Dayton commission approves calendar items, hears first reading of $990.1 million 2025 budget

The Dayton City Commission voted to approve the city manager—s calendar recommendations and heard the first reading of the proposed 2025 original appropriation at its meeting.

City Manager Ms. Dixing described a service agreement with Miami Valley Housing Opportunities as "a grant agreement for 2.5 plus million dollars" to support the city—s continuum-of-care subrecipient activities, and Abby Patel Jones, director of management and budget, said the "2025 proposed original budget is $990,100,000, which is just under a billion dollar mark." Commissioners approved the manager—s recommendations by voice vote.

The budget presentation outlined that the proposed original appropriation is about $345.4 million higher than the temporary budget passed in November, largely because of a $334.6 million carryover for capital and other multiyear projects. Patel Jones told commissioners the carryover "represents the previously approved prior year's unexpended amount, which is then reappropriated in the original budget" and that most of the increase is concentrated in capital and nonoperating funds.

Patel Jones provided a line-item summary of the net $10.8 million increase between the temporary and original appropriations: $4.2 million in the development fund (about $4.0 million for Center City improvements and $225,000 to reestablish previously approved encumbrances), $623,000 in the street maintenance fund for planned capital purchases, $200,000 to establish the original budget for the SOPAC electric-aggregation program, $2.6 million in the miscellaneous grant fund for expenditures funded by the AES weatherization settlement grant, $163,700 in the stormwater capital fund to purchase a street sweeper, and $2.4 million in internal service funds (including $2.35 million in the health insurance fund to cover employee dental insurance and $20,000 in the plumbing shop for an electric lift).

On the calendar, the commission approved a Kleinger—s Group Inc. contract award of $114,900 for surveying services related to Salem Avenue reconstruction, described in staff remarks as advancing the project to phase 6 (with additional phases anticipated beyond the scope of this contract). The commission also moved and approved an appointment of Lakisha Grant as the public representative to the Tax Incentive Review Council for a term ending March 31, 2028.

Clerks read several items for first reading only, including ordinance No. 32139-25 (the 2025 appropriation ordinance), ordinance No. 32140-25 consenting to concrete pavement repairs on U.S. Route 35 from SLM 11.75 to 14.34 to James H. McGee Boulevard, and resolution No. 6849-25 supporting the Ohio Commission for the United States semiquincentennial (America250 Ohio). The appropriation ordinance received its first reading; no final adoption vote was taken.

The commission also declared an emergency and approved immediate passage of an emergency resolution (No. 6848-25) authorizing acceptance of a $121,660 grant award from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency on behalf of the city. That emergency resolution was moved, seconded and passed by voice vote.

Public comment at the meeting included remarks about homelessness and displacement from Sierra Miller Anderson and a request from Tasha Rountree to the commission to form local advisory capacity in response to proposed state changes affecting social-equity funding; commissioners acknowledged those comments and noted Miami Valley Housing Opportunities as a continuing local partner for supportive housing services. Commissioners also offered routine announcements and community event notices before adjourning.

The appropriation ordinance and items read for first reading will return for further consideration under the commission—s normal legislative process; no final vote on the 2025 budget was recorded at this meeting.