Evansville council unanimously adopts amended finance ordinance funding EV chargers, trails and sewer costs
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Summary
The Evansville Common Council on Dec. 1 approved an amended finance ordinance authorizing transfers and reappropriations to fund five grant-backed electric-vehicle chargers, complete Next Level Trails work with a $2 million state grant and cover sewer utility administrative costs; the measure passed 9-0.
The Evansville Common Council on Dec. 1 unanimously adopted Ordinance F2025-19 (amended), authorizing transfers, additional appropriations and reappropriations across city funds to finance a package of projects including five new public electric-vehicle charging locations, Next Level Trails work and sewer utility expenses.
Robert Gunther of the controller’s office told the council the Evansville Climate Collaborative won a grant to install five charging stations and the city will create a special fund to track grant proceeds and maintenance costs. "The Evansville Climate Collaborative is gonna install 5 charging stations throughout the city, and they were awarded a grant to do this," Gunther said. He said the grant plus the local match will cover installation and maintenance during the five-year grant period.
Council members pressed staff on costs and siting. A city staffer identified in the transcript as Lauren said installation typically accounts for about two-thirds of a station’s cost and equipment and service the remaining third, estimating installation at about $15,000–$20,000 per station. Lauren said the grant covers maintenance for five years, and officials expect to charge a nominal fee afterward to cover electricity and ongoing maintenance.
The ordinance also includes state grant money for the Next Level Trails. "We divided that project into two phases, and the first phase is at substantial completion," Danielle Crook, executive director of Parks and Recreation, told the council. She said phase 2 is roughly one-third complete and identified sections that run from Walnut Street through State Hospital Park and across the Lloyd to former Roberts property.
On sewer accounts, city staff asked for additional appropriation to cover joint administrative costs, approximately $2,000,000, and described funding shifts after a previously planned Jacobs/Jacobsville TIF source was disallowed. Keith Penny, identified in the transcript as director of finance for the water/waste utility, said fund 6201 had about $68,000,000 remaining with $45 million held for reserves and noted about $7,000,000 already spent on the Riverside Drive project, which continues to generate invoices.
The clerk called the roll for F2025-19 (amended); each council member present voted in favor and the presiding officer declared the ordinance adopted by a recorded 9–0 vote.
The ordinance moves funds within existing budgets rather than creating a new recurring general-fund obligation; staff said the EV charging match includes a $30,000 grant award and local match from existing 2025 appropriations. City staff said they will return with implementation details such as exact charger locations, user fees and maintenance plans.
Next steps: departments will begin implementing the reappropriations and tracking expenditures in the designated special fund; council members asked staff to provide location specifics and long-term operating projections for the charging stations and continued updates on the Riverside Drive project.
