(6/25) The Town Council reviewed the Capital and Capital Improvements budget for each department during fiscal year 2026. CFO Suzanne Saxton presented capital projects/budgets for the general fund, water fund, wastewater fund and electric fund at the May 20 meeting.
Saxton presented nine projects or purchases for the general fund budget, with a surplus in the budget of $71,571. The Board decided to remove the project that would install a garage on the Radio Lane property, which would help to reduce the initial $36,872 budget deficit. Mayor John Kinnaird asked Town Manager Jim Humerick if the garage was a "want or a need." When Humerick confirmed it was more of a want, Kinnaird suggested they put off the garage when more funds are available. Humerick told the Council that, if he found a grant for the garage, he would bring it back before the mayor and commissioners.
To further reduce the funding needed, they also lowered the funding for the tree treatment program at Community Park, initially $20,000 but reduced to $10,000. Humerick said that the Town is currently treating 167 ash trees in Community Park, only losing about 25-30 trees over the years. "That’s amazing considering that everywhere you go, every ash tree has been killed," Kinnaird said. "I think we benefit greatly from that." Commissioner Bill Blakeslee suggested that any remaining funds go toward the tree treatment program.
With these two changes, the costs changed from $108,443 to a final estimated total of $68,443 for general fund capital and capital improvements. The streets project will operate under the general fund capital budget but will be funded by the use of highway user revenue. Other remaining projects include replacing trucks, the roof on the garage at 10 Frederick Road and more.
The water fund has $307,340 available in its capital budget, allowing for more projects to be completed in the next fiscal year. For the water department, Saxton presented seven projects ranging from new fire hydrants to the N. Center St. water main project. All seven projects total $236,000, allowing all to be funded in Fiscal Year 2026.
Of the seven wastewater capital and capital improvements, the Council approved six of the projects, agreeing to use capital reserves to cover the $144,960 shortfall. The mayor and commissioners denied funding for the Howard St. sewer replacement project, lowering the department’s capital costs from $632,000 to $312,000. The Howard St. sewer replacement was at the bottom of the list, in order of importance.
Initially, the wastewater department asked to replace parts in the truck, but included a new truck purchase at the top of their capital fund list. The truck will include a plow for snow removal, which is why it costs $80,000. "The wastewater department not only takes care of the plant, obviously, but they also take care of the plowing and salting major interstates since they’re close proximity," Hamrick said. The mayor and commissioners approved the purchase.
The Town Council approved the Electric Department’s only request for boring, but lowered their $50,000 request to $10,000 to fit into their budget. Kinnaird suggested this reduction "temporarily," adding that the Town can revisit the funds again after the department discovers "what’s going on."
