Town of Canandaigua officials say rising costs and tighter financial oversight are forcing a closer look at one of the community’s major capital projects after electrical bids for the Onanda Uplands project came in significantly over budget.
In the town’s May newsletter, Supervisor Don Cotter said the town budgeted $350,000 for electrical work tied to the project, but the lowest submitted bid totaled $462,500. Rather than move forward over budget, Cotter said town leaders decided to pause the project and create a steering committee to reassess priorities, timelines and financing.
“We had budgeted $350,000 for electrical work,” Cotter wrote. “The lowest bid that came in was for $462,500. Instead of accepting that bid and being 32% over budget for electrical, the decision was made to push the pause button.”
The update comes as town officials say broader financial pressures are already affecting operations. Cotter said the Highway Fund is currently trending 3.4% worse than historical averages due in part to higher fuel prices, increased salt usage and a colder, snowier winter.
Town leaders recently hired Katelyn Fenner as senior fiscal manager, citing the growing complexity of municipal finances and the need for stronger oversight and cash management practices. Cotter said the town has also increased interest earnings on savings accounts from 0.5% to 3%.
The newsletter also outlined several other projects and initiatives underway across the town, including a new parks-focused mobile website, expanded outdoor programming and water infrastructure upgrades.
The Parks and Recreation Department announced the launch of a new “Patch Program” beginning Memorial Day weekend, encouraging residents to visit town parks, complete outdoor activities and earn achievement-style patches. The initiative includes programs for children, teens and adults.
Town officials also unveiled tocparks.info, a mobile-friendly digital resource designed to replace printed materials with park maps, self-guided tours and event information.
Meanwhile, the Water Department said it is continuing a large-scale water meter replacement and modernization effort for homes and businesses connected to the public water supply. Officials said the upgrades are being completed at no cost to residents and will include new leak notification features and expanded payment options.
Environmental initiatives also featured prominently in the newsletter. The town’s Environmental Conservation Board said it spent much of 2025 reviewing development proposals and promoting sustainability efforts, including native tree planting, dark-sky compliance recommendations and climate-focused planning work.
Cotter also announced the next town hall meeting will take place June 22, with officials planning to answer questions from residents and discuss ongoing town issues.
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