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Finance committee presents first reading of annual appropriation ordinance
MACEDONIA – The Macedonia City Council finance committee presented the 2026 annual appropriation ordinance for its first reading during the Oct. 23 meeting, marking a key step in the city’s budget process.
Council member Vini J. Ventura led the finance committee discussion. Finance Director John Veres provided a detailed overview of the budget, which focused on the 2026 portion of the city’s five-year capital plan, debt obligations and operating budget.
KEY BUDGET COMPONENTS
Veres highlighted several key budget components during his presentation, recommending council members review the three-page Excel spreadsheet that details funding sources for various projects. The document indicates whether projects are funded through grants, loans or other sources.
The general fund categories include emergency reserves, unclaimed funds, retirement reserves and technology advancement funds. Veres noted the emergency reserve has grown from approximately $50,000 when he started as finance director to $1.3 million currently.
Several special revenue funds were discussed, including the Street Maintenance and Repair fund, which receives revenue from license taxes and gasoline fuel taxes. Employee wages, vehicle maintenance and salt for winter road treatment are the primary expenses from this fund. The state highway fund, receiving approximately $55,000 annually from the state, is also used for salt purchases.
The permissive license fund, collected by the county on behalf of the city at approximately $5,500 monthly, is being used this year for Ledge Road improvements from the bridge to North Bedford Road. The fund will then accumulate again for future road projects.
The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund balance, which supports Windmill Lakes Golf Center operations, includes reserves for future capital improvements. Veres and Mayor Nicholas Molnar recently met with the two principals of the golf center building, who delivered a percentage rent check and discussed upcoming HVAC and roof replacement needs. The city owns the property and leases it to the operators, whose contract runs through approximately 2035. The current operators are profitable and well-known regionally as one of the top two golf fitting stores in the country.
Veres recalled the water maintenance and repair fund conversion, which was implemented after he arrived in Macedonia. Previously, the city mailed invoices for $20.80 to every property owner, resulting in thousands of returned envelopes. The system was converted to a real estate tax-based collection method, eliminating the inefficiency.
The safety service fund includes three firefighters, one police officer and one service employee, along with $781,500 in capital items. The fund receives income tax from a voted increase.
MAJOR PROJECTS
The 2026 budget includes $13.4 million in borrowing for the service center, representing approximately 75 percent of the estimated cost with a 25 percent down payment. The budget also appropriates approximately $250,000 for slate roof replacement at the manor house.
Veres noted that school board notification requirements were met through proper delivery of TIF-related documentation, with the school board having a specified time period to respond.
Council will have second reading in November and hopes for final passage in December. The finance committee will meet again 15 minutes before the work session on Nov. 13.
LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Council also advanced several pieces of legislation during the meeting. Ordinance 73 provides for a one-year rollover of the current $2.705 million bond anticipation note borrowed last year for the Highland-Valley View intersection road work and design engineering for the State Route 8-Highland intersection. Veres plans to pay $120,000 in principal while keeping the debt in short-term notes as interest rates potentially continue dropping. The city will go to market in early January.
Ordinance 74 establishes a tax increment financing program for the Holiday Inn on Girl Scout Way, continuing the city’s TIF initiatives to capture tax dollars for public infrastructure improvements in the area.
Resolution 75, which passed on all three readings, authorizes the mayor to apply for federal surface transportation block grant program funds through the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study for capital infrastructure improvements. The applications will seek grant dollars to resurface North Bedford Road between State Route 82 and Ledge Road and additional funding for State Route 8-Highland intersection improvements. Applications are due Nov. 6.
