Brookings council reviews 10‑year CIP, plans $4.5M for streets and $1.5M for Fifth Street Gym improvements

City staff presented the second budget workshop focused on the 10‑year capital improvement plan (CIP) and proposed consolidated fee schedule changes.

Samantha Beckman, assistant to the city manager, opened the workshop and said staff will return to adopt ordinances in the formal process beginning in August and that an optional recap session is tentatively scheduled for October 14. Ashley Rensch, finance director, and Beckman led a department‑by‑department review and the 10‑year outlook.

Staff said the replacement/major capital threshold for inclusion in the CIP is $25,000. Highlights summarized during the presentation include $4.5 million in street projects over the planning horizon, about $1 million annually in outside agency payments (to SDSU PAC and Brookings Health System) that staff expect to end after 2027, and a $450,000 allocation for 2026 toward the Fifth Street Gym addition with roughly $1.5 million planned for that facility over the next five to six years.

Beckman said the city budgets a conservative 2% interest rate on money market accounts and expects 3% sales tax growth and 5% property tax growth in the coming year. She said the total budget would decrease overall by about $650,000 compared with the current year primarily because one‑time projects scheduled for 2026 will not repeat.

Staff described major department drivers: public works and public safety account for most capital and transfer expenditures, with public works focused on street maintenance (overlays, chip seal and slurry), and public safety on vehicle and equipment replacements. The presentation listed $330,000 for police vehicles in 2026 (approximately three fully equipped patrol vehicles) and noted planned fire engine and platform truck replacements financed over multiple years.

Other CIP items explained included airport improvements contingent upon additional grant funding, $470,000 in Dakota Bank Center work (equipment, exterior storage and access drive, AV/IT upgrades), continued funding for the tree‑planting program and public art (tied to 1% of eligible capital), and a capped sinking fund for unexpected repairs set at $1,000,000.

Council members asked about the capital planning process, equipment lifecycles and contingencies for delayed deliveries. John Thompson of Public Works explained pavement management reviews every three to five years and a fleet replacement program that evaluates useful life, hours and maintenance trends. A police department representative described a fleet replacement approach (started in 2022) that phases vehicle replacement every three to five years to avoid clustering large purchases.

On fees, staff proposed a 3% increase for solid‑waste and storm drainage charges, an increase in mobile home disposal to $500 (from $265.25), a $5 annual increase for some sign fees, higher removal fees for flags ($40 to $60) and banners ($100 to $160), and increases in zoning and permit billing (zoning fees up $25–$50; building permit fees rising $5–$10 per square foot). The city also plans fee analyses for airport and parks/recreation fees.

Beckman said the council currently has about $18.5 million saved toward first‑priority projects (fire station and police facility) but that the police facility budget recently increased in estimates from about $17 million to about $19 million; additional revenue or financing would likely be needed to finish the project. Staff emphasized the city’s priority to preserve existing infrastructure before expanding services or adding new streets.

Council members exchanged questions about public engagement for the bike master plan implementation, grant reliance for specific projects, and the timing of bond repayment (staff noted current bond payments are forecast to end in the early 2030s). Beckman closed by asking whether the council wanted the optional October 14 recap on the budget workshop.