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Middletown council approves safety plan study, equipment purchases and emergency downtown funding read
Summary
Council approved: consent appointments; purchase of a snowplow ($140,374.50) and six police vehicles ($369,310); a Safe Streets for All action plan contract (not to exceed $250,000); emergency ordinance creating a downtown funding MOU and a resolution to reimburse water capital fund up to $2,000,000 for a transmission main project.
The Middletown City Council voted on a series of operational and legislative items, approving equipment purchases, a transportation safety plan, and two emergency measures related to downtown redevelopment and water infrastructure reimbursements.
On the motion agenda, council approved purchase of a 2025 International truck upfit (snowplow, hitch, dump body, spreader) from Henderson Products Inc. for $140,374.50, with staff reporting sufficient funds in the garage fund. The council then authorized a professional services agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc. to develop a Safe Streets for All transportation safety action plan in an amount not to exceed $250,000; staff said $200,000 would come from the federal Safe Streets for All grant and the city would cover remaining costs. Public engagement for that plan is expected to begin within the next couple of months, staff said.
Council also authorized purchase of six 2026 Dodge Durango police interceptor utility vehicles from Statewide Ford for $369,310 to replace aging cruisers, including two K‑9 units; staff said the old vehicles had been sold and funds are available in the garage fund.
On the legislative agenda, the council approved Ordinance O2026‑05, an emergency first reading to enter an MOU with Butler County Commissioners, Butler County Finance Authority and the Middletown Community Foundation to form a downtown funding reserve targeting up to $15,000,000. City staff said Middletown’s contribution is $5,000,000 less $2,350,000 already allocated to park improvements, for a net city contribution of $2,650,000. The ordinance was introduced as an emergency measure to allow timely funding by Feb. 15, 2026.
The council also approved Resolution R2026‑01, a declaration of intent to reimburse the water capital reserve fund with tax‑exempt debt for the CJ10AB/CJ11AB raw water transmission main replacement. Staff cited an April 2025 construction contract with Likens Construction LLC in the amount of $5,512,770 and said OPWC will reimburse the city up to $2,000,000 for funds paid to the contractor.
The consent agenda — including board and commission minutes and several conditional appointments across police, finance, public works and municipal garage divisions — was approved by roll call. The council concluded business by voting unanimously to move into executive session to discuss a public‑employee appointment and confidential economic development information.
