City Council - Regular Meeting

longer.

Good afternoon and welcome. At this time, we'll call our city council meeting to order. We have one topic for discussion this afternoon where we will be receiving a presentation uh relative to the planning commission's proposed capital improvements program and plan. Mr. Manager, mayor, vice mayor, members of council, uh Stephanie Wells, director of finance and and city uh departments will be walking you through the proposed 2027 2036 capital improvement program plan. Uh before Stephanie starts, I'd like to thank Stephanie and her staff, Tracy Dickens, Ivon Gualtne, and Danielle uh Manw Wearing, as well as all the department heads and their staff for their expertise and participation in this year's plan. This year's plan is similar to previous years and their efforts uh with a special emphasis on transportation, schools, and public safety. As we complete significant transportation projects like 58 and Childers Hill and Route 17 intersections, you'll see we are embarking on new projects like Route 10, Route 17, and Route 460. Similarly, related to schools, JFK will open later this year. The Northern Shores expansion is under construction and we're proposing to move forward on the new Elephants Fork Elementary School. Many of these projects should be familiar as they're aligned with the comprehensive plan, the UDO and council's vision. Most importantly, this plan is in compliance with our financial policies. And with that, I'll allow Stephanie to take over. So, good afternoon, Stephanie.

Yes, good afternoon. Thank you. I'm excited to be here to share with you our proposed capital improvements plan for FY27 through 36, lovingly called the CIP by most of us in house. So, what is the CIP and why is it important? Um, excuse me. So, it is a plan to address the city's capital needs over the next 10 years with an emphasis on the first five years. We do need a plan because we use this as a financial planning tool. Not only do capital projects often uh affect your well obviously they affect your capital budget, but they often affect your operating budget as well. So we definitely need to be planning for this when we go into the budget year. The future budget year projections will also be affected and financial policy compliance. The document is updated annually as you know because we're here every year to discuss it with you and the first year of the plan is included in the proposed budget that the city manager will be presenting to you. So what is our process? We start this process even before September because we request information from the departments but the departments then submit all that information to us. Starting in October we start to have meetings. November we have meetings with city council members two on two. December is our first presentation to the planning commission. We have a second one in January and then they adopt the CIP as recommended and we bring it to you. And that is why we are here today. This is the approved and recommended planning commission CIP. So this is the first meeting we will have on the CIP and then we will have a public hearing and city council adoption at the next uh presentation of the CIP.

In April, we will present the budget, the annual operating budget, and the CIP items in the budget for the first year will be included. So, what are our CIP priorities? Obviously, completing ongoing projects because we budget and appropriate annually. We don't do this by project. So, if we start a school in one fiscal year, obviously, we want to finish the school in the following fiscal years. And so we do want to include ongoing projects. We want to maintain city buildings and facilities. We have parks that are I'm sorry, playgrounds that need to be replaced. We spend a lot of money on our facilities and infrastructure, so they need to be maintained. So any of those large large dollar items need to be included. We want to leverage state and federal funding. A lot of times the biggest portion of that comes in transportation where we're replacing or uh maintaining roadways. Enhancing the quality of life is also very important. Enhancing quality of life for citizens. Public safety is important to them. Obviously part of a fair quality of life, roads, schools, parks. We want to maintain affordability and compliance with key financial policies as well. We have resource constraints. Obviously, we don't have unlimited money, unlimited materials, unlimited staff time. We have a set debt load that we stick to in our financial policies. Yes, we could do more with that debt, but then we have uh the concern of having too much debt and decreasing our credit rating and then that makes our debt that much more expensive. We also want to make sure that we include any surpluses. So, we do take into consideration if we had a previous year budget surplus, we set that aside, include that in this policy. That also

allows us to avoid tax increases. It allows us to take care of some of the maintenance items that have creeped up during the year. So those all of those things are included in our priorities when we are looking at the CIP. Obviously, integration of city council priorities is very important to all of you here tonight. You do give us direction not only in the decisions that you make at city council but also in the plans and priorities that you given to us before then the 2045 comprehensive plan is important in the vision that you've adopted. There are eight targeted areas and then of course we have to comply with the UDO and consider the different places that we are going to be uh we are going to need roadways schools and then last it listed here is address regulatory changes. So whether it's a state mandate like removing lead lines or if it's just new roadway width, we have to address all of those regulatory compliance needs as well. So going into the five-year overview, this first slide here shows you all of our funds, all of our major funds, general government, public utility, storm water, refues, transit, and fleet. As you can see here, for the first five years, uh we have we are considering $472 million in projects. That is a lot of money. So our initial requests were probably close to twice that. So obviously we cannot fund everything. So that's the hard work that the departments do, the city manager does taking into considerations all those

priorities we just discussed about financial responsibility, about the quality of life that is a concern to our citizens. We try to take all of that into consideration and do the best that we can to come up with a plan that is what we are putting forth to you tonight. So, you know, that puts then puts the hard job on each of you to then make a decision about whether that is the best plan for the city. So, if we look at what our planned expenditures are for just the general government, we're looking at 59.8 8 million almost 59.9 just for 2627. So we have parks and recreation, we have public buildings and facilities, public safety, transportation, public schools and neighborhood initiatives. All of those things are part of our general government projects. How are we funding them? State and federal funds I've mentioned that we try to make use of transfer from general fund and our capital reserve. We include in our budget payo for whatever capacity we have there in our budget. We include the transfer from capital fund. I've reported several different times about our waterfall policy that we make use of when we have our surplus, the amount that we can put into that waterfall and then we plan it include it in this plan so that we can try to minimize the impact to the general fund. We do have a small amount coming from the cemetery, a small amount coming from R route 17 taxing district. And then we have here general obligation bonds. For our general obligation bonds, you can see for those who may not know, our current limit that we use to plan is $35 million. So if you take a look at our maximums here, we are using making use of that $35 million each year. And if

you compare, if you want to talk about how expensive projects are, if you take a look at our $35 million for say 28, schools alone make up more than that $35 million capacity. Um that's true for 28 and 29. So if you come back to 27, you will see we are kind of frontloading some projects in both public safety and transportation because we know next year we're going to be building schools the next two years actually. Uh, one more mention about our debt. I mentioned it earlier as well, but we don't want to increase our debt load. One of the things that is really important to credit rating agencies is that you don't have a high debt load. Even though we're not at our maximum for what not only the state allows, but also what our policy allows, that still looks really good to those rating agencies. The more we make use of that debt, the higher it's going to cost us. Your interest rates go up. So, you keep getting debt just like you get a mortgage this year for a house, you get a mortgage next year for a house. Eventually, that's going to snowball. It's going to cost you more money. It's going to cost the citizens more money. It's going to raise taxes. So, we do need to be very cognizant about not getting to or exceeding that debt load. So moving on, this is just a chart of what our percentages are for that five years of expenditures for public schools being the highest, transportation, public safety, safety, neighborhood, buildings and facilities, and then parks and recreation. to talk a little bit more about the FY27 budget because that is coming up very soon. We are looking at $85 million just for FY27.

Our general government portion I mentioned briefly is 59.9 million. To look at where those expenditures are going, this is a percentage again, but on the annual basis versus that fiveyear basis I just showed you. So we have 37% in transportation for 26 27 but remember that's going to double next year for schools the next two years for schools. So we need to have that higher level for both transportation and public safety in 2627 in preparation for that school. We do have the $7 million for public schools programmed in there. So that's going to be used to do the planning and design for Elephant Sport. And then I also included the rest of the funds that we mentioned brief briefly about what the expenditures are. It's kind of hard to break down storm water. There's several storm water projects in there and they will be discussed briefly um in just a few moments by the other department heads. And then for transit uh that's uh transit building that they will also discuss and funding sources. So I mentioned again state and federal money general fund reserves. This is only for the governmental projects. This first table here um transfer from cemetery taxing district and then geo bonds. And then I included also a slide that shows all of the funds and where the funds are coming from. for storm water fund that is storm water fund balance. And so I am going to turn it over now to let the department heads talk about each of their uh sections and what their CIP projects are and then I will come back up at the end just to close it out.

Good afternoon. I'm Mark Furlow, uh, director of parks and recreation. Uh, let's see here. So, the first project I'm talking about is our parks capital maintenance line item. Um that is about $700 and some thousand dollars a year and that that fund helps us replace uh aging playgrounds, picnic shelters, uh make minor repairs uh to infrastructure in our existing parks. Um coming up in FY27, we have a project to add um uh to add a uh splash park to Lake Me Park. And then in FY28, we have additional funding set aside to install ballfield lights at Holland Park at one of the uh one of the there's one ball field that doesn't currently have lights on it. So, this would put lights on all of the ball fields out there at Holland. Uh the next project is Lonear Lakes Park. We have $650,000 in FY27. That's uh the the additional funding we need to pave uh the nor phase one of the northern portion of the roads. You may remember back in 2019, we paved all the all the roads to the south of Lonear Lakes Park. This is going to be the first project to start paving the roads to the north from Butler's track on north. Uh the Suffach Seabore Coastline uh phase 3C. This project uh this is the last kind of lynch pin linking pin in the Seabore Coastline Trail. This will go from Cedar Lake Shore neighborhood to uh Nans River High School. This is the one piece that we still need funding for. We do have a raise grant from the federal federal government. And the funding here that we were requesting will be the matching funds for that raise grant which is about uh six

million and some change that we're getting from the f federal government. The great dismal swamp park. This is uh funding to build a park along uh off of White Marsh Road near the Jericho Ditch entrance to the Dismal Swamp. This was kind of a partnership. We bought the land at the same time as the Dismal Swamp that uh they the refuge bought a piece of land right next to it and we the plan was for those two pieces of property to work together. Um they want to build an education center on their piece and then we would build a playground and picnic shelter on ours. Holly lawn improvement. So this funding is to uh construct the roads to open up the last section in Holly Lawn and a portion of that is coming from the cemetery fund. Um JFK field lighting. Uh when they built the new JFK middle school, it was constructed on two of our ball fields out there. So this uh part of the project along with the school was to replace those fields um to the side of the new school. Uh but the school doesn't have a need for lights. So we are funding the lights and also the concession stand and restroom buildings. Gateway beautifification. This is um to continue the funding that we've um been using to beautify the corridors that lead into our downtown. Um and that's $75,000 per year. Uh the Holy Neck Recreation Center. This is funding to do a feasibility study for a recreation center and a new regional park in the Holy Neck Burrow. And then the Martin Luther King memorial. This is funding to um to construct a memorial to Dr. King who I'm sure everybody knows gave a speech at Peanut Park. Uh so we want to mark that historical event there at the park.

uh trail enhancements. That's $60,000. Uh that funding comes to us every other year and that's to add additional trails in our parks. That's not doesn't have anything to do with the um regional trails like SuffK Seabour Coastline. That's to look at making trails uh in existing parks like Lonear or Bennett's Creek. Um water access Nan River. Um this is $100,000 in FY28 to do a master plan for that property that we purchased for the boat ramp, the Brady Marina property. And then um 823,000 for dog park in Sleepy Hole, FY30. Um 545 in FY30 to construct a park in the Jericho neighborhood. And then we're asking for 270 to do master planning for the 757 trail, which is another regional trail that we're involved with that will come through the city, 360 for the aquatic facility in FY31, and 840 for a to do design work to add a gym to Bennett's Creek Recreation Center in FY31. And then uh this is just uh this this last piece is just talking about the ball field lights for for Holland. We we referenced that earlier. And uh up next is Gary C.

Thank you, Mark. Public buildings and facilities. Uh very similar to parks and recreation, we have a public building public buildings capital maintenance account. which takes care of our nearly 50 or so facilities throughout the city. Uh $7.1 million over the first five years for renovations, repairs, and system upgrades in all of our city uh facilities. The first year, $1.7 million to include funding for security updates and exterior restoration of the business center, Riddick's Folly, and a Seaboard train station. Garwin Courts building improvements, $400,000 in fiscal year 27 for the interior enhancements to the Garwin Courts building. Funding is also programmed for 28 fiscal years 28 through 31 for additional renovations and construction of a fourth courtroom on the third floor of the Godwin Court building. [clears throat] Morgan Library reuse and renovation. Of course, as you know, we're about to move out of the B Morgan Library into the new facility here in May. The plan is to look at a do a feasibility study to determine what we can use this new this old facility for. The building is about 15,000 square feet. Um, and uh we will look at other space needs uh for the city uh to possibly plug into this facility, public safety and fire and rescue. Uh, Chief Rock,

and just from an instruction standpoint before Chief walks up, uh, in your presentation as you're following along, anything with a photo is this coming year funding. Everything that's just bullet pointed is another year. Sorry, Chief.

Mayor, vice mayor, members of council, it's my honor to come up here and discuss the CIP for fire rescue. Uh, first bullet and I need to move forward here. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Um first bullet here are our fire trucks our apparatus. Our fire trucks will be considered an engine, a tanker, a ladder or a rescue company. So the large fire app you see over five years uh 32.6 million to try to uh you see in your notes there the um word that we're using is useful life. Um fire trucks obviously um have a a lifespan. So that's what 32.6 six and then this year that we're looking at is the 1.5 million for one fire engine replacement. Uh below that are ambulances, medic units or ambulances um have a useful life as well. And so we're looking for 7.7 over five years, but most notably for the following year are the CIP we're discussing uh for this budget be 1.9 for three uh ambulances to be replaced. Um station four. Uh so excited that we're at this point where we can look at uh funding uh fire station 4 replacement. Um the building you see there um from the 60s now up to 2026. Uh 9.5 million again very gracious to uh council and to uh our city leadership for allowing that opportunity for the 9.5 million to be added to the existing money in our CIP. Um the uh station 9 Chuck Tuck Fire Station, Kings Highway, but Chuck Tuck as we all know it uh we're looking at 1.4 4 million. We uh uh Gary, Mr. Jones, and myself uh probably about five years ago did um some work in there to try to identify what we needed to provide uh upgrades to that facility, mostly electrical and some of the um the guts of that building and 1.4 million uh for for not only the building itself. So we get whole house generator on there for the whole building but for the male

female uh restrooms um and some of the uh living facilities there are not um how we would like to have them for our diverse workforce. So that's how that money would be utilized for at the Chuck Chuck Tuck Fire Station. And uh my final slide before I turn it over to Chief Buoie. Um in 28 FY28, the breathing apparatus that are worn by firefighters for protection from smoke um inhilation of uh um carcinogens, etc. uh has a 10ear lifespan. And we're getting to the point now where we need to bid out our our SCBA. And so that $2.2 2 million is to replace um all the harnesses, the breathing apparatus tanks, and all the systems that go with that to um meet that 10-year NFPA requirement. Below that, the breathing air system is the compressor that is what is used to fill these air tanks to get the compressed air into these air tanks. And we we're appreciative of that being in the budget for FY30. And the final thing uh in FY30 as well is fire station 10 uh over in Venice Pasture or Driver Fire Station uh is looking at having some um it's in a great location that serves the community very well. So instead of trying to look for a replacement station, we're looking to upgrade that fire station with some renovations and that's why that 2.5 million again capital uh Wayne and Gary maybe about three years ago, four years ago, we did a lot of work on that to identify um the needs of that firehouse. So, we feel this money uh will be well spent to renovate that firehouse. And with that, no questions. I'll turn over to Chief Buie and Chief Buie.

Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, Vice Mayor, members of council, city manager. I appreciate you allowing me to have the time to come up and talk about the police needs in the upcoming CIP. We'll start with our police training facility as as was once known as the Wheville Recreation Center. Uh we're in the process of renovating that building and are looking for 1.2 million in um FY27 to finish that project at that facility. It's a 14 acre facility. We'll house our police simulator. Uh we'll have classroom, defensive tactics room, and offices for training instructors. By doing that, it's going to free up offices in our police headquarters building at the same time. It'll include a K9 training facility. Too many times we have to reach out to other to other agencies to get the things that we need, to get the training that we need. And this facility is going to allow us the opportunity when it's all said and done to do a lot of in-house stuff. And this a city of our caliber, we shouldn't have to reach out and borrow beg beg bar and steal from other agencies in order to get the training that we need. So this will allow us a prime opportunity to do in-house training on our own. The other project um Holland Road precinct 3 FY27. I I stand here before you today ask asking for a precinct three when I should be asking for a precinct four or precinct five. We should we were looking at a precinct three back when I was a patrolman a long long time ago and this is this is a much needed thing. This city of Suff is the second fastest growing city in Virginia and we have to grow with it and this precinct will allow us a 13,000 square foot facility needs to be somewhere out in the the

Holland corridor of Route 58 Kenyon Road somewhere in that area to be efficient. It'll reduce response times to the Holland area. you know, it it'll increase the police visibility in that area as we have more trucks and as we have more traffic in the 58460 corridor. And with that, I believe that's all we have. I will turn it over to transportation. Afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, council. Greg Benton, your public works director. I'll be going over 21 transportation projects and then come back up and go through nine storm water projects, followed by one transit project. First one, Godwin Boulevard improvements, 1.25 25 million in FY27 and 5 million over FY29 through 30 to widen a 1.5 mile span of Gwin Boulevard from Kings Fork Road to the Suffach bypass combination of state, federal, and local funds. Route 17, road widening, 9.2 2 million over FY27 to FY30 to widen and extend travel lanes in both directions, add and improve turn lanes, replace signals, and provide bike accommodations from just west of Windward Lane to Harbor View Boulevard. Combination again, state, federal, and local funds. Shoulders Hill phase two and three would like to combine this as one single project, 17.8 8 million over FY27 to 28 to widen Shorter Hills Road from Lakeok Lane to Pewville Road. Improvements will include a four-lane divided roadway with

multi-use path combination of state, federal, and local funds. Next, I will talk about our interchange projects. Godwin interchange 1.75 million in local funds in FY27 to match 12.9 million in state federal funds received. Project will reconfigure the US Route 58 ramps and Godwin Boulevard by constructing additional turn lanes. This project will not be the diverging diamond intersection. East Constants Road, Wilroy Road intersection, 700K in FY27 and 2.2 million in FY28 to construct a right turn lane at Wilroy Road onto West Constance Road, combination of federal and local funds. Wilroy Road Progress intersection 700K in FY27 and 1.8 million in FY28 for turn lane and signal upgrades. combination of federal and local funds. This project allows traffic to flow when there are left turning vehicles waiting for the train to pass at the Wilroy Industrial Park. Next, miscellaneous roadway improvements 200k per year and local funding to connect missing sidewalk segments, replace wooden curb cuts and decorative enhancements. Townpoint sidewalk 1 million in FY27 install sidewalks along sections of Townpoint Road in Pewsville. This is near the park. North Suffach Connector 750K and FY27 to study a new two-lane roadway alignment connecting Nansman Parkway to Shoulders Hill Road in proximity proximity to Suffach Meadows neighborhood. This project will bypass two railroad crossings.

Next, Hunter Creek Sidewalk 231K and FY27 to install a sidewalk along entrance to Hunter Court adjacent to the fire station property at College Boulevard. We plan to do this project in house. Harborview Boulevard pedestrian improvements 350K and Route 17 taxing district funds programmed in FY27 to modify and add ADA curb ramps, audible pedestrian signals at six signalized intersections, crosswalk updates, and sidewalk connections. Prudin Boulevard, Route 460. Improvements provide for road widening, median construction, sidewalk, and closed drainage system along Prudin Boulevard, Route 460 to the 58 bypass. Previous funding of 31.1 million in state funding and 6.2 million in developer contributions, 92.9 million in state and local funds programmed in FY 29 through 32 for construction. channel dredging waterway navigation 1.2 million FY28 and FY31 for dredging at Bennett's Creek. Uh this is the mouth of the river. Citywide signal system upgrades 910K in federal funding and 29 to upgrade traffic signals throughout the city. This also includes uh uh traffic cameras, electric car charging station 250K and FY30 to facilitate commercial electric vehicle charging stations if federal funding becomes available. Bridge Road College Drive left turn lane 2.3 million in FY30 and 9.3 million in outy years to provide an additional southbound left turn lane and modification to the traffic signal. project is programmed with 100% federal

funding. Suburban Drive sidewalk 850K and federal and local funds in FY30 to provide connection from Suffach Seabard Coastline Trail along Suburban Drive. Rail crossing improvements 400K and FY30 to update panel sections to improve ride quality over railroad crossings. Carolina Road Connector 300K and FY30 for a study of a new connector route between Carolina Road, Route 13, Bypass to Hoser Road, Wilroy Road widening 200K and FY31 for preliminary design study to widen Wilroy Road from the base of the route 58 ramp extending northeast 1.27 miles to the Nansman Wilroy flyover. Route 58 intelligence transportation system sensors 3.2 million in federal funding programmed in FY31 for intelligent transportation system equipment including fiber optic conduit cameras and variable message boards to improve traffic flow and safety. This would also allow us connectivity to the VOTE smart traffic center. All right. public schools. Okay, next up is public schools. Although I'm not public schools, I will talk about public schools. Um before I get into the specific projects of public schools, uh I want to go through their uh 10-year CIP overview just to give you a sense of their total requests over the next 10 years. Starting in that first column, the first yellow column to the right there, it's a fiveyear summary which includes many of the projects we've been talking about this past year, starting with uh school major repairs and systems replacements.

Uh we're looking at not going to have anything happening in 2627, but in 2728 and 2829 we're looking at $4 million a year and then $5 million uh in the out years after that. Uh the other things we want to look at is the Northern Shores Elementary School edition. Uh the as well as the Ellison's Fork replacement. You look at some of these things uh including the NZ River High School edition um and the school administration building. These total in that first um first year including the N River High School uh edition of just under $13 million. Uh you look at year 6 through 10, which Stephanie highlighted a little while ago, uh $382 million for the first next year 6 through10. And then for a total uh 10-year plan, looking at just under $495 million. The projects themselves, Northern Shores Elementary School, $3.2 $2 million in fiscal year 27 to complete construction of an additional two-story wing, restrooms, and cafeteria extension. The project will provide additional student capacity and eliminate uh the mobile units they have there. Elephants Fork Elementary School, $59 million in fiscal years 27 through 29 to build a new 800 student replacement school. The current school facility is over 40 years old. school administration building $7.6 million in fiscal years 27 through 29 to address the space needs of the school's administration's office. Suffer public schools currently lease the space in the professional building in downtown. major uh repairs and system replacements, $18 million over fiscal years 28 through 31 for repair and replacement of heating and cooling systems, roofs, storm water drainage infrastructure, as well as testing and

abatement of hazardous materials. Nansman River High School addition, $42 million over fiscal years 30 through 32 to provide for the construction of a two-story addition to Nans River High School. And as I mentioned before, the chart you see just below that is the summary of the year 6 through 10 totaling $382 million. Neighborhood initiatives. Neighborhood improvements. $1.5 million per year over the first five years to provide closed drainage and street improvements in the Lloyd Place, Rosemont, and Pleasant Hill neighborhoods, as well as funding for future projects to be determined as identified through neighborhood needs assessments, open space improvements, $250,000 per year over the first five years for property acquisition and improvements such as neighborhood parks and other quality of life enhancements. Downtown implementation plan initiatives, $9 million over the first five years for projects identified in the downtown Suffuk master plan. Projects include streetscape improvements, public art and mural projects, interior and exterior improvements to the Phoenix Bank building, Sunrust Bank building redevelopment, wayfinding and gateway improvements, and real estate acquisitions. I'll now turn it over to Mr. Retell with public utilities. Thank you, Gary. Good afternoon, mayor, vice me, members of council, Mr. Manager. Taking a look at public utilities for a 5-year overview. We've got planned expenditures of just a little bit over $125 million broken down into 92 of that in revenue bonds and 32 million in cash. As before, we break our projects down in into broad categories. The first one being the water source development water treatment plant expansion. This is a big

one for us. Uh we currently are budgeting 43.8 over the first five years for the surface water plant expansion. So actually just today we had delivered as part of that project. We have a pilot unit. When I say pilot units, it's a testing unit that our consultant uses to test the various uh water treatment processes we're planning to incorporate into the design. So that was delivered today. So, that's a three-month process. When we come out of that, we'll complete a detailed design. The goal is to complete that by the end of the year, move into construction of the fullscale plant, which would add another 5 million gallons a day to the capacity of the G-Robert House Water Treatment Plant. This also includes some funding, some small funding for groundwater permit renewal. As you may know, we have a groundwater withdrawal permit with DEEQ, Department of Environmental Quality, and we are renewing that within the next two years. So, we're starting that renewal process. We also have one of our large, we have three large production wells. We have the EDR well, which is stands for, again, that's a mouthful, electrodialysis reversal well that's on the site of the treatment plant. So, that groundwater is treated by our membranes at the treatment plant. So, we're taking a look at that well. We do this every seven, eight years for each well just to make sure the well is functioning. that's giving us the capacity that we need to withdraw the required amount of water. So, we have a consultant that's going to help us with that evaluation and possibly look at any upgrade requirements. We also have budgeted a similar thing, the Reeds Fairy Well rehabilitation that may or may not have to occur based on a condition assessment. And then we have water source development charges. So, those are our reservation charges for the bulk raw water that we purchase from the city of Norol. Second major category, water distribution and transmission expansion. We have 43.3 over the next five years to include the

pitchk road transmission main extension as well as uh improvements in the western in western suffk for the transmission and pumping system water system upgrades 22.2 million over the first five years. So this would be to replace aging water meters uh water service lines and to address regulatory requirements. So when I say regulatory requirements, what plugs in here is we've, if you recall, we've talked in the past about lead service line replacement. So we are about a third of the way now through our required water service line inventory verification process. You may have received some input from some of your constituents. We've traveled through the city with a vacuum excavator truck to go to, I think it's 374 locations. They vacuum excavate on either side of the water meter, determine the materials of construction of the water line, and then they report back to us. That gets fed into a computer model or they spit out another set of sample locations. The idea being without getting into the weeds that we narrow down into areas of the city where we can actually prove we have lead service lines. Then we launch in 2027 into the actual replacement of those lines. Right now, as the federal regulations are set up, we would have to be done with a replacement of all those lead service lines in 10 years from 2027. So that would be 2037. So it sounds like a long time, but that's a hall. That's that's really a push when you think about it. My by my estimate, don't hold me to this. Right now, we have 11,000 unknowns. And the unknowns are because the EPA asks us to produce a piece of paper that says, I know what the materials of construction is led line. it's not what our staff knows from working in the system. They won't accept that. So, that's why we're doing this inventory verification. Um um we're thinking maybe we're more in the range of about 5,000 lead service lines. Don't owe me to that, but that's what's that's what we're working to uh to verify.

Then, of course, the last piece in that sentence is the find and fix repairs. We make extensive use of our contractors both on the water and sewer side for find and fix. When there's a repair that we don't have the equipment to handle it, it's at a say an increased depth or it's a more complex repair, that's when we use the find and fix contractors. Moving into our other broad category, sanitary sewer extensions. So, this is $600,000 over the first five years to extend sanitary sewer system if there are developed areas where we need to push into and and add some gravity sewer that currently does not have sewer service. And the last category is sanitary sewer system upgrades 17.6 over the first five years. So this funding goes for what's called our MOM plan. That's our management operations and maintenance program to uh address and to make really make sure we stay on top of the condition of our gravity sewer system. Uh that that is a program that is required by the state uh as part of the consent order with the state. Uh, one of the biggest really successes of that program is this the amount of sanitary sewer overflows that we we find and we report every year has dropped really to a great degree over the last 15 years. A lot of this has to do with the good work that our staff does, putting a camera in our sewer system, figuring out the condition of it, and then maybe fixing it ourselves or turning it over to a find and fix contractor. Uh we also again use quite a bit of uh fine and fix repair work through our contractors. We just had one that we identified through microbial source tracking in concert with HRSD near the Nansman River. You might have seen some equipment over the last two weeks. There was some extensive repair work going on in front of the red roof in that was a find and fix contractor and it was a break that was identified through microbial source tracking meaning they could actually pick up human DNA in the storm water. We

backtrack through the system and found the break. The system works. Um the nice part about that I haven't even mentioned this to the manager yet. Uh HRSD has a program where if you identify a break or a repair that needs to be done that was identified through HRSD's microbial source tracking program, they will pay for the repair. So we're looking to be reimbured for that work that we did out in front of Red Roof in, which is a plus. Uh we also have funding in there for various mechanical and electrical upgrades at our various uh neighborhood sewer uh pump stations. These aren't replacement stations. replacement of stations that already exist. This is more I've got some electrical breakdowns. I'm going to go ahead and possibly replace some panels, some mechanical equipment, and then of course, if there's some neighborhood sewer improvements, what that would be is if we go and we dig down, we find out that a section of sewer is uh needs to be replaced, doesn't really require full scale design, we can go ahead and replace it. With that, I'm going to turn it back over, I believe, to Greg to talk about storm water. Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council, Greg Benton, public works. Good to see you all again. Storm water five-year overview. Planned expenditure, planned expenditures just over 18 million. Planned revenue is right at uh 12.6 through storm water revenue bonds and then 5.8 from storm water fund. Okay, storm water. So, I'll go through these next few slides kind of quickly. Um, you can see here that there are many storm water projects and improvements that we're are getting after throughout the city. So, we are looking at citywide about $500,000 per year uh to get after the

areas that are of greatest to concern to us and then 100k per year uh specifically to downtown and then 1.5 million in FY27 and 28 for the way village and then 1.5 in FY27 and 29 for Woodro South Suffach. And lastly on this slide, 4 million for FY28 through 30 uh for Oakland. Similar similarly, Wilkins Drive 250K and FY28 Jefferson Street 500K and 28 Holland Village 1.5 million and FY29 through 31 and Oldtown 6.2 2 million FY30231. Next, I'll move into transit five-year overview. Planned expenditures 2.8 million. Our planned revenue 2.6 million transfer from the general fund and the state to provide $199,000. Transit operations facility 2.8 8 million in local and state funding in FY27 for the construction of this $ 8.5 million facility that will act as our operations facility to store and clean the city's transit buses. The facility will include office space, garage storage, and gated parking for our large vehicles, which is our buses. The new facility will be located at the city's operations complex on Carolina Road. turn it back over to Stephanie.

I know we're running short on time, so I will run really quickly through the last three slides, but I did want to mention for public transparency, that this booklet that was given to each of you tonight that includes detailed information about the CIP process and the CIP plan, including the numbers that you've received, is going to be or is available online. And so, the public does have access to that and is free to go online. look at that at any time. I'll also add my thanks to the city managers. Thanks to the budget department, Tracy and her team work very hard and for three people, they do a really good job. They coordinate with the other departments who are also doing really good job on the budget. So, we thank everybody across the city for working hard on the budget and keeping us in line. So, real quickly, the CIP planning, as we mentioned, that the plan is a plan, not just a budget. It's updated annually. It's intended to identify the needs, not only identify the needs, but also how we can get those met with the limited resources we have available. We do have a public hearing that's held. The book is available online as well. We will be publishing in the newspaper that the public hearing will be held. And then last but not least, this is one year um one year of this funding, the first year of this funding will be included in our operating and capital budget that will be presented to you. Uh so the 27 budget is here, planned expenditures, the general obligation bonds we've already mentioned, general fund transfer that includes both the piece for the transit and the piece in the general government. Uh state and federal funds are there. Storm water fund balance I mentioned the public utilities bonds is what's going to be used to pay that first year of $20 million. And so FY27 budget, you will see an $85 million capital fund budget. And then our next steps, public hearing is coming and city council adoption. And um and the rest of the team are

available for questions. Okay. Thank you, Miss Wales. Uh council, any questions or comments? Council member Williams.

Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Um, first I'd like to thank everyone. Um, you guys worked hard. City manager, um, all the department heads and staff done an excellent job. Um, the presentation was right on point. I just have one question as it relates to CIP book page number 2. Page number 28 and it referenced Holly Lawn Cemetery improvements. Um if you could explain to me that funding. Um, is perpetual care funds being used for the new construction for the second phase of the last phase of Holly Lawn Cemetery?

I don't a portion of perpetual care funding is is being used for that project. Okay. What what's the stipulations in order to use a perpetual care? How it how does it relate to what can it be used for and what can it not be used for? I I can jump in here, Mark, real quick. So, essentially, um, we use it for capital projects within our cemeteries. Uh, we're careful to use it because it's obviously a depleting resource and so we try to use it to supplement the general fund in the cemeteries that we own and operate. Okay. So, we we look at what other needs are going to evolve out there, but we don't we don't have the ability to use it 100% to fund these projects.

Okay. That that that's what I was wondering. How the um what was the funding mechanism and how did perpetual care um be part of that process? Okay. Thank you, Council Member Bennett. Yeah, Greg. I'm at uh Mark Ste as a couple questions for you on the uh I didn't see anything in here about the monogram field ball fields we was talking about uh having in there for this year. Yeah. So we we got funding this year and we are currently in design for the the ball fields out there in Mon.

So therefore it's no uh request for funding to get that started. the the construction we were given the construction and design money last year this well I guess this fiscal year in July of 2025 so we're looking to construct when uh so design is at about 30% um so assuming uh we're hopeful to to go out bid maybe in like six six or seven months somewhere around there.

Okay. Because the reason I'm asking that question because I know in the driver area there are a lot of uh recreation uh ball fields that need to be this doesn't have access to that and we talked about expanding that area with some ball fields where it wasn't too expensive to do that. So I was looking to see that uh that were part of this year budget as well. Yeah. And the other thing was u the Braden Marina. Yes. Now we have been talking about that for 20 years. Yeah. Well, we purchased but we've been talking about access to the river and uh that is pushed out to what is it?

The the money that you see in there is just to do master planning for the rest of the property. We have the funding in place to design and to build the boat ramp. Uh the design is at about 90% right now. We are we're anticipating that going out to bid in the next couple of months. Okay. And also the dredging of the channel there to kind of see it here for Bennis Creek, but I don't see anything for for that uh area for Bennis. That wouldn't be under parks and recreation. Uh that would be under transportation.

Yeah. the the dredging that uh council bad the dredging that's assisting with the Brady's Marine Project is funded by the Army Corps of Engineer and so that'll be aligned with our opening of it. So we've gotten the confirmation that they're going to pay for and do it themselves without local funding. Okay. Okay. There there were my questions I had right uh wait a minute one other thing I just thought about the uh lighting for John F. the school. Yes. How is that is the f field going to be put where the old school is now since they took the field where

No. So if you think about where the um so you had a a softball field, a football field, and a softball [clears throat] field. The softball field that was at the I guess the southern the most southern part of the the fields. that field is going to remain and then they're going to kind of turn go 90 make a 90 degree degree turn and put another a football field and another softball field. Okay. So it'll be kind of more to the side of the where the old school was. Okay. Okay. And my final question is on uh Fley Avenue where we told down the old school. Yes.

Uh what are we having funding there to do in that area? Uh we have funding to to grade that and just make that into an open field and put some walking paths around the field. Okay. The thought there is just to have one big open field so that the um the kids in our summer camp at um East Suffach Recreation Center, they'll have some place to go outside and kind of run around and have some activities.

So we're not thinking of some type of ball field or something. No, I I don't think that that uh that location is probably conducive to have a ball field, especially with something with something because it's so close to a residential area. I don't know that we'd want to put that heavy of a use on that that particular piece of property. Okay. We'll be talking about it later. Okay. Thank you, Council Member Budlo.

Thank you, Mayor. Um I'm gonna pick on Greg. Sorry. not pick on. That's a bad way to say it. I just I have two things. So, under at the beginning, the transportation, not the beginning, there's a m miscellaneous roadway improvements, $200,000 per year, local funding to connect missing sidewalks, replace wooden curbs. So, that's just kind of like extra. How How do we determine which projects get that $200,000? That's through um taking an assessment around and and getting feedback also from council the citizens so that we can see where best to put that money so that where we put the money is of greatest value.

Okay. So if we have an idea for something we can talk about that right okay great I just I didn't I didn't realize we had that. The other thing, um, kind of thinking ahead to the 16th, um, under the Oakland drainage improvements, we have an additional $4 million for 28 through 30. Um, that's a phase one. Is there any kind of a like a map or a footprint of where that's going to be? Because I know that's going to come up because what we're doing right now is one section, but this is going to be in addition to that. So is that available or is it

that's something that we can definitely put together with one the for sure areas that we are going to approach and then we can put together um proposal for the rest of the money. Okay. Because I mean yeah I mean I just you know always talking to the folks on Pemroke and they're going to be excited to see that there is something planned. So great. All right. Thank you. That's all I had. Yes ma'am. Council, any other questions or comments? Council member Johnson,

I I'll be brief. Thank you guys. A good proposal. Everything was excellently presented. I have one concern. I'm asking for um Holland Ball Field. I've already spoken to the manager about it once, but I would truly love to see us figure out a way to do it and not postpone it. Um it is one of those things that's been postponed so many times now. We need lights on the ball field on these fields so that we can use Mark knows where I am. I'm not I'm simply requesting that we find the money and move it forward for immediately. It's more of a maintenance issue than anything else and a safety issue and that's my request manager. Anything I need to do to make it formal, I would like to make it formal.

Thank you. Okay. I would like to make a motion that we consider this on this year's agenda if possible. Thank you. So, [clears throat] we've got a motion on the floor by Council Member Johnson to have the manager consider including the Holland Ballfield light improvements in this year's capital improvement plan. Possible. Yes. And if that's correct, I would need a second to that motion. Council member Williams.

Second, ma'am. Got a second from council member Williams. Any discussion of the motion? Hearing none. Council members prepare to vote. Please cast your vote. Madame clerk, please record the vote. The motion is approved by vote of 8 to zero.

We'll now move back to discussion. Council member Recctor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, Mark, if you don't mind popping back up to the podium for just a quick question. The under the um the 816,000 to complete the Lake Me Park splash pad. It is that all is that whole 816 just for that one one item because I had thought that was closer to like a hundred grand.

Yeah. No, the 816 is for parks capital maintenance. Um, but what we did is we added additional funding in there to cover the um the cost of the splash pad. Um, I think it was another like 60 or $70,000 that we needed to close the gap in funding for the splash path that we added to the capital maintenance. The rest of that money goes towards replacing aging infrastructure in all of our parks. Okay. All right. Thank you for that clarification. Yep.

And then um Kevin, I don't know whether this one is necessarily directed to you. I know that we took out the diverging diamond on Godwin Boulevard because of the expense and we also took out the Kimberly Bridge, that little section of Main Street improvement project out because of the bump in the cost on that. But I would if it's possible. I I know that the Godwin Boulevard interchange got it. It's back in in some format. While it's not in its original diverging diamond format, it is there a little bit. I would like to see if we can get the Kimberly Bridge, that section of Main Street project put back in at some place. Um, you know, because it if it's in the CIP and the possibility of federal or state money because it could could potentially fall under several categories. storm water management um and and whatnot. And it's it obviously it's it's something that has been on our radar for a good while and it's something that it's needed. It it doesn't get closed every day, but you know, when it gets closed is probably at a time when people need to actually be traversing Main Street. And so I don't know whether I need to make that in the form of a motion. And if I'm going to have to make it in the form of a motion, I will. So I'm making it in the form of a motion. And can I also include in that motion it if we can look at bumping up the uh expansion of Nans River High School um trying to move that up a little bit. I know that the schools um have made that all of a sudden uh a big priority and I know that that school a lot of like a lot of the schools are overcrowded. So if we could possibly take a look at moving that up um I I think that would help the school situation immensely. Okay. So, we got a motion on the floor by Council Member Recctor to include the Kimber Kimberly

Bridge initiative somewhere within the CIP and also the feasibility of moving the accelerating the Nasmin River High School addition project. And if I've stated that correctly, then I'd like Uh, second, Vice Mayor Ward. Second. Second for Vice Mayor Ward. Any further discussion of the motion? Council member Right. Okay. Council member Bennett. Hold on one second. Push the button. Now I got you. Go. We are moving this up to when? What day? A year or what?

The motion is just to have him look at it to see if it's feasible and if so, come back with a recommendation or suggestion. Okay. Is that correct? Yeah. Yeah. There's not anything specific. Okay. Absolutely. So, right now, everything we're doing right now is a request. So, between now and the time that we receive our presentation two years from now, if any of these issues can be addressed that's been requested by council, it would be included in the right. I just want to make make sure it's clear. Got you. Okay. Just trying to just trying to clarify investigate. So, feasibility just so I'm clear.

That's right. We got a motion on the floor in a second. We need a vote, don't we? I'm just making sure I've got the motion clear on my end. Uh, it's about the feasibility. The manager, you're directing the manager to look at the feasibility of these things. That work? Yeah. Okay. I just wanted to make sure I had it right. Yeah. It's not a demand. We're just checking. Yeah. Feasibility. All minds clear. All we got a motion on the floor. Council members, prepare to vote. Please cast your vote. Madame clerk, please record the vote.

The motion is approved by a vote of 8 to zero. We'll now continue with discussion. Council members, do you have any other questions, comments, motions? Vice Mayor Ward,

I'd like to speak to Mark, please. [clears throat] First of all, I wanted to thank the department head for this CIP. I have a lot of parts in my community or close with my community that and I think that um it was well needed and I got a few questions I want to ask a couple of them but Mark uh I notice all the parks I don't see know your park and um the reason why I'm asking this question I don't think I had to make a motion but you know they had complaints about the interest in from coming from Huntersville it wasn't it don't be mainten. So I want to know can we uh beautify that a little better than what it is because all you had is trees there go through there sometimes it's not uh kept up so any possible way we can uh maintain that entrance uh beautify because you know they got to come through the community.

Yeah we can we can definitely take a look at that. Do I have to make a motion to do that or you can just take Yeah, that's ain't nothing to it do that's that's fine. Thank you and I appreciate it cuz you know you had complaints more than one time and Miss Norman would call me and and say that when you got all the community got houses right there. So um you know I think yeah we we've been working pretty closely with her on a couple of things that she she hadn't specifically mentioned anything about landscaping to me but we we can definitely take a look at that. We we have addressed a number of her concerns and the civic league's concerns though. Um

we we work pretty closely with her on those things. Well, she she complain. She talks a lot with me about a lot of things going on and that's something that I would like to let her know that, right? We'll take a look at that. And then also, please see Buy, I might forgot. I want to ask you a question. You probably can sit right there. You probably don't have to come up. The precinct that's in Harbor View that no normally not nobody's there. Do we ever hire somebody to sit there? is they it is the the clerk is there during the day. They're there there at different times, but they're usually not there in the nighttime hours, but at that particular precinct during the day, and they alternate. How about the weekends?

Weekends. Yes, sir. I think kind of same thing. It's hit it's hit and miss with them up there. They're not there all the time, but they are there from time to time. That answers your question. I do hear a whole lot of sines going on, so I don't want to be that far. They got a cough that far. I'm sorry. Say that again. Yeah. Okay. No, cuz I have hear a lot of police sirens going on over the time. Uhhuh. And I have went there one time for uh one of the residents and nobody was there. So I had to go to the fire station. That's what I'm saying. Yes, sir. This

if the clerk is not there, then um most of the officers that are working in that precinct are out on the street working. I would say in that particular instance you can call the non-emergency number. Somebody will meet you there and um take care of what you need. Yeah. I mean I know we see them but I'm just saying I don't want them come over from downtown. I got we got to preach. That's what I'm saying. I got you. And this been going on for a while. Okay. Okay. That's what I'm saying. I know. I'll get We do see them. I'll get their permanent schedule in the at the front office there and I'll give it to you so you know exactly what it is. We we fine. I just wanted to make sure cuz we allocate some money for that because safety of the people up there is important that they don't have to wait 5 10 minutes for somebody to come out there. Yes, sir.

Right. Right. With that area, I appreciate that. Okay. Okay. Uh also uh I just want to ask uh city manager that that pond in Pewville, what is the status of that? Uh the storm water project about $10 million project that that's complete. Complete. Yes. The project's over and we'll move into maintenance mode moving forward. So we made So we spend $10 million in Pewville for the flooding. Correct, sir. And it's completed. Correct.

I just want to make sure cuz the other thing is I want to ask I see we got a million dollars for sidewalks and that's going to when that going to start. So as what's proposed in your CIP uh July one that money would become available to start that effort. Sidewalks is coming to Pville. Yeah. So we would the the goal is to start at the park and as spend and build as much sidewalk as a million dollars will give us.

Okay. I I thank you for that. I really appreciate that. So uh just want to make sure got other little things. Uh I see it. I'm going to talk a little later on. I don't like to be talking almost the camera that I don't need to be on that camera. We talk I'll talk with you about it. Okay. All right. It's a good project. I like I like the CIP. I like what's going on. It's almost like we building a new city with all things that's going on. Thank you so much.

Okay. Council, any other questions or comments? If not, I'll wrap it up. Be as brief as I can. First of all, I do want to thank the city manager, the staff, planning commission for all your efforts in developing in this plan. Most people don't realize this started last year, not this year. Probably back in November, December, you know, when a city manager starts reaching out to the department heads and and ask them, you know, bring me their wish list. Kind of like Christmas time when you're a kid, get a wish list and we'll go through it and figure out exactly what you're going to get. But um it is a extensive list of projects that I feel are are they're spread out throughout our city. If you look at where it is, I think there's an equitable distribution of the resources we have uh that are prior prioritized by need, the ability to fund them and what geographic areas they are. I think it's very well done. Um and I want to commend everyone who had anything to do with it. Just couple things that I noticed. We talked about um funding from our our general fund and our capital reserves at the end of the year uh through this is what we do with if we have a budget surplus. A budget surplus is different than a surplus. A surplus is when you have to think of what to do with the money. We know what to do with the money. But being fiscally responsible at the end of the year, revenues have exceeded your expect what we budgeted for and our expenses are below what we budgeted for is how it's supposed to work. That money gets transferred over this to the next year in cash to address certain improvements we want to make or projects that we got without having to borrow money. So the next two years I mean it's 23,814,56 projected just this year and over the next five years 120 million over the

next 10 years 190 million. So the citizens need to know that this any surplus that we're talking about just doesn't go into a black hole. It's going to fund the items that you look in that CIP. you need to see where the money is coming from and that's a good chunk of it. The first two years, I think it's very notable that in the first two years of the CIP, we are allocating 54% of all the CIP money to schools. 54% of the entire city CIP money in the next two years is going to schools. a total of $70,150,000 out of a total CIP in that same time frame of 130,490. So it's about 54%. Um we have 21 transportation projects. 21 transportation projects and that is immediately following major transportation projects that we have completed this year last year at the end of last year and will be completing the beginning of this year. So we're following up and doing what we can as far as infrastructure is concerned and alleviating uh traffic issues. I do have one question. It's maybe a city manager question. or whatever the uh route 460, you know, we've got 31.1 million worth of TOF dollars that we already have allocated to us. I know there's a time frame or some kind of commitment on our part. Are we okay? Is does this 2932 time frame adhere to the parameters we have to spend that money?

So, we've been dialoguing with BOT to ensure that we'll be able to utilize the TOP money. We feel very good about that. The a really important thing is that the funding that was granted to us is specifically for rightway acquisition and utility relocation, which are the first two things that you do. So, um, yeah, we feel good that we'll be able to utilize.

Okay. Thank you very much. And those are my only questions. Like I said, it's a great document. I encourage our citizens to go to the website and look at it. Uh, it can still be amended. It it will not be voted. It'll be voted on as part of the budget, but keep in mind it's just this year. So, if you see something in there and you want to think money is better allocated to some other project, then let us know. Just you just got to be aware before you make a suggestion. If if it goes if money is going someplace, it's got to come from someplace else. So, you know, we got a balance. Unlike unlike the feds, we can't print money. It would be nice, but we don't have a printing press with the proper ink in it. So, with that being said, uh if there is no further business, that will conclude our work session and we will reconvene at 6 pm.

I don't think do we need a motion? Oh, all about our close session.

Pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.2-3711A1, 2-3711A1 the discussion consideration or interviews of prospective candidates for appointment and assignment appointment and performance of specific public officers or appointees of the city. Specifically, the appointments are shown on the attached list for vacancies or term expirations for the early childhood development commission, the economic development authority, the city of Suffach, the human services advisory board, the local board of building code appeals, the parks and recreation advisory commission, the suffach redevelopment housing authority, the planning council, the tidewater youth services commission, and the appointment of the city manager. Item number two, pursuant to Virginia Code section 2.2-3711A3, 2-3711 A3. The discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose or of the disposition of publicly held real property where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body. Specifically tax map parcel numbers 24 aster 43 24 asterid 34A 24 aster 11 24 aster 6 24 asterid 16 24 asterid 17 24 aster 14 24 aster 18 and 24 asterid 28a

council a motion has been presented for your consider ation. What is your pleasure? Council member Williams. Move to approve. A motion for approval from Council Member Williams. Council member Johnson. Second. Second from Councilman Johnson. There's any discussion of the motion. Hearing none. Council members, prepare to vote. Please cast your vote. Madame clerk, please record the vote.

The motion is approved by a vote of 8 to zero. Now, this meeting stands adjourned and will still reconvene at 6