Bridgeport council approves $3.15 million midyear budget amendment

The Bridgeport City Council on an unanimous 3-0 vote approved an ordinance amending the fiscal year 2024–25 budget to appropriate $3,151,625 for operating and capital expenditures across the general capital projects fund, economic development fund, water capital fund and wastewater capital fund.

City Finance Director Corey ingrown told the council the amendment gathers project expenses and timing that were not included in the original budget. “Whenever we did the budget, you know, we knew we were gonna have some capital expenditures for the projects, but we didn't actually budget them in because we didn't know if we're gonna get them done this year and the timing, the, and sorry, what the costs were gonna be,” Ingrown said.

The amendment covers a range of capital work the city has begun or expects to complete this fiscal year, including street and sanitary sewer projects. Ingrown said the sewer project included in the amendment accounts for about $1.3 million of the total. He also told the council the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation had budgeted $20,000 for incentives but has exceeded that amount and the council raised the EDC incentive budget to $250,000.

Council members asked about remaining bond balances. City staff reported about $2.5 million remains for street improvements, about $2.9 million remains in the sewer bond and most of the water bond remains available; combined available bond balances were described as roughly $3.6 million. Councilmember Preston moved to approve the ordinance; Susan Kauffman seconded, and the motion passed 3-0.

The budget amendment is intended to align the city’s official spending authority with capital work already underway and expected before the fiscal year ends; staff said another amendment could follow in August if needed.

Details on specific line items and any future budget changes will be presented to council as projects advance.