Council gives preliminary approval to 10-year CIP; Noll Park improvements budgeted at $3.2M with $2.2M in potential external funds

At the workshop, city staff presented a 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) report and scoring system. Staff said projects are listed by department and funding source, and that the scoring system (updated in 2023) includes an equity component. The council discussed project timing and coordination across departments.

Staff noted that Noll Park improvements have been consolidated into a $3.2 million budget. Of that figure, $800,000 in STP alternative funds are already secured and $1.4 million in Kansas water conservation grant funding is on the shortlist, leaving roughly $2.2 million of the $3.2 million potentially covered by external sources if awards are successful.

Council members asked staff to refine timing and ensure projects crossing departments are coordinated (for example, bike improvements tied to park master plans that might extend into the adjacent roadway projects). Staff said they would continue to tweak the CIP as the budget process proceeds and to reflect objectives where appropriate. Council gave preliminary thumbs-up for staff to continue work on the CIP and requested that items with fiscal impacts in the next three years be reflected in the budget document.