Finance committee backs resolution on state Issue 2 and calls for fire contract; budget debate highlights Justice Center debt plan

Baberton — The Baberton City Council finance and personnel committee on March 3 called for a resolution supporting State Issue 2, the renewal of the state capital improvement program that will appear on the May 6, 2025 ballot, and advanced a fire department contract request for further consideration as part of ongoing budget deliberations.

The committee voted to place the mayor’s resolution on the agenda with one reading and emergency language requested. Committee members also called for legislation referred from the safety committee: a request from the fire department to award a three‑year contract to Public Consulting Group (PCG). The PCG request, as presented in the committee paperwork, describes a contract structure in which PCG would receive 10% of approximately $136,148 to be collected annually by the firm as listed in the request. Committee members voted to call for that legislation with emergency wording and to move it through the finance process.

The committee’s meeting was dominated by continued review of the city budget. Mayor William Judge outlined how the City plans to pay debt service tied to the Justice Center and City Hall project, naming the specific funding sources the administration expects to use: the mayor said a portion will be covered by the Barberton Community Foundation, with projected recurring contributions of $200,000 from court funds, $200,000 from water funds, $200,000 from sewer funds and $100,000 from the stormwater fund. The mayor also said the sewer fund is in its final year of a $175,000 debt payment the city assumed when it acquired Norton sewer assets.

Committee members and staff discussed the pressure that future debt service will place on operating budgets and on the stormwater fund in particular. During the discussion, a council member noted that the city’s stormwater fee has not been raised in decades and described the current per‑household charge as out of date; the mayor observed that the present stormwater rate ‘‘isn’t sustainable’’ given rising construction and maintenance costs. Staff and councilors discussed options including adjusting project timing, seeking additional grant funding and evaluating lease/purchase alternatives for equipment rather than issuing more bonds.

Finance director staff said they will provide detailed salary‑split reports and vendor/payment transparency via the city’s new transparency portal so councilors can see how personnel costs are charged across water, sewer, solid waste and the general fund.

What happened next

The committee’s actions were procedural steps to place the Issue 2 resolution and the PCG contract request on the council agenda with emergency language; neither item was adopted as final city law during the committee meeting. Both legislative requests were advanced for formal consideration by the full council during its upcoming meeting cycle.

Why it matters

Issue 2 is a voter referendum that would renew a statewide capital improvement funding mechanism used by cities to pay for water, sewer and other infrastructure; the council’s resolution would formally express Baberton’s support. The PCG contract, if approved in ordinance, would authorize an outside consultant arrangement that carries an ongoing annual payment described in the referral materials. The budget discussion shows the council weighing how to accommodate larger recurring debt service payments for the Justice Center/City Hall project while attempting to preserve funding for stormwater and other capital needs.

Speakers quoted or referenced in committee materials and the discussion are listed below.