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Infrastructure, water experts to Licking County officials: Collaboration key for growth

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Infrastructure, water experts to Licking County officials: Collaboration key for growth

NEWARK − Licking County officials listened to infrastructure firm experts advise that collaboration among political jurisdictions will be key to preparation for Intel and other developments.

HNTB Corp., an employee-owned infrastructure design firm, based in Kansas City, Missouri, with 84 locations, including in Columbus, sent experts from Texas, Indiana and Ohio to Newark on Wednesday to share what has worked in other locations.

The experts presented on successes in Williamson County, Texas, and central Indiana in preparation for massive growth in those areas. The HNTB experts said collaboration, cooperation and resource-sharing among political jurisdictions will determine success in preparing for the growth.

Mike Weaver, an HNTB program development advisor based in Texas, warned local officials about undeveloped areas in western Licking County

“Driving around yesterday looking at that vacant land, it’s all going to fill up,” Weaver said. “There’s not a doubt in my mind.

“Having a realistic snapshot of what’s going to happen in the next 20 years … What’s going to fill in? What zoning is going to occur? Do you want more industrial? Where’s the housing going to go? That’s going to be fundamental. And I think, sooner than later, or you’re going to lose control.”

In Indiana, nine counties collaborated to share water resources from one source. Some Licking County officials said the biggest hurdle will be for local jurisdictions to forget all their history and territorial disputes for the greater good.

Continuing Framework

Framework, a 15-jurisdiction, public-private planning effort organized by the Evans Foundation, referenced a case study in Round Rock, Texas, north of Austin, in its 2023 report.

The Evans Foundation continues to meet with officials from its Framework area, but its work ends in September, when somebody else needs to take control.

“It’s going to be very, very, very important for that leadership vacuum to be filled, and for somebody to step up,” Foundation Chairwoman Sarah Wallace said. “I can’t help but think it’s got to be the county commissioners. It’s got to be county government.

“All of this has to be coordinated. It’s going to be really tragic if we let it all fall to the floor. I don’t mean to be negative, but it’s a worry. We’ve got to work together, and we’ve got to be willing to compromise.”

Working well with others is not just a good lesson for children, it also earns rewards for communities.

“We’re not going to get funding without collaborating,” Wallace said. “It’s not going to happen. We’re all going to fall flat on our faces if we don’t figure that out. And figure it out pretty quickly.”

So, who needs to take charge of the effort? Is it a new countywide panel of officials?

“What I kept hearing today was collaboration,” said Bill Lozier, projects director for the Licking County Transportation Improvement District. “Whatever way the county commissioners decide is the best way to get that done, I highly advocate for that. My model is the TID. It’s worked well. That would be a fine place to start.”

Jim Roberts, chairman of the Grow Licking County infrastructure committee, said resource sharing may be needed, but it might not be popular.

“There’s a whole lot of moving pieces and parts,” Roberts said. “There’s roads and bridges, water and sewer, gas and electric. I think there will have to be (resource-sharing). I don’t know what that will look like.

“We’re trying to be the clearinghouse. Everybody can communicate and collaborate and work through problems together. It’s a big ask. Framework was a great process, but it’s easy when it was all theoretical. It’s different when it’s the nuts and bolts. We know we have to figure it out.”

Sharing water resources

Jason Hoff, the HNTB water section manager based in Indiana, acknowledged sharing water resources is difficult because “it’s territorial as heck,” but it works for nine counties in and around Indianapolis.

Citizens Energy Group, a utility provider for the city of Indianapolis, shares its water resources with all the counties around Indianapolis through agreements with multiple cities and between cities.

He shared the example of Westfield, a city north of Indianapolis, which nearly tripled its size in 15 years. The city had enough water for typical daily demand but needed help during peak demand times.

“Where they really got hurt was when development started coming faster than they could find source water, faster than they could build infrastructure,” Hoff said.

“What really benefits them from the regionalization plan is peak demands when things are hot, when they’re dry. When those demands go through the roof, they’re sharing all those water resources throughout central Indiana, essentially through nine counties.”

In the past five years, Westfield put in 440,000 feet of water main and more than 400,000 feet of sewer main. Hoff said developers want the infrastructure but sometimes modify their plans after the infrastructure is in place.

“Regionalism of water, that’s just one approach,” Hoff said. “Part of reason they went that way was the big risk of uncertainty. The city of Westfield was making significant investments without a guaranteed time frame for that return.

“The biggest takeaway was just how cooperative they all ended up being, so all nine counties are benefitting from one utility service.”

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-973-4539

Twitter: @kmallett1958

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