Cary staff previews $137.3 million in FY2027 general capital requests; flags 12 reassessed projects and timelines for new fire stations

Stacy Ticci, a town staff member, told the Cary Town Council that the evening’s presentation focused only on FY2027 general capital project requests — a subset of the town’s larger capital and operating budgets — and that directors had submitted 27 requests in the general capital category.

Ticci said council members received a packet containing a pulse public-input report, slide printouts, a one-page reminder of the 68-item reassess/unfunded list and two binder packets with funded general and utility capital projects. She said the town has mapped about 310 active projects — approximately 141 general and 169 utility projects — and that those funded projects show $751,000,000 budgeted with a current balance of roughly $356,000,000 (about 53% spent).

“This is not the recommended budget. This is very early,” Ticci said, adding the meeting was intended to surface council priorities and allow staff time to prepare fuller project descriptions and funding-source breakdowns. She emphasized staff was showing requests rather than recommendations at this stage.

Staff noted that, from the list of 68 reassessed (unfunded) projects, department directors had identified 12 they wanted considered for FY2027. Those 12 are now presented as a staff subset for council feedback; staff characterized the blue highlights in the packet as a reminder that a given item was on the reassess list and now appears in the FY2027 request list.

Interim Manager Russ Overton reiterated the timeline and review process: directors will develop recommendations, the manager will assemble a manager’s recommended budget, and the council will consider adoption in advance of the state-mandated June 30 deadline.

Council members pressed staff on the service and timing implications of some requests. Fire operations staff told council that, if design funding is provided and the town already owns the property, a new station typically requires roughly three years from funded design to operation; design takes about eight to 12 months and construction roughly two years. The chief also said apparatus orders (engines) have long lead times — generally 36 to 48 months — and that each new station needs roughly 15 personnel when staffed.

Public-works and transportation presenters also discussed Carpenter Road widening (an existing bond/LAP project). Staff described an estimated total project escalation to about $22 million and said an initial FY2027 allocation of roughly $9 million would fund a first construction phase, with remaining work to be funded in subsequent years; staff noted the project has LAP agreements and NCDOT construction authorization in place.

Ticci told council staff is preparing standardized project descriptions and funding-source detail to return at the next work session in roughly two weeks. She asked council members to flag any projects they want more information on so staff can provide targeted follow-up.

The presentation did not include formal votes or motions. Staff said detailed funding-source allocations, refined cost estimates and recommended priorities will be part of later budget packages leading to the manager’s recommended budget and council action.