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Council agrees on $1.4 million capital package after trimming gold list
Summary
Councilors advanced a capital improvement plan framework and, by consensus, approved a 'gold-minus' package totaling $1,400,990 after removing four items; staff will finalize figures for next Monday’s budget advertisement.
The City Council reviewed a proposed capital improvement program and signaled agreement on a trimmed version of the 'gold' package that staff will carry forward into the manager's budget.
Staff presented a three-column CIP prioritization (bronze, silver and gold) and reviewed project requests across departments, including a courthouse fit-out (multi-year estimate about $2.5 million), phased replacement of Fire Engine 2 (estimated $600,000), harbor improvements and matches, pool building design and potential LWCF grant matches, columbarium funding, wastewater priorities, and various vehicle and equipment requests.
Joellen (city staff leading CIP submissions) explained the process and said staff set a minimum threshold for capital projects. She presented estimated costs by column and described the city's intent to shift capital planning earlier in the budget cycle.
A councilor proposed using the gold column as the base but removing four items—a cemetery 1-ton pickup ($32,500), a pool ADA lift ($8,000), Passy pump station pumps ($40,000) and a return sludge pump ($50,000)—and adding a $5,000 increase to the columbarium allocation. Staff recalculated the package and stated the total at $1,400,990. Councilors expressed support and agreed to proceed with that subtotal.
Councilors discussed fleet strategy, including whether to pursue electric vehicle options for future purchases, and debated the timing of replacing a 1998 cemetery truck. Staff noted possible grant opportunities for electric vehicles but cautioned that current rebates and vehicle eligibility vary.
Wastewater treatment upgrades and a pending congressional earmark request for CSO (combined-sewer-overflow) work were discussed; staff said a $4.1 million earmark request (clay pipe replacement and telemetry) is on a shortlist and would change upcoming capital dynamics if awarded.
No formal recorded roll-call vote was taken at the hearing; staff said they will plug the CIP numbers into the manager's budget, circulate supporting documents and return next Monday to finalize the budget for advertising and set the public hearing date.
