Neenah's capital plan shows spike in spending due to new downtown parking ramp
NEENAH — Government spending on Neenah infrastructure and equipment is projected to rise sharply next year.
The city's newly approved capital improvement plan lists $105.6 million in expenditures in the next four years, including $42.7 million in 2025.
Projects driving the record amount next year include:
$18 million to construct a downtown parking ramp.
$3.1 million to replace and stabilize the seawall at Doty Park.
$3 million to pay for the first half of a two-year, $6 million renovation of Fire Station 31 on Breezewood Lane.
$2.4 million to reconstruct South Commercial Street between Stanley Street and Winneconne Avenue. That accounts for the city's share of the state project.
$1.3 million to reconstruct Bergstrom Road between Breezewood and Winnebago County G.
$1 million to develop Arrowhead Park.
How will this impact Neenah's debt load?
The borrowing necessary to support the 2025 expenditures totals $38 million, though the $18 million for the parking ramp might be funded by lease revenue bonds, instead of general obligation debt.
Finance Director Vicky Rasmussen said Neenah will need to reduce the level of borrowing shown in the plan.
"I will not be borrowing that much money, and I won't let the city get into that much debt," Rasmussen told The Post-Crescent. "We're going to have to sit as a group and prioritize what the city needs the most."
In each year of the capital improvement plan, new debt would exceed the amount paid off. Rasmussen said her ultimate goal is to borrow no more than what Neenah pays off in a given year, but the city isn't at that point yet.
"We're much closer than we've been," she said.
The capital improvement plan isn't a formal budget. Rather, it serves as a budgetary guide for department directors and elected officials as they prioritize spending for city projects and equipment.
Downtown parking ramp would have 550 to 600 stalls
The capital plan provides few details on the parking ramp, which has been in the works at least since 2018.
Community Development Director Chris Haese said the ramp would have 550 to 600 stalls and would be located on the west end of downtown. He declined to be more specific because the city will need to acquire property for the ramp.
"I don't want that out there until we've had an opportunity to speak with the property owners," he said.
Mayor Jane Lang said building a second parking ramp is essential to the growth of Neenah's central business district because the existing surface parking lots are future development sites.
"Any future development or growth that will arise in our downtown will occur on those surface lots, making it imperative that we create available space with the construction of a ramp to offset the lost surface parking," Lang said in a letter to the community.
The $18 million cost, or at least a portion of it, could be recovered through Tax Incremental Financing District No. 10.
Lang spreads renovation of fire station over two years
Lang divided the renovation of Fire Station 31 over two years to ease the burden in 2025.
In addition to serving as a fire station, the building will house the city's employee health clinic and information systems server room.
Neenah will carry forward more than $800,000 in previously budgeted funds to help pay for the Arrowhead Park development in 2025, and a $500,000 grant from Winnebago County will cover half of a $1 million upgrade of Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue's training tower.
Lang said Neenah will apply for grants to offset the cost of the Doty Park seawall replacement.
What other Neenah projects are on the horizon?
In addition to the big-ticket expenditures listed above, the 172-page plan includes the following expenditures:
2025
$482,960 to pay Neenah's share of purchasing an $800,000 rescue pumper for Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue.
$482,960 to pay Neenah's share of purchasing an $800,000 heavy-duty rescue vehicle for Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue.
$315,000 to start the development of Carpenter Preserve.
$140,000 to construct a flag memorial Shattuck Park. Veterans would contribute $100,000 of the total.
$15,000 to support a new tax incremental financing district for the redevelopment of a Winneconne Avenue neighborhood anchored by Galloway Co.
2026
$1.7 million to reconstruct Wisconsin Avenue between Oak Street and Lakeshore Avenue. The amount includes $100,000 for archaeological services.
$1.3 million to reconstruct Reed Street between Cecil and Washington streets.
$1.2 million to upgrade Dixie and Muttart roads in the Southpark Industrial Center.
$1.1 million to reconstruct Elm Street between Cecil and Division streets.
$900,000 to protect and stabilize the Kimberly Point Park shoreline.
$500,000 to upgrade the locker rooms at the police station.
$335,000 to continue the development of Carpenter Preserve.
2027
$2.5 million to continue the shoreline improvements at Doty and Kimberly Point parks.
$1.4 million to reconstruct West Cecil Street between Green Bay and Tullar roads.
$1.3 million to reconstruct Congress Street between Cecil and Doty Avenue.
$1.3 million to pay Neenah's share of purchasing a $2.2 million aerial fire truck for Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue.
$500,000 to remodel Fire Station 32 on Columbian Avenue.
$500,000 to start the development of a neighborhood park in the Homes at Freedom Meadows subdivision.
$350,000 to rehabilitate and preserve the Kimberly Point Lighthouse.
$125,000 to build a columbarium at Oak Hill Cemetery.
2028
$1.3 million to reconstruct Oak Street between Cecil and Franklin streets.
$250,000 to continue the development of a park in the Homes at Freedom Meadows subdivision.
$225,000 to replace the Jaws of Life on three fire trucks.
An expenditure listed in the previous plan — $700,000 to repaint the Oak Street bridge and replace the lighting — was removed to focus on other priorities, Rasmussen said.
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Neenah's capital plan shows spike in spending due to new parking ramp
