Finance committee approves appropriations

Members of the St. Marys City Council’s Finance Committee approved appropriations of the 2020 city budget and to have those appropriations go in front of council at next week’s meeting.

Members heard 27 supplementals totaling $301,728.

The biggest appropriation was for $75,985 to pay for consultant services for the FEMA Flood Mitigation program. Director of Public Service and Safety Greg Foxhoven said the property buyout in flood-prone areas near McClain Street and Hackney Street includes 16 structures — 13 on McClain and three on Hackney.

Foxhoven said the city is currently in the process of getting the properties appraised and thanked the consultant firm who the city has been working with for a while — crediting

them for guiding the city through a grant process. Foxhoven added that through the firm’s efforts, the city was able to secure a $2,052,000 grant for the program. The city’s share is 12%, which comes out to $257,000.

There was also a $25,000 appropriation for the same program and Foxhoven added that those funds can be reimbursed through FEMA, which is paying for 87.5% of the program or can be applied to the city’s share of the cost.

Foxhoven informed committee members that the $25,000 amount will be used for asbestos testing and removal of properties once the city has possession.

The city is also asking to appropriate $19,000 for a handrail replacement as part of the water tower renovation on Main Street. Before the water tower work, the catwalk was originally 36 inches wide, but the project’s contractor recommended the catwalk be replaced and extended to 42 inches — which is the current standard.

Other notable appropriations included:

• Seven requests to pay for consulting from Clemans, Nelson and Associates on personnel issues and compensation plans. Those requests totaled $12,350.

• $30,000 appropriation to cover capital improvement wages and benefits — which were not budgeted enough in the original budget.

• City administrators are asking for $3,368 for an access control system for the municipal building. Foxhoven added that there is currently a system at the safety service building. The system can be uninstalled and reinstalled to another building as the city is hoping to build a new municipal building.

• A one-time $30,000 donation to the St. Marys Area Chamber of Commerce to alleviate financial hardship because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• An appropriation of $11,983.28 to pay back taxes on a property the city acquired at 224 S. Pear St.

• A $14,696.33 appropriation from the damage stemming from a fire in July at 718 W. North St.

• $10,000 in appropriations for additional funds needed to purchase materials for the water department for the remainder of the year.