City weighing options for $2.6M Nicholson waterline after $959,000 federal earmark; technical correction or wait for additional funding
June 17, 2025 | Hudson City Council, Hudson, Summit County, Ohio
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Hudson officials updated the council on June 17 about federal Community Planning Funds (CPF) earmarked for a Nicholson Drive water-transmission project and outlined options for moving forward.
Staff said the Nicholson Waterline project is estimated at $2,600,000; the U.S. EPA earmark secured through a congressional office was about $959,000 with a local match of about $239,000. City staff said the appropriation committee trimmed projects nationally, leaving Hudson with roughly 25% of the original request. Council heard three options: continue seeking additional outside funding; set a firm pause (for example 12 months) to see if further funding materializes; or pursue a ‘‘technical correction’’ through the city’s congressional liaison to reallocate the earmark to another water infrastructure project that better fits current priorities.
Councilor Banwig recommended waiting until the end of summer to give federal and state lawmakers time to secure additional support and to keep the technical correction option ready as a fallback. Councilors discussed potential alternative uses for the funds if reallocated, including extending Hudson Drive under a creek to a northerly property line, connecting City Hall to the Hudson water system, and providing water service for the Public Works building — projects staff said are high priorities and would benefit from transmission-line work.
Staff also described state and federal coordination options such as submitting the project to a small community environmental infrastructure review group that convenes quarterly, allowing agency stakeholders (EPA, state agencies) to review project eligibility and possible funding matches.
Council did not make a binding decision at the meeting; staff said engineering timelines mean they will need a clear go/no‑go decision before bidding the public-works portion, but recommended giving lawmakers additional time to pursue supplemental funds while keeping the technical-correction path available.
Staff said the Nicholson Waterline project is estimated at $2,600,000; the U.S. EPA earmark secured through a congressional office was about $959,000 with a local match of about $239,000. City staff said the appropriation committee trimmed projects nationally, leaving Hudson with roughly 25% of the original request. Council heard three options: continue seeking additional outside funding; set a firm pause (for example 12 months) to see if further funding materializes; or pursue a ‘‘technical correction’’ through the city’s congressional liaison to reallocate the earmark to another water infrastructure project that better fits current priorities.
Councilor Banwig recommended waiting until the end of summer to give federal and state lawmakers time to secure additional support and to keep the technical correction option ready as a fallback. Councilors discussed potential alternative uses for the funds if reallocated, including extending Hudson Drive under a creek to a northerly property line, connecting City Hall to the Hudson water system, and providing water service for the Public Works building — projects staff said are high priorities and would benefit from transmission-line work.
Staff also described state and federal coordination options such as submitting the project to a small community environmental infrastructure review group that convenes quarterly, allowing agency stakeholders (EPA, state agencies) to review project eligibility and possible funding matches.
Council did not make a binding decision at the meeting; staff said engineering timelines mean they will need a clear go/no‑go decision before bidding the public-works portion, but recommended giving lawmakers additional time to pursue supplemental funds while keeping the technical-correction path available.
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