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Council reviews candidate streets for $4 million 2026 bond; staff to explore state‑aid designation for Game Farm Road
Summary
Public works staff presented three candidate areas for a 2026 street bond, proposed a $4 million cap, and recommended pursuing state aid designation for part of Game Farm Road to reduce the city’s out‑of‑pocket share; council asked staff to gather cores, refine costs and prepare required state‑aid paperwork.
Public Works staff presented March 17 the draft scope and budget for a proposed 2026 street improvement bonding package and asked the City Council whether to proceed with design and state‑aid requests.
Gary Peters, director of public works, said staff pared candidate work to three areas: North and South Saunders (largely milling and overlay with some full‑depth replacement), Lakeside Drive/Lakeside Circle/Pinnacle Way (2‑inch mill and overlay) and a portion of Game Farm Road (mill/overlay with areas of full‑depth removal and replacement). The total preliminary budget exceeded the council’s $4 million planning cap, but staff proposed using state aid to fund a portion of Game Farm Road to stay within the $4 million limit.
Peters said preliminary discussions with state aid staff suggested a portion of Game Farm Road could be redesignated as a state‑aid route, which would allow state construction funds to cover that section. He noted a council resolution to request state aid would be required by May 1 to pursue that option: “designation there needs to be a council resolution to state aid by May 1 to then request new remote routes on that system.”
Staff recommended obtaining additional pavement cores in the North Saunders area to better determine where full‑depth replacement is required before finalizing assessment and budgeting options. Council members raised assessment fairness and timing questions; staff said the maps and budget represented a worst‑case scenario and that additional cores would narrow the scope and clarify whether a 429 assessment process would apply to some streets.
Timing and financing: staff said a state‑aid designation decision and award timing means construction payments could affect the 2026–2027 borrowing and levy timeline. Staff summarized the city’s overall debt position and said debt service impacts would likely appear in property tax levy calculations beginning in 2027. Council asked staff to prepare an itemized project plan, obtain cores and formal construction estimates, and draft the state‑aid resolution and paperwork if the council wishes to pursue designation.
Council direction: staff were asked to proceed with further pavement investigation, get formal quotes, and continue coordination with state aid staff about redesignation and fund availability. No final bonding authorization was approved at the work session.
