Glendale council adopts 2027 capital improvement plan focusing on water mains, roads and equipment

The Glendale Common Council on Monday approved the city’s 2027 capital improvement plan, which reprioritizes water-main replacements, accelerates road resurfacing in aging neighborhoods and funds new public-works equipment.

City Administrator Warwick presented the 10-year plan, saying, “So we're here to talk about the 2027 capital improvement plan.” He highlighted that an AI-based mapping effort changed the water-main program and that the city has recorded 25 water-main breaks year to date, rates above recent years. The plan ties water-main replacements to street resurfacing where mains are in the right-of-way.

The plan adds equipment purchases the administration argued would be more cost-effective than contracting: a utility task vehicle to support events and operations and a Trackless-brand sidewalk and bike-path plow. Warwick said contracting to plow all bike paths would be costlier over time and that ownership produced a better return on investment.

CIP line items include continued sidewalk/bike-path funding (the presentation noted $95,000 for a new Sugar Lane-to-Good Hope sidewalk and $114,000 for rehabilitation of the Port Washington/Greentree path segment). The presentation also programmed a $650,000 sewer-jetter purchase for 2028 and a recurring $500,000 allocation that has appeared every other year historically for pedestrian infrastructure.

On pavement condition, staff said roughly 28.7% of streets rate poor to failed under the condition index; Warwick said the city would need to average about $1.1 million annually to approach a 20-year resurfacing cycle. Council members discussed competing capital priorities and levy limits that constrain how quickly the city can close the resurfacing gap.

After discussion, Council member Shaw moved to adopt the CIP, seconded by Doherty. The motion passed by voice vote.