New Philadelphia Council members are wary of spending money on a road project because of the city’s dire financial situation.
Service Director Ron McAbier says the city could get a 150-thousand-dollar grant to fix Front Avenue but would still have to pay over 200-thousand dollars to finish the project.
Council members Dan Lanzer, Cheryl Ramos and Steve Rippeth said this might not be the right time for that expenditure.
Council members and city administrators at the beginning of the year engaged in what Mayor Joel Day called “budget battles” as departments competed for funds from an already-strained general fund.
Day last week proposed a parks property tax levy to take some of the burden off the general fund.
Council members decided to continue the discussion on the 373-thousand dollar Front Avenue project at a future meeting. The work would be near Harbor Freight along the Tuscarawas River.
Meanwhile, City Council will likely vote on putting the parks levy on the ballot before the end of the month.
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