Council approves $261,000 budget amendment to stabilize Main Avenue

Fort Thomas City Council approved a $261,000 amendment to the city budget to stabilize a failing section of Main Avenue and requested staff to prepare construction bid documents for a February procurement with work expected in spring.

City staff told the council the road has experienced recurring slippage and that a concurrent SD1 sewer project makes this an opportune time to undertake the stabilization work. “So the estimate is is just under, 261,000,” a staff member said while presenting the scope and schedule for bids and construction.

The council then moved to amend the budget to authorize the expenditure, and members voted in favor during a roll call. The transcript records the roll-call prompts including the names Eric Strange, Andy Ellison, Jeff Heesel and Ben Henry with each recorded as “Aye.” Staff said the city will bid the project in February and proceed with construction in the spring if bids and funding align.

The amendment authorizes city staff to produce construction drawings and bid documents and to include the stabilization in the next procurement cycle. The presentation noted the city previously analyzed the site and had planned to include the work in a later budget; coordination with SD1’s sewer work could reduce overall paving costs by combining construction windows.

The council’s approval is a budget-direction decision; staff will return with bid results and a formal contract recommendation to the council as required by Kentucky procurement rules. No schedule for contract award was set at the meeting.