| East Bethel approves 2010-2014 priorities for parks, trails and roads projects |
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| Wednesday, 14 October 2009 | |||
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Staff writer The East Bethel City Council Oct. 7 set goals on what parks, trails and roads projects it would like to complete over the next five years from 2010 through 2014. The capital improvement plans (CIP) are planning documents that can change depending on the city’s economic state when the council individually reviews them
For example, the 2009-2013 Parks and Trails CIP anticipated completion of a trail segment along Palisade Street from Booster Park West to 224th Avenue in 2009. This did not happen because the city was unable to obtain the right of way, so the council in September approved an alternative route. Paving of the 10-stall parking lot at Rod and Norma Smith Park was delayed so the city could pay for moving skateboard park equipment from Hidden Haven Park to Maynard Peterson Park, which will happen sometime this month, according to Public Works Manager Jack Davis. Other 2009 parks projects identified in the 2009-2013 CIP did proceed or will be soon be completed. According to Davis, wells have been constructed and unless there are weather delays, irrigation systems will be completed this fall at Hidden Haven Park and Whispering Oaks Park. Playground equipment was delivered Oct. 12 to the city for John Anderson Park and Hidden Haven Park. Once again, Davis said this equipment could be installed this fall unless there are weather delays. The CIP projects replace playground equipment at parks such as Norseland Manor in 2011, Eveleth Park in 2012, Rod and Norma Smith Park in 2013 and Whispering Aspen in 2014. Two of the more expensive projects in the five-year-plan slated for next year are improvements at Coon Lake Beach Park and an expansion of the Booster West Park parking lot. Norseland Manor has some significant projects in this plan. In 2011, besides playground equipment replacement, it is also planned for a parking lot and fence to be installed. Fence installation will continue in 2013. A pavilion could be constructed in 2012. In 2013, the two most expensive projects will be installing irrigation systems at Anderson Lake Park and Bonde Park. Field No. 1 at Booster Park West could be converted to a regulation baseball field in 2014. A major trail project will be to get a trail from Booster Park East to the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. This project is split into multiple phases and years. The Roads CIP identifies segments of city streets that need to be sealcoated or overlayed and other segments that have reached an age and deterioration state that the city feels they need to be reconstructed. Jackson Street is slated for 2011 reconstruction from 181st Avenue to Viking Boulevard. This is anticipated to cost $1.38 million, but this project could receive $566,000 in assistance from the Minnesota Department of Transportation Municipal State Aid road fund. Segments along 181st Avenue and 187th Lane are also anticipated for reconstruction in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Overlays are scheduled for segments of Fifth Street in 2010, Deerwood and 182nd in 2011, Okinawa and Tippercanoe in 2012, 187th Avenue service road in 2013 and 209th, Austin and 204th in 2014. Revenue sources The parks and trails capital funds gets its revenue from park and trail dedication fees paid by developers and from general fund transfers to which all taxpayers contribute. The economic downturn has led to less development and thus less park and trail dedication fees. Through Aug. 31, East Bethel has collected $49,575.44 in park and trail dedication fees, according to city records. East Bethel is not banking on an upswing in 2010. The 2010 fees collection estimate is $60,000-$50,000 from the park dedication fees and $10,000 from the trail dedication fees. The 2010-2014 Parks and Trails CIP budgets for twice the fees coming in during 2011 — $100,000 for parks and $20,000 for trails — and then smaller revenue increases in 2012 and 2013 and no revenue increase between 2013 and 2014.
Over the five-year-period of this Parks and Trails CIP, these general fund transfers account for approximately 54 percent of the $1,500,695 in revenue funding the planned projects. The rest is covered by the park and trail dedication fees. There is some leeway in case park and trail dedication revenue comes in lower than the budget forecast or project bids are higher than anticipated. Expenditures are for all the parks and trails projects in 2010 through 2014 are estimated to equal $1,445,500. Roads projects are completely funded by tax dollars, but MnDOT dollars can assist cities if the road segment is an Municipal State Aid (MSA) road. These segments must meet MnDOT requirements such as the ability to handle heavy truck traffic. In exchange, the city receives state aid for these MSA segments. East Bethel currently budgets to transfer $425,000 annually between 2010 and 2014 from the general fund to the Roads Capital Fund. Eric Hagen is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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