July 7, 2021 at 5:10 p.m.
FR council gets first look at budget
Revenue expected at $2.3 million, with $792,100 in capital projects
FORT RECOVERY –– Village council got its first look at the proposed budget for next year.
Fort Recovery Village Council approved the 2022 budget plans after discussing them with fiscal officer Roberta Staugler Monday.
As of July 1, expected revenue for next year includes about $2.3 million.
The proposed budget includes funding for approximately $792,100 in capital project expenses, with the bulk ($425,000) included for street department funds. It also includes estimates for 3% raises for all employees and a 10% estimated increase in insurance costs by May 2022. (Staugler noted this has not been approved by council and is for budgeting purposes currently.)
Village administrator Randy Diller explained he built in about $100,000 for a paving project on Butler and First streets –– the two roads need work done before a proposed construction project on Butler Street in 2024 or 2025. (The project, which is being proposed in hopes of reconstructing Ohio 119 in the village, includes a new water line, new sidewalks, new curbs, a new road and replacing the stop light at Wayne Street.)
Diller attributed another $200,000 of the budget toward a potential street project. (Diller did not name any particular plans but did note he’s got three different sites in mind.) Other street department funding includes new equipment, such a dump truck.
Other capital projects include approximately $149,100 to general expenses, with $74,600 for a police cruiser, in-car cameras, computer upgrades and bullet-resistant vests. The budget also includes about $130,500 for water department projects such as maintaining the lime pond and paying for a new utility truck, and about $87,500 for sewer department projects such as lagoon and aeration pond treatment.
Staugler said the village should have positive balances at the end of 2021, with about $1.9 million end-of-year balance and a $154,400 surplus to be carried into the next year. Next year’s budget currently shows deficit spending (expenses come in at around $2.5 million), although she noted that will likely not be the case as revenue may be higher than projected right now.
Council also renewed two levies, one for general expenses and one for street maintenance/repairs. Based on a $100,000 family income, Staugler said, each household will pay about $168 for the levies each year. These levies will give Fort Recovery approximately $322,000 next year.
As of Jan. 2022, the village will have about $2.47 million left in loan payments on various past projects, Staugler continued. The water plant will be paid off next year –– it costs about $44,000 annually –– and Staugler suggested contributing that funding instead to a new water plant fund. (No decision by council was made at the meeting but will likely be discussed in the future.)
Work on Broadway and Elm streets is wrapping up, Diller said. He estimated the village will have about $89,000 of leftover funds from the two road projects (bids came in lower than expected), which may be used for paving in the future. Council then approved draw requests from PAB Construction of Coldwater for no more than $102,207.70 for Broadway Street construction and for no more than $37,080.85 for Elm Street construction.
Council member Scott Pearson requested the village install a flashing light on top of the stop sign at the intersection of Broadway and Elm streets, saying he has heard drivers have been ignoring the stop signs. Diller said he would add a light to the sign.
Council also authorized town attorney Erin Abels to sign a document voting in favor of the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy reorganization plan. (The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York recently approved the plan. A confirmation hearing is scheduled for Aug. 9.) She noted Fort Recovery may not be entitled to any compensation –– she said there was not a lot of exposure to the opioid epidemic in the village –– but suggested trying.
“This is a long shot for us to get anything, but we’ll go along for the ride and see what happens,” Diller added.
In other business, council members Al Post, Luke Knapke, Cliff Wendel, Erik Fiely and Greg Schmitz and Pearson:
•Heard a reminder from Diller that Wendel, Schmitz, Fiely and Knapke have terms expiring at the end of the year and will need to file new petitions by Aug. 4 to be on the ballot in November.
•Learned a new protective coating will be applied to the water tower by the end of July and that geographic information system mapping of the village will finish its last round the week of July 26.
•Heard the Ambassador Pool is booked every Saturday night through the end of the season for private parties.
Fort Recovery Village Council approved the 2022 budget plans after discussing them with fiscal officer Roberta Staugler Monday.
As of July 1, expected revenue for next year includes about $2.3 million.
The proposed budget includes funding for approximately $792,100 in capital project expenses, with the bulk ($425,000) included for street department funds. It also includes estimates for 3% raises for all employees and a 10% estimated increase in insurance costs by May 2022. (Staugler noted this has not been approved by council and is for budgeting purposes currently.)
Village administrator Randy Diller explained he built in about $100,000 for a paving project on Butler and First streets –– the two roads need work done before a proposed construction project on Butler Street in 2024 or 2025. (The project, which is being proposed in hopes of reconstructing Ohio 119 in the village, includes a new water line, new sidewalks, new curbs, a new road and replacing the stop light at Wayne Street.)
Diller attributed another $200,000 of the budget toward a potential street project. (Diller did not name any particular plans but did note he’s got three different sites in mind.) Other street department funding includes new equipment, such a dump truck.
Other capital projects include approximately $149,100 to general expenses, with $74,600 for a police cruiser, in-car cameras, computer upgrades and bullet-resistant vests. The budget also includes about $130,500 for water department projects such as maintaining the lime pond and paying for a new utility truck, and about $87,500 for sewer department projects such as lagoon and aeration pond treatment.
Staugler said the village should have positive balances at the end of 2021, with about $1.9 million end-of-year balance and a $154,400 surplus to be carried into the next year. Next year’s budget currently shows deficit spending (expenses come in at around $2.5 million), although she noted that will likely not be the case as revenue may be higher than projected right now.
Council also renewed two levies, one for general expenses and one for street maintenance/repairs. Based on a $100,000 family income, Staugler said, each household will pay about $168 for the levies each year. These levies will give Fort Recovery approximately $322,000 next year.
As of Jan. 2022, the village will have about $2.47 million left in loan payments on various past projects, Staugler continued. The water plant will be paid off next year –– it costs about $44,000 annually –– and Staugler suggested contributing that funding instead to a new water plant fund. (No decision by council was made at the meeting but will likely be discussed in the future.)
Work on Broadway and Elm streets is wrapping up, Diller said. He estimated the village will have about $89,000 of leftover funds from the two road projects (bids came in lower than expected), which may be used for paving in the future. Council then approved draw requests from PAB Construction of Coldwater for no more than $102,207.70 for Broadway Street construction and for no more than $37,080.85 for Elm Street construction.
Council member Scott Pearson requested the village install a flashing light on top of the stop sign at the intersection of Broadway and Elm streets, saying he has heard drivers have been ignoring the stop signs. Diller said he would add a light to the sign.
Council also authorized town attorney Erin Abels to sign a document voting in favor of the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy reorganization plan. (The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York recently approved the plan. A confirmation hearing is scheduled for Aug. 9.) She noted Fort Recovery may not be entitled to any compensation –– she said there was not a lot of exposure to the opioid epidemic in the village –– but suggested trying.
“This is a long shot for us to get anything, but we’ll go along for the ride and see what happens,” Diller added.
In other business, council members Al Post, Luke Knapke, Cliff Wendel, Erik Fiely and Greg Schmitz and Pearson:
•Heard a reminder from Diller that Wendel, Schmitz, Fiely and Knapke have terms expiring at the end of the year and will need to file new petitions by Aug. 4 to be on the ballot in November.
•Learned a new protective coating will be applied to the water tower by the end of July and that geographic information system mapping of the village will finish its last round the week of July 26.
•Heard the Ambassador Pool is booked every Saturday night through the end of the season for private parties.
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