City staff presented a detailed list of departmental requests during the Sept. 23 study session that will feed into the 2026 preliminary budget. The list included one-time capital and equipment requests as well as ongoing personnel and lease costs; staff asked council to indicate priorities as part of the budget formation process.

The nut graf: Major operational requests included IT infrastructure replacement (server and hardware), placeholder funding for MaceCom dispatch upgrades, police vehicle leases/outfitting, taser-payment schedules and a proposed structural analysis of the wood skate park on school-district property. Council asked staff to pursue grants where available and to vet options before finalizing recommendations.

IT and records: Staff asked for a server switch replacement and Windows-server refresh (combined items supported by an applied-for grant) and a $10,000 annual allocation for routine computer-refresh hardware. The city manager said staff recommends putting the server switch and hardware replacement on an ongoing replacement schedule rather than deferring indefinite upgrades.

Dispatch and MaceCom: Staff described continuing uncertainty about MaceCom's capital and staffing needs and proposed a placeholder of $50,000 to $100,000 in the proposed budget while partner agencies refine a joint funding plan. Council members asked staff to examine direct appropriations and federal/state grant opportunities to address the dispatch facility's technology and staffing needs.

Vehicles, equipment and facilities: The list included replacement of older public-works equipment (a 27-year-old tractor quoted at $30,000), two patrol vehicles with associated lease and outfitting costs, an upgrade to the court audiovisual/warranty system used for video and remote appearances, and an estimated $94,000 (budget placeholder $100,000) for contracted cleanup in a difficult-to-access railroad-trestle area if Navy access cannot be negotiated. The parks department requested a structural analysis of an aging wood skate park; staff noted the facility sits on school district property and is covered by an interlocal agreement and county contributions to maintenance.

Ending: Council generally approved moving forward with critical IT replacement and court AV warranty funding, asked staff to pursue grants for dispatch and other items, and asked for additional information on vehicle-leasing payoffs and the skate-park structural assessment. No project was approved for immediate procurement pending preliminary budget decisions.

Speakers cited in this article

- Mark Ziegler, City Manager (City of Shelton)
- Jay (Public Works staff)
- Aaron Nitz, Assistant Director (Facilities)
- Council member Stearns

Authorities

[{"type":"other","name":"Interlocal agreement (skate park on school-district property)","referenced_by":["department-requests-it-dispatch-vehicles-and-parks"]},{"type":"grant","name":"Department of Justice and FEMA grant possibilities (referenced for MaceCom/dispatch and other capital)","referenced_by":["department-requests-it-dispatch-vehicles-and-parks"]}]

Actions

[]

Discussion vs. decision

{"discussion_points":["Replacement of aging IT infrastructure and move to an ongoing refresh schedule","Placeholder funding and partner-agency contributions for MaceCom dispatch upgrades","Replacement/outfitting of police and public-works vehicles and payment schedules","Structural assessment and future of the skate park located on school property"],"directions":["Staff to pursue grant funding where applicable and return with refined cost/payoff options for vehicle leases and MaceCom funding; staff to pursue a structural analysis for the skate park and to consult school district and county partners"],"decisions":[]}

Clarifying details

[{"category":"IT replacement","detail":"server switch and Windows server replacement and ongoing hardware refresh","value":"$50,000 for server switch; $10,000 annual for computer hardware replacement","units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Mark Ziegler"},{"category":"MaceCom placeholder","detail":"placeholder funding for dispatch upgrades","value":"$50,000 to $100,000 placeholder in 2026 proposed budget; additional $200,000 presented as potential ongoing cost depending on partner decisions","units":"USD","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Mark Ziegler"},{"category":"skate park","detail":"structural analysis request","value":"$7,500 for structural analysis of wood skate park","units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Mark Ziegler"},{"category":"cleanup contract","detail":"railroad trestle contracted cleanup bid","value":"$94,000 bid; $100,000 placeholder in 2026 proposed budget","units":"USD","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Mark Ziegler"}]

Proper names

[{"name":"MaceCom","type":"organization"},{"name":"CJTC (Criminal Justice Training Commission)","type":"agency"},{"name":"Walmart","type":"business"},{"name":"Olympic College","type":"organization"}]

Community relevance

Geographies: ["City of Shelton","school district property (location of skate park)"] Funding sources: ["General fund","grants (DOJ, FEMA)" ] Impact groups: ["park users (youth/teenagers)","police operations","IT-supported services and court users"]

Meeting context

Engagement level: multiple departmental directors presented requests and council members questioned priorities; Implementation risk: medium (dependent on grant awards and partner contributions for dispatch); History: ongoing MaceCom capacity and funding issues discussed previously.

Searchable Tags: ["IT","MaceCom","dispatch","vehicles","skate park","grants"]

Provenance

[{"block_id":"1870.005","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"Server switch replacements within our IT department. We have a grant through the department military that may cover that cost..." ,"global_start":1870,"global_end":1990,"reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"2336.07","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"They are still located in our building. At this point, the plan is they'll be here through this in through the end of this year and most likely much of next year. They've got some like I said, they've got a lot of technology upgrades and improvements at the building, that they planned on moving into that is contingent upon all of the partner agencies helping fund that.","global_start":2336,"global_end":2456,"reason_code":"topicfinish"}]