The City of Dexter released their Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) for the next six fiscal years, 2018-2023.
The CIP does not address all of the capital expenditures for the City, but provides for significant physical improvements that are permanent. These include improvements to basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the community.
To be included into the CIP, a project must:
- Be consistent with 1) an adopted or anticipated component of the City’s master plan, 2) a state or federal requirement, or 3) a City Council approved policy.
- Constitute permanent, physical or system improvements, or significant equipment purchases, with a minimum project cost of $10,000 (in most cases).
- Add to the value or capacity of the infrastructure of the City. Projects that are considered operational, maintenance or recurring are excluded, except when a limited duration project, which are included.
Projects are prioritized by urgent, important, or desirable.
Urgent
- Correct an emergency or condition dangerous to public health, safety or welfare.
- Complies with federal or state requirement whose implementation time frame is too short to allow for longer range planning.
- Is vital to the economic stability of the City.
Important
- Prevents an emergency or condition dangerous to the public health, safety, or welfare.
- Is consistent with an adopted or anticipated element of the City master plan, a federal or state requirement whose implementation time frame allows longer range planning, or a council approved policy.
- Is required to complete a major public improvement (this criterion is more important if the major improvement cannot function without the project being completed, and is less important if the project is not key to the functioning of another project).
- Provides for a critically needed community program and/or amenity.
- Has been identified as a project that meets or is necessary to meet an important community goal, including preservation or enhancement of the public’s health, safety and welfare.
Desirable
- Provides a benefit to the community.
- Worthwhile if funding becomes available.
- Can be postponed without detriment to present services.
Justification score
Justification scores were assigned to each project by City departments. The assigned scores assist in determining prioritization of projects. Scoring works as followings:
- 0 = Not Applicable
- 1 = Somewhat Important
- 2 = Important
- 3 = Very Important
Five questions were asked of each project and given a score to help indicate the degree to which the project achieves the following values:
- Protect health, safety, lives of citizens?
- Maintain or improve public infrastructure?
- Reduce energy consumption, impact of the environment?
- Enhance social, cultural, recreational or aesthetic opportunities?
- Improve customer service, convenience for citizens?
The higher total score a project is given, the higher priority.
There are a total of 78 projects designated for the six years. Below is a list of the top ten (10) projects ranked by cost, not including City Hall and Fire Department Facility which have unknown total costs. Included are the funding sources for each project.
What is immediately noticeable is that the first two items address long standing concerns for Dexter residents. Water supply and sewer services are being upgraded. The most expensive project brings a change to the decades-old problem of the 128-year-old stone viaduct leading west out of town.
The narrow viaduct has slowed traffic and trapped trucks for years. The new plan is for a bigger viaduct to be built just to the south and the old viaduct would remain and be part of a shared pathway.
The Projected Justification score is listed with a total of 13 making it a high priority project. There are two versions being considered: one with a roundabout and the other with a traditional corner at the intersection of Dexter-Chelsea Road and Main Street.
You can view the entire 135-page CIP report here for further details or to see if a project you hold interest in is listed.
