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Fruita council adopts supplemental appropriations including Maple Street Bridge grant; public commenter demands audit of 19 Road costs
Summary
Council approved Resolution 2026-16 to reappropriate prior-year projects and to accept a $2.1 million CDOT off-system bridge grant for Maple Street Bridge replacement. Finance Director Krista Yamashita said most items are rollovers or grant-funded; public commenter Paul Schultz demanded an independent audit and alleged cost overruns and unpermitted wetland work related to the 19 Road project.
The Fruita City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2026-16, a set of supplemental appropriations that roll prior-year funds forward and add a $2.1 million CDOT off-system bridge grant for the Maple Street Bridge replacement.
Finance Director Krista Yamashita told council the resolution largely reappropriates funds included in the 2025 budget that were not completed and brings one new federal/grant award into the 2026 budget. Major items highlighted in staff materials and the meeting presentation included approximately $1.9 million carried forward to complete the South Mesa reconstruction (capital), $4.5 million requested for Maple Street Bridge (including about $4.3 million for construction and $58,000 for right-of-way acquisition), and $385,000 requested for J‑Road right-of-way acquisition. On the sewer side, staff requested $129,000 for South Mesa sewer completion and $42,500 for UV redundancy design at the wastewater plant.
Yamashita said the city had previously programmed congressional directed spending and other grants for Maple Street Bridge and that the supplemental grant provides flexibility if bids exceed earlier estimates. She also said certain infrastructure costs on 19 Road have developer reimbursements and impact-fee recaptures in place and that staff will provide a more-detailed right-of-way expense recap to council when final acquisition wraps up.
During public comment, Paul Schultz urged the council to vote no on Resolution 2026-16 and demanded an independent audit. Schultz alleged the 19 Road project exceeded its $6 million budget by more than $1 million as of May 2024 and claimed unpermitted paving of wetlands tied to federal investigations (he cited case numbers he gave in the record). Council members and staff responded that many of the supplemental appropriations are rollovers or grant-funded and that staff will provide requested documentation and continue to track reimbursements and permits. Council adopted the resolution 6-0.
Yamashita said the appropriation allows the city to proceed to bid and to cover potential construction cost increases without reducing other current-year service commitments.
