Hilliard council reviews $34.3 million 2026 capital budget, majority aimed at water, roads and stormwater

HILLIARD — City staff presented the proposed 2026 capital budget to the Hilliard City Council Committee of the Whole on Oct. 27, detailing $34.3 million in appropriations and saying about $12 million of that total is covered by grant dollars.

Miss Colley, opening the presentation, said the capital budget is part of a five‑year plan and described the 2026 appropriation as balanced with conservative revenue estimates that allowed staff to include the projects presented. "Our full appropriation for the 2026 capital budget is $34,300,000, but almost $12,000,000 of that is covered with grant dollars," she said.

Engineering staff walked councilmembers through the department’s project list. Major items included a water tower painting and rehabilitation program (W-20) with just over $1 million budgeted for 2026; the CMOM sanitary sewer program (S-20) with $280,000 for flow monitoring and modeling; and a lift station rehabilitation program (S-31) with $125,000 for targeted repairs.

The Heritage Lakes No. 1 lift station replacement (S-48) was highlighted as a multi‑year construction project with $500,000 in 2026 and roughly $1.5 million budgeted in 2027. Staff said a citywide lift station study completed earlier this year informed the prioritization of those projects.

Stormwater and regulatory work appear throughout the engineering package. The detention and retention basin rehabilitation program (ST-27) carries an $817,000 allocation to complete the Darby High School basin and begin design work for follow‑on phases. MS4 compliance and stormwater management (ST-32) has approximately $100,000 for 2026; staff said these funds support drainage investigations, stream monitoring and floodplain work required by the Ohio EPA.

A headline project in the transportation program is the Cemetery Road overpass and safety improvements (T-162). Staff listed $11,610,000 in the 2026 budget for that project and said the lion’s share is covered through federal grants and a prior TIF associated with a previous Giant Eagle development. "We have the money; it’s been allocated," engineering staff said, adding the project is scheduled to bid toward the end of 2026 with active construction to start in 2027.

Staff also discussed multi‑year pavement, sidewalk and trail efforts: a $1.25 million sidewalk maintenance program (T-160) moving into zone 4 of 10 for 2026; trail maintenance (T-161) with $165,000; and a $300,000 allocation for ped/bike mobility and safety projects (T-133), including a design to extend the Hayden Run Greenways Trail and coordination with a Columbus street project.

On funding sequencing, a councilmember asked why some project totals appeared larger than the 2026 line. Engineering staff clarified that project totals often include funds from prior years and carry amounts into future years; the 2026 line is the slice of the five‑year plan for that fiscal year.

Next steps: staff said council will see legislation for specific projects at subsequent council meetings — for example, the W-20 water tower project recently went out for bid and legislation is expected at an upcoming regular council meeting — and that most large projects will proceed through consultant selection, design and competitive bidding before construction.

No formal action on the capital budget occurred at the Committee of the Whole; council members asked questions and staff answered on timelines, grant status and project sequencing. The meeting adjourned after Q&A.