OTTUMWA, IOWA -- When the Ottumwa City Council voted against the Storm Water Utility Fee, the city had to make budget cuts to make up the nearly $600,000 dollars the new fee would have generated.
Financial Director Mike Heffernan will propose a city budget to the council Tuesday night that includes termination of two positions in Public Works, the elimination of the fireworks display, the Safety Award, annual city dinner, and a reduction in the lighting of the Jefferson Street Bridge.
However, one area is city spending is actually expanding.
"The street construction part of the budget is actually going up, I believe, a little over one million dollars for a total of about 3.5 million in street construction next year,” Heffernan said.
Major street projects included in the budget are Lake Road, Madison Street, Pennsylvania Avenue and street projects at the airport to help with Job Corps.