SEA ISLE CITY –– City Council accepted the administration’s capital spending plan at a workshop session here Feb. 21.

Of the $35.1 million total capital plan, $23.3 million would be for general capital budget items and $11.8 million would go to water and sewer items.

After thanking his department heads for helping to compile this six- to 10-year plan, Administrator George Savastano presented it line by line to council members and the public.

“While these numbers aren’t set in stone,” Savastano said, “when we talk about a plan for the city, this is a big part of that.”

General capital items were broken down into six categories: equipment and vehicles; beach, bay and promenade; roads and drainage; facilities and buildings; parking, downtown and marina; and equipment operations and office.

The administration identified $4.1 million in general capital items to bond for in 2008.

The “beach, bay and promenade” category had the highest total over the multi-year plan with $10.3 million, but only $180,000 for 2008. The administration made the “parking, downtown and marina” category an immediate priority with $1.6 million this year alone.

The administration also identified just under $3 million for water and sewer projects in this year’s capital plan including $240,000 for equipment and vehicles, $364,000 for utility improvements and $2.3 million for wells and pumps.

When council met with Chief Financial Officer James Terruso in November 2007, he explained that the city would be limited to $7.5 million in the general capital budget and $3.5 million in the utility capital budget for the next two years.

According to Terruso, in this capital spending plan the city stayed within those parameters that would have forced a tax hike or increase in utility user fees.

Council members seemed to accept the spending plan in general, but had some concerns.

Council President Mike McHale, for instance brought up certain areas of the promenade that require paving.

“The promenade is one of the jewels of this town and we want to keep it up,” he said.

Savastano suggested patching areas in disrepair and reevaluating the entire promenade for possible inclusion in next year’s road resurfacing projects.

McHale also said he’s heard complaints from boaters that the city’s waterways were in need of dredging. Currently, lagoon dredging won’t be addressed in the capital budget until 2011.

Savastano said the city would informally survey the waterways to determine if dredging should be done sooner.

Councilman John Divney addressed the fluoridation project for the city’s water supply.

“It’s important to many residents and I think we should consider moving it up,” Divney said regarding the fluoridation project, which isn’t scheduled to begin until 2010.

Tom Henry, of the city’s taxpayers group, agreed that this project should begin sooner.

“It’s the only project in the entire plan that’s been approved by city voters,” he said of a 1990 referendum in which residents voted to add fluoride to the city's water supply.

The city began the system shortly afterwards until 2002 when the pump that released fluoride into the water supply broke. Since the problem was discovered, residents have wanted the city to reinstate the fluoridation system.

Henry suggested expediting the construction of the Excursion Park at 40th Street and the promenade, which he said has been empty since 1962 and is the most valuable real estate under city control.

The $50,000 budgeted to the park over the next two years is for concept phase of the project, Savastano said citing his model for capital plans, “Concept, design, fund, implement.”

Between 2010 and 2012, the city budgeted nearly $4 million for the construction of the park.

Henry also questioned some vehicle line items in the city’s office of emergency management including a hovercraft and fire/rescue boat, which will cost the city nearly $200,000 this year.

Savastano said there will be a bond presentation in April or May, when the administration will detail the need for its vehicles, equipment and projects followed by a bond ordinance in June or July.

Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com