LORAIN – A new contractor soon will lead the recycling effort that is part of the environmental restoration along the Black River.
Lorain city officials are reviewing proposals by four contractors who have submitted plans to manage the reclamation efforts on 300 acres of city land that sits between the steel mills and the Black River.
‘In 2008, the city began a reclamation effort intended to sort and process the materials located onsite for sale in the recycling market,’ the city specifications said. ‘The city wishes to continue this recycling and reclamation effort while maximizing the site’s output.’
The site includes materials ‘consistent with historic steel mill processing’ with potential unsorted piles of refractory brick, slag, fly ash, mills scale, flue dust, lime and metals. Much of the work involves digging out materials and sifting through it to separate items that can be piled and sold for reuse.
For years, the city worked with Berresford Brokerage LLC, but that company has not submitted a proposal to continue the salvage efforts.
Atlee Berresford, the company’s late president and chief executive officer, died in June 2013, and the city earlier this year delivered notice it would terminate the contract as of July 15.
The city of Lorain has scored millions of dollars in grants to pay for the continuing environmental restoration along the shore of the Black River. The project has received state and national level attention from government environmental officials.
The salvage efforts also have been a money maker for the city of Lorain. Since 2008, the city has spent $881,335 developing the site, but has earned revenues of more than $1.73 million from the salvage rights.
So far in 2014, the city has earned $540,363 from the reclamation and recycling and Lorain Auditor Ron Mantini has estimated the city could bring in up to $725,000 a year from the work behind the steel mills.
City officials ‘absolutely’ hope the payments will continue.
‘It is our material and it is our intent to make as much money as possible through the reclamation and sale of the material,’ said Kathryn Hoffmann, storm water manager in Lorain’s Engineering Department.
Staff in the city Utilities and Law departments also are examining the proposals and may be involved with negotiations on a contract with a new salvage company.
The winning facility manager also must pay the city a one-time nonrefundable fee of $150,000 to manage the site, according to project specifications.
The city aims to award a three-year contract starting as early as Sept. 15.
The winning contractor will do work ranging from management level planning and technical solution development to the excavation, sorting, processing, bundling and shipping of materials.
Services also could include operating a scale house, managing traffic on the site and disposing of solid waste.
The new facility manager also must provide a monthly summary with the quantities and types of materials stockpiled and shipped. The manager and subcontractors also must give preference to local workers when practical and must buy new materials and supplies from local dealers and manufacturers when prices are equal to or lower than sellers outside the city of Lorain.
The city staff will make a recommendation to Safety-Service Director Robert Fowler, who will present the proposal for consideration by Lorain City Council.
