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BELLEFONTE -- Bellefonte Borough Council unanimously passed a resolution this week approving a five-year Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) program for 2027 to 2031.
Prior to the approval it heard the second half of the plan, which centered on public works, during its work session held before its voting session.
At its meeting on July 20, council heard the first part of the five-year plan along with a summary of what it would be utilized for in the coming years.
At the time, Borough Manager David Pribulka noted it was the "inaugural" plan for the borough, saying it was not an official action for council to authorize the expenditure of funds for the proposed projects.
The CIP plan instead offers guidelines and suggestions for council to consider as it develops its budgets from now until 2031.
Pribulka said through the CIP planning process, staff set the capital expenditure rate as a single item that "has a cost equal to or exceeding $2,500 and has an estimated useful life of at least one year or longer."
He explained this base number can vary from community to community.
"$2,500 is what was agreed to go into the development of this plan. It was a reasonable cap, or rather floor, on items to be included in the CIP," he said at the previous meeting.
Council's hour-long work session focused on the various scopes of its public works department in the proposed plan. It heard primarily from Public Works Superintendent Matt Auman and Pribulka.
Prior to Auman taking over, Pribulka explained public works covers a variety of departments including streets, refuse, building and grounds and parks.
Auman's overview of the proposals within the CIP mostly dealt with equipment purchases.
This includes the proposed purchase of trucks -- each to be outfitted with a plow and salt spreader -- in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2031.
Auman explained each of these trucks would be reaching the end of its life cycle, but would still be able to sell on Municibid for a decent price. The funds from these sales would be returned to the public works budget.
"Those are all new vehicles," Auman said of the proposals. "All of our plow trucks we buy new, we are able to use liquid fuels money for that equipment. So we try to get rid of them in 10 years so we're not getting into major repairs. We sell them on Municibid and that money goes back in (the budget.)"
2027 also included the potential purchase of a new street sweeper. Auman, again, said the plan would be to purchase a new machine and sell the old equipment on Municibid.
Other vehicles proposed to be replaced in the coming years are a new vehicle for the superintendent and another for the assistant superintendent. Both are reaching the end of their life cycle.
Also in 2027, Auman outlined potential street paving projects throughout the borough.
Through a recently purchased software, Auman said public works was able to identify streets that were in need.
"Basically everything we have for the street paving over the next five years has been outlined through the program we used back in May," he said.
He noted the software has been helpful in identifying streets and signage that will need repairs in the coming years.
"There is a lot of stuff we got out of the initial assessment," he said.
Council member Joanne Tosti-Vasey asked if the potential signage replacements over the years would include the Wayfinding signage -- which would signify the historic district within the borough -- is going to be included in those replacements.
Pribulka said that implementation is included in the Office of Community Affairs proposals reviewed at the previous work session. He said starting in 2029 they allocated a potential $10,000 from then until 2030 into the signage.
Auman said the signage his department would potentially replace over time is speed limit and stop signs.
"We just did all the street name signs here less than 10 years or so ago. They should last probably another 10 to 15 years," he said. "That's not on the forefront to replace those."
Another 2027 project being proposed is stormwater improvement on Shady Lane. Auman said there has been some failed infrastructure in that area.
Another project is street lights and infrastructure on West Lynn Street.
In 2028, outside of some street paving projects and signage replacement, Auman said a larger project involves stormwater and paving on East Lamb and North Wilson streets.
"I'm sure some of you are aware we had someone do some work for us last fall to try and figure out where to put some stormwater catch boxes and try to fix issues we have out there," he said.
2029 proposed projects include the potential purchase of a new miniexcavator and equipment trailer to transport it.
Auman said 2030 would involve signage replacements and paving projects.
2031 projects focus on the purchase of new tools, signage and some paving projects.
In the Refuse Department, Auman said the majority of the proposals involve the replacement of tools, purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE).
In 2027 it does include repair of the driveway to the borough's compost facility.
"It's in bad condition and needs repairs," he said.
In 2030, Auman noted the department would like to replace its 2014 Peterbilt truck. He said it would be 16 years old at that point, which is its typical life expectancy.
Tosti-Vasey asked if the Peterbilt would need to be purchased earlier than 2030 to account for shipment time.
"I know many of these larger vehicles take several years," she said.
Auman said he'd make that decision closer to 2030. He noted the turnaround for these vehicles has improved since 2020.
"They're saying about six months, which is back to normal. We'll really assess that as we get closer to 2029," he said.
For building and grounds, Auman reviewed both the administration building and its second property that houses the police department and other borough offices.
2027 includes the repair of sidewalk and paving repairs along Water Street where the salt shed and police cars are parked.
"It's in pretty rough shape," Auman said.
In 2028 it's proposed the roof of the police department be replaced. Auman said it gets inspected twice a year, so the department is aware it's forthcoming.
The employee parking lot, much like the one with the salt shed, is also proposed to be repaired.
In the administration building, Auman said two HVAC units on the ground level are requested to be replaced.
"The current units are over 25 years old. We've had some issues with them and luckily our contractor has been able to keep them running for us so-to-speak," he said. "Not sure how long they'll last so we want to make sure they're on the forefront."
The proposal for 2027 also includes upgrading lights in borough office spaces and repairing the granite steps at one of its entrances.
Pribulka chimed in to highlight a later proposed project for the administration building, which would involve the reconstruction and rework of some of its office spaces.
"There's probably, with a little more investment, we can make that space better and have a lot more utility there," he said. "It's just a placeholder to have more of a conversation on what that might look like."
He noted that if that renovation project were to be approved in 2030-2031 by council, a large portion of the work could be done in-house by borough employees.
"As we get a little closer and we identify the needs we can firm that up a bit," he said.
Auman also reviewed potential projects under parks and recreation.
He explained $10,000 for tree maintenance is built into each year.
"We typically put in for tree maintenance to help with the upkeep of the trees. They're so tall, we can't maintain them ourselves," he said.
This maintenance can include trimming or removal if trees are marked as dead and a hazard.
Also potentially on the horizon for 2027 is the restoration of a brick walkway around the pergola and gazebo in Talleyrand Park.
"Matt's been getting pricing from a local mason who can restore that brick walkway area both around the pergola and right around the fence," Pribulka said.
Another portion of the brick walkway, which is deteriorating near the stone wall in the park, may also need to be replaced.
The CIP, Pribulka said, includes possibly swapping out the brick for brick-stamped cement walkways.
Pribulka emphasized the pathways being considered do not include the portions that have memorial bricks.
"We are going to leave that as it is. That seems to be in really good shape," Auman said. "We were going to focus on the walkway on the bridge side and along that wall by the gazebo."
Potential design of a restroom near the Stage at Talleyrand -- a project being funded by a local group -- is also included in the 2027 CIP.
2028 would include the purchase of a zero turn mover to replace one that is reaching 20 years old and potential restroom construction for Talleyrand.
Auman said the building pricing -- which is estimated at $200,000 -- is a placeholder at the moment.
Also in 2028 was the potential design of the Talleyrand and Mazzulo Trail connector.
Council President Doug Johnson spoke up about the restroom proposal, noting in its agreement with the group handling the fundraising for the Stage at Talleyrand, the borough was not putting its own funds into the projects.
"When we went into this project we all said with the stage we had no money invested in this. That $200,000 is coming out of our borough budget. Not the stage budget. That wasn't what we originally agreed upon," Johnson said.
Council member Barbara Dann noted the restrooms were something that could be used year-round for visitors.
"We've gotten by with what we have. If the stage wasn't there, we wouldn't be having this discussion," he said. "There is one restroom there that serves that park."
Pribulka said all the projects in the CIP aren't necessarily expected to be funded through the borough's budget.
"It's not here suggesting that it will be a borough funded project. But it will be a borough project because it's on borough land," he said. "The funding is something we have to get a better handle on. We wanted to put this in here because it's something we'd have to initiate and manage."
He offered to place a note in the CIP in the narrative that would acknowledge the project wouldn't be funded through taxpayer funds prior to it being published.
Council member Deborah Cleeton asked why the rehabilitation of the suspension bridge wasn't included.
"We had estimates earlier this year of timber replacement for that," she said.
Pribulka said that was a good catch and that it could be included for 2027. He explained the borough is waiting to hear from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) on the potential application for the Heritage Lumber Foundation grant to purchase the deck material.
"I don't think we'll have funding secured for this year. We hope to know for sure in the fall what that might look like. It's a 2027 item and probably should be put in there as well," he said.
During its voting session council adopted the resolution, though it elected to make some changes beforehand.
After a motion by Tosti-Vasey and seconded by Dann to approve the resolution, Cleeton motioned to include the suspicion bridge project in the parks and recreation section of the CIP. That amendment was looped into the original motion.
Dann also motioned for an amendment to remove the connector trail plan from the CIP.
"I am not comfortable with spending $1.45 million, or even thinking about that," she said. "I think there are many other things that need that amount of money." Her motion was seconded by Cleeton and approved with Tosti-Vasey the only no.
Following this final amendment, the resolution for the CIP was approved unanimously by council.