Urbana council approves purchase orders for wastewater chemicals, US‑68 resurfacing share and airport engineering

The Urbana City Council on Jan. 21 approved multiple board-of-control purchase orders tied to city operations and infrastructure and passed a companion resolution authorizing final approval with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Council approved a blanket purchase order list for 2025 that the board of control recommended; the council vote was recorded as unanimous. The list covers recurring purchase needs for departments and is charged to amounts already included in the 2025 budget, according to the packet materials presented to council.

The council then authorized a purchase order not to exceed $189,900 for the city’s share of improvements to U.S. Route 68 through ODOT’s urban resurfacing program. Packet documents included ODOT’s pre-bid estimated share of $158,252; the purchase order includes a 20 percent contingency to cover potential bid increases. Carrie, a city staff member who presented the project materials, said the city’s project was combined with a longer resurfacing stretch that should produce economies of scale.

Council also authorized a $50,380 purchase order to Stantec Consulting Services Inc. for engineering services tied to the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program (FAA AIP) FY2025 projects at the Urbana Grimes (Grama) Airport. The work covers government applications, design, bidding, construction administration, observation and testing for replacement of the airport’s rotating beacon and tower. Packet materials and staff comments indicated the project will be charged to appropriate FAA grants and airport funds. A staff presenter said the FAA application is due in May and that grant awards and contracting could push construction into fall 2025 or spring 2026.

Later in the meeting council passed Resolution 2705-25, which the resolution text describes as the city’s final approval for pavement, lighting and resurfacing work on U.S. Route 68 (PID 111951) and related sections; the resolution was presented as an emergency measure and passed unanimously by roll call.

Votes at a glance - Board-of-control: blanket purchase order list for 2025 — motion passed (unanimous roll call). - Board-of-control: PO not to exceed $189,900 for US‑68 improvements (includes 20% contingency; ODOT requested $158,252 pre-bid) — motion passed (unanimous roll call); approval contingent on passage of Resolution 2705-25 (which passed). - Board-of-control: PO to Stantec Consulting Services Inc., $50,380, for FAA AIP engineering services at Urbana airport (beacon/tower replacement) — motion passed (unanimous roll call). - Resolution 2705-25 (ODOT final approval for US‑68 resurfacing, PID 111951) — passed (unanimous roll call).

Why it matters: The US‑68 project represents the city’s local share of a regional resurfacing project coordinated with ODOT; approving the purchase orders and the resolution lets ODOT proceed to bid and obligates city funds if bids align with estimates. The airport engineering agreement allows the city to pursue FAA funding and to move the rotating beacon from rooftop to a serviceable pole, which staff said is a priority in the airport’s recent capital work.

Supporting details and next steps: Staff said the US‑68 amount is in the capital improvement fund and the 2025 budget; the board-of-control added a 20 percent contingency because ODOT’s prior estimates have trended low relative to bids. For the airport, staff said the FAA grant application window opens in May and that award timing will determine whether construction occurs in late 2025 or spring 2026. City staff said the beacon project is expected to be mostly federally funded under the FAA program with a local share; the packet noted grant-funding proportions but did not supply a finalized grant agreement at the meeting.

All three board-of-control items and Resolution 2705-25 passed by roll call with all members voting in the affirmative.