After the Rouge Project Office formally approves sponsorship of a community watershed project, a legal agreement is prepared to arrange for EPA grant reimbursement for a portion of the project costs. The legal agreement is made between the community and Wayne County.
Standardized Legal Document Based on Project Type
Wayne County maintains three versions of standard legal agreements for community
watershed projects. The standard version selected depends on the organization
that is managing a new community project. A short description of each is supplied
below:
| Name | Application | Usage | |
| Most Communities Will Use | Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) | Rouge Watershed Local Units of Government (Cities, Villages, & Townships) | Applied to most Watershed projects |
| Inter-Agency Agreement / Non-Profit (IAA-N) | Non-Profit Organizations | Includes revised text and requirements for non-profit project sponsors | |
| Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) | Other Wayne County Departments | Eliminates certain requirements for interdepartmental sponsorship |
Wayne County is also developing an IAA for use with agreements with other state agencies.
Communities may request a copy of the standard legal document after project sponsorship is approved through the Rouge Program Office.
After the appropriate standard legal document is applied to the community project, the RPO prepares a draft agreement that includes information for the specific project involved. The name of the lead organization for the project is inserted into the standard legal template along with additional information on project budgets, deliverables, and schedules. The draft agreement then becomes the base document for formal approval by the parties involved in completing the community project.
Wayne County DOE/WMD Approval
The draft legal document is reviewed by the Wayne County Department of Environment and Watershed Management Division to check for consistency in project budgeting and the legal responsibilities of both parties. If applicable, a requirement of final approval by the Wayne County Commission is also determined. After resolving any project-specific issues and revising legal text accordingly, the document is sent to Wayne County Corporation Counsel for initial review.
Wayne County Corporation Counsel/Risk Management Approval
Multiple reviews and document iterations are sure ways to drain project momentum prior to initiation. By routing the draft project legal document through Wayne County Corporation Council and Risk Management before community signature, any legal issues can be identified before final document approval. After getting draft approval for the project legal document, a final copy is prepared for community review and signature.
Community Signature on Final Legal Documents
Final review and approval of the project legal document is made by the community through their local governmental process (city council, township board, etc.). Familiarity with all components of the legal agreement for the project along with requirements for EPA grant reimbursement is essential. The final legal document with community representative signature is forwarded to Wayne County for final signatures.
Wayne County Signature on Final Legal Documents (DAP)
Wayne County final approval and signatures for the project legal document is performed through the Document Approval Process (DAP). Legal agreement routing includes the Wayne County Commission (if applicable), Department of Environment, Corporation Council, Risk Management, Chief Financial Officer, Grants, Human Relations, and ultimately the Wayne County Executive for final signature. Document status through this final routing is now being tracked at each step in order to expedite the final approval process.
A duplicate original of the executed legal document is returned to the community for reference during the watershed project.
Legal Agreement Process Timeframe
Approximate durations for each step in the Legal Agreement Process after initial project sponsorship approval by the RPO are as follows:
| Step | Estimated Duration |
| RPO Selects & Drafts Project Agreement | 1 week |
| Wayne County DOE Review | 1 week |
| Wayne County Corp. Counsel & Risk Management Review | 2 weeks |
| Final Community Approval & Signature | 4 weeks |
| Wayne County Commission Approval (if needed) | 6 weeks |
| Final Wayne County Approval & Signatures | 3 weeks |
Total Legal Process Duration … |
11-17 weeks |
Insurance Certificates
Communities are to submit copies of their insurance certificates to Wayne County per requirements contained in the project’s legal agreement. Copies of subcontractor insurance certificates should also be submitted. Upon expiration of existing certificates, new copies will need to be submitted for renewed insurance.
Send copies of insurance certificates to:
Ms. Linda Jackson
Rouge Program Office
220 Bagley, Suite 920
Detroit, MI 48226
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
How often should a community check with the RPO on the status of a project’s legal agreement?
What happens if a project’s anticipated schedule is affected by an extended timeframe to secure a legal agreement?
What are the parameters for needing Wayne County Commission approval of a community project?
Other FAQ’s will be added as comments are received.
Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to rougeweb@co.wayne.mi.us.
The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -08 and C-264000-01.