City Manager Timonier told the Ashtabula City Council on Jan. 6 that the city is finalizing costs from a Thanksgiving snowstorm and expects the total expense to be roughly $200,000.

"I think we're, you know, we're approaching the $200,000 mark for that storm," Timonier said during the administrative report. He said the city had originally estimated between $225,000 and $250,000 but now expects the total to be lower. Timonier said the administration is compiling contractor invoices and truck-hours (using standard blue-book rates) to submit to the state for damage-assistance consideration and that Ashtabula County has reached the county EMA threshold; the governor's office will decide whether funds are distributed to the area.

Timonier also gave operational updates: the city will begin picking up live Christmas trees from tree lawns this week and next, asking residents to remove decorations and lights; crews may pick up trees overnight because of a night crew schedule that operates roughly 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. He said tree pickup normally runs one to two weeks but that residents who miss the collection window should call or email the city to schedule a stop.

On other infrastructure items, Timonier said the municipal building is likely headed toward demolition as the city seeks funding; he said requests for proposals for reuse were not realistic and that demolition will proceed when funds are identified. He provided a schedule update for Collins Boulevard, saying design work is underway for an ODOT fiscal-year 2026 construction window and that construction is expected in spring 2026. Council members were asked to submit street-paving suggestions to the manager by Jan. 19 so the engineer can compile requests and prioritize them.

Why it matters: the storm-recovery tally and the potential for state or federal aid will affect the city's budget and repair timelines. Road restorations and the municipal building decision have direct effects on downtown conditions and public infrastructure.

Attribution and context: the cost estimate and details about reimbursement, tree pickup, municipal building demolition, Collins Boulevard timing and paving-request deadlines were reported by City Manager Timonier during the Jan. 6 administrative report. No formal vote was taken on these operational updates; they were informational items.

What comes next: the manager will submit compiled storm costs to state officials for an assistance determination; the public works department will schedule tree pickups and follow up on paving priorities once the engineer returns cost estimates.