The Fairfield City Council met Tuesday evening, with newly appointed alderman Allen Marsh absent.
The council unanimously approved a TIF Agreement with the Wayne County Fairgrounds in the amount of $27,500. The funds will be used to help pay for a major electrical project on the grounds that will result in parking spots for 63 campers. The TIF Committee had previously approved the expenditure.
A bid of $379,041 was unanimously approved for Howell Paving to complete the connector roads project, which is associated with the upcoming resurfacing of Main and Delaware. The council earmarked TIF funds to pay for the project last year. Mayor Moore stated that he expects bid opening for the Main and Delaware project to occur around March 10. They are hopeful the work can be completed this summer.
An Engineering Agreement with Conner & Conner was approved for several street projects in the city. Those streets to be addressed are:
Airport Road
East Court St.
NW 6th St.
College St.
Motor Fuel Tax funds will be used to finance the street projects.
The council unanimously authorized Mayor Moore to make purchases related to the upcoming Eclipse 2024. This will permit goods or services to be purchased in a timely fashion and not have to wait for a council meeting for approval. The purchases are limited to $1,000 and limited to $10,000 per vendor. Approval from the Recreation Committee will also be required.
The mayor stated that he had received a letter from the USDA regarding the Lakeside Lake project. The letter stated that they were moving forward with seeking engineering input for the project. The mayor also updated attendees on the water tower construction taking place on NW 7th St.
Mayor Moore provided a bleak summary of the city’s financial picture, with cash flow last month at (-130,162.00). The city’s payroll last month stood at $316,533, the city received $12,886 in gaming revenue and $132,624 in Sales Tax dollars. The mayor said that each city department will be examining their expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year in hopes of alleviating some of the financial pressure the city is experiencing.