City staff presents $7.9M draft five‑year Capital Improvement Program; council urged clearer funding breakouts

Jim Nolan, director of finance, opened the presentation by describing the CIP as a planning document rather than a spending plan and a first look at the administration’s five‑year capital priorities. "We're here tonight to go through the 5 year capital improvement program," Nolan said, noting the FY26 planning total for general‑fund projects is $7,900,000.

The finance presentation listed major line items and emphasized the document is an aspirational "wish list" intended to inform the later budget process and required charter hearing in March. Nolan told the council that the projects listed are those department directors identified "because department directors believe they are needed to protect public health and safety or maintain current facilities and infrastructure." Council members repeatedly asked staff to break out which items are supported by grants or anticipated lease revenue and to indicate where projects are self‑supporting rather than washing into the general pool. Staff agreed to add clearer grant and revenue detail to the detailed Table 1 in the full CIP packet.

Councilors also pushed staff to better reflect priorities in the city’s transportation master plan and larger infrastructure ambitions that would rely on federal or bond funding. Staff said some larger items — including maritime bulkhead and harbor master building work — are covered by a previously passed $98.5 million infrastructure bond and that additional pages with project detail will appear in the larger document.