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Public Works director presents $51.5 million CIP as board presses for delivery and finance details
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Summary
Public Works Director Damian Skinner outlined a proposed Fiscal Year 2026–27 Capital Improvement Program totaling about $51.5 million, with major items including a $11M library/Civic Center concept, $15.6M McCambridge pool replacement and multimodal downtown improvements timed for the 2028 Olympics; board members pressed staff for more detail on financing and delivery capacity.
Damian Skinner, the city’s public works director, presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2026–27 Capital Improvement Program to the Infrastructure Oversight Board on March 26, outlining roughly $40 million in ongoing projects and about $11.5 million in new requests for a total of approximately $51,500,000.
Skinner told the board the package includes a predesigned concept for a Central Library/Civic Center estimated at $11,000,000, a $15,600,000 McCambridge pool replacement, upgrades to the Downtown Metrolink station and a downtown mobility hub concept aimed at improving connections to the Metrolink station and bus corridors. He also listed numerous facility and system upgrades: exhaust-system modernization ($950,000), underground fuel-tank replacements ($950,000), a $1.6 million request to move the McCain Bridal central kitchen into construction, multi-facility security upgrades ($200,000), and a $716,000 replacement of playground equipment at Earthwalk Park. Skinner summarized the total and said many projects are moving from design into construction.
Why it matters: board members said the city is facing a step change in planned capital spending — the CIP presented is substantially larger than recent years — and they want clearer evidence that the city can both finance and deliver the larger program without tying up funds in projects that do not move forward.
Board questions focused on financial sources, project delivery and capacity. City Engineer Yifan Xu told the board there is a backlog of road projects (about $25 million) and that staff capacity and procurement processes, as well as the timing of bond or Measure P financing strategies, will affect how quickly projects move into construction. Skinner and staff said many of the new entries are design-phase dollars intended to be realistic about what the city can manage given staffing and legal resources. Staff reported they are exploring a bond backed by Measure P for the larger library project to spread costs over time.
Traffic, bikes and Olympics: Assistant Community Development Director David Krisky described a conceptual downtown mobility hub at Olive and 1st meant as a quick-build improvement to help wayfinding and connections ahead of the 2028 Olympics; Krisky said the illustration shown to the board was conceptual and that the city is talking with the Southern California Association of Governments about potential grant funding.
Funding questions and next steps: Board members requested the finance director return with a clearer explanation of the fund-balance worksheet and the apparent negative projections shown for some funding lines (staff said the negative items are forecasting/accounting artifacts and that Measure R funds are used alongside Proposition C and other sources to manage transit expenses). The board requested a follow-up status report that includes continuing projects that do not need new funding, plus historical data showing past CIP budgeted amounts vs. actual delivery so the board can assess realistic capacity.
No formal board motion was made on the CIP at the meeting; staff said the package presented is the set of items being prepared for City Council consideration and that they will return with additional financial detail and a progress report on continuing projects before the council presentation.
