County official to address council
Editor’s note: This article was compiled from the minutes of the July 20, 2026, Vermilion City Council meeting.
VERMILION — City Council will hear from a Lorain County official Aug. 3 as members learn more about the federal Community Development Block Grant program and how it could affect Vermilion.
Council President Jeff Lucas introduced the subject during council’s July 20 meeting. He said the federal program helps communities pay for projects such as sidewalks, accessibility improvements, water and sewer infrastructure, housing rehabilitation and other public improvements.
When used effectively, Lucas said, the program can bring outside funding into a community while reducing the burden on local taxpayers.
Because Vermilion spans Lorain and Erie counties, Lucas said working through a county would be an important consideration. He said council should understand how the program operates and what responsibilities it could create before making a long-term commitment.
Lucas invited Lorain County Economic Development Director Rob Duncan to attend the Aug. 3 council meeting. Duncan is expected to provide an overview of the program, discuss how it could affect Vermilion and answer council members’ questions.
Lucas said the goal is to ensure council members have enough information to ask questions and determine what would be best for the community.
Mayor Russ Owens also discussed a Lorain County funding designation through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. If the designation would benefit Vermilion residents, Owens said council might be asked to approve a resolution in fewer than three readings and declare an emergency to meet HUD’s deadline.
Owens said the administration does not control those deadlines and that requesting the suspension of council’s rules would not be an attempt to bypass the legislative process.
Council member Gary Howell questioned whether Lorain County had received enough support from its communities to move forward with the designation. Howell said he understood from a newspaper article that the county might submit for the designation despite not receiving enough community participation.
Owens said his conversation with Lorain County Commissioner Jeff Riddell indicated that was not necessarily correct. Riddell has offered to attend a council meeting or speak individually with council members about the designation process, Owens said.
Council took no action during the July 20 meeting. Duncan’s presentation is scheduled during the council president’s report Aug. 3.