Council approves next round of capital spending

The city of Findlay's third round of capital spending will include improvements to the municipal building and airport, along with spending from the water and sewer funds on needed upgrades. On June 7, Findlay City Council authorized city administrators to advertise for bids and enter into contracts for about $600,000 in projects. While council approves a capital improvement plan early each year, additional approval is needed for spending as projects get underway. In all, the city has about $49.5 million in capital improvement projects planned for 2022. Third-round spending includes about $91,000 in new security cameras that will be positioned citywide. Spending also includes replacing LED lighting in the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. The lighting replacement is expected to cost about $50,000. Another $50,000 will be spent on upgrading the building's restrooms. About $85,000 will be spent to relocate and restore the Findlay Airport's terminal building, 1615 Gray St. At Findlay's Water Pollution Control Center, 1201 S. River Road, nearly $100,000 will be spent to replace the center's water clarifiers. The money will be taken from the city's sewer fund. Another $30,000 will be spent to paint and repair buildings used by the city's Water Distribution Department, 136 N. Blanchard St. Additional capital projects already approved by council this year include: • About $100,000 for a project to widen County Road 236, from Fostoria Avenue to County Road 212, from two lanes to four. The entire project is expected to cost about $3.2 million. The city will spend about $1 million, with the balance paid by grants. • About $70,000 requested for work on the second phase of the Greenway Trail extension. The project will include the installation of a shared-use path along the north side of Ohio 568. The path will start at the existing Greenway Trail on East Main Cross Street and will extend to the east toward the County Road 236 shared-use path. The path will traverse under the Bright Road overpass, turn south toward Ohio 568, and then turn back to the east. The project is currently being designed. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023, with completion expected by the end of December 2023. In all, the project is expected to cost about $2.5 million. The city's share of the expense is $275,000, with a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation expected to pay the balance. • About $15,000 for the installation of a rapid-flashing beacon at Findlay High School, 1200 Broad Ave. Another $20,000 is being spent to establish a trail near the high school and Interstate 75. • A total of $65,000 for a new roof for the city's road salt barn, and $90,000 for cemetery fencing. • A total of $38,000 to replace computer forensic equipment used by the Findlay Police Department. • About $40,000, allocated from the city's sewer fund, for upgrades to storm sewers on West Lincoln and Washington streets. Capital improvement spending this year will include an additional $1 million, after council voted earlier this year to buy five dump trucks. The city had planned to replace the trucks gradually over several years, but voted for the purchase to avoid inflation that could more than double the price of the trucks in the next few years Details about the city's capital improvement plan are listed on the city engineer's webpage, www.findlayohio.com/government/city-departments/engineering Grant: 419-427-8412