LIME CITY — Estimated Perrysburg Township expenses for 2022 are approximately $1.5 million more than last year, topping $15 million — most of which are attributed to American Rescue Plan Act funds.
A special meeting was held by trustees on Thursday to approve the 2022 budget.
“We put some items in here with an asterisk,” Trustee Bob Mack said. “I’m glad we have them in the budget, because we’ve talked about them for a long time, but we have an asterisk, and we have an asterisk because it denotes that these are still on-going discussions.”
His examples included a new camera system for the municipal complex, renovations and repairs for the municipal office building, employee coronavirus related bonuses, a Perrysburg Heights donation and Simmons Park.
Trustee Joe Schaller agreed with Mack.
“With our new fiscal officer, I want to see everything reconciled and have a good easel on everything before we make any financial moves,” Schaller said.
The budget was approved by both Mack and Schaller. Trustee Gary Britten was absent.
Hannah Nelson was appointed as the fiscal officer for the township in June, and during discussions in township trustees meetings expressed a goal of increasing transparency through upgrading several financial recording and reporting methods.
This meeting was called during the last trustees meeting, on March 16, with that goal in mind. Budgets were due for submission to the Wood County Auditor on the following day.
The items with an asterisk were among the new methods, which received further comment.
“I would like to make one comment. We’re putting something on paper. A perfect example is the proposed Perrysburg Heights donation. We have not made a determination that that’s what we are going to do,” Mack said. “So if they see it on paper, they could potentially rely upon that, and we don’t want them to do that.”
Nelson noted that it is standard practice and the potential expenses could be removed later.
ARPA funds total approximately $1.2 million, for which the township has received the first payment of approximately 50%.
The funds budgeted for the camera system are $160,000. There is $900,000 for renovations and repairs for the municipal building, $60,000 in employee bonuses, $100,000 for a Perrysburg Heights donation and $250,000 Simmons Park.
The additional $300,000 is to be spent on an ambulance and a police car.
“There is a substantial delay for those right now,” Mack said.
The lead time on an ambulances purchase is approximately two years, according to Schaller. The township currently has a three-year-old ambulance, with a life expectancy of five years.
Police cars have a similar problem.
The cost of the ambulance was split evenly between the fire department and EMS sections of the budget. An estimated down payment of more than half was required by the ambulance manufacturer.
“It’s like everything else, it’s a mess. With those couple items, we have to be ahead of the curve and plan ahead,” Schaller said about the new vehicle orders.
There will also be an additional fuel increase line item for the police department, which was $160,000 for estimated increased fuel costs. Nelson pointed out that fuel has doubled in price from two years ago. Other departments have fuel included with other categories, but the estimated increase for the year was 25% across the board.
