Owensboro City Commissioners earlier this week approved the allocation of the final $13.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds along with approving the City’s budget for the 2022-23 Fiscal Year.
ARPA-funded project allotments included: $2.5 million toward the RWRA Ravine Sewer System; $2.5 million toward the OMU Water Tower project; $5.05 million toward the York neighborhood drainage project; and $750,000 toward the Cravens pool project.
Additionally, $2.5 million is left unappropriated and will be kept in the City budget for any projects that may come up.
A budget amendment was approved that will allow additional funding for the Fire Department for overtime and fuel, for recreation funds due to shortfalls of the Edge Ice Arena, for fuel overages in the Parks Department, GIS photography, and other items.
City Manager Nate Pagan said that most amendments act as a “clean up” for items on the budget with overages. The general fund was not affected by any amendments.
The budget as previously proposed was not adjusted and was approved unanimously. The budget will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Highlights of the budget include a pay raise for all city employees and non-elected police officers..
In other business, commissioners approved a municipal order for a grant application to replace 40 bulletproof vests for Owensboro Police Department. It is a 50/50 grant where the city pays $14,708 and the grant will cover the other half. They also approved a grant application to cover the purchase of a tactical multipurpose response vehicle for OPD; the grant has no match requirement.
The owner of nearly 53.5 acres near Burns Middle School has requested the property be annexed by the City. Pagan said the property owner is expecting to turn the area into a residential neighborhood containing 177 lots.
