Milford staff give status update on capital improvement plan; council asks for clearer cost figures

City staff reviewed the capital improvement plan (CIP) at the workshop and provided project-by-project updates across public works, utilities, parks, police and facilities.

City Manager and department heads summarized in-progress, completed and upcoming projects and said staff will publish a memo with submission deadlines for next-year CIP entries. Highlights included a planned March 1 groundbreaking for the Milford Corporate Center; several DelDOT-managed bike-path and downtown streetscape projects (Northwest Front Street, Marshall Street striping, Park Avenue and South Front Street streetscape work); and ongoing design work on North Washington Street and Park Avenue streetscape elements.

Electric department staff said substation cameras were installed but that further fencing and other physical-security work is being re-scoped after initial estimates exceeded the budget. The city is also evaluating power-flow analysis software and expected to bring a vendor recommendation to council soon.

Engineering staff reported completion of about 1,100 feet of asbestos water-main removal and replacement on Third Street, and ongoing lead-service-line replacements (about 252 service-line replacements reported). The Southeast regional sewer and water projects were described as moving toward construction; several projects require coordination with DelDOT and Sussex County for approvals.

James Pottingham, city engineer, described a proposed Fourth Street stormwater pond near Banneker School that would reduce flooding but would require shifting existing basketball courts; council members and parks staff asked that project planning minimize loss of active recreation space and consider enhancements (for example, rain gardens or replacement amenities) if relocation is necessary.

Staff said a new northwest water tower to address pressure issues and serve a proposed business/industrial park will require a referendum (city debt that extends beyond five years requires referendum). Staff estimated the project cost to be in the neighborhood of $7,000,000 and said bond payments would be supported from impact fees rather than water-rate increases; staff representatives said they will develop public communications and timeline and aim to hold the referendum concurrent with municipal elections at the end of April.

Additional updates covered police facility maintenance, completed upgrades to vehicle and body-worn cameras, a near-complete bulletproof-vest procurement, downtown tree planting and riverwalk paver repairs, and Deep Creek Branch Park design work (staff reported a new DNREC grant and pending DelDOT and Sussex County approvals for the park entrance). Several projects were identified as delayed into the next fiscal year because of workload and funding constraints.

Multiple council members asked that future CIP summaries include the project cost figures and whether projects remain within original budgets; the finance director explained the referendum and debt-threshold rules are tied to the city's assessed value and debt limits and that staff will provide clearer fiscal figures in forthcoming materials. No formal budget actions or votes occurred at the workshop.