Public Works Director Justin Weldy outlined capital improvement plans for the Town Council at its Feb. 22 planning retreat and it represents an active program of projects and improvements to Town infrastructure.

Weldy noted that they have completed $903,600 in capital work designated for the 2021/22 Fiscal Year. There is still nearly $3 million in projects from the current year that are ongoing. Many of those are multi-year projects.

The most significant on-going project is improvements to the Golden Eagle Park impoundment area. Following flooding that inundated park facilities in recent years, staff has undertaken a program to upgrade the drainage through the park to mitigate flooding in future major storm events.

It should be noted that Golden Eagle Park is designated and designed as a flood impoundment or detention area, but the infrastructure could not handle a storm that dumped three inches of rain on the watershed within an hour. The resulting flooding to the park resulted in damage to facilities of about $1 million.

Over the past few years staff has worked to clear and maintain drainage channels through the park including outflow heads in Golden Eagle Park Dam.

As work has been ongoing, it was discovered late last year that the improvement work will require unanticipated relocation of utilities and irrigation infrastructure in the park. That work will add approximately $500,000 to the price tag.

In January the council approved an additional $163,511 to its professional services agreement with JE Fuller Hydrology & Geomorphology for design work that takes into consideration the unanticipated work. The new CIP proposal includes the added funding to relocate the utilities and expand the drainage channels.

Councilman David Spelich demanded that staff follow up to determine responsibility for the design errors, as well as the time it is taking to get the work accomplished.

Additional work

Besides the $1.5 million for the Golden Eagle Park impoundment project, staff is proposing another $2.5 million in additional projects in the public works CIP plan for the coming year.

These include design work for a roundabout for the Saguaro Boulevard and Avenue of the Fountains intersection ($150,000) as well as design for pedestrian access and lake overlook amenities at the same intersection ($180,000). With current market conditions staff was unable to project future construction costs for this combined project.

The capital plan includes $445,000 for construction of the Brantley Drive detention basin. This is a drainage improvement project for a residential neighborhood.

There is $229,000 for lighting and electrical improvements along Avenue of the Fountains.

Phase II of Community Center improvements has $225,000 earmarked. This work is to address drainage issues that have caused moisture and flooding problems at the facility. Weldy said that during Phase I work it was discovered that moisture issues were not originating under the facility as staff had been led to believe, but from exterior standing water migrating into the building around doors and windows. Weldy said a portion of this work is exterior or can be done during off hours, so there will be no need to close the facility.

Council members urged staff to address this as quickly as possible to avoid damage to the work recently done.

Staff is proposing $85,000 for design work to improve the intersection of Palisades and Fountain Hills boulevards. This is to address traffic issues with left-turn lane stacking.

Another project is to study and design intersection improvements at Palisades Boulevard and La Montana Drive. Staff is proposing $150,000 for this work to address traffic/safety concerns. It is also proposed to address issues at the intersection of Saguaro and Kingstree boulevards ($150,000) to address drainage and a crosswalk. The intersection of Saguaro Boulevard and La Montana Drive will also be studied for potential future improvements.

Sidewalk infill design and construction town-wide is an ongoing issue with $300,000 being proposed that that work in the coming year.

Exterior lighting and electrical on the Civic Center campus and Town Hall will be evaluated ($157,000). Town-wide storm water infrastructure rehabilitation and construction is another ongoing effort with $150,000 slated for next fiscal year.

Public works is proposing a total $3,967,000 in capital improvement work for the coming fiscal year. Along with $4,311,000 proposed for Community Services parks (see separate story), the total is $8,278,000.

Council will be reviewing all the capital improvement proposals in the near future to determine what to put in the CIP plan for the upcoming budget year.

All capital projects are subject to contract bidding and final council approval before money is spent.