As a beginning of the 2018 budget process, staff prepares a 5-year CIP.  Capital improvements are the projects that require the expenditure of public funds for the acquisition, construction, or replacement of infrastructure and capital assets necessary for the community.  The creation and update of a multi-year capital plan allows the city to plan for current and long-term needs.  Projects include buildings, parks, streets, equipment replacement, sanitary sewer and storm drainage.

Staff is continuing to redesign the budget process to be more transparent and ensure accountability to the residents and businesses of Shakopee.  Part of that transparency is having easily understandable budget documents.  We want our budget documents to tell a story, rather than just be a document full of numbers.  Numbers are an important part of the process but so are narratives, key indicators, goals and objectives, which help the public better understand the city's financial position. 

This year staff is preparing a stand-alone CIP that has incorporated more narratives, pictures and maps to help all users of this document better understand upcoming projects.   

The plan for the workshop is to review the projects within each of the various funds.  Staff is seeking the council's input in regards to project direction and priority.  The Park Board had the opportunity to review the Park Reserve and Park Asset funds on Monday, July 10.  An attached memo from Park and Recreation Director Jamie Polley recaps the recommendations from the Park Board. 

Staff is also seeking to have a discussion regarding when to demolish the Lions Park warming house.  This is not a specific project in this year's CIP, but an item that needs further discussion.  

There are two modifications that did not make it into this preliminary CIP that should be noted:

1. Page 17, Project No. PR-29-002, Tapah Park Improvements - This is future project that is not currently scheduled within the next five years.  The project should be for lighting of two new baseball fields, not for the completion of an additional field.  The lighting would be for field that is being constructed this year and along with a field slated for construction in 2019. 
   
    
2. Page 75, Project No. Equip-20-004, Building Inspection: Sedan - Upon discussion with the Director of Planning and Development, Michael Kerski, his building inspection staff would prefer to utilize retired police vehicles rather than purchasing new sedans.  The Ford Explorer police vehicles provide more clearance and are all-wheel drive, which makes for easier maneuverability within construction sites.  The $30,000 purchase scheduled for 2020 will be eliminated. 

A final 2018-2022 CIP will be prepared after receiving council input and direction, and will be officially adopted by the council later this summer or early fall.  The CIP projects scheduled for 2018 will then be incorporated into the 2018 operating budget for further consideration in adoption of the overall 2018 budget.