Capital Improvements Program Presented To Half-Cent Sales Tax Board
CINDY MALLETTE
Staff Writer
Half-Cent Sales Tax board members heard a presentation on the new Capital Improvements Program ranking system and received updates on current sales tax-funded projects at the board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday.
Staff Writer
Half-Cent Sales Tax board members heard a presentation on the new Capital Improvements Program ranking system and received updates on current sales tax-funded projects at the board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday.
Engineering firm Freese and Nichols Inc. gave a presentation on the ranking system, which allows board members to more easily decide which capital improvements projects to fund and in what order to fund them.
The city has roughly 400 projects lined up that will be paid for through the half-cent sales tax on a pay-as-you-go basis. The sales tax allows the city to pay for projects with cash on hand, rather than going into debt by issuing bonds.
The system Freese and Nichols will set up works like a database that allows a city employee, or a board member, to input data such as projects, estimated construction costs and a priority rating, and then provides an analysis of the projects, identifying the most important ones and their expected costs.
The cost for using the consultant’s services is roughly $138,000. That amount will be split evenly between the Half-Cent Sales Tax board and the city’s utilities fund.
Freese and Nichols plans to input sample projects into the database to show board members how the ranking system will work using a specific prioritization methodology. In August, the firm will give the same presentation to the Tyler City Council for final approval of the system.
The board also heard a presentation on the status of current construction projects being funded through the half-cent sales tax. Carter Delleney, city engineer, said Phases 2A and 2B of the Grande Road extension project are on target for their respective completion dates of April and June 2009.
“We’re getting a lot of fanfare about that,” he said.
Phase 2A is undergoing earthwork and storm sewer work, and a detour for a portion of Copeland Road is being constructed. On Phase 2B, retaining wall and culvert construction is ongoing.
On Old Omen Road, Delleney said utility relocation is continuing with Oncor, AT&T and CenterPoint Energy.
He said a detour at the south end of the road will be open within the next few weeks.
Delleney said the Master Drainage Study is complete, and the Front Street sidewalk project is on schedule for a November completion.
Sidewalks are complete on the south side of Front Street, from Shady Land to Rosedale, and on the north side of Front Street, from the Texas Department of Transportation district office to the east side of Peach Street.
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