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Executive committee approves 2026 CIP project list and discusses funding options amid tight capacity
Summary
The committee approved a revised 2026 capital improvement project list and discussed deferrals, lockdowns on mission-critical items (roads/IT/rolling stock), ARPA reallocation timing, and the exposure of deferred projects to year-over-year cost increases.
The Marathon County Executive Committee approved a 2026 capital improvement program (CIP) project list and discussed funding strategies, deferrals and risks tied to pushing projects into later years.
Chris (county staff) presented a revised five-year plan, noting adjustments to remove non-CIP items, to separate highway projects funded by local highway aid (GTA), and to clarify placeholder amounts (for example, multiple ice-arena scenarios). He said the apparent $46 million number included roughly $34 million of optional ice-arena scenarios; after removing options, the 2026 baseline approaches $17 million. The rolling-stock policy indexing example yielded a 4.48% increase for vehicles; staff provided both illustrative numbers (with and without the CPI adjustment) so board members can compare approaches.
Staff emphasized a core subset of projects they consider mission-critical for 2026: highway projects that protect GTA funding, IT/cybersecurity software replacements and essential rolling stock (including sheriff's contractual obligations). Many other projects were shown as deferred to 2027 in the staff plan. Chris described funding options including levy, borrowing, reallocation of near-complete ARPA projects (subject to Treasury guidance) and careful review of current encumbered projects for potential remaining balances.
Committee members asked about deferred end-of-life maintenance risk, such as HVAC units and exterior work on the juvenile facility. Staff said they would return with detailed impact analysis for projects that carry potential operational ripple effects (e.g., jail HVAC failures that could disrupt operations). Staff also noted regulatory changes (for example, refrigerant rules) that will likely increase replacement costs for some deferred projects.
The committee voted to send the revised CIP project list to the county board. The motion carried unanimously.
