Lenoir council approves FY2024 budget amendments, $629,500 wayfinding project and paving contract

The Lenoir City Council unanimously approved its consent agenda on June 18, adopting annual budget amendments for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, authorizing a revised capital project budget for wayfinding signs and awarding a two-year paving contract.

Mayor Joe Gibbons reviewed consent items the council considered as a package. The council approved budget amendments to allocate additional general fund revenues to needed expenditures, reallocate enterprise-fund spending and revise capital-project budgets.

The council adopted a revised capital project budget ordinance for wayfinding signs totaling $629,500, as detailed by staff. Manager Hilderbrand said the wayfinding project is to be funded by an ARC grant, ARPA revenue replacement funds, local funds and an allocation from the tourism development authority.

The council also approved awarding the FY2024–2026 paving contract to JT Russell and Sons, Inc., described in the staff recommendation as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder; the contract was described as a two-year award with a unit price stated in the staff summary (transcript: "$110 and3 cents per ton") and an escalator clause allowing adjustment based on liquid-asphalt price fluctuations.

Council Member Perkins moved approval of consent items A through C; the motion carried unanimously, with the mayor calling the vote as 6–0 in favor. Council members thanked staff for briefing them on the items prior to the vote.

No separate public hearings were scheduled for the evening; the consent items were adopted as presented.