Steubenville finance director urges cautious budget approach
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STEUBENVILLE -- At a time when Steubenville Finance Director Dave Lewis is urging a conservative budget approach, at least two department heads warned council Tuesday there are big ticket items on the horizon that are funding musts.
Fire Chief Joe Ribar told council they can figure on spending a million dollars on a new firetruck. To ease the sting, he suggested establishing a firetruck fund and start putting money in it every year.
"The fire truck fund is going to be necessary to reduce a heavy hit the city will have to incur all at once," he said. "This way, we save over a few years to purchase the vehicles."
Meanwhile, Urban Projects Director Jessica Gumm requested $150,000 for building demolitions as well as $150,000 to pay for a new comprehensive plan, and Mayor Ralph Petrella asked council to consider putting together a brochure promoting Steubenville to be passed out to visitors.
"Some communities are putting a trifold together with a QR code ... that you can scan and it takes you to a map (showing where things are located or what the city has to offer)," he said. "A lot of communities are doing it as recruitment tool. I think something of that nature might be beneficial."
Lewis, though, pointed out several times the city currently is projecting a budget shortfall, though that's expected to change as they get a handle on healthcare costs for 2027, the year-end cash carryover and income tax collections, among other things.
"Our goal will be to balance the budget," he told council at the start of the session. "However, as you know the city's operating funds are under a great deal of pressure and the city has a lot of infrastructure needs. We are also currently waiting on the 2027 health insurance bid information. Depending on what those bids show, we may need to make additional reductions to the budget, which could potentially include staffing."
Lewis pushed for a conservative approach.
"Right now, we are trying to take care of the city's needs but also trying to keep the city operating within its means," he said. "It's a little too soon to tell (what) the general fund budget will be," he said. "The city is self-funded when it comes to healthcare, so we do see large changes in healthcare costs year to year.
He admitted being concerned "that additional funding is being requested when the city is currently projecting a budget shortfall."
During council's regular business meeting Petrella said he attended the housewarming ceremony for the Land Bank's Logan Street property, purchased by a couple from Pennsylvania.
"This is a great program," he said. "They built it for $250,000 and sold it for over $120,000, so that money goes back in (the home building program coffers)."
He said eligibility requirements have been eased: Up to now, applicants couldn't make more than 80 percent of median income, Next year he said the ceiling will be north of $120,000.
Council also:
*Signed off on an ordinance authorizing City Manager Mike Johnson to apply for a grant from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Program administered through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
*Introduced resolutions celebrating Fire Prevention Week Oct. 4-10; Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, as well as National Mammography Day.
*Sunshined an amendment to the refuse ordinance to include additional payments of $20 per piece for box springs and mattresses