WORTHINGTON -- The Worthington City Council approved Monday a proposed tax levy for 2016 that would amount to a 6.79 percent increase over last year.
Prior to the meeting, the Economic Development Authority voted to approve a $3,000 addition to the original budget proposal for the Worthington Regional Economic Development Corp., bringing the WREDC’s budget to $86,000. This sum was added to the proposed levy, which is now set at $3,483,970.
Mayor Mike Kuhle reminded council that this total is not the end result, but merely an agreement to not exceed the amount once the final levy total is established.
“This is not to be exceeded but may be lowered,” Kuhle said. “We need to have some work done, I think, between now and December.”
The final levy will not be approved until the council’s Dec. 14 meeting.
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In other business, council members passed a resolution to order preparation of a feasibility report on a proposed extension of Grand Avenue headed north from Oxford Street to Darling Drive. The bids for the original Grand Avenue project were rejected during the Aug. 11 meeting due to high cost, which subsequently led to discussion to extend the street.
The extension would include the additional street as well as walk extensions.
Services included in the feasibility report will be in addition to those needed to rebid the projects ordered by the council during its June 22 meeting.
Kuhle said he was concerned about paying $2,900 for the report. City Engineer Dwayne Haffield assured Kuhle it was needed.
“Those numbers would be much higher if we didn’t already have prior work done,” Haffield said. “... The surveying is already done and being reused … but once you rebid, you produce another set of steps you are required to do before advertising for new bids.”
Once the report is made, the council will have to rebid the extension construction and conduct a public hearing for property owners affected.
