Overview of year one of the City’s Capital Improvement Projects

Updated on Aug. 8 at 2:30 p.m. — City Manager Leroy Alsup reached out to Guthrie News Page following this article to clarify the City of Guthrie did receive written permission from bond counsel to substitute projects in the $3M CIP bond. He says there was miscommunication between him and City staff. For more here is the article: City of Guthrie in compliance with $3M CIP loan

Original article on Aug. 6, 2017

For the first time since 1979, Guthrie citizens voted for a city sales tax increase for capital improvements in 2016. With the first fiscal year closely coming to an end, Guthrie News Page takes a look at the projects that have been completed, or in the process of being completed in year one of the 15-year tax.

To kick start the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), the City of Guthrie had $289,420 cash on hand and took out a $3M loan to jump start the program. In addition, the latest projected numbers show $1.22M in CIP sales tax, $235,000 in utility user fee, $4,500 in enhanced 911 revenue and $2,000 in interest.

In total the City started with $3,289,420 of beginning cash and $1,461,500 in projected revenue.

According to bond transcripts, the $3M loan was borrowed specifically for a pool and a waste water treatment plant. However to date, there has been no formal plan for a pool or treatment plant despite both projects listed as top goals in the City’s 2016 proposition.

“We need to go through the process if that’s not how we are going to use that $3M then we need to go back through the process and change that. Otherwise, its hanging out there that legally you’ve committed to use those funds for one thing , (but) your using them for something else,” City Manager Leroy Alsup said to the city council members at their annual retreat on Thursday.

“Quite frankly, we have used that $3M for other things,” Alsup added, but says he believes the transcripts can be changed if needed.

The treatment plant may have increased in price from $10M to now $13M to construct.

In early January 2016, city officials said the projected start date would be 2019 and would cover 50 percent of the costs and the remaining cost would be funded from sewer customers.

City officials discussed making improvements to the municipal pool – inside Highland Park – and a proposed water park feature soon after the passage, but last September voted to delay the project. Related article: Council delays engineer work on municipal pool; budget shortfall comes to light

In the fiscal year of 2017, the City showed an expenditure list of $3,509,267 of completed CIP projects.

The bulk of those, include $934,225 for a ladder truck for the Guthrie Fire Department (GFD), $725,000 for 10 police units, $432,000 for street improvements, $356,220 in engineering fees for the waste water treatment plant, $297,481 for park (Highland and Mineral Wells) upgrades, $218,664 on the debt service and $137,000 for the 5th Street drainage project.

The council will look at proposed CIP items such as a new pumper truck for GFD ($600k in 2022), three patrol units ($217,000 each year for the remainder of the tax), Public Works rotation plan ($100,000 each year throughout the tax), Industrial Park utility project on the City’s 80 acres ($49,915 in 2018 and $2,096,232 in 2027), Mineral Wells Park feeder line into ponds ($49,990 with no time date), Banner Park ($1,318,878 in 2021), Harrison Street bridge removal ($544,290 in 2020) and Streetscape on Division St. ($168,000 in 2025).

The council will next decide on the priorities and how to move forward.

To view all of the Guthrie News Page articles on the CIP click here.

List of the completed projects in fiscal year 2017:

Debt service on $3M – $218,664

Fire Department ladder truck – $934,225

Fire Department pumper truck – $8,000

Police patrol units – $725,000

Waste Water Treatment Plant engineering – $356,220

Wentz/Harrison improvements engineering – $7,875

Sports Complex engineering – $4,920

City Hall carpet/tile $54,000

City Hall carpet cleaner – $3,341