City Considering Capital Improvement Projects

– Allison Goldsberry

On Tuesday and Wednesday the Medford City Council will consider the next round in a series of capital improvement projects planned for the city.

Requests for loan orders totaling close to $2 million for projects to mitigate flooding in the Wrights Pond area will be before the Council on Tuesday. In his inaugural address on January 2, Mayor Michael McGlynn said he is seeking to have the money appropriated from the Water and Sewer Enterprise account to cover these projects, which include improvements to the dam and improved drainage.

The Council will meet in a Committee of the Whole at 6:00PM prior to their 7:00PM regular meeting to discuss these projects in more detail. Both meetings are open to the public.

On Wednesday the Council will convene another Committee of the Whole meeting at 5:30PM to discuss other capital improvement projects. A parking garage on Governors Avenue, the Medford High School pool, and a plan for parking enforcement and management will be discussed.

In his inaugural address, Mayor McGlynn discussed these projects and highlighted his vision for them. McGlynn said he would request $2.5 million to repair the high school pool, which has been closed for several years after falling into disrepair. The proposed parking garage will have two hundred public spots and green features such as LED lights and room for the installation of solar panels. McGlynn said the cost of the garage, which will initially have to be covered by a bond, will eventually be covered by people who use the garage and revenue generated by a new parking management plan that includes increased enforcement and parking meters.

“Although we will bond for the garage, the cost of the garage will be borne by the user and not the taxpayer. All estimates indicate the parking fees and the enforcement program will cover the bond payment, plus provide an additional surplus. In order to continue to expand our economic base, the garage is paramount to our success. Small businesses cannot survive without parking,” said Mayor McGlynn.

Speaking about the proposed parking management plan, Mayor McGlynn said several private firms are interested in providing services to the city.

“…the city’s goal is simple, to ensure that our parking management system is fair and efficient. This system will amortize the costs and generate significant revenue to the city,” said McGlynn.

The Council recently approved several of the proposed capital improvement projects, the largest of which was a $3.3 million bond to upgrade the school district’s technology. The Council also approved an $860,000 loan for the construction of a turf field at Hormel Stadium, part of which will be covered by a $500,000 grant from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. They also approved a $500,000 bond for sidewalk improvements and opted to appropriate $300,000 from free cash to upgrade the city’s fire alarm system. Finally, while agreeing a plan is needed to determine whether police headquarters should be replaced or renovated, the Council rejected a $250,000 bond to study the topic.

Upcoming capital improvement projects that will come before the Council include $2.5 million to refurbish the Brooks Estate and upwards of $8 million for a new DPW facility.