Mayor Maddox outlines capital projects recommendations, highlights savings center funding and drainage reserves

Mayor Maddox presented the citys capital projects budget recommendations to the Finance Committee, asking the council to review funding priorities and scheduling for FY 2025 and later years. He told the committee there is no water-and-sewer recommendation at this time pending bond refinancing and reimbursement, and that $14,500,000 is available from the general-fund reserve for future improvements after set-asides from a roughly $19,000,000 general-fund surplus.

The capital plan covers dozens of line items from small equipment to multi-million-dollar projects. "It is, it's hard to believe that April has rolled around, and it's another year of presenting capital projects," Mayor Maddox said while reviewing the spreadsheet of recommendations. He said the administration has aligned projects from least to most expensive and explained the timing rationale for pre-purchasing long-lead items.

Why it matters: The package moves funding proposals for neighborhood-level improvements (striping, sidewalks, small park projects) alongside major, multiyear projects that rely on a mix of city cash flow, state and federal grants, private fundraising and bond issuances. Several projects will be eligible for reimbursement after bond closings, and some larger projects are timed to avoid locking in construction costs until bids and interest-rate assumptions are clearer.

Key allocations and project details noted in the presentation: - Available general-fund reserve (RFFI): $14,500,000 (city surplus for FY 2024 reported at about $19,000,000). The administration said reserve calculations and set-asides will be reviewed in upcoming budget hearings. - Small equipment and compliance: mower replacements ($35,000); ADA compliance funding for sidewalks and curb improvements (amount not separately broken out beyond inclusion in the general-fund list). - Riverwalk bridge replacement: engineering and construction funding for an additional riverwalk bridge, cost cited at about $85,000 for the identified bridge near Morris Burnes. - Lake Tuscaloosa bridge engineering: preliminary engineering for a bridge west of the dam (timeline: 5—10 years replacement plan). - Powell Gym: recommended city takeover of maintenance and repairs (floor, roof and other refurbishing) after a review of building condition and community programming value. - Security cameras escrow: creation of a replacement escrow for cameras and associated servers/networks at Scribe Ferry and MLK. - Airport-area economic-development seed grant: the city, Tuscaloosa County and Northport are each proposed to contribute $125,000 to a planning grant partnering with the Economic Development Administration to study development opportunities adjacent to Tuscaloosa National Airport. - Striping/roads/paving: a proposed striping refresh (three times last years operating allocation) and a repaving line of $3,750,000 combined with gas-tax and carryover funds to yield approximately $7.6 million for citywide paving. - Landscaping and University Boulevard corridor: approximately $250,000 recommended for a sustainable landscaping refresh on University Boulevard; an additional $7.5 million is proposed to address an estimated $5 million budget shortfall for the University Boulevard corridor project (the extra $2.5 million would be moved from a downtown University-west allocation if needed). - Julia Tutwiler Drive access: $250,000 for design and engineering to add an access from Highway 82 to Julia Tutwiler Drive, subject to final right-of-way/state approvals. - Fiber expansion and equipment: fiber expansion ($300,000) and an Emergency Services District side-arm truck ($425,000; 12—18 month delivery). - McDonald Hughes baseball field lights: replacement cost estimated at about $500,000 per PERA communication cited by the mayor. - Veterans Memorial Parkway pedestrian bridge refurbishment: $750,000 for repainting, fencing repairs and related work (the council requested it not be demolished). - Project Warrior: $750,000 total ($300,000 from the general fund RFFI plus $450,000 from the Alabama Trust Fund line recommended for parks/capital). - Hargrove/McFarland turn lane: $900,000 to add an eastbound turn lane at Highway 82 and McFarland Boulevard to reduce backups. - Facility maintenance and security: $825,000 for continued facility maintenance and security improvements across city properties. - Take-home patrol vehicles: a combined proposal of $1,085,532 (including $585,000 of ARPA interest income) to continue funding the take-home vehicle policy; the mayor said staff and council would move from anecdotal to quantifiable data at a later briefing. - RSA transition savings: $1,750,000 recommended to continue saving for the police and fire pension transition to RSA in FY 2027 and beyond. - Neighborhood drainage fund: $3,000,000 recommended as flexible seed money; the mayor described it as a placeholder to allow the council to pursue smaller projects or begin engineering on larger mega drainage initiatives. One specific recommendation tied to disaster recovery funds is $1,800,000 proposed for the Downs (Downes) drainage redesign to close out remaining federal disaster-recovery dollars.

Elevate Fund and the Savings Center: The mayor reviewed changes to the Elevate funding spreadsheet and to the savings-center financing plan. - Private fundraising: presenters said the savings-center capital campaign has raised about $28,000,000 in private donations to date. - New recommended increase: a highlighted $5,950,000 addition to the capital campaign line for FY 2025 tied to interest income and increased donations. - Funding mix and bonding: the savings-center total cited in the presentation was $66,563,619. That number combines a proposed $42,000,000 city bond contribution, previously projected bonded donations, and newly reported pledges. Staff said some private pledges will be paid over 5—7 years, so the city may issue bonds in anticipation of contributions and receive repayment as pledges are paid into the foundation. - Debt-service assumptions: staff stated debt-service estimates of about $62,000 per $1 million for the nontaxable portion and $72,000 per $1 million for taxable bonds, with an average taxable rate of about 5.6% used in projections. - Schedule: bid day for the savings-center construction was listed as May 15; staff said bid analysis and a goal of presenting for adoption in June are targeted if the bid results are straightforward.

Multi-year sequencing and pauses: the mayor proposed to pause or delay several projects in FY 2030 while the city completes the RSA pension transition and resolves an SSUT issue. Projects the administration suggested pausing or watching include Skyland Boulevard, Queen City Park, Phelps Center and McDonald Hughes Center. The amphitheater upgrades were moved from a bond issue into River District Fund cash and a $2 million per-year upgrade recommendation for FY 2026—FY 2028 was included.

Committee process and next steps: Mayor Maddox asked council members to review the spreadsheet and bring questions; staff said they will schedule follow-up briefings including a dedicated savings-center meeting next week to drill into financial and programmatic details. Several councilors signaled support for additional work sessions and for routing complex items through finance committee and budget hearings before any adoption.

Votes at a glance (actions recorded in the meeting): - Minutes adopted (initial consent): approved by voice vote. - Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant authorization for Ash Street Sidewalks (apply for $710,000 federal; local share $517,000; total project $1,200,000): motion by Councilor Cherry; approved by voice vote. The application reduces scope to a single-side 5-foot sidewalk connecting the Benjamin Barnes YMCA and Carlton Park, adds ADA upgrades and some paved parking in the footprint. - 2025 State Homeland Security Grant Program application (thermal imaging cameras; $135,000; no local match required): authorized by vote; approved by voice vote. - Separate State Homeland Security Grant Program application for movable barrier system (public-safety arm of the grant): authorized; approved by voice vote. Staff described the barriers as trailer-deployable steel units used at city events (not fixed bollards). - Budget revision: General Fund Reserve for Future Improvements (BR #10) to budget a $1,000,000 joint funding agreement with the University of Alabama for Phase 2 utilities on Hackberry and University Boulevard (reimbursable by UA): approved by voice vote. - Budget revision 2022 #3: move $85,000 available from Burrell Odom Park to Tuscaloosa Tennis Center for owner-furnished tables, chairs and benches: approved by voice vote.

What was not decided or left for later: the administration explicitly said no recommendation for water and sewer capital was included pending bond refinancing and reimbursement. The mayor repeatedly framed several figures as preliminary estimates and said staff would return with additional detail, including quantifiable data for the police take-home vehicle program and a deeper briefing on savings-center financing at the next meeting.

Ending: The committee did not adopt the capital package at the meeting; committee members agreed to further review the spreadsheet, schedule follow-ups, and return with questions and potential amendments. Staff scheduled a dedicated next meeting on the savings center and encouraged council members to submit questions in advance.