Rock Salt Settlement Checks Being Sent to 850 Ohio Entities

850 Ohio public entities will receive part of an $11.5 million settlement in an antitrust lawsuit against two rock salt companies.

This resolves 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.

Approximately $6.8 million was available for local governments out of the total settlement.

The largest in SW Ohio was to the city of Cincinnati, which received $153,731.

A deal was reached this summer, but now we’ll know how much money cities and agencies across the state will get.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced the local government distributions this morning.

The office received eligible claims from 848 Ohio public entities, each of which is receiving a check.

The biggest chunk of the settlement that is coming to Franklin County is going to Columbus, which will receive about $118,000. Neither admitted wrongdoing in the settlement. A total of $1.2 million is being distributed to southwest Ohio counties.

Sidney spent $116,081 on rock salt in 2014, Cundiff said, and so far this year, has spent about $59,000. It is also spending about $100,000 to construct another salt barn at the Laybourne Road facility to store up to 15,000 tons of salt.

Probably more important than the refund, he said, is the precedent that price gouging will not be tolerated.

“It helps regardless”, Cleveland spokesman Daniel Ball said Friday in a phone interview. “The money will go back into our general fund, which is where we fund our street department”.

Rock salt is how most municipalities – and the state of Ohio keep roads clear of ice. The city of Wapakoneta will receive $16,745.73.

The antitrust lawsuit was brought by the Attorney General’s Office against Cargill Inc. and Morton Salt over past rock salt prices.

ODOT recently changed bidding procedures and five suppliers were used last winter.