Finance committee approves multiple routine advances, amendments and purchases; several studies authorized

Medina City Council’s finance committee approved a series of funding advances, budget amendments, equipment purchases and planning studies during its meeting, voting on a package of items that the committee chair said were largely routine or preparatory.

The committee approved a carry-forward appropriation request for unspent funds (carryforward amount reported in discussion as $13,847,000), an advance to cover a site study at the former Yo Sanogo (Yos Sunoco) property, multiple budget amendments tied to those advances, the authorization to seek bids for waterline replacements and an architect selection process, and several technology- and facilities-related purchases and agreements. Committee members also approved a partnership application to the CHIP program to have Medina County act as the grantee for a countywide application.

Why it matters: The approvals authorize staff to begin work or to secure consultants, grant applications and bids for projects the city may implement in coming months. Several items included requests for “emergency” clauses to allow contracting before the next full council meeting, a step staff said was tied to construction lead times and grant timelines.

Key outcomes (selected): - Carry-forward request (unspent appropriations) approved; carry-forward pool discussed as $13,847,000 (excluding certain funds such as health care lines and sanitation which had separate treatment). - Advance to fund a study at the former Yos Sunoco site approved; described as an advance to cover a study, not remediation. - Budget amendments to align the advance and grant accounts approved. - Feasibility study with Fanning & Howie for a turf addition at the Recreation Center approved (one abstention recorded). - Authorization to bid waterline replacement projects on West Washington and West Liberty with an ad alternate for South Elmwood approved. - Authorization to begin a qualifications-based selection for an architect to perform a needs assessment of City Hall and Police Department approved (no cost to advertise; legislation may come later for contract authorization). - Municipal court renovation GMP No. 2 approved with an emergency clause; GMP No. 3 anticipated to come to council for review. - IT expenditures (server replacement and cluster license/support) and cybersecurity liability insurance renewal approved.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded to the committee in meeting order): - 25-42 Carry-forward / unspent appropriations: Approved (motion carried; roll-call not recorded in transcript excerpt). - 25-45 Advance request for study at former Yos Sunoco: Approved. - 25-46 Budget amendments: Approved. - 25-47 Feasibility study (Fanning & Howie) for turf at Recreation Center: Approved (one abstention recorded). - 25-48 Expenditure for replacement of municipal court server cluster (scale cluster): Approved. - 25-49 IT department expenditure (support/licensing for cluster): Approved. - 25-50 FY25 CHIP partnership agreement (county grantee): Approved with emergency clause. - 25-51 Authorization to bid waterline replacements (West Washington/West Liberty; ad alternate South Elmwood): Approved. - 25-52 Needs-assessment RFQ for Medina Municipal Complex (architect selection process): Authorized to advertise (no immediate contract charge). - 25-53 Municipal Court renovation GMP No. 2 (guaranteed maximum price #2): Approved with emergency clause; GMP No. 3 to follow. - 20-5504 ODOD Brownfield remediation program (discussion / possible application; placeholder/matching funds discussion): Discussion only; staff asked council to consider potential matching funds if another round opens. - 25-55 Discussion of possible amendment to Ordinance 162.22 (archery hunting): Direction accepted to pursue additional options for next hunting season; no ordinance change enacted at this meeting. - 25-56 Cybersecurity liability insurance renewal: Approved with emergency clause.

Ending: The finance committee recessed into an executive session to discuss property acquisition and then planned to reconvene in council; no public actions were taken in executive session.