City Council Workshop, Nov 4, 2026

Transportation and Traffic Safety

In Brief

City staff are integrating recent collision and enforcement data into infrastructure planning to prioritize physical traffic calming measures, such as lane diets and roundabouts, over strictly operational police enforcement.

Key Points

• Collision data identifies Central Avenue as having the highest frequency of speeding and crashes in the city over the last five years.
• An upcoming complete streets project for Central Avenue will include a lane diet, improved bus infrastructure, dedicated bike lanes, and widened sidewalks.
• Annual funding for traffic light management is proposed to increase from $300,000 to $500,000 to cover the escalating costs of replacing aging electronic signal cabinets.

Council Inquiry

• City Council inquired if traffic enforcement criteria had changed, noting a significant drop in speeding warnings issued since the pandemic.
• City Council asked if lane reduction plans on Central Avenue would reduce the total pavement width or simply adjust striping to accommodate bike lanes.

Downtown Pedestrian and Street Improvements

Key Points

• The long-term downtown pedestrian improvement plan includes converting Central Avenue, Washington Street, and Main Street to two-way traffic to reduce vehicle speeds.
• Current city sidewalks are 12.6% ADA compliant, and curbs are 8.7% compliant, with annual capital funding supplemented by federal block grants to improve these metrics.
• Efforts to underground utilities near the intersection of Central and Washington are aimed at narrowing the curb line to improve pedestrian crossing safety.

Council Inquiry

• City Council questioned whether the proposed annual funding allocations are sufficient to reach ADA compliance targets across the city’s 80-plus mile sidewalk network.

Broadway Drainage and Reconstruction

In Brief

A complex, multi-phase infrastructure project estimated at a total build-out of $30 million is required to resolve failing 150-year-old stormwater and drainage systems serving a 240-acre geographic area.

Key Points

• The project schedule was temporarily delayed to prioritize federally funded water main and street projects in other parts of the city.
• Nearly $10 million is currently approved and available to execute the next phase of the drainage work.
• The design and construction are broken into smaller chunks due to the overall cost and the complexity of routing utilities under railroad tracks.

Council Inquiry

• City Council expressed significant frustration over historical delays to the Broadway project, emphasizing the negative financial and structural impacts on residential properties experiencing flooding and water main breaks.
• City Council questioned whether any other projects currently in the design phase could be deprioritized to accelerate the Broadway reconstruction.

Municipal Facilities Evaluation

Key Points

• External consultants are evaluating the feasibility and return on investment for restoring the old water treatment building and the cemetery chapel.
• The proposed capital plan includes a $1 million placeholder for weatherization and stabilization of the chapel to prevent further structural deterioration.

Council Inquiry

• A City Councilor raised concerns about investing in the restoration of unused historic structures without a concrete plan to increase their utilization or generate revenue.
• A City Councilor asked if alternative, cost-effective storage solutions, such as building a new municipal barn, could substitute for restoring the old water treatment building.

School District Capital Planning

Key Points

• The school district maintains an IT upgrade budget of approximately $370,000 annually for student device replacements and network security monitoring.
• The Garrison School renovation project, originally slated for 2030, is being re-evaluated by school administration for timing and scope.
• The school district is exploring an internal special education program for elementary students with social-emotional needs to reduce out-of-district transportation and tuition costs.

Council Inquiry

• City Council asked if the school district should establish a dedicated capital reserve fund to self-insure against unexpected spikes in special education enrollment costs.
• City Council inquired if the multi-year IT replacement budget accurately accounts for projected inflation in computer hardware costs.

Utility Infrastructure and Water Supply

Key Points

• Reimbursements to the Littleworth development for public infrastructure improvements are capped at the value generated by the property’s tax revenue.
• The city has reimbursed $2 million of the authorized $6 million for the Littleworth project based on utility work completed to date.
• The French Cross water treatment plant upgrade is driven by new state limits on manganese and naturally occurring arsenic.
• Ongoing well exploration aims to secure new public water supplies, which requires acquiring 400-foot protective radiuses around any new well points.

Council Inquiry

• City Council asked where the Littleworth reimbursement liability is documented within the capital program ledgers.
• City Council requested updates on coordination with the state regarding the use of existing well sites requiring advanced filtration.

Parks, Recreation, and Arena Upgrades

Key Points

• Parks funding is now structurally split into two line items: $75,000 annually for ongoing maintenance and $100,000 for new capital investments.
• Ice arena upgrades include a 15-year replacement plan for the chiller, comprehensive HVAC replacement, and a transition to full LED lighting.

Council Inquiry

• City Council sought clarification on why municipal courts had fallen into disrepair, prompting staff to explain the new split-funding approach designed to guarantee dedicated maintenance funds.

Temporary Warming Center

• The City Manager noted that while the McConnell Center is listed as a shelter in the emergency operations plan, it is likely not the best location for a temporary warming center.
• The Police Chief is currently exploring a new location, prioritizing life safety and ADA accessibility.
• A public announcement about the new location is expected by Thursday or Friday, pending final coordination with the warming center’s operator.

Financial/Strategic Outlook

The city relies heavily on Congressional Directed Spending and federal grants to offset local costs for major infrastructure projects, though federal budgeting delays routinely extend local project timelines. Long-term capital liabilities include a potential $30 million total build-out for the Broadway drainage basin and up to $4 million in remaining authorized tax-revenue reimbursements for ongoing private developments. Additionally, regional staffing shortages in specialized fields—specifically civil engineering, design firms, and water treatment operations—are extending design timelines and necessitating emergency contract extensions to maintain critical municipal services.