City Council to hold hearing on capital improvement projects

Call for special election also on agenda for Wednesday meeting

The Yuma City Council will conduct a hearing to gather feedback from the public on capital improvement projects proposed for fiscal years 2021 through 2025. The hearing will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1 City Plaza, with limited public access.

After the hearing, and based on direction by the council, city staff will present a resolution for the adoption of the Capital Improvement Program.

The council must adopt the CIP on or before the first of July of each year. The first year of the CIP is adopted as part of the annual budget using committed funds. The 2021 CIP includes 54 projects totaling $54.1 million, more than last year, but the city expects 45% of the costs to be recovered through grants, reimbursements and private-public partnerships.

The biggest portion of the proposed CIP budget, at $20.3 million, is allocated to the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, with 88.2% of its projects to be funded through grants. CIP funds are also allocated to the following departments: $13.5 million to Water Utility, $8.4 million to Transportation with 2.3% funded by grants, $5.7 million to Wastewater Utility, and $2 million to Parks and Recreation with 52% funded by grants. If a grant is not received, the project will not move forward.

Years two through five are restricted to the fund balance and reasonably anticipated revenues, and years six through ten are projected based on anticipated demand and funding availability, according to a staff report.

The CIP includes a general summary of content; a list of all capital improvements which are proposed for the program fiscal years, with supporting information as to the necessity for such improvements; cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedule for each improvement; and the estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities to be constructed or acquired.

Find the 2021-2025 CIP here: https://tinyurl.com/y7tqjtwz.

CALL FOR SPECIAL ELECTION

In addition, the council is expected to introduce an ordinance calling for a special election to be held Nov. 3 to allow city voters to determine whether to amend the Yuma City Charter.

The Charter Review Committee, a council-appointed panel, recently presented the council with proposed charter amendments that address elections, supervision of the city attorney, city administrator’s severance pay and compensation for the mayor and council members. The charter can only be amended by a majority vote of Yuma electors.

The agenda also includes the following items:

• A resolution supporting the application for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program, to complete the development of a multimodal transportation center in downtown Yuma at the historic Hotel Del Sol.

• A resolution granting an extension of 180 days for certain permits issued by the city to provide some relief and limit the economic impact COVID-19 has on the start and finish of approved development projects in Yuma. The proposed extension is in recognition of the unprecedented impacts of the coronavirus crisis and particularly the possible impacts on the development industry and approved development projects in the city.

View the complete agenda at www.yumaaz.gov.

HOW TO REMOTELY WATCH THE MEETING

The meeting will be open with limited public access in the City Hall Council Chambers. To protect the public and reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission, the meeting can also be viewed remotely with participation through Zoom. Those wishing to speak at the public hearing or on any agenda item via Zoom must submit an email request to publiccomment@yumaaz.gov an hour prior to the start of the meeting. To view the meeting through Zoom, residents will need to go to https://cityofyuma.zoom.us/, click on “Calendar,” then select the meeting and click “Join.”

The meeting can also be viewed live through the Video and TV Stream quick link at www.yumaaz.gov by searching for Yuma Live Playlist 73 or on TV cable channel 73. A recording of the meeting will be available on the city’s website after the meeting.