64°Fremont reservoir project is 500 percent over budget
Feb 18
2012
The Fremont reservoir continues to drain money from tens of thousands of city residents and those living in surrounding townships that purchase the city’s water.
The project was supposed to cost $8.6 million and be completed in one year. The cost is now about 500 percent of its original estimate.
The problems related to the reservoir continue to grow as former city officials are mired in an ongoing lawsuit with a construction company the city fired halfway into the job.
For the first time ever, the Register has investigated what led to these problems and what the ramifications are to city taxpayers and water customers today and in the future.
Pick up Sunday's Register to find out:
- How much money city taxpayers and water customers have dumped into the reservoir.
- The problems with the reservoir site in Ballville Township, and why the area is not conducive to construction of a reservoir, according to state officials.
- Contract agreements and court documents detailing the relationship between former Fremont Mayor Terry Overmyer and the reservoir's project engineer. The two are being sued by the original construction company that was hired to build the reservoir.
- What city leaders plan to do to prevent additional cost overruns.
ALSO: Be sure to check out the PDFs below, which include former Fremont Mayor Terry Overmyer's court deposition, an engineering agreement and emails sent from public employees who expressed concern about the reservoir project early on.
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11:49 AM
Woody Hayes says
Frugal:
And you are saying the SR is a newspaper? You are a joke.
10:07 PM
FruGalSpender says
the newspaper in fremont and the newspaper in port clinton are a joke.
10:05 PM
FruGalSpender says
150% over budget can be common. but FIVE TIMES over budget? come on!
12:24 PM
Home Boy says
Does "over budget" really surprise anyone??? This is GOVERNMENT folks. It's how they roll.
11:56 AM
crazyrick says
Why is it when taxpayer money is involved everything turns to crap ?
Dirty union contractors, public employee's making the dirty deals, and politicians with their excuses to make it look alright and justified.
This needs to be fully investigated, starting with the general contractor, and the county manager of this project .Start with the change order's. This is either corruption at its finest or just flat out stupidity.
Follow the money,fire them, put them in jail, problem solved.
When its not there money, they just don't care.
10:31 AM
SimpleEnough says
Don S the epa mandated we do something for our water supply due to nitrate levels from field runoffs during heavy rain periods. Also as time has gone buy I've heard different "stories" of why we ended up with this site selected. The way the story was written I do believe omits some of the original history of the Reservoir Project. The original Project cost was low as the bidder who won the award did not include the "Liner" as they must have felt it wasn't going to be necessary based upon bore samples, where as I believe the others included a liner in their bids. The original conractor then came upon the limestone karst during the project. Now you see why the project cost increased siginifcantly. Are we happy with the outcome sofar, heck no, but I'm more worried about a new mayor who thinks water rates should be based upon income to "help" the less fortunate.....Yeah, I pay the same extra monthly fee assigned to each household for the EPA mandated Water supply and the one for the EPA mandated Waste Water/storm sewer upgrades, try to keep my water usage low and then this guy want's to give the low rent's discounts.......How many of you have ever gone into a person home who has utility assitance? Their thermostats aren't set at 65 or even 67 degrees, how many have you noticed have tv's, radio, numerous lights on at the same time.....You don't have to write the full check each month so why bother......Sorry, I think things are going to get crappy in the Fremont area soon enough.
07:28 AM
Fireside says
Why not send Shenigo over there and MAKE A DEAL to buy Erie County water? Cut the losses now!
01:10 AM
origen says
Bet its creating jobs according to the democrats
12:56 AM
Don S says
I could never understand why Fremont needed a reservoir when it had the Sandusky river. I understand the Ballville dam is getting old, but why couldn't a new dam be built ??? Then raze the old dam. Now the city is stuck with a dead horse. Can I dare say corruption ???07:00 PM
donutshopguy says
Is Sandusky County the clone of Erie County ?
That's $43 million dollars.
Chump change compared to a $110 million dollar land fill.
Oh, I forgot, it's a $43 million dollar asset. Right Mr. Farrell ?