Naperville to spend less on public projects

Despite seeing signs of an economic upswing in increased sales tax revenues and decreased unemployment numbers, Naperville officials are planning to keep spending down.

The council on Monday discussed $55.8 million in proposed projects for the upcoming fiscal year, down 16 percent from last year and 42 percent from fiscal year 2009. Over a five-year period, the city is expecting to spend $269.3 million. The city previously had been averaging about $80 million a year.

“Our department directors did a great job scrubbing projects,” said City Manager Doug Krieger. “Stuff that looked like it’d be nice to have went away. Stuff that didn’t look like it had to happen immediately got pushed out.”

In order to be part of the capital program, projects must have a minimum value of $25,000, multiple years of usefulness and result in a fixed asset for the city.

Roughly 37 percent of the projects are related to roads and bridges, while 54 percent are for utility infrastructure. About 7 percent are stormwater management, and building repairs and technology account for 1 percent each.

Of the $55.8 million for the coming year, nearly $23.6 million is unfunded, meaning the city will have to borrow money — about $19 million — to pay for the utility projects.

The city is currently studying its water rates and will be studying electricity rates to determine if increases are needed. The rate studies will, in each case, incorporate coverage of the annual $12 million in maintenance spending for electric and $8.5 million in water and wastewater.

Among the projects that the Transportation and Engineering Department has slated for the coming years are $2.5 million in improvements to the Huffman Street Watershed, $1.5 million for the North Aurora Road underpass at the EJ&E railroad crossing, and future rehabilitation to the Downtown Washington Street bridge.

Public Works is requesting about for $152,000 for Emerald Ash Borer treatment programs and about $200,000 for stormwater asset management and master planning.

Naper Settlement is requesting about $300,000 to repair roads and stormwater issues. The Settlement has already secured about $2 million in grant funding for the project.

The Ffre department will repair the training facility located at Fire Station #4, and the police department does not have any capital improvements planned.

The revised capital improvement plan will go before the city council for approval on March 1.