Councilor Barrows proposes ordinance to tighten capital-project oversight and transparency

Council President Barrows presented a three-part ordinance intended to strengthen oversight and transparency in capital improvement projects. Barrows said the first change would narrow the Capital Improvement Planning Committee membership to the city’s financial team—treasurer, auditor, purchasing agent and mayor/council designees—to ensure consistent representation. “One of the things I observed was the committee...didn’t have oftentimes all those seats at the table when it met,” Barrows said.

The second element would require the mayor to submit a final project plan to the council for any capital-improvement project with an estimated cost above $100,000, including scope, drawings and renderings so the council knows “exactly what we are voting on.” The third would create a time-limited capital project advisory committee for projects above $500,000 to review plans, budgets and community impacts; Barrows stressed the advisory body would not have decision-making power.

Several councilors welcomed the proposal as a means to improve early communication and avoid late-stage “bait-and-switch” changes. Director Cormier and other staff raised practical procurement and timeline concerns—site plans and construction documents may arrive months apart from scope and cost estimates—and asked for flexibility in the ordinance’s timing and requirements. Barrows said the proposal is responsive to recent projects with late changes and offered to return to committee with edits after feedback.