Budget crunch numbers, for Town’s FY 2024, also include 5-year CIP items
As the budget crunch looms near, Town administrator David Smoak revealed the numerous Capital Improvement Projects Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen will need to consider this budget cycle, as well as five years down the road, during a workshop Thursday, March 23.
“Our Capital Improvement Program is a six-year plan we look at and try to program expenditures and certain revenues from grants that we get for large projects we prepare for throughout the year,” Smoak said. “All of our CIP projects are anything that is a one-time project that’s over $25,000.
“Anything less than that will go to the General Fund or another fund,” he added. “A lot of this was required from the Municipal Budget law of 1982. We had to amend it and adopt it in our annual budget.
The Town’s CIP is used “for parks facilities, roads, sidewalks, land acquisition and stormwater,” Smoak said. “Those are major investments that we pour back into our infrastructure.
“We want to make sure we are properly planning for the future,” he added. “We want to make sure our expenditures are in line with where we need to see for future projects.
“And, it really allows us to dive into some of these projects a little bit deeper. We also fund CIPs based on priorities.”
Major CIP projects being funded in Fiscal Year 2024 include:
• General government: While the Town generally adds $300,000 for land acquisition, Smoak said this year until 2027 — $2,062,500 will be going to help pay its portion of the Interstate-75/1-40 interchange project in 2024; Sonja Drive sidewalk (phases 1 through 3) will be funded with $500,000 in 2024 and $1.25 million in 2025;
Little Turkey Creek Greenway from Brookmere to Sheffield subdivisions, $400,000; Red Mill trailhead $170,000; Anchor Park pedestrian crossing, $230,000; and Public Works shed roof replacement, $60,000.
In the Parks and Recreation Department, the plan is to fund $50,000 for the Town Hall restroom in the FY 2023 budget.
Additionally, the proposal showed:
• Funding $820,000 in 2024 budget for Mayor Bob Leonard Park Field 2 turf replacement with hopes of receiving a state grant, which would pay half of that amount.
• Funding $180,000 in FY 2024 for MBLP trail and ADA repair/repaving;
• Funding $450,000 in FY 2024 for McFee Park dog park, and storage, with part of that money coming from grant money.
• Funding $1 million in FY 2024 for MBLP Field 1 turf replacement and ADA access.
• Funding $70,000 in FY 2024 for McFee Park entrance gates.
In the Engineering Department, the following is being funded in FY 2024:
• Stormwater improvements, $1 million, which is all coming from federal grant money.
• Union Road improvements, $5.8 million for construction, of which $4.68 million will come from state grant funding.
• Watt Road roundabout, $50,000 for right-of-way acquisitions.
School zone signal improvements will not be considered until FY 2025, when there might be $175,000 allotted.
