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Capital projects update: 152 active projects, advanced planning continues for animal care facility and transfer station
Summary
Staff reported 152 active capital projects — most on target — and described advanced planning for a CMPD hangar, a mass‑timber firehouse, an animal care and control facility (designed to a $30 million budget) and continued monitoring of market risks.
Hannah Brownberger, assistant director in strategy and budget, and Kathleen Ciesiak, city engineer, updated the council on the status of active capital projects and advanced planning efforts.
“You will see that we've had 24 projects completed in the past year,” Kathleen said, then added that the city currently has 152 active projects with 138 on target, 13 at risk and one listed as over budget.
Staff said the advanced planning and design program — created in FY 2020 to produce a pipeline of projects — currently includes a potential upgrade to the animal care and control facility, a CMPD helicopter hangar, an asset recovery/commissioning facility and the solid waste transfer station planning effort. Hannah noted that the animal care and control project is being designed to a $30 million capacity that council previously set aside in the capital plan; staff expects to reach 30 percent design in calendar year 2026 and estimated completion in 2028 if the schedule holds.
Kathleen highlighted market risks: federal policy, tariffs, labor trends and material prices can influence construction costs and schedules, and staff monitors bid pricing to update estimates. Theresa Smith, the city CFO, reminded council that FY 2026 is not a bond year and described COPS capacity (roughly $26 million per year on average in the adopted five‑year plan) available for facility projects; she warned that property tax growth does not automatically keep pace with inflation, which constrains long‑term capital capacity.
Specific project notes included the first completed fire equity renovation, multiple EV charging and solar installations, continued ADA upgrades and upgrades to fire and police facilities (including a 911 console expansion funded to add 22 additional consoles). Staff said the solid waste transfer station remains under master planning and that no site has been selected; discussions are ongoing with the county.
Councilmembers asked for a clearer aggregate quantification of the projects that are “at risk” and asked staff to provide roll‑ups showing total at‑risk dollars versus projects on budget. Several members emphasized the need to preserve capacity for high‑priority projects and to continue monitoring contingency usage as design advances. No new capital appropriations were approved at the workshop; staff will return with more detailed cost roll‑ups and schedules.
