Dec. 11—CONNEAUT — City council heard the proposed 2025 budget at a work session and meeting Monday.
The two were combined after last week’s work session was cancelled due to the severe snowstorm.
The proposed budget was presented by Conneaut City Manager Nick Sanford and Finance Director John Williams.
Williams said council will get an overall budget at a meeting next Monday, which will include operating costs.
The city is still negotiating its union contracts, he said.
“I’m going to factor in some increases for all of the union contracts,” Williams said. “But I don’t know what they’re going to turn out like.”
The city has unions for police, fire, dispatchers, corrections officers and other employees
Sanford said city employees’ healthcare increases have been finalized.
“Our healthcare increase was reduced from an anticipated 26% [increase] to 11% through this endeavor,” he said.
The city will have around $400,000 of total carryover, Williams said.
“If you look at the carryover for all funds, it really doesn’t mean much,” he said.
Williams said the operating fund carryover will be the most usable.
At previous council meetings and work sessions, Williams said the city will have to start paying debts in 2026 and 2027.
These future debts mostly come from loans for the Old Main Street Bridge and Broad Street underpass projects.
Second Ward Councilperson Chris Castrilla said he wonders if both projects are worth the future debts.
“Based on everything starting to come about, as we’re starting to see, the picture is not very bright,” he said.
Williams said city council should decide sooner on those projects.
“You would have to do it now,” he said. “The longer you take that loan out, the more interest you would have to pay.”
Sanford said the city’s been looking into financial alternatives where possible to keep costs down.
Council recognized the snow emergencies last week.
Sanford believes between 48-54 inches of snow fell over the course of a week in Conneaut, but is not aware of an official measurement.
“All city expenses relating to the storm event are being tracked,” he said.
Sanford said data for the storm’s toll will be forwarded to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
“We’ve had one commercial building collapse, and multiple residential [buildings], particularly mobile homes, and accompanying structures like carports and sheds,” he said.
Sanford said the city had public works on day and midnight shifts before a freeze this week.
“[The Ohio Department of Transportation] did a fantastic job, as well as our city employees,” he said.
Sanford said the Ohio EMA was great at bringing state-wide resources to the city and county.