Fairport Harbor outlines water interconnection, Chestnut Street sewer work, water‑plant demolition and marina funding in year‑end review

Unidentified Speaker (mayor) reviewed multiple infrastructure projects completed or planned for 2023–24. Key items included: the chestnut street storm and sanitary sewer project (presented total cost: $825,000), the village’s interconnection to Painesville for treated water and a planned demolition of the old water plant, a planned 250,000‑gallon water tower, multiple street paving projects supported with CDBG and ARP funds, and a large multiagency marina/breakwater effort backed by state and federal grant sources.

On funding for the Chestnut Street project, the mayor said the council approved, in October, a resolution to seek a $350,000 grant and a $50,000 loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC). The mayor described additional funding as coming from local revenue and CDBG funds and stated that village residents ultimately had no direct out‑of‑pocket expense for the project. The transcript records the dollar figures cited above; where the recorded figures were unclear or garbled in the audio transcript the article notes that the transcript’s readout is unclear and flags those amounts for verification.

Regarding the water plant, the mayor said asbestos abatement and hazardous‑materials removal are complete, that contractors were invited to submit combined bids for demolition and abatement, and that council selected Matt Moderelli Excavating for demolition and Pro Quality Demolition for asbestos abatement. The transcript includes bid figures for those contracts but the numbers were read in the session in a way that produced unclear transcription; the article therefore reports the contract awards and notes that the bid amounts require verification.

The mayor said RMH Concrete and Foundations was awarded the rebid contract for the 3rd Street streetscape; work will begin in March 2024 and should be completed by mid‑May. Phase‑2 funding for that streetscape includes a $245,000 CDBG award (from 2022) and a $55,000 local match from the street‑light fund, according to the transcript.

On marina work, officials said the Lake County Development Port Authority and consultant MSA are preparing Army Corps permits for a new breakwater (review estimated at six to eight months) with bidding expected in September–October 2024. The mayor said $5,000,000 had been secured through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for the breakwater, and $1,100,000 was secured for docks and a fuel station through a Fish and Wildlife Boating Infrastructure Grant; the village also secured $350,000 in state capital funds for the boat launch and is pursuing additional federal and state grants for port infrastructure.

What happens next: the village expects demolition and follow‑on site work in early 2024 (demolition timeline given as mid‑March subject to final caps), will proceed with 3rd Street construction in spring 2024, and is continuing permitting and grant work for the marina project. Several financial and bid figures were read unclearly in the transcript and should be confirmed against council minutes or contract records before publication.