City approves FY27 budget

Pontiac city leaders met Tuesday to pass the Fiscal Year 2027 annual budget.

The budget addresses issues like the capital improvement program which the city engineer produced.

“We do receive a one-percent sales tax the city passed a couple of years ago and that money goes toward capital improvement,” explained City Administrator Jim Woolford.

An ambulance project is a larger item in the budget. The future ambulance substation is going out for bid now.

“There will be a construction project out on Ewing Drive to build an ambulance substation,” noted Woolford.

Money is still obligated toward park improvements. This will be a project the city receives public input on regarding renovations to the Recreation Complex.

In addition, this is the 100^th year of Route 66 with plenty of tourists coming to town. May’s Red Carpet Corridor will have entertainment upgrades and will be a larger event. Another big celebration will be around the Fourth of July this summer for America’s 250^th birthday.

“We plan to have a great Independence Day celebration,” said Woolford. “We’ll have some increased entertainment at that event as well.”

Woolford notes the city budget reflects a continuity of things they have been doing, with the

Street Department still performing regular services such as brush and leaf pickup.

Also, money has been added for grants covering the downtown development of residential above commercial.

“That is to help spur some residential development in some spaces that may be under utilized.”

The city funded $150,000 into a residential roof program that is also within the TIF district. This program has begun as they are ready to start the first few projects.