The City of Poughkeepsie Common Council unanimously approved a five-year capital plan this week that budgets for improvements to city streets and curbing, among other expenditures.
The capital plan lists the cost of infrastructure, vehicle and equipment requirements through 2012. Although non-binding, it assists city officials and staff with financial planning. An annual budget vote or a bond resolution is required before actual funds are committed.
Mayor Nancy Cozean (D) called the plan “practical but very progressive,” stating that it met the city’s needs for maintenance and infrastructure.
Maintaining streets and sidewalks with repairs and improvements is among the city’s most expensive responsibilities, although state and federal grants help offset the cost. The plan calls for resurfacing and curbing improvements to Market Street, Pine Street, Academy Street, Garfield Street and other areas at more than $9 million net cost over five years.
The capital plan schedules payments for many projects already planned. Resident Charles Ahrens questioned the expense of one such item – a car and truck wash for city vehicles at the Howard Street Department of Public Works compound. Grants are expected to help offset the $580,000 cost, for a net price tag of $220,000. At a meeting earlier this month, city administrator James Marquette described the vehicle wash as a facility that was needed.
“The time of year when vehicles should be washed the most, we don’t have the facility to do it properly,” Marquette said. The system would be “environmentally friendly” and would recycle water, he added.
Council chair Brian Doyle (D-4th Ward) expressed appreciation for Ahrens’ and other residents’ comments. As the keepers of the city purse strings, council members “need to be reminded” about constituents’ concerns, he said.
Other notable capital plan items:
• An emergency generator that would power City Hall in the event of a blackout.
• In a footnote, the plan calls for the city to consider purchasing hybrid vehicles when feasible, without specifics. City staffers acknowledged that hybrids are more expensive than traditionally powered vehicles and, at present, they would only propose hybrids to meet needs for non-emergency vehicles.
• Improvements to pools and poolhouses at Spratt Park (2011) and Pulaski Park (2009) totaling $1.6 million.
• Nearly $2 million in bulkhead work and walkway construction at Kaal Rock Park (after grants).
• Retaining wall construction at Fallkill Creek, $2 million (after grants).
• Technology improvements to city networking and telephone systems and police radio and telephone system replacements totaling almost $1 million.
• The plan holds off planned Rinaldi Boulevard street reconstruction and upgrades until more progress has been made at the neighboring DeLaval site, where waterfront improvements are anticipated to increase traffic through Rinaldi. Marquette noted cleanup of Delaval, required before a developer can build a multi-use park and complex there, had not progressed “as quickly as expected in 2007.” An eastern sidewalk, traffic signal and granite curbing are planned for Rinaldi to address waterfront traffic.
At the request of council members, finance commissioner James Wojtowicz calculated the annual tax impact of paying off the city’s debt service for capital projects to the average homeowner (see below.)
Doyle noted the debt service would be higher for the next few years as the city undertakes “catch-up work” for projects already planned or constructed, before it tapers off by 2011.
• Estimated annual tax impact of capital projects to average homeowner (With a home valued at $255,000.)
• 2007: $130
• 2008: $154
• 2009: $182
• 2010: $217
• 2011: $179
• 2012: $181