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Gahanna committee advances supplemental appropriations for 2025 capital projects; waiver of second reading requested
Summary
Finance director asked council to reappropriate previously approved 2024 capital projects for 2025 to avoid bid delays on work including Price Road facility, traffic-control systems and sewer upsizing; waiver of second reading requested and item scheduled for third reading on the regular agenda.
Finance Director Kevin Burry asked the Committee of the Whole on Feb. 24 to approve an ordinance authorizing supplemental appropriations for 2025 to reauthorize capital projects that were approved in 2024 but not spent.
Burry told the committee the city changed its capital process to show unspent appropriations more transparently rather than rolling them forward automatically as encumbrances. “Showing a little bit more transparency in what we're doing,” he said. He asked the council to waive a second reading so the appropriations can be in place before bidding begins.
The request covers multiple projects previously approved during the 2024 budget process and vetted by the Capital Improvement Advisory Committee. Councilmember Schnitzer confirmed the items are part of that committee’s review and that the city maintains a three-year limit after which unspent funds receive additional scrutiny.
Council members discussed projects that could be delayed without the appropriation. Burry warned some procurements would be stalled without the money: “We have to have the appropriations in place before they can start the bid process,” he said, and cited traffic-control system components such as traffic cabinets with 20–25 week lead times. The Price Road project — described as a Parks & Recreation facility for programming and camps that will include interior renovation of the house, two parking lots and trail improvements to connect to the Big Walnut Trail — was specifically flagged as at risk of delay if the funding is not reauthorized prior to bidding.
A council member asked about a sewer line identified as “Gahanna Lincoln capacity.” Staff explained the project upsizes a line running under a BP property; the city is routing the upsized line just south of the BP property line and taking the opportunity to increase capacity for the area west on Granville. The school district is separately improving a lateral that runs through school property as part of its portion of the overall work.
Because the projects were appropriated in 2024, staff requested a waiver of the usual second reading rather than using an emergency clause that would make the ordinance effective immediately. Council agreed to place the ordinance and the waiver request on the regular agenda for a third reading.
The committee did not take a final vote at the meeting; the ordinance and waiver were scheduled for the regular agenda’s third reading.
