Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Budget Cip topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves six-year Community Investment Plan as town trims some capital spending
Summary
The Town of Normal council voted unanimously to adopt a six-year Community Investment Plan that programs roughly $199.3 million across 426 projects over the current year plus five years while noting timing-related reductions in some categories and continued pressure on water and sewer rates.
The Town of Normal Council on a unanimous vote approved the proposed fiscal-year 2024-25 to 2029-30 Community Investment Plan, a six-year capital program that programs about $199,300,000 and 426 projects across transportation, water and sewer, facilities, parks, vehicles and stormwater.
Finance Director Mister Hune presented the plan and said, "This is our CIP. This is our first formal, discussion annually about the budget process. We always bring the CIP to you first." He told council the plan shows current-year capital spending and the next five years and that staff will present the operating budget at the next meeting.
The plan funds a wide set of town needs, with transportation and street resurfacing among the largest categories; the draft shows more than $50 million for resurfacing and specific street work across the six-year window. Hune told the council the six-year total is a bit under last year’s six-year total ($208 million previously versus a programmed $199.3 million in the proposal) and characterized the decline as partly a timing effect as completed projects fall out of the rolling six‑year window and partly a deliberate pullback to address revenue pressure.
Key project and line-item figures presented in the discussion included an underpass estimate shown in the draft at $26,000,000 (staff said that figure reflects last year’s adopted estimate and that new bids are under review and the number should be disregarded until revised), the Vernon Avenue culvert at about $4,500,000, a planned new fire station shown at $7,600,000, and an overall vehicles and equipment program totaling nearly $21,000,000 over the six years. Hune noted sample vehicle prices for the 2025–26 year: ambulance $390,000; two bulk-waste trucks (combined over $500,000); one garbage truck $420,000; and seven police vehicles estimated at $400,000.
Council members and staff also discussed water and sewer. Council was told water main replacement and related work account for nearly $11,300,000 in the plan and that the water and sewer funds rely primarily on user rates. Mister Burkhart, representing Water Department staff, told council, "We're making progress with it. There's still lead and galvanized lines left to be replaced... Our goal would be to be done by end of calendar year 25 with both of those." Staff also reminded council that the water distribution and treatment investments are funded by water rates and that the draft budget assumes a 2% annual water/sewer rate increase; staff said that level of increase may not be sufficient to sustain the current capital program and that the five-year forecast will be presented at the upcoming budget meeting.
Councilmembers asked about other elements of the CIP. Staff said project design for Vernon Avenue complete-streets and Uptown stormwater improvements are programmed (design only) and noted a State Planning and Research grant supports an ISU–town transportation study, aimed at intersections and campus-area safety. The plan’s interactive CIP dashboard was demonstrated to council; staff said the dashboard lets users view projects by map, fiscal year and funding source and provides contact names and project narratives.
On funding sources, staff said much of the capital spending for roadway, fleet and the fire station is supported by transfers from the general fund. Regarding federal program dollars, staff reported that most American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are spent or committed; Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations remain subject to potential adjustments and staff said they would cut projects if required by a rollback.
The motion to approve the Community Investment Plan was moved and seconded (movers/seconders not specified in the record) and passed on a roll call vote: Miss Harris — Aye; Mister Byers — Aye; Miss Smith — Aye; Mister Preston — Aye; Mister McCarthy — Aye; Missus Lorenz — Aye; Mayor Coos — Aye.
The council and staff emphasized that the CIP is a planning and programming tool: projects and dollar amounts in the six-year window are subject to timing changes, grant awards, later bids (the underpass was singled out as having new bids under review) and future budget votes. Staff said the proposed operating budget and the water/sewer five‑year forecasts will be presented at the council meeting on January 21, when council will vote on the operating budget for the coming fiscal year.
