By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
At the Dec.12 meeting of the Caribou City Council, City Manager Steven Buck provided a first draft of a summary of department requests and committee work regarding the 2012 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The purpose of the CIP is to provide a minimum of a five-year program outlining the anticipated capital projects and improvements, replacement of major depreciable equipment, maintenance of major infrastructure such as streets and buildings and provide for any debt service either council encumbered or that encumbered by a referendum vote. After the review, the Council may lend initial direction to the committee to guide their work on the program in conjunction with the initial 2012 budget review. There will be a public hearing on the council’s finalized program early in 2012 to coincide with the budget process and hearings.
The initial departmental requests for the 2012 CIP are $762,650, an increase of $223,230 as compared to the amended 2011 CIP. The increase above the combined 2011 CIP and debt service is $7,719 or 1.02 percent.
The 2011 adopted CIP was $539,420 with a debt service of $215,511 resulting in a total 2011 CIP of $754,931. The 2012 requested CIP of $762,650 is a net increase of 1.02 percent.
The following 2012 CIP/major changes have been requested.
• CIP request $10,000 for general government computers: upgrades of VPN to SSL; convert Council packaging to electronic tablets; upgrade central server due to age and limits; retire general assistance and ambulance server.
• CIP request $50,000 for municipal building reserve: identified as the weak point of entire CIP with only three facilities having a current reserve. First-year funding requests starts the reserve and first priorities are roof work at the library and furnace replacement at the fire department.
• CIP request $136,400: Assessment reserve previously was not listed in CIP until 2011, was only listed in the department budget. Council recommended incorporating a plan for future revaluations with the final allocation to complete the revaluation pursuant to contract.
• CIP request $65,000: Fire vehicles was amended to account for two remounts as opposed to the purchase of two new units in 2011; remount Tanker 2 (refurbished existing tank and pump system onto new rolling chassis); use current rolling chassis for mounting a fabricated rescue body instead of purchasing a new rescue unit; savings offset is estimated at $200,000 in program. No purchase for the next five-year, building for future replacements.
• CIP request $65,000: Ambulance reserve, maintains replacement program for five units and typically replaces rolling chassis each eight years; box refurbished for at least one remount; future impacts are loss of E-450 chassis, cost of other, dimensions for remount and cost of new emissions standards.
• CIP request $11,050: Ambulance small equipment — completed the multi-year financing of the electrically assisted stretchers; financed for three years to coincide with payback on workers comp; future capitalization of defibrillators, IV pumps, and monitors.
• CIP request $6,000: Police small equipment reserve — capitalizes bulletproof vests, guns and accessories and digital radios. Saving was utilized from prior favorable purchases and Homeland Security details allowing future reduction.
• CIP request $25,000: Police vehicles, amended to hold the Ford Expedition at least seven years, not five; skipped one car purchase, and now returns to a 12-and 18-month car rotation. 2011 was the last year for Crown Victorias; new vehicle platform under review is a Ford Explorer; various schedules under review to eliminate the Expedition and the administration continues to work with Border Patrol for acquisition of their units. DRMO acquisitions have decreased need of entire program and have preserved frontline vehicles.
• CIP request $150,000: Public Works equipment, programmed truck replacement suspended in 2010. 2011 no replacements due to DRMO acquisitions; 2012 new plow truck chassis, dump body, hydraulics, PW to remount and refurbish.
• CIP request $150,000: Streets and roads: program has been amended to drop street listings and focus on lane miles to maintain analysis of overall costs/scopes; program costs have been amended for asphalt and chip sealing; chip sealing now uses latex to extend life by two-three years; savings reallocated to asphalt, aggressive maintenance is lowering future costs.
• CIP request $20,000: Parks and recreation, cumulative funding requests remain flat for fourth year. Program was reworked using student partnerships, strong maintenance program, government purchases, refurbish and remounts and amending purchases. Second remount of groomer in 2013 and beyond will allow for level funding.
• CIP request $5,000: Airport improvement match, this reserve line provides for the necessary match for all FAA scoped and approved projects having a 95 percent federal, 2.5 percent state and 2.5 percent local funding program. On site obstruction removal completed in 2011; offsite obstruction removal on going through 2012; AIP has been amended for future paving.
• CIP request $50,000: Two major requests are pending to address building maintenance: the library roof membrane replacement and fire department boilers replacements. Illustrative of the need to establish a multi-building reserve fund, a sinking fund to address needs, recapitalized over time through CIP.
