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Public works budget highlights paving, waterline projects and aging equipment
Summary
Acting service director Dave Sage told the committee the 2026 draft includes funding for waterline work (East 217th, Coulter Avenue), a $1 million paving allocation, and planning for heavy equipment replacement; councilors pressed staff on staffing counts and whether to buy or contract for items such as a stump grinder.
Acting Service Director Dave Sage walked the Executive and Finance Committee through the public services portion of the 2026 budget, identifying personnel as the top recurring cost and outlining near-term construction and paving needs.
Sage said the department plans two waterline projects this year — East 217th Waterline and Coulter Avenue — and reiterated the department’s paving program. "We have 1,000,000 dollars budgeted for paving," he said, noting one project (Chardon Road) may be covered by county funding so the $1 million will be used elsewhere.
Staff also flagged equipment needs: aging front-end loaders (one about 20 years old, another 18) and potential purchases such as a stump grinder (discussed at an estimated $120,000). Mayor Gail and directors said the administration will decide whether to buy, rent or contract work depending on final capital priorities, and noted larger equipment purchases are being considered for capital funding or short-term financing rather than the general fund.
Councilors asked for clearer headcounts and organizational charts per department; staff handed out position worksheets and agreed to provide a consolidated list showing how many full-time positions are budgeted by department and fund. Recruitment and retention also drew questions: directors acknowledged losing some staff to private industry and said collective-bargaining agreements and benefits contribute to turnover.
The committee deferred final decisions to the capital budget hearing but directed staff to refine the capital list, staffing counts and the equipment/repair prioritization ahead of the next meeting.
