ALPENA — Alpena is putting the finishing touches on its annual capital improvement plan and city departments will present projects at a joint meeting of the Alpena Municipal Council and Alpena Planning Commission.

The plan prioritizes the city’s needs over the next six years and must be approved by both the commission and council.

City Engineer Rich Sullenger said the planning document lists hundreds of projects spread out over the next six years, listed by how severely needed each project is, as well as the affordability of them.

Sullenger said the projects are not set in stone and can be bumped up or pushed back as circumstances and finances change.

Sullenger said many in the public consider the plan a “wish list,” but everything on it is either a need now or will be a need in the not-too-distant future. He said the list of projects helps staff and council members consider what to fund when the city budget is crafted each year.

The capital improvement plan lists items and projects affecting police and fire services, parks, roads, cemetery, water and sewer, and other operations.

The city will not complete all of the projects on the proposed timeline, but having the plan is a reminder of what the city’s needs are and what things will need to be addressed in years to come.

“Everyone looks six years into the future to see what the capital needs are going to be, and, although that may seem long-term, it isn’t,” he said. “It is not a wish list, but a needs list. These are projects that need to get done. I wish I had the money to do them all, but I don’t. There are only so many dollars available for capital improvements.”

Sullenger said about 88% of the projects are from the Engineering Department, which oversees public works, streets, water and sewer, and parks.

Sullenger said the joint meeting allows staff to explain their proposed projects to council members and planning commissioners and answer questions. Sullenger said the Planning Commission must approve the plan first and then make a recommendation to the council.

“The joint meeting has really made the process run smoother than having independent sessions,” Sullenger said.

A date for the joint meeting has yet to be set.