City Council votes on Capital Budget
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Saratoga Springs City council voted 4-1 on the 2018-2023 Capital Budget and Program Tuesday night.
Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan voted against the budget and program.
“This is a requested budget, much like the requested budget I receive from each of the departments,” said Madigan. “We operate under a two-percent tax cap and the commissioner of finance needs to have some flexibility when working with the capital budget and the general operating budget because both of those budgets impact our property tax rate.”
Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen outlined the 2018 capital budget projects during a council meeting earlier this month.
The 26 projects, totaling over $11 million, were mentioned in the capital program and budget 2018-2023 presentation, $11,004,323 of which would be bonded and $65,000 would be funded by other sources, such as subdivision and the school district budget.
Some of the projects mentioned were multi-year projects, including improving Loughberry Lake dam embankment stabilization and spillway.
The Loughberry Lake dam embankment stabilization and spillway would cost about $825,000, using geotechnical design and permitting work in order for the city to be in compliance with NYSDEC Dam safety regulations, but it’s expected to cost between $5 and $6 million over time.
Commissioner of Public Works Anthony “Skip” Scirocco said the Loughberry Lake dam embankment and an OCA required courtroom costing $300,000 in 2018 were mandates.
Scirocco and Madigan mentioned reaching out to state representatives about possible state or federal funding for infrastructure since Route 50 sits above Loughberry Lake.
An engineer assessment determined the dam on Route 50 a high hazard one in a presentation to the council in May.
“It’s a difficult process. I don’t agree certainly with those two things. I think there should be some funding from the state for both of those,” said Scirocco. “It’s unfortunate that the city has to carry the burden of that but it is what it is. It increases the amount of capital we have to come up with.”
The top item on the recommended capital budget, which excludes various water and sewer projects, would be a city radio tower costing about $1.3 mil-
lion. Earlier this month, Yepsen said the deficiencies in radio communications throughout the community have been tracked and studied.
“A radio tower is needed to assist first responders in communicating,” said Yepsen. “A city radio tower will address the life safety issues that currently exist.”
The third most important project deals with replacing traffic signals at Broadway-Circular and Congress-Hamilton streets that are over 30 years old and would cost $306,669.
The top five projects would cost $7,569,323. Rounding out the five most recommended projects were replacing the 87-yearold fire department station one doors and replacing aging 1998 central states fire engine.
Water and sewer projects included upgrading the sanitary pump station, improve Kaydeross Avenue west pipe, gear reduction valve capital improvements and improvements at the city’s water treatment facilities.
Five total projects, with a total cost and bonding requirement of $2,835,000, would be supported by water and sewer budgets.
Madigan thanked the budget committee for compiling a list of the most pressing items, but some of the items on the list might not be realistic, she said.
“I still believe as finance commissioner some of these are not ready. They are more of a wish list,” said Madigan. “They are just not ready. They should be in the program but to be required to bond for some of them right now is premature.”
An item Madigan referred to was the $3 million to build an East Side fire and EMS facility. The city had planned to acquire land in the past to build it, but right now there’s not a set plan to build the facility.
Other proposed projects discussed earlier this month involved the Katrina Trask Stairway in Congress Park, implementation and improvements to the complete streets plan and replacing four dump trucks with a plow and spreader.
Yepsen said there will be presentations beginning next month with more information about the Complete Streets policy, implementation, financing and technical advice.
Budget meetings take place in October.