Palmer council sets priorities

PALMER — From safety to soccer, Palmer is establishing its priorities for 2008 and beyond.

Palmer City Council recently approved Programs for Progress, a capital improvement plan that outlines the city’s top priorities for the next five years.

“Any time you have an organization with a budget in excess of $8 million, you need a long-range plan,” said Bill Allen, city manager of Palmer.

Along with setting priorities, the plan is a menu of capital projects that will be served up to legislators and the governor in hopes of securing funds, Allen said.

Although this type of plan is new to Palmer, it’s not new to Allen.

As a former mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Allen used a similar method of long-term planning to secure capital funding, he said. With success in the past, he expects the Palmer outline to be a useful tool for the city and the Mat-Su legislative delegation.

“I want [legislators] to have a full understanding of the needs of people in Palmer,” Allen said.

To establish those needs, information was compiled from the Citizen Efficiency Review Team Report — a report that analyzed the efficiency and effectiveness of city operations — and from city departments. The result? A notebook full of projects the city hopes to accomplish through 2012.

After the initial list of needs and projects was compiled, an administrative team established the top items to address in 2008. A total of 15 items made the 2008 list and adopted resolution.

Although the resolution passed unanimously, some council members expressed concerns about the projects on or not on the list.

Councilman Tony Pippel said he appreciates having the list, and all the hard work that went into its creation. With that in mind, he also believes it lacks projects that benefit residents directly.

For example, buying a new bucket truck could probably be delayed another year to provide money for other, community-oriented projects, said Pippel.

Councilman Brad Hanson also voiced concerns about the plan.

“At what point do we weigh in on this at all?,” asked Hanson.

With one prior meeting to discuss the plan, Hanson said there hasn’t been much of an effort to secure the council’s view on priorities.

Several council members, including Hanson and Pippel, were also concerned with the permanence of the selected projects and needs. As needs and funding change, they want ensure it’s possible to re-prioritize.

“It’s nice to have a plan, but you flow with what’s available,” said Pippel.

Mayor John Combs, along with Allen, has assured council that changes, whether in the form of additions or retractions, will be possible.

Although all city departments participated in the program, 10 of 15 projects approved as 2008 priorities come from the city’s public works department.

“In a nutshell, the whole department of pubic works reaches out to the entire community, so we need to have the right equipment and tools for that department to operate effectively and efficiently,” Allen said.

The replacement of steel water mains is an important project in Palmer, he said. Most of the city’s water is transferred through pipes that were installed in the 1960s or 1970s. Now, 40 percent of the city’s water is lost through the age-old pipes that continue to break. In 2008, the city has its eyes set on 3,770 feet of pipe, according to the plan. The project is estimated to cost $1,990,590. Half of the funding will be provided by the state and the other half by the city.

The wastewater treatment plant also made the list of 2008 priorities. The initial task is to complete a wastewater master plan. The costs associated with 2008 are estimated at $50,000. From 2009 to 2010, an estimated $5 million will be spent to begin either a new treatment facility or major overhaul of the current plant, and in 2011 an additional $50 million will be needed to complete the project.

Although the new wastewater treatment facility will cost more than $55 million, the city will seek grant support to cover the costs, Allen said.

The plan also includes the design and construction of soccer fields near the Palmer Ice Arena. The city hopes to secure $80,000 in grant funding to finish the fields. Overall, the project will include two full-size soccer fields and smaller general-use areas.

Although a large portion of the projects focuses on pubic works improvements and equipment, Allen said the soccer fields will be an important part of the city’s growth.

“The more recreational activities we can have here in Palmer, the more economic activity our merchants can enjoy,” Allen said.

With the adoption of Programs for Progress, Allen said the next step is to gain further input from the council, and provide a more detailed plan to the community.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.