Group pursuing Mosquito lodge, waterpark

The city got a state grant to replace playground equipment at Willow Park.

By TIM YOVICH

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

CORTLAND — Supporters don’t yet know whether it would be legal to build a lodge and water park on Mosquito Lake, but they want money to continue the effort.

Mayor Curt Moll told city council Monday night that he will ask council to approve giving $5,000 in city funds to pay part of the cost.

He said $50,000 is needed to pay Gateway Consultants Group Inc. of Cleveland for the second phase of the project, which includes seeking proposals from prospective operators of a lodge and water park.

The mayor told lawmakers that the supporters have to meet with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Army Corps of Engineers to find out if it’s legal to build such a project somewhere around the lake. The corps controls the level of the reservoir, and ODNR owns the lake and most of the land surrounding it.

The Trumbull 100, which is a community group that works to help revitalize Trumbull County’s economy, county commissioners, the county tourism board and surrounding townships will be asked to foot the balance of $50,000.

The first phase consisted of an $85,000 study done by Gateway. In April, it recommended building a $17 million lodge and water park to attract visitors on a year-round basis.

The study also recommends $3.2 million of the cost come from federal, state and local governments, water-park fees and tax credits.

Other action

In other business during the meeting, Moll announced the city has received a $23,500 state grant to replace playground equipment at Willow Park. The mayor said that city employees would install the equipment.

Lawmakers approved legislation to lower the sanitary sewer charge from $52.65 to $41.25 quarterly per residence because of a decrease in debt service.

At the same time, council passed legislation to institute a storm sewer charge of $1.50 per month per residence to pay for citywide storm sewer improvement projects.

In addition, the water tap-in fee for new construction was increased from $825 to $1,020.

yovich@vindy.com