City Agrees To Bond For List of Capital Projects

FULTON, NY – The city of Fulton agreed this week to fund a list of capital projects through the issuance of bond anticipation notes.The Fulton Common Council agreed Tuesday to issue bonds for sidewalk rehabilitation, the reconstruction of the east side fire station, a new roof for the Fulton Community Center and a new Tandem Axle Chassis with a combination sewer catch basin cleaning machine. For these, the council agreed to issue:

• $50,000 in bond anticipation notes for the sidewalk rehabilitation
• $11,000 in bonds for the reconstruction of the east side fire station
• $175,000 in bonds for the Tandem Axle Cleaning Machine
• $223,000 in bonds for the new roof at the Fulton Community Center

Fulton Mayor Ron Woodward provided an overview of each item prior to the council’s vote.

For example, Woodward pointed out that the roof for the Fulton Community Center includes the ice rink and the warming rooms. Because of the condition of the roof, he said the work is the only alternative to closing the building.

“We have been looking at this for years,” Woodward noted.

Woodward pointed out that the city has borrowed money in the past for Fulton Youth Hockey, which took over maintenance for the ice rink. The group is paying that money back, he noted.

For several years, however, the deteriorating roof over the rink leads to water that falls on the ice and creates a build up in some places that is potentially dangerous to skaters.

“It has to be done,” Woodward said.

He noted that the roof will be torn down to the deck and redone. The roofing over the ice rink will be rubber materials that comes with a 15-year warranty.

The sidewalk rehabilitation project is a regular capital project that is funded through bonding. The Tandem Axle Cleaning Machine will be repaid by January, Woodward said, and is necessary to replace an existing machine that is starting to deteriorate.

Third Ward Alderman Robert Weston pointed out that while many people have concerns about bonding, in some situations, it is the only way to manage needs without dramatic tax increases. Capital project items that are not bonded are funded through the regular budget.

“All of the items are for infrastructure,” Weston said. “We have to protect our buildings.

“The impact on the tax rate would be too much to put it in the budget,” Weston noted.

“The facilities in the city have suffered for many years,” Fourth Ward Alderman Dana Smith noted.

Smith pointed out that if the city wants to keep its facilities open and operational, like the community center that serves many of the city‘s residents and children, it has to spend money to maintain the facilities.

“That’s why we are bonding,” Smith said.

“We are all mindful of spending your money,” he added.

The council agreed to each item. Fifth Ward Alderman Norman Foster was absent from the meeting.

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