Wasilla passes capital budget

July 1, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE\Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA -- Wrestling with a $17.2-million capital budget is nothing to be taken lightly. In fact, Wasilla Mayor Dianne M. Keller feared it would be a long night Monday with the City Council presenting an endless litany of amendments.

However, thanks to the city's requirement to present a five-year budget forecast, things went rather smoothly.

"I can't believe we got it done," Keller said of the council's unanimous vote to approve the budget after just three amendments. "I was ready for a long night of one amendment after another. But they really surprised me by approving it basically as written."

Each year the administration presents a capital budget to the council for consideration. That budget includes a list of projects that will be undertaken in the next fiscal year, along with a tentative list of projects anticipated to be initiated in the subsequent four years. This budget authorizes only the projects for the next year and does not authorize the anticipated projects.

"The five-year capital improvement plan helps get a bigger picture of what is planned," Keller said. "It provides a guide for future projects and helps prevent a rush to get everything into the budget each year."

An example of the five-year plan working came when Council Member Diana Straub proposed an amendment to a proposal calling for renovation of Carter Park. Discussion turned to why Carter Park was being repaired while other parks were not.

Council Member Rob Sande pointed out that similar renovations were schedule for Nunley Park, in fiscal year 2007, and Newcomb Park, in fiscal year 2008.

The budget didn't pass entirely without objection.

During public hearing, several residents voiced their displeasure with funds being spent on projects outside the city -- in particular, the $2.25-million Wasilla-to-Big Lake trail and the $2 million earmarked for studies of an alternative highway corridor connecting Palmer and Houston, which were the two largest projects in the budget.

"The city's worrying too much about working outside the city limits," former city council member Colleen Cottle said.

"I think it's time we start worrying about maintaining and upgrading roads in the city. We should be providing water and sewer utilities to the residents and not just the big-box stores, and stop spending our money on outside projects," she said.

"[Spending] $2 million for a trail to Big Lake is ridiculous, especially since 90 percent of it will be outside the city," Cottle said at the meeting.

A $30,000 reduction was made to the budgeted funds to purchase an air-conditioning unit for City Hall after bids for the project came in well below estimates.

The council quickly reappropriated the funds, amending the budget to construct a guardrail along portions of Bayview Drive and add fencing to Iditapark.

Another amendment added $15,000 in additional funding needed for the purchase of a road-striping machine.

The administration had originally estimated the cost of the machine at $40,000.

The final amendment was done basically for accounting purposes and separated state and federal grant money for a dispatch center radio tower into two accounts.

Other projects that drew the attention of the public included $10,000 for enhancements to the Smith Ball Fields' Little League complex, and $2 million for paving and resurfacing city-maintained roads.

"I think the fact that the budget passed with limited comments from the public and so few amendments from the council speaks to the comprehensive funding," Keller said. "Roads, parks, public safety and infrastructure were all addressed in the budget. And we even looked to the future with road and trail development.

"This was the easiest budget the city has put together since I've been in office," she concluded. "It serves the community well."

Contact Darrell Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.