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Mayor Long warns Claremore water-treatment project costs have risen and urges revenue options
Summary
Mayor Debbie Long told council that inflation, labor and material costs have driven the water treatment plant project several million dollars over budget and said staff are value-engineering scope while urging discussion of revenue diversification including a possible sales tax.
Mayor Debbie Long gave a detailed update on Claremores multi-year water treatment plant project, warning that inflation and higher labor and material costs have pushed estimates well above initial budgets and that staff are working to reduce scope and identify internal savings.
"A couple weeks ago, just not changing anything, it was 5 to $7,000,000 higher than what we had budgeted," Long said, and later added: "a $27,000,000 project that was supposed to be 19 and now could be 34." She said the city is value-engineering with its engineering team and coordinating with the Department of Environmental Quality on scope and procurement.
Long framed the cost pressures as part of a broader fiscal challenge: tornado recovery spending, limited state authority to raise revenue, and a need to diversify municipal revenue sources. She told council that unless the city raises more revenue via sales tax or utility adjustments, future large-ticket projects risk being delayed or scaled back.
City staff said some major equipment has already been bid and ordered, while other elements remain subject to re-scoping and internal work to limit contract costs. Long emphasized the city remains solvent for day-to-day operations but must plan for rising capital costs and possible shortfalls in reimbursements from disaster recovery programs.
Council did not take a formal vote on a revenue measure during this meeting; Long said the issue would be a recurring topic in upcoming budget and town-hall discussions.
