Alpena Municipal Council will determine which projects become reality this fiscal year

ALPENA -- Alpena city government has more than $8 million worth of street, park, water, sewer, and emergency services projects listed in its capital improvement plan for the 2022-23 year.

Not all of them will become realities, however.

The city recently updated its six-year plan that prioritizes needed projects and purchases and allows for the Alpena Municipal Council to work as many of them as possible into its annual budget. Many will be placed on the backburner, however, as the council will have to pick and choose which ones it can afford.

The city's budget runs from July 1 through June 30.

Many of the projects rely on the city receiving grant funding to help cover the cost, especially those with high price tags. Some projects are paid from the general fund and others from other pools of money, such as the city's water and sewer funds, and the street fund.

"We put all of the proposed projects for 2022-23 into the budget and really start cutting to align with the funding we have," Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski said. "We always hope to utilize grants to help pay for the projects. That is why it is important to have projects in the CIP and the master plan, because a lot of times we wouldn't be eligible for certain grants if we didn't have them listed on our local long-range plans."

As is the norm, many of the proposed projects involve improving infrastructure such as streets and the city's water and sewer system.

One project proposed for this year would benefit residents who live on or near 4th Avenue, between Lewis Street and Bedford Street, where water and sewer upgrades are planned, should the council sign off on the projects. The money for those projects would not come out of the city's general fund, but out of the water and sewer funds.

Another large street project calls for construction on Ripley Boulevard, from Grant Street to Washington Avenue. The $500,000 for that work would come from the major street fund this year, and the plan includes a request for the same amount during the 2026-27 budget year.

The plan includes many other proposed projects for local parks. The city could allocate $500,000 for the next two budget years to match a grant it received to build a pavilion and restrooms near Bayview Park.

Large investments in the harbor, marina, and parks are spread out over the next six years, as well as needed purchases of police and fire vehicles.

Smolinksi said the capital improvement plan is an important tool that helps the city track upcoming expenses and needs. She said it allows the council to plan for large expenses and tackle needs that need addressing soon.

The plan is updated annually and projects can be shifted from year to year based on need and funding. This year, Smolinksi said, the city listed some projects that are projected further than six years out as a way to monitor more long-term needs and concerns.

Those projects include a proposed River Center at Duck Park and a mixed-use building at the marina.

Overall, the plan includes about $70.3 million in proposed projects through the end of 2028.

Knowing that the likelihood of all the projects getting completed by then is unlikely, Smolinksi said the city could choose to utilize the nearly $1 million it received from the federal government's American Rescue Plan Act, which provided local governments coronavirus-related stimulus funding to help with certain expenses.

Smolinski said department heads have discussed how best to spend the money and she intends to make a recommendation to the council in March or April.

"Yes, those funds could be used for some projects in the city," she said.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.