Following the tragic house explosion in neighboring Twinsburg Township in June, I immediately placed a moratorium on drilling and boring within the City. I felt it was important to pause this work and determine what additional steps we could take to protect our residents.

Since then, I have worked with City Engineer Patrick Jeffers, our staff, regulatory agencies and contractors to develop stronger guidelines for underground utility work.

Beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9, drilling, boring and other right-of-way utility work will be permitted to resume under these enhanced requirements.

Contractors and subcontractors must be registered with the City and provide advance notice before beginning work. Residents directly affected must also receive written notification at least 10 days in advance.

We have strengthened utility locating requirements, improved communication with contractors working in our neighborhoods, and increased the City’s ability to stop work when proper procedures are not being followed.

We cannot eliminate every risk, but we can provide greater oversight and hold contractors accountable for following these safety procedures.

I appreciate your patience and understanding while this work was paused. The safety of our residents will always be our top priority, and we will continue to closely monitor this work as it moves forward.