Council approves emergency appropriation to process insurance refunds and allow donated paving project

The Xenia City Council on July 23 approved an emergency amendment to the 2026 appropriations ordinance to handle two items: returning insurance deposit proceeds to property owners as properties are repaired, and accepting donated funds to repave Kekke (Ketki) Court as part of the city's paving program.

Finance Director Ryan Duke told the council the $50,000 increase to the insurance reserve refunds line would allow the city to refund insurance proceeds that had been held pending proper restoration. Duke said these are deposits being returned to property owners "as it's restored, in proper fashion" and are not a new city expense. On the Kekke Court request, staff said residents William J. and Kimberly R. Urschel offered to pay for adding the cul‑de‑sac to the city's program; engineering estimated the work at $37,857.05 and the city will accept the donation and use its existing contractor and procurement process to add the street without delaying other projects.

Council members asked whether the donated work would be prioritized over other scheduled paving and staff replied it would be an addition that uses a change order while the contractor is already mobilized in the neighborhood. The council voted by roll call to carry the appropriation amendment and later approved the separate resolution authorizing the street funding agreement with the Urschels.

The council did not authorize any general‑fund expenditure for Kekke Court; staff said the final paving cost will be charged to the donors when work is complete and the engineering estimate is preliminary.