Stow City Council approves 2023 annual budget, utilizes federal funding from ARPA
Stow city council convened last Thursday to approve and adopt the general budget for the 2023 calendar year.
The 2023 general budget totals approximately $45.07 million dollars, which increased by $5.8 million when compared to 2022’s budget of $39.27 million.
Since 2020, the budget has increased by a total of $17.7 million, a 64.5% increase in the past three years.
Stow City Finance Director James Costello said the 2023 budget increase from last year includes a 3% salary increase for city employees, the addition of new employees and an increase in base pay for the police and fire departments.
The 2023 budget also includes around $1.9 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan ACT (ARPA). The act was a federal stimulus bill passed by Congress and the Biden Administration in March 2021 to provide direct relief during the COVID-19 pandemic to cities and towns across the United States.
The city applied and received $3.6 million from ARPA. Half of the funding was used for the 2022 budget, and the other half is allocated for use next year. The city chose to allocate the ARPA funds to make up for revenue loss in the city.
The city allocated nearly $1.9 million in ARPA funding to the following areas in 2022:
- $200,000 for Fire Department Overtime
- $749,355 for the purchase of a new fire truck
- $193,236 for Water System – 1st Year Trihalomethane Removal System (TRS)
- $ 197,205 for the Englewood Storm Water Project
- $45,605 for Granicus Communications Software
- $500,000 for the city’s Annual Road Resurfacing Program
The city council will convene again on Thursday, December 15.
View the city council’s agenda minutes from Thursday, December 1 here.