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City approves $108,949.96 repayment to ODOT, adopts budget amendment
Summary
Council approved repayment of $108,949.96 to ODOT for unused MRDAF grant funds and passed a budget amendment to allocate the funds for payment; staff said the city will reapply for the grant this year.
The Tuttle City Council voted to repay $108,949.96 to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation after a resurfacing project came in under its original cost estimate, creating an unused portion of an MRDAF (Memorial Road Drilling Activity Fund) grant that must be returned.
Staff explained the MRDAF grant framework and the city’s financial position in an item presented as 9a on the agenda. "We received a check from them for, I think it was $375,000," Speaker 7 said while describing the award and final costs, adding that the actual project cost came in near $350,000 and left roughly $108,949.96 to be returned to ODOT. Speaker 7 said the grant program usually reopens annually and the city intends to reapply.
The council moved and seconded the repayment motion (Speaker 5 moved; Speaker 2 seconded) and recorded roll-call votes of 'Mister Watson: Yes; Miss Heights: Yes; Vice mayor Hughes: Yes'; the motion passed. On a follow-up item (9b) the council approved Budget Amendment 2025-15 to move the unallocated grant money from fund balance into the fiscal-year expense line so the repayment can be issued.
Why it matters
The reimbursement is largely a technical budgetary action: ODOT’s MRDAF provides up to $500,000 per project on a 75/25 match basis, and any funds disbursed but not used must be returned. Staff said returning unused funds allows the city to reapply for MRDAF in the current cycle and that similar reimbursements have occurred sparingly in prior years.
Details from the meeting
Speaker 7 summarized the program: ODOT will fund up to 75% of eligible resurfacing projects and the city pays a 25% match; because actual costs were lower than estimated, the city must refund the difference. The council approved both the repayment and the budget amendment to allow payment from the current fiscal year.
Quote from the record
"We've got a $108,000 that ODOT had forwarded to us that we didn't use, and we have to reimburse them those funds," (Speaker 7).
Ending
Both the repayment and the budget amendment passed on recorded votes. Staff said they will proceed with the repayment and track the city’s reapplication to the MRDAF program in the next grant cycle.
