19-DISCUSS AND APPOINT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM CITIZENS' COMMITTEEItem No. 19
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TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: John Godwin, City Manager
SUBJECT: CITIZENS CIP COMMITTEE
DATE: January 18, 2013
BACKGROLJND: The city council has contracted with an engineering firm, KSA, to prepare a
10-year capital improvements program (CIP). Between that firm's expertise and experience, and
that of the city staff, we can and will prepare a very good, technically sound, CIP by May of this
year.
STATUS OF ISSUE: However, in many cities, adding a CIP committee of citizens to the
process is also quite common. These are not meant to be technical people who bring special
skills to the project. Rather they are intended to represent the community from a common sense
point of view. Engineers cannot always calculate a community's needs and priorities simply by
looking at technical data. We need that technical information to be reviewed and considered by
local, common-sense citizens who know the community well. Typically these committees will
draw their members from across a city to help ensure all neighborhood needs are evaluated.
Such a committee, probably of seven members, will make our process and the final product
stronger, and should also help promote community support of the work and any bond election
that results. KSA is very accustomed to working with such committees.
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RECOMMENDATION: Appoint a citizens committee to review and make recommendations on
the CIP.