Council hears discussion of Ordinance 25-23, a supplemental appropriations bill including $200,000 water fund transfer

Finance committee chair Council member Osborne summarized Ordinance 25-23 as a supplemental-appropriations ordinance with four components: (a) a $200,000 expense moved from the water fund to cover Fayette County shared operation and maintenance costs; (b) a $50,000 transfer from the cemetery fund to Capital Improvements for a building remediation project; (c) routine payments related to the air park "jump hanger" real estate tax flows; and (d) approximately $26,000 to cover payments in lieu of taxes tied to annexations.

Osborne said the $200,000 figure is part of an agreement tied to the purchase of water capacity and that the city will have revenue to support the expense. Council and staff described ongoing technical problems in the Fayette County connection: telemetry and automation work remain incomplete, pumps and controls have required adjustments, and the dates for full service have been pushed back. Staff said the plant has been run manually in the past and the addition of another system requires automation so Wilmington equipment will not operate against a closed valve. Council placed the item in committee discussion; no vote on 25-23 was recorded in the meeting.

Council members asked whether water was flowing to Fayette County yet; staff described testing and tank fills but said consistent daily deliveries were contingent on completed telemetry and pump installations. The finance chair said reimbursements are expected and that the ordinance organizes the funding transfers needed to align expenses with the anticipated revenue stream.

No formal vote on Ordinance 25-23 occurred at the meeting; the item remains under discussion in the Finance Committee.