City of Delaware Finance Committee Meeting – September 3, 2026

The City of Delaware Finance Committee met Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. The committee approved prior meeting summaries, heard the final Capital Improvement Plan presentations from Fire Chief Tim Pyle and City Engineer Jonathan Owen, and unanimously voted to recommend the 2027-2031 CIP to full Council. No public comments were offered.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the Motion Summary from the Finance Committee meeting held on August 31, 2026, as recorded and transcribed.
• Approved the Motion Summary from the Finance Committee meeting held on September 1, 2026, as recorded and transcribed.
• Both approvals passed unanimously, with Mayor Riggle, Vice Chair McClellan, and Chair Haynes voting yes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No audience members signed up to speak or addressed the committee.
• No emailed, written, or petition correspondence was received.

Fire/EMS Capital Improvement Plan – Chief Tim Pyle

• Pyle presented the 2027 Fire/EMS CIP, covering AED grant funding, technology replacement, Station 305 outfitting, and future Station 301 remodeling.
• AEDs cost approximately $1,200–$1,500 each; the fire department currently has 43 AEDs; schools purchase their own.
• Station 301 was built in 1972 and remodeled in 1997; new boiler, furnace, and air conditioning were installed last year after deferred replacements failed. Funds are being set aside for a future remodel, though it may not occur in 2027.
• Equipment items include $100,000 for outfitting the new paramedic unit, with $70,000–$75,000 of that for the power cot and loading system; a 20-year-old inflatable boat that remains serviceable; a 25-year-old hazmat trailer deferred pending county discussions; and a staff vehicle on the 10-year replacement plan costing $100,000 including equipment, with the vehicle itself about $49,900 and equipment roughly double that.
• The 2012 ladder truck replacement is priced at $2.25 million plus about $200,000 in equipment, with a 32–48 month lead time. The existing ladder truck would be kept as the city’s first reserve ladder.
• The plan also includes a mower for Station 305.

Engineering Capital Improvement Plan – Jonathan Owen

• Owen presented the 2027-2031 Engineering Division CIP, highlighting new area-wide plans, the return of a small local paving program, and efforts to limit general fund allocations.
• Total engineering CIP expenses over the seven-year planning period are $227 million. For the five-year period, funding is 44% grants, 40% non-discretionary city funds, and 17% general fund allocations; grant funding by year ranges from 15% to 66%. The general fund allocation is as low as 4% in 2030.
• A member asked about the high-cost 2030 year; Owen noted that year includes the Glenn Parkway railroad crossing project, a $40 million project alone.
• Key projects include: a $2 million+ ODOT safety grant for pedestrian connectivity with a 90/10 local match, filling sidewalk gaps on West Williams, US 36, South Sandusky, London, and Lake, with construction in 2028; a $6.3 million West Central Avenue/CSX railroad lowering with an alternative bridge-raising option under discussion; and intersection improvements at Euclid/West Central, West William/Curtis, and Vernon/Channing.
• East Central Avenue reconstruction has more than $2 million in MORPC grant funding and is scheduled for 2028. The Lake/Central intersection is Owen’s top priority on the existing road network; MPO funding is being sought, a federal earmark request was unsuccessful, and the projects may be merged if funding allows.
• Northwest projects include the Merrick Boulevard improvements, a roundabout under construction with Troy Road currently closed, and a future railroad overpass phase in 2030.
• Southeast projects include the Glenn Parkway extension to US 36, with a $30.8 million federal grant request and a $1.2 million Ohio Rail Development Commission commitment; an underpass is estimated at $42 million, while an overpass would cost $20–25 million.
• Southwest projects plan for US 42 to become a four-lane corridor; phase one is nearly $20 million, with $1.5 million in state grant funds, $1.3 million in developer contributions, and TIFF revenue supporting it. Phase two is penciled in for 2036 at $13 million.
• East area projects include Bixby Parkway work, future Bowtown Road/521 improvements, and a possible roundabout concept. Owen noted that the Merrick railroad overpass embankment was built early to avoid disruption after housing development.

Member Comments

• Chair Haynes praised the CIP as one of the city’s better CIPs, citing the area-wide plans and grant opportunities.

Key Outcomes

• The committee voted unanimously to recommend the 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan to full Council.
• The committee approved both consent calendar motion summaries unanimously.
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:35 p.m.