Grants, Road Projects and Airport Agreement Headline Corry Council Meeting

Corry City Council approved multiple infrastructure and administrative items Monday night, including grant reallocations tied to stormwater and fiber projects, paving and seal coat bid awards, and a new financial support agreement with the Corry-Lawrence Airport Authority.

Council approved reallocating the county 2024-442 GAP grant away from the Hare Creek Stormwater Management Project and back to its original intended use for the Gig Fiber Network Project. Finance Director William Roche made the motion, which passed unanimously with Director of Streets and Public Improvements Charles Gray abstaining because of a conflict of interest. Gray is Executive Director of Impact Corry, one of the organizations spearheading the fiber project.

Council also unanimously approved reallocating the 2025-145 County GAP grant from the Sciota Street and Country Club Road stormwater project to the Hare Creek Stormwater Management Project for Phase 2 engineering services.

Council additionally approved a $14,437.68 professional services agreement with Lakefront Flooring to replace flooring at the Corry Police Station.

Another unanimous vote approved the city’s 2026 memorandum of understanding connected to the Jefferson Educational Society’s multi-municipal collaborative grant application.

Paving and Seal Coat Bids Approved

Council received and approved bid results for the city’s 2026 paving and asphalt seal coat projects.

For asphalt paving, Lindy Paving submitted the lower bids on both project options. The company bid $355,592 for Option A, covering Airport Road and Spring Street, and $168,562.50 for Option B, covering Airport Road only. Joseph McCormick Construction Co. submitted bids of $379,236.05 and $182,577 respectively.

Council approved a notice of intent to award the 2026 seal coat contract for the base bid, Alternate Bid 1A and Alternate Bid 4D to Suit-Kote Corporation, contingent on receipt of required bonds, insurance and other contract documentation.

The project funding package includes $100,000 from the city’s 2026 general fund budget, $175,000 in liquid fuels funding and $72,910.26 in restricted funds, while leaving $390,000 in certificate of deposit funds earmarked for future street improvement projects.

Airport Agreement Draws Debate

The most extensive discussion of the evening centered on a proposed financial support agreement between the city and the Corry Airport Authority.

The agreement establishes terms governing the city’s annual financial support for the Corry-Lawrence Airport, including annual budget submissions, reporting requirements, contract review procedures and compliance obligations.

Director of Parks and Public Property William “Buzz” Hammond cast the lone dissenting vote as council approved the agreement 4-1.

Hammond questioned the timing of the vote and said airport authority members had not been given adequate time to review the 24-page document.

“No one on the airport authority has seen, unless it was emailed to them today hopefully, a copy of this agreement,” Hammond said. “I don’t know how many of you can read a 24-page document that is the financial lifeline to the airport in that short amount of time and know what’s going on.”

Hammond argued council should delay action for “a week, maybe two,” to allow airport authority members time to suggest changes or additions.

“I don’t know why there is a rush on this,” Hammond said. “It’s certainly not holding up the FAA. This is an internal between the city of Corry and the airport authority.”

Gray said she reviewed the agreement with Airport Authority President Brock Allen and said Allen did not raise concerns with the language.

“I was able to read it and I did review it today with airport authority president Brock Allen,” Gray said. “He gave input on the document and had no issues with any of the elements of it.”

Gray described the agreement language as “pretty standard” and said the airport authority would have time to formally review and vote on the document at its next meeting.

Roche also said he reviewed the agreement and believed it addressed longstanding concerns involving the airport authority.

“I did read it also,” Roche said. “It addresses the many concerns we’ve had with the airport authority, years of stalled efforts to get it established. I think it’s time to get going.”

Gray added that approving the agreement was important because the airport receives approximately $150,000 annually connected to the contract arrangement.

“This document is part of what the FAA needs to approve that,” Gray said. “So getting this done hopefully means we don’t lose that this year.”

Discussion also focused on spending thresholds and oversight provisions within the agreement. City Solicitor Lydia Caparosa noted several sections still required council to establish percentage or dollar-value limits governing expenditure approvals and budget variances.

Council members discussed possible spending thresholds ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 annually, while also debating percentage-based limits for future airport budgets and contracts.

Additional  Items

In other business, Council appointed Mayor Fike as the city’s representative to the Corry Chamber of Commerce Board following the chamber’s offer of a complimentary one-year membership that included board representation.

In another personnel-related action, council unanimously appointed Samantha Vollentine as assistant zoning officer. Officials said the assignment will allow Vollentine to review and approve routine zoning permits, while more complex applications will continue to be handled by the zoning officer.

The resignation of Jim Myers from the Planning Commission was formally received and filed, with council approving his resignation effective April 15, 2026. In his resignation letter, Myers stated that he felt “out of touch” with current developments within the city and expressed concerns about what he described as a lack of information and insufficient time to properly review materials prior to meetings.

Similarly, council accepted and filed the resignation of Robert U-Tag from the Public Works Department, effective May 15, 2026, and the resignation of Sarah Marsh from the Utility Clerk position, effective May 22, 2026. Both actions were approved unanimously.

Council also received and filed a notice from Charter Communications regarding the discontinuation of FanDuel Sports Network programming, including the removal of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio and Ohio Extra channels effective in mid-June 2026 due to the termination of service by the network provider.

A resolution establishing the city’s commitment to roadway safety through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and supporting development of a comprehensive safety action plan was also approved unanimously.

On ordinances, council approved on second reading Ordinance 1679 (Bill 26-04), known as the Street Tree Ordinance, which repeals and replaces the city’s previous shade tree commission ordinance.