Mayor outlines aggressive 2025 projects including pool renovation; finance director reports $4.71 million general fund surplus

Mayor Ron Van Kirk told the Brooklyn City Council that the city has an “aggressive” 2025 project schedule that includes a major pool renovation, street resurfacing, traffic-signal upgrades and other public-works projects, and he announced the reimplementation of a senior grass-cutting program beginning this spring.

Finance Director (Mr. Raguse) reported that the city’s 2024 general fund year-end surplus is $4,710,000. That surplus will be transferred to the capital reserve fund to help finance the recreation center pool renovation project, which the meeting transcript lists with a project budget of $14,000,000. The updated total set-aside amount for the pool renovation is $7,760,000; the director said the remaining portion will be covered by drawing down the fund balance and issuing debt later in the year.

Nut graf: The council heard both a broad capital program and a near-term financing plan: the city intends to apply the confirmed 2024 surplus toward the pool renovation while planning debt issuance and reserve draws to cover the full project cost.

Mayor’s project list (highlights from the meeting transcript)

- Veterans Memorial Park upgrade: bid opening scheduled for Jan. 31. - Housing development: private developer plans for two sites on Memphis Avenue with work expected to begin in early spring. - Cleveland Division of Water: scheduled relining of the main under Ridge Road this summer; the city is coordinating construction timing and traffic impacts. - Local streets program: planned resurfacing work on Idyllwood, Springcrest and Harmony. - Recreation center: interior natatorium renovations, fencing/parapet repairs and new lighting; broader pool renovation budgeted at $14,000,000. - Right-of-way improvements: Brook Park Road (Home Depot area) and a multi-year traffic signal upgrade program to enable inter-signal communication. - Memorial Park: complete renovation planned for the summer. - Salt dome: rebuild at service garage to go to bid soon. - Gateway signs and landscaping: two new signs planned (Memphis & Ridge and Lindale/Norfolk Southern bridge area) following property easements. - Equipment purchases: multiple items for fire, service and police departments. - Traffic calming: initial work on Alley and study of other candidate streets. - Dog park: new dog park next to the service garage planned for spring. - Senior services: reimplementation of a senior grass-cutting program starting this spring; details to be released on the city website, social media and senior center.

Budget and finance details recorded in the meeting

- 2024 general fund surplus: $4,710,000 (year-end closed and reconciled; final distributions for January still pending in the finance report). - 2024 initial budgeted surplus estimate set during the 2023 budget process: $2,600,000. - Most recent revised estimate discussed at budget work sessions: $4,800,000. - Pool renovation project budget: $14,000,000; updated set-aside amount: $7,760,000. Remaining funding to come from fund balance drawdown and planned debt issuance later in 2025.

Ending: Finance director reported the numbers as reconciled for year-end accounting and said staff will proceed with transfers to support capital projects; council indicated support for moving forward with the listed 2025 projects and asked staff to keep the public informed on schedules and service impacts (for example, the Ridge Road water-line relining).