To better help it prepare for its budget work sessions as it works on the upcoming 2015-2016 budget, Washington’s City Council received information from several department heads last week during a strategic planning session.

The information ranged from ongoing capital projects to proposed capital projects. It also included information on projects placed on hold in the past several years, usually because of funding issues.

“As you recall, we did this same session last year. We did it in a little different setting. … Overall, we’ve asked the departments to do is talk about where they are currently, where they anticipate rolling up this year and what challenges and expectations they’re looking at next year to kind of give you an idea of what they’re anticipating,” City Manager Brian Alligood told the council last week. “Also from that, what we are looking for is some high-level stuff from you and some broad direction.”

Allen Lewis, the city’s public-works director, said his department’s revenues and expenditures “are in line with where they should be about this time of the year, with the exception of the dumpster revenue portion of the solid-waste fund.” Lewis said several large entities that were paying the city for solid-waste services have opted to receive those services from the private sector.

“The airport terminal construction is nearing completion. The contract completion date is March 31, but substantial completion should take place (during February),” Lewis said.

In December 2013, the city awarded an $899,905.50 contract to A.R. Chesson Construction Co. to build a new terminal building at Warren Field Airport. The building was destroyed by a gustnado July 1, 2012.

Funding for this project came from three sources; $500,000 in N.C. Division of Aviation grant funds, $199,277 in Vision 100 airport funds, and $200,628.50 in insurance proceeds, according to Lewis.

The city had $549,277 in grant funds earmarked for the project and obtained another $150,000 grant it used to construct the new terminal building. Each of those grants required a 10-percent match from the city.

Lewis said the lighting rehabilitation of runway 5-23 — the airport’s primary runway — should be completed about the end of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. He said the approach clearing of runway17-35 should be completed within the next several months, allowing that runway — the airport’s secondary runway — “to be put back in service shortly thereafter.”

Plans for a new, privately owned hangar at the airport have been reviewed and comments on that plan provided to the owner, who is expected to submit final plans “any day now,” Lewis said.

For additional information about the planning session, see future editions of the Washington Daily News.