Ohio Rev. Code § 743.29
The legislative authorities of municipal corporations may make surveys of water works, sewerage systems, or other public works or improvements which they are by law authorized to construct, operate, maintain, or repair, the construction, improvement, enlargement, or repair of which is contemplated, whether governmental or proprietary, and they may proceed in the manner provided in this section.
The legislative authority of municipal corporations desiring to make such a survey shall adopt a resolution declaring the purpose and necessity therefor. In making such surveys, such legislative authorities may call upon engineering officers or employees regularly employed by the municipal corporation, whether elected or appointed, or they may authorize or enter into, as the case may be, contracts for the services of registered professional engineers to make such surveys.
The surveys authorized by this section may include drawings, plans, specifications, estimates of cost of labor and materials, and other items of cost, and such other facts, material, data, reports, and other information and recommendations as the legislative authority deems advisable or necessary for the planning and construction of the improvement proposed or the enlargement, improvement, replacement, or repair of an existing improvement or work.
Agreements entered into for such surveys shall be deemed contracts for professional services and may provide for preliminary surveys or the making of detailed plans, or both, and may also provide for engineer-supervision of the work. No such contract shall be valid unless one or more of the services to be performed thereunder are begun within one year after the contract date.
Such contracts shall be executed in triplicate and shall be signed by the proper officers of the municipal corporation, as in the case of other contracts of such municipal corporation, and by the engineer agreeing to perform such service, and one copy thereof shall be filed with the fiscal officer of the municipal corporation, whose certificate as provided in section 5705.41 of the Revised Code shall not be required. Payment therefor may be from the general fund or any other fund legally available for such use at such times as are agreed upon, and, where bonds or notes are sold to pay the cost of work to which such survey related, such funds may be used to pay any part of the consideration under such contract or to reimburse the fund from which payment was made.
R.C. §743.29