Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
EDA discusses Balsam Lane gateway sign, easement and 2027 budget priorities
Loading...
Summary
The Dayton EDA reviewed a proposed gateway sign at Balsam Lane—including a verbal easement commitment from the Raintree owner—and debated 2027 budget priorities and levy options, with members pressing for specific spending plans before seeking a higher levy.
The Dayton Economic Development Authority spent much of its meeting weighing a proposed gateway sign at Balsam Lane and framing priorities for the 2027 budget.
Staff said a property owner associated with the Raintree has "verbally said that he would provide an easement to the city," and that the city engineer (Stantec) is drafting the easement, staff said. Members discussed whether the proposed sign meets city code, potential design changes and how costs would be shared with City Council or local businesses.
"Our budget right, you know, for 2026 is $25,000 in the EDA levy, and that's just to, for operational costs," a staff member said, noting the EDA's reserve is "somewhere in the $90,000 to $100,000 range." Several members said the EDA needs to present specific, justified projects if it asks the council for a higher levy. "Show me what you're gonna spend on," one member said; another urged that repayment of the EDA's debt tied to the Triangle property be a budget priority.
Members cited prior sign projects as cost references during the discussion: one highway gateway sign previously cost about $56,000, and another figure of roughly $97,000 was mentioned; a separate CIP estimate for a package of gateway signs had ranged much higher in past planning, speakers said. One member suggested that paying for a single gateway sign through the EDA levy would amount to residents funding a city-wide gateway program regardless of which levy line is used.
The board did not adopt any new budget or levy resolution at the meeting. Staff outlined the budget calendar—preliminary budget and levy adoption in August/September with final action in December—and asked EDA members to identify what they want to accomplish in 2027 so staff can include specific requests in 2026 budget materials.
The meeting record shows the EDA approved the meeting agenda and the consent agenda by voice votes earlier in the session; there was also a motion to adjourn at the end of the meeting that passed.
The EDA will continue budget planning at upcoming meetings and expects to present more detailed project requests to the City Council if it seeks a larger levy.
