Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine will announce the distribution of more than $11-million from a rock salt settlement Thursday morning.
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Ohio public entities that bought salt from them between July 2008 and July 2011 were able to file claims.
His office’s settlement with Cargill and Morton Salt resolved a 2012 lawsuit accusing the companies of dividing up the Ohio rock salt market and agreeing not to compete with each other for public bids during a period ending in 2010.
Eight local public entities received about $80,000 in reimbursements as part of an $11.5 million road salt price-fixing lawsuit settled earlier this year.
“We’re surely glad they made that decision”, said Butler County Engineer Greg Wilkens.
In Auglaize County, the village of New Bremen will receive $2,901.28. The bulk of awards are going to the northern two-thirds of the state, where harsher winters and heavier snowfall mean bigger salt purchases.
Scott Tadych, director of public works and utilities for the City of Middletown, said its $32,738 check will be deposited into the auto and gas tax fund account and be used to purchase salt and asphalt. Clark County can expect about $65,000.
From the settlement, about $6.8 million will go to local governments.
Entities in 87 Ohio counties, including Morrow, are receiving settlement funds.
“Although this amount is a small portion of our annual costs for salt, we will utilize it in our street maintenance programs and are pleased to add these dollars to the city appropriations”, Hruby said in an email.
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“What this means for Parma is that this will help offset the approximately $700,000 we anticipate spending on salt this upcoming season”, Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter said in an email. Additional payments were allotted to the Ohio Department of Transportation ($1.7 million), the state’s largest single rock salt purchaser; the Ohio Turnpike Commission ($174,435); and, as required by law, the state’s antitrust fund. Distribution amounts were calculated at a percentage of an entity’s total eligible rock salt purchase. “We appreciate the efforts by the attorney general’s office to look out for local government”.
