The city of Hermiston has started to develop its first comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for all of its Public Works departments.
Hermiston Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the purpose of developing a CIP is to more efficiently plan for maintenance of aging infrastructure and to proactively accommodate for continued growth in the community. The final approval of the first CIP is expected in the fall, and will be updated annually.
The Hermiston City Council received an outline of the purpose and process at their meeting Monday. The Water, Wastewater, and Street Departments, in conjunction with Anderson Perry & Associates, will begin to develop a list of all major maintenance and improvement projects that are needed in each department. City administration will then review the basic needs of each department against the financial capacity for each department, and begin to identify a schedule to accomplish the top priorities over the next five years. Morgan said once the plan is approved, it will be the main spending and savings guide for major city projects across multiple fiscal years.
“Developing a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan, and sticking to it, will allow city staff to invest appropriate time and resources toward accomplishing major necessary projects,” said Morgan. “Without an approved CIP, which lays out all of the projects which are planned for the next several years, it is very difficult for the city council to fully see what resources are needed where. Unless there is an approved multi-year spending plan for major projects, then as un-planned needs arise, the funding for proactive projects can fall victim to immediate needs.”
The city council identified development of a Capital Improvement Plan as one of its top goals for 2016 at its annual goal setting session in January. The Public Infrastructure Committee will review the first draft Capital Improvement Plan at its meeting in July.
