The City of Soldotna will see improvements in the next year to its streets, police facility, Soldotna Creek Park and Soldotna Community Memorial Park after approval by the city council last month of a Capital Improvement Plan and appropriation of funding on Wednesday.
An ordinance approved by the council during their Wednesday, July 10 meeting appropriates funding from the city’s general fund to the tune of $575,000 for transfer into the Small Capital Projects Fund. The ordinance says that that money will cover capital projects in the first year of the city’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan that was approved in June.
A memo attached to the ordinance by Public Works Director Kyle Kornelis says that this year’s projects “address transportation, facility repairs, and park investments.”
“This year’s capital budget is modest and is weighted towards maintenance efforts,” he writes.
The projects include $400,000 for rehabilitation of Soldotna streets, $100,000 for exterior maintenance of Soldotna’s police building, $40,000 for improvements to the Soldotna Creek Park stage and $35,000 for new maps and signage at Soldotna Community Memorial Park.
After City Manager Janette Bower gave a brief overview of the projects to the council on Wednesday, the ordinance was passed unanimously without further discussion. All six members voted in favor.
This year’s projects, at $575,000, are the smallest total described for any year of the capital improvement plan. The price tag increases each year to a high of around $16 million in fiscal year 2029.
Future projects include the Riverfront Redevelopment Project, further upgrades at Soldotna Creek Park and the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex and construction of new roads and trails.
A full recording of the city council meeting and the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan can be found at soldotna.org.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
