Dayton City reviews 2027–28 capital equipment plan, debates priorities for parks, public safety and public works

City staff and department leaders reviewed the capital equipment requests for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 at a Dayton City work session focused on the capital improvement plan.

Staff opened the session by explaining the CIP one‑pager conventions and color coding used to show changes and timing. “Anything that’s in red is a change,” the staff member said, and blue blocks reflect timing differences between purchase year and funded year.

Marty, the parks and public‑works staff lead, detailed parks requests for 2027 that included a utility tractor for new trails, a $25,000 mower replacement, and a 1‑ton crew‑cab pickup with a plow package to support additional seasonal staff. Marty said seasonal hiring and new trail maintenance drove the tractor and pickup requests; a councilmember questioned whether the pickup represented an addition rather than a replacement, noting the city’s current fleet of roughly seven to eight pickups.

Councilmembers pressed staff on trade‑in assumptions and timing. Marty estimated trade‑in values for older equipment at about $2,000; staff cautioned that many numbers remain provisional until actual lease schedules and vehicle quotes are final. On the parks 2028 list, Marty described a proposed $50,000 garbage‑handling insert to reduce manual lifting and a $65,000 GPS‑guided paint and fertilizer controller that would automate field striping and could reduce labor and input costs over time. “We volunteered us to do that” as a trial with a vendor, Marty said, noting the unit produced more accurate lines and potential fertilizer savings, but several councilmembers suggested delaying or seeking cheaper alternatives.

Police department items prompted questions about fleet policy. Chief Enga said the department expects to move from 12 to 13 vehicles in 2027 and described a shift to leasing that smooths replacement cycles and reduces maintenance costs; staff said leasing turnover typically occurs every four to five years and can yield lower repair costs. Enga also reported that squad cameras are reaching end of life: three units have been replaced and quotes for five more are planned for a staggered 2–3 year replacement.

Staff briefed the council on an outstanding records‑management purchase tied to the police records migration; about $30,000 remains to be levied to complete payment, and the city is coordinating migration from a regional vendor.

Fire Chief Hendrickson urged replacing an outdoor siren at Dayton Park that dates to the 1960s and has required recent electrical repairs. “That one is something that we do need to replace sooner than later,” Hendrickson said, recommending a sound‑coverage study as part of any replacement; councilmembers asked staff to seek grant offsets and to evaluate generator/backup power options.

Public‑works priorities for 2027 included a hydraulic salt spreader (replacement for a 2008 unit), a used utility truck priced around $100,000 rather than a new $250,000 vehicle, skid‑steer replacements and attachments, and an air compressor large enough to blow out major irrigation systems. Marty emphasized multiuse value—fuel skids, hoists and post drivers—when justifying higher priced items and said staff will continue to pursue used equipment and rental options to reduce cost.

No formal votes were taken at the work session; staff described the meeting as a first pass intended for cuts, timing adjustments and further information requests. The city plans additional work sessions if needed and aims to present a preliminary budget at the September 1 council meeting.

The council asked staff to return with refined lease amortizations, clearer trade‑in estimates and revised cost options that could shift some 2028 items into later years to even out levy pressure. Staff noted that the capital equipment fund will be revisited in upcoming July and August work sessions.