The City of Mount Vernon has begun discussing Capital Improvement Project plans for the next fiscal year.
Mount Vernon City administrator Chris Nosbisch presented a plan and color coded some of the projects. Red projects are identified as a priority or absolute needs.
Four projects, identified as red items, include: phase II of the water treatment plant at a $1.5 million estimated cost; the finished remodel of the Mount Vernon police department with an estimated $800,000 cost; equipment for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department needed for training for the garage at a $150,000 project; a cold storage building for the public works department at an estimated $500,000 cost. Many of these projects had increases of $250,000 to reflect the post-COVID pricing the city has been seeing.
A number of projects were identified as yellow, which are projects that need to move forward for completion in the next year and a half. Those projects include: Business 30 full reconstruction for a $250,000 price tag; a mill with asphalt overlay project for Palisades Road for roughly $450,000; Curb and gutter for Candlestick Drive at an estimated $31,980; structural repair to the First Street bridge for a $180,000 price tag; concessions booth and lighting improvements at Davis Park for $150,000; upgrading water meters to radio read devices for a $750,000; replacing a vehicle for the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department for $50,000. The First Street Bridge project requires working with the Union Pacific railroad.
Two projects were recognized as blue, which the council has discussed but do not have funding streams identified to make happen. Those projects include $60,000 for a trail adjacent to the Skate Park and $75,00 for a generator for the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center.
Mount Vernon City Council member Eric Roudabush asked if the City of Mount Vernon could see any funds from the infrastructure plan just passed. That would be highly unlikely, Nosbisch said, and there would be only three roads funds those dollars could come from – Hwy. 1, Business 30 and First Street.
Mount Vernon City Council member Scott Rose asked if price increases that have risen post-COVID-19 might sunset next year. That remains to be seen, as the asphalt plants are closed until this spring, and that’s where several projects were impacted.
Mount Vernon City Council member Stephanie West said signage after the Business 30 project has been completed should be included on the CIP, even if it isn’t budgeted as yet, as it is a council priority. There isn’t a funding mechanism for that at the moment, Nosbisch said, and that cost would spread over multiple departments. Nosbisch updated estimates for that cost as $150,000.
There was also concern on any improvements slated for the roundabout. That is a Department of Transportation project, and the Iowa DOT has put in for a grant, but Nosbisch was unsure if a grant was received.
At the Jan. 3 meeting, Nosbisch asked council members to work on prioritizing other road projects that could be tackled if asphalt bids came in lower. Additional street improvement projects include a mill with asphalt overlay for Cass Street for $120,000, an Eighth Street Northwest mill with asphalt overlay project for $300,000 and a 10th Avenue SW mill with asphalt overlay project for $200,000.
The improvements to 10th Avenue have been on the city’s radar for several months, especially with the traffic on that road.
“The intersection of Summit and 10th Avenue is one of the worst intersections we have in town,” Nosbisch said.
Nosbisch also noted that the wastewater treatment plant may need one of the screw pumps replaced at the same time as the phase II improvements to the plant, which would be an estimated $200,000.
No action was taken on the CIP at the moment, but this is one of the first steps for the budget process.