Fairborn council adopts 2014 budget with $200,000 economic development fund

Mayor Tom Nagel and the Fairborn City Council adopted Ordinance No. 34-13, the city's 2014 appropriations ordinance, during their Nov. 18 meeting after waiving the three-reading rule and a unanimous 7-0 vote. City Manager Deborah McDonnell outlined the budget and said the city is "83 percent of the way through the year with revenues and deposits at 90 percent and expenditures at 78 percent." The ordinance includes proposed additions of one police officer, one code enforcement officer, one part-time parks position, one maintainer and a part-time IT hire.

Council and staff highlighted a $200,000 allocation for economic development to "prime the pump" for private investment in older commercial areas near Wright-Patterson. McDonnell told council that staff would transfer funds to the Fairborn Development Corporation to acquire and rehabilitate properties, use grant funds such as CDBG or Neighborhood Stabilization for demolition when needed, and reinvest proceeds from sales into future acquisitions. Councilwoman Marilyn McCauley supported the approach, saying the allocation is an "investment account" for future returns and that the budget maintains the reserve target the council requested.

The budget package also funds infrastructure work including the MARCS radio interconnect with Greene County, several street, water and sewer projects, and fire and EMS equipment purchases. McDonnell said the city had 249 full-time equivalent employees in 2013 and the proposed 2014 budget includes 252. Deputy Mayor Stuart Snow moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilman Dan Kirkpatrick seconded; the adoption vote was recorded as Yeas seven, Nays none. The council set a special meeting date of Nov. 25 only if members later chose not to waive the third reading.