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Drainage work high priority

More than half of Seminole's proposed $1.4-million capital budget targets drainage issues.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published July 19, 2006

SEMINOLE - Drainage improvements account for more than half of next year's proposed capital improvement budget.

Seminole residents also can look forward to new restrooms at Tennis Park, ornamental street and stop signs, and improvements to 79th Avenue N, if the City Council adopts the $1.4-million capital improvements budget later this year.

The capital improvements portion of the budget covers "bricks and mortar" projects and accounts for about 7.3 percent of the combined $19.3-million budget proposed for 2006-07. The rest of the budget is applied to the city's operating expenses, which include items like salaries, vehicles and maintenance.

Tentative approval of both the operating and capital budgets is scheduled for Sept. 13.

The majority, or 57 percent, of the 2006-07 capital budget will go to drainage issues: $225,000 for the development of a stormwater master plan and $577,405 for improvements.

Drainage is the next logical step in improving the city at large, said Harry Kyne, director of administration.

In the past, officials have completed large projects such as the recreation center and an earlier drainage improvement plan.

Now, Kyne said, with annexations bringing new properties into the city, it's time to make sure those areas are brought up to standard.

But while officials have the money to complete all the projects in one year, they might not be done in 2007. It depends on the stormwater plan itself, Kyne said.

If the plan calls for individual projects, they could be finished in 2007. But if the projects have to be done sequentially, Kyne said some may not be able to be built until 2008.

That's happened with some items on the current capital improvements budget, such as a citizen satisfaction survey.

The process has begun but it might not be completed until after Oct. 1, when the new budget kicks in. But the money set aside for the survey will carry over into next year's budget.

[Last modified July 18, 2006, 20:33:32]