynn said the trustees became concerned after learning townships were automatically included in the application unless they formally opted out, while villages and cities were asked whether they wanted to participate. According to information reviewed during the meeting, the designation could increase the amount of federal funding available to Lorain County for projects including water and sewer infrastructure, utility improvements, senior services, demolition and building rehabilitation. "More money for the county is great," Flynn said. "But if it's not a good plan, it's just wasted taxpayer dollars." He said the trustees have repeatedly sought more information from county officials. "I just need more transparency," Flynn said. "I've asked the commissioners in the commissioners' room multiple times — transparency. We're elected officials to represent our small communities. If you're keeping us in the dark, we can't do our job." The proposed designation is the latest example of township officials being excluded from county planning discussions, the trustees said. "This is now the third time they've left us out," Flynn said, referring to previous discussions involving development, subdivision regulations and infrastructure planning. Several residents expressed their concerns about future development, sewer expansion and the county's handling of recent planning efforts, urging trustees to continue seeking more information before supporting the proposal. Flynn noted that communities choosing to opt out this year could opt back into the program during a future application cycle if their concerns are addressed. Trustees said Lorain County must include at least 200,000 residents outside the cities of Lorain and Elyria to qualify for the urban county designation. Flynn said enough communities opting out could prevent the county from meeting that population threshold. The trustees unanimously approved a resolution and letter formally notifying Lorain County that Penfield Township is opting out of the proposed urban county designation. Contact Connor Ball at (440) 329-7243 or cball@chroniclet.com.