The city of Jamestown appears to have found the money it needs to complete its fleet management public works building on Washington Street.

During this week’s City Council work session, Mayor Kim Ecklund said she had some “good news” to share.

“I’m excited to leave you on some good news,” Ecklund said. “Thank you to our new comptroller, Ericka Thomas, and some work with Elliott (Raimondo, city corporation counsel) we have been able to secure the lost million for the fleet management facility. It’s all good news, we’re still going to get a million. However, because of some issues that were not done under the prior administration we’re only getting $700,000 for the fleet management building, but we are getting $300,000 that will be applied to another grant. So, they’re making us whole.”

When it was first approved back in 2021 the cost was initially projected to be $1.7 million, including site acquisition. That cost included the $1 million from the Fiscal Restructuring Board. The city took out a bond anticipation note for $4.6 million in 2023, with $2,850,000 set aside to pay for the fleet maintenance garage. That amount wasn’t enough, with spending for the project climbing to $4.89 million by March 2024. In April, council members approved adding $2.7 million to the city’s bond anticipation note to pay additional costs.

City Comptroller Erika Thomas said the city’s original bond will not need to be changed.

The vote for additional funding in April came with the condition that the entire $2.7 million may not be necessary. There were questions whether or not a promised $1 million for the project from the state Fiscal Restructuring Board would actually be received. If that money wasn’t secured the city would have to fill that $1 million gap in the project.

“When we did the rollover earlier there was up to $2.7 (million) so we’re not going to go back and ask for that million dollars that I didn’t get originally. We didn’t have to do that because we’re getting this other (money. I’m not borrowing another million dollars,” she said.

Councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large, asked about the $300,000 the city is receiving to replace for the money the city is losing on the fleet maintenance facility as a penalty from the state. Mark Roetzer, city public works director, said the city had already received a grant for the unnamed project and will have another $300,000 now to use toward that project. In response to one of Russell’s questions, Roetzer said the state money is specifically designated for the public works project and can’t be spent on anything else.

But, that additional $300,000 from the state frees up city money that can be applied to the fleet maintenance facility. The most important thing for Ecklund is the million dollar commitment, not where that money has to be spent.

“It’s at least making us whole, which is what we really needed,” Ecklund said.