With an overall budget just shy of $6 million and roughly 17% of it devoted to street projects, Sandusky City Manager Dave Faber presented the 2023-2024 city budget to the council during their Tuesday evening meeting.
The February 28 meeting, originally scheduled for Monday but canceled due to the winter storm, also saw the council go into closed session for contract negotiations.
The city’s general budget, which covers maintenance and improvements to city services, from the police and fire departments to local parks, cemetery, and downtown, is roughly $2.4 million, or about 40% of the overall budget.
With plans for downtown Sandusky ramping up with the planned M-46 and M-19 area improvements, Faber noted that meetings with MDOT are happening twice a week, but worth it, calling it a “lifetime project.” Due to past pedestrian accidents and fatalities, Faber said the M-46 and M-19 plan would have a focus on pedestrian access, including the possible installation of sidewalk “islands” to make for easier crossing. These plans would be part of the “major streets” budget, which stands at $313,000 as outlined in Faber’s budget.
After reviewing the upcoming fiscal year budget, the council approved audit amendments for the past year’s budget, as well as approving this new budget’s general appropriations measure.
In other council news, the Jefferson Street project, which has an allotted budget of almost $360,000, was put out for bid on Monday, receiving four bids for the work from local contractors.
