The city of Brecksville is still planning to fight the new stormwater management fees proposed by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. 

Last night, City Council approved a resolution allowing the mayor and the acting law director to find special legal counsel for the case between the sewer district and about a dozen suburbs fighting the fees. 

The sewer district has mainly focused on wastewater in recent years, but wants more involvement in the management of stormwater, which causes flooding and erosion problems, the manager of watershed programs for the district told Brecksville Patch this winter. But then-law director Paul Grau told Brecksville Patch that the city already manages its stormwater issues independently. 

During last night’s committee meetings, Mayor Jerry N. Hruby said he doesn't see a reason why the city should step down now, adding that Brecksville is one of the suburbs that has the "most to lose.” 

Grau, the city’s former law director who passed away in May, had been serving as lead counsel, Hruby said. This resolution allows the city to employ a special counsel to take them through the remaining mediation sessions and, if necessary, a trial.

Hruby said after the meeting that the county administrators have been doing a good job trying to get people together to mediate the issue, but he thinks it will end up going to trial. 

Acting Law Director Stephen Klonowski said in an email that the trial would be scheduled for early September, if an agreement is not reached before then.