- April 18, 2024
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About 34% of the city's Capital Improvements Program is budgeted for water and wastewater system renovations.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
Water and wastewater improvements are the top priority in the Ormond Beach City Commission's Capital Improvements Program throughout the next five years.
The program, which extends through fiscal year 2017-18, has a total budget of $45,175,681, with $12,133,800 designated for next fiscal year. And 33.7% of that total, or $15,224,204, is designated for water/wastewater renovations.
Of that 33.7%, replacement of all meters throughout the city accounts for $2.55 million.
“This is different than us going out and putting in new meters on the rare occasion we have a new home built or we’re replacing a broken meter on a case-by-case basis,” said Finance Director Kelly McGuire. “This is a system-wide replacement that would be done over the course of eight years.”
The replacement includes touch and visual read meters for city utilities, not Florida Power and Light, which require readers to navigate property landscape to get to each meter. The meters which have been designated as the most dangerous for meter workers to reach will be replaced first.
The city also budgeted $7,350,000 for stormwater maintenance and improvements (16.3% of the Capital Improvements Program), which includes $6,100,000 for the continued construction of a stormwater pumping station at Central Park, some of which could be paid for through federal grants.
Other projects discussed at Monday's meeting were lighting at Nova Community Park, vehicle replacement and the Taxiway G Construction project at the Ormond Beach Municipal Airport.
“Having the taxiway will not enable the airport to handle more traffic, but it will help us to better handle the traffic that we already have,” said Airport Manager Steven Lichliter.
The majority of the $2,432,068 project is budgeted for the 2014-15 fiscal year, and much of that could come from Federal Aviation Administration funding.
Projects chosen for the Capital Improvements Program include at least one of several factors, officials say, including necessary or planned maintenance of an existing facility; work that reflects a prior multi-year commitment previously approved by the City Commission; projects that enhance an existing facility; or work included in the city's master plan.
Facility maintenance and upgrades are given the highest priority.
Breakdown of Capital Improvements Program
Category
Five-year total
% of CIP
Airport and Airpark
$6,464,676
14.3
Beautification
$875,000
1.9
Community Redevelopment
$3,658,000
8.1
Facility Renewal and Replacement
$290,000
0.6
Facility Construction and Renovation
$636,000
1.4
Parks, Recreation and Cultural
$3,299,100
7.3
Stormwater
$7,350,000
16.3
Technology
$132,800
0.3
Transportation
$3,425,205
7.6
Vehicles
$3,851,900
8.5
Water and Wastewater
$15,193,000
33.7
