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Forest Park council approves budget adjustments, equipment lease, redevelopment area and street-paving contract
Summary
At its April 21 meeting the Forest Park City Council approved multiple ordinances and resolutions including budget adjustments, a lease-purchase for equipment, a community reinvestment area for the mall site, acceptance of a low bid for the 2025 street program and disposal of surplus property.
Forest Park City Council adopted a package of budget and financing measures and approved a set of resolutions tied to the city’s capital and redevelopment plans during its April 21 meeting.
The council passed an ordinance that implements multiple budget adjustments, approved a lease-purchase agreement to finance city equipment purchases, and adopted a resolution establishing a community reinvestment area (CRA) covering the mall property and a nearby residential block. Separately, council accepted the low bid for the 2025 street program and authorized disposal of surplus city property by public auction.
The measures moved in a single meeting cycle after the council suspended the rule requiring full reading. The ordinance adopting budget changes (Ordinance No. 13-2025) passed unanimously. The ordinance authorizing a lease-purchase agreement (Ordinance No. 14-2025) passed unanimously; staff said the total lease amount is $810,235 at an annual interest rate of 4.75%.
Resolution No. 14-2025 establishes a community reinvestment area under Sections 3735.65–3735.7 of the Ohio Revised Code to include the mall property and a small stretch of Hitchcock Drive; the vice mayor described the CRA as a component of an incentive package negotiated with the developer and school districts and urged its passage. The resolution passed unanimously.
Resolution No. 15-2025 accepts NERA Paving as the contractor for the city’s 2025 street program. Four bids were received; the lowest bid from NERA Paving was $577,138.65. The resolution passed 5–1 (Holt voted no).
Resolution No. 16-2025 authorizes disposal of obsolete city vehicles and equipment on govdeals and instructs proceeds to return to the general fund; it passed unanimously.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 13-2025 (budget adjustments): adopted 6–0. - Ordinance 14-2025 (lease-purchase agreement for equipment; $810,235 at 4.75%): adopted 6–0. - Resolution 14-2025 (establish CRA, Ohio Rev. Code §§3735.65–3735.7): adopted 6–0. - Resolution 15-2025 (accept NERA Paving bid, 2025 street program): adopted 5–1. - Resolution 16-2025 (surplus property disposal via govdeals): adopted 6–0.
The measures approved are intended to fund and clear space for city equipment, support a planned mall-area redevelopment through tax-incentive tools, and move the street program and fleet/equipment disposals into the procurement pipeline. Council did not debate most items at length; staff and council members provided summary figures and program descriptions during roll-call votes.
