CADIZ — The village of Cadiz remains in need of a handful of easements before it can move forward with a sewer line replacement project that is slated to begin this summer.

Solicitor Costa Mastros said the village has had difficulties contacting the remaining five property owners.

“There’s actually seven, but I think two are going to sign,” he said.

The village needs the residents’ signatures for easements in order to move forward with the South and Central Collections System project. The property owners’ signatures are required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a loan and grant funding opportunity for the project.

The village has collected nearly all of the 196 signatures needed with the exception of five, Mastros said.

Officials have been working to collect the easements from residents since early last year when the documents were initially sent to all of the affected residents.

The documents include an easement and a letter giving the village permission to proceed with the project. According to officials, the easements were already signed in the 1920s and ’30s; however, they were improperly recorded, leaving no remaining record of the signatures.

Mastros said he is hoping the residents willingly sign the easements and return them before any legal action is needed to be taken to obtain the documents.

Mayor John Migliore said it is essential to collect the signatures in order to bid out the project.

The project is slated to begin in June, although it may be put on hold until the signatures are collected.

The sewer line replacement project is the second phase of a $8,749,500 project.

The first phase to the North Trunk Lines was completed in 2019. The project will replace the current sewer lines with new lines.

Migliore said it is an important project for the community and will allow the village to continue to provide sewer services to residents’ homes.

In other matters, Migliore said Mark Puskarich has requested council’s permission to hold a fundraising event June 6 at Sally Buffalo Park.

Migliore said Puskarich plans to have live entertainment play on the park’s stage. While the band plays, they are going to collect donations for the Cancer Crusaders, he added.

Council unanimously approved the request.