River Falls makes capital decisions

• CIP projects by type

Chart courtesy of the city of River Falls.

Talk about it

The City Council approved at its Aug. 14 meeting River Falls’ 2013-2017 capital improvements plan, which is updated every other year and gives an overview of what the city plans to spend on capital improvements.

The plan defines those as money spent on utilities, transportation, economic development, city buildings, equipment and parks and miscellaneous.

The plan includes $20,895,670 that will be written into budgets between now and 2017. Money for the improvements comes from these sources in these amounts:

• $7,465,182 from utility funds

• $6,842,543 from tax-increment financing district revenues

• $2,687,660 from other sources

• $2,249,200 from borrowing (general obligation and revenue borrowing)

• $1,104,685 from general tax revenues

• $546,400 from other government agencies.

River Falls usually spends 4% to 6% of the total tax levy on capital improvements. In 2013, it will spend 5%.

The most expensive thing in the five-year CIP is River Falls’ $4.3 million portion of the $10 million Radio Road interchange project, slated for construction in 2013.

In five years’ time, River Falls will spend about $2.3 million on replacing vehicles. Street vehicles will require 43% of that budget, fire vehicles take 22%, ambulances need 12%, parks get 11%, police vehicles use 8% and about 4% will be used for miscellaneous vehicle expenses.

The comprehensive, 108-page CIP plan gives information about the projects for which the city is likely to budget during the next five years. The Journal looked at projects totaling more than $25,000 slated for completion in either 2013 or 2014.

Besides the major expense of the Radio Road project, the city will spend:

• $435,000 on rehabilitating the concrete on South Main Street from Cascade Avenue to Cemetery Road.

• $300,000 for a safe room in Hoffman Park funded 80% by a federal grant

• $250,000 to replace the wastewater management’s computer system

• $205,000 to extend the White Pathway from City Hall to University Falls

• $100,000 to purchase riverfront property for preservation and enjoyment

• $80,000 to replace fire hall roof

• $80,000 for electrical improvements

• $60,000 to replace meters

• $55,000 to upgrade the public library’s digital thermostat

• $53,000 on extraction equipment

• $50,000 to begin developing Whitetail Ridge II corporate park

• $40,000 to upgrade the Glen Park parking lot and some amenities

• $40,000 to increase size of one sewer line

• $35,000 on various tools

• $33,700 for water and sewer line plus hydrants in Hoffman Park

• $25,000 on sidewalks to make city system continuous

• $25,000 to remodel the ambulance house (on-call sleeping quarters)

• $23,000 for solar panels and a cover at Glen Park pool.

Some of the CIP items allocate a certain amount of money to be spent per year for the next five. For example, River Falls will spend annually:

• $105,000 for electrical system distribution improvements

• $100,000 to replace underground cables

• $100,000 to replace electric transformers

• $75,000 to replace the lining in sanitary sewer pipes

• $55,000 to replace sanitary sewer line

• $45,000 to replace water meters

• $30,000 on erecting new-subdivision streetlights.

Major expenses coming 2015-2017 include $3 million to complete the development of Whitetail Ridge II and $1.79 million to construct the north-zone water tower.

The reports lists a few items not included in the five-year plan such as the baseball field, rehabilitation of the skate park, the County Rd. FF recreational land, a new city pool, and replacement of the wastewater treatment plant’s sludge-storage tank and effluent features.

People can look at the full CIP plan at the city’s Web site -- www.rfcity.org-- under the Finance tab.

Tags: river falls, government, money, wisconsin