Council to discuss budget requests, debt

Elyria City Council will discuss its budget March 9 during a Finance Committee meeting.

Finance Director Ted Pileski said he and his department are stuck on budgeting the sanitation and wastewater pollution capital funds.

The sanitation department is asking around $651,000 over what the city has to spend, Pileski said. It has requested new trucks which would total $460,500.

Pileski also said waste removal is higher this year because of increases in the recycling program.

“We’re going to have a really deep discussion with this fund, because if you want me to buy trucks, I’m going to have to bump my revenue estimate up,” he said. “And the only way to do that, is to borrow more money, or raise the rates so we have more money coming in.

“Recycling, I don’t know what to tell you about that, but the cost has gone way up.”

In wastewater pollution, $12.5 million in projects have been requested.

Pileski said if the projects move forward, he’ll have to borrow an additional $10.2 million in sewer debt on top of the $56 million in debt that’s currently outstanding.

“I’m going to need some direction as to what projects we’re going to do, and those two funds are going to be the toughest ones to get through,” he said.

In a previous Finance Committee meeting, Pileski told Council members they will need to begin to look at the budget closely due to Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems’ departure.

The loss of Bendix will cause Elyria to lose about $1.5 million annually in income tax.

Council President Victor Stewart encouraged all Council members to be present for the 6 p.m., March 9, meeting.