Capital Committee Meeting: FY27 Capital Budget & General Obligation Bond Recommendations

The Capital Committee convened on March 23, 2026, to review the results of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) survey, discuss the FY27 capital budget outlook, and consider recommendations from staff for both the regular capital budget and a second tranche of General Obligation Bonds (GOB). The committee reviewed a proposed list of projects totaling approximately $50 million in regular capital funding and roughly $21–22 million for GOB issuance, with a focus on addressing critical needs, leveraging federal grants, and incorporating CAC input. A subsequent meeting was scheduled within the next week to finalize recommendations for the Board of Estimate and Apportionment in April.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar was discussed or voted on at this meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No formal public testimony was taken; the meeting was a working session of the Capital Committee.

Discussion Items

• Citizens Advisory Committee Survey Results: Paul presented the results of the CAC survey, which received 15 responses from about 22–23 participants. Key findings included high priority ratings for citywide building repairs (especially City Hall roof), fire department vehicles, refuse division vehicles, bridges (particularly Compton Bridge), and hazardous tree removal. Lower-rated items included Christie Boulevard cycle track improvements, water service to the circuit court building, and the Lyle House renovation. Some items were flagged for needing more information (e.g., electrical gear at 1520 Market Street). The survey also reflected geographic distribution and included comments on standardizing park comfort station designs, improving bike facilities, and the challenge of balancing vast needs with limited funds.
• FY27 Budget Outlook: Paul updated the committee on the capital budget outlook, noting an additional $1 million in interest earnings and the payoff of refuse garage debt, resulting in a total budget of about $50 million. He cautioned that recent surpluses, including ARPA funds, are not recurring sources and may not persist.
• Staff Recommendations (Regular Capital Funding): Rich presented a detailed list of proposed capital projects for FY27, totaling approximately $50 million. Key items included:
  • $1 million for BPS building repairs (discretionary fund for emergency repairs)
  • $500,000 for emerald ash borer-related tree removals
  • Road and bridge projects: $1.5 million for River Des Peres Boulevard reconstruction (federal grant match), $1 million for traffic signal replacements on McCausland/Skinker, $500,000 for Christie Boulevard cycle track, $100,000 for Lindell multimodal improvements, $300,000 for Kings Highway traffic signals, $250,000 for bicycle facility improvements (phased), $300,000 for miscellaneous street/bridge repairs, $2.85 million for Compton Bridge over Mill Creek (federal grant match), $750,000 for ADA transition plan
  • Parks: $275,000 for Soulard Market, $250,000 for pool renovations, $200,000 for Mangelsdorf building heaters, $250,000 for Lyle House (with flexibility for renovation or demolition)
  • Public safety: $455,000 for EMS headquarters roof replacement, $1.5 million for the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) facility, fire department vehicles (ambulances and command vehicles partially funded)
  • Municipal buildings: $200,000 for South Refuse miscellaneous repairs (phased), $150,000 for tow lot relocation design, $600,000 for civil courts building facade repairs (phase 1B), $600,000 for courtroom modernization, security upgrades for medical examiner and circuit attorney offices
  • Information Technology: $50,000 for switch network recapitalization, $100,000 for Cisco core switch replacement
• General Obligation Bond Recommendations: Rich presented a separate list for the second tranche of GOBs, totaling about $21–22 million. Proposed projects included:
  • $1 million for BPS building repairs (though staff noted GOB requires specific project identification)
  • Street items: underground downtown lighting vault repairs, signal timing detection, bridge projects (Columbia and Southwest), ADA transition plan ($1 million)
  • Parks: Bear Brothers Park comfort station replacement ($1.7M), O’Fallon Park YMCA parking lot repairs ($750K), Clifton Heights Park comfort station replacement, glass block repairs at Vashon rec center ($1.2M), hazardous tree removal
  • Public safety: fire department vehicles (eight command SUVs, two 15-passenger vans, one 77-foot quint, dump truck with plow, shop truck), fencing and parking lot security at four engine houses, carpet replacement in fire stations, driveway apron repairs
  • PSAP facility: $3 million (portion of $12M remaining need)
  • City Hall roof repairs ($1M initial phase), 1520 Market Street doors/facade repairs, municipal garage repairs, civil courts building facade (Ziggeret roof replacement, $4.5M), juvenile detention door/lock upgrades ($900K), Hyper-V server replacement for ITSA
• Lease Purchase for Fleet: Paul proposed allocating $3.5 million toward a lease purchase program to supplement vehicle replacements, noting that interest rates could allow approximately $18 million in purchases. Jim from the Comptroller’s Office supported the concept but noted it would require a market survey and further direction from Budget Director McKenzie.
• Tow Lot Relocation Discussion: Ben from the Mayor’s Office expressed strong interest in moving forward with the tow lot relocation to the former MSI site on Hall Street, emphasizing it as a priority for the Mayor. Rich noted the design alone would cost $150,000 and that full construction could be $6 million or more. Jim from the Comptroller’s Office requested inclusion in future discussions on the project and its costs. The committee discussed potentially including a small amount in the GOB or using the BPS building repair fund as a placeholder.
• Lyle House Discussion: Alderwoman Schweitzer detailed the history and current state of the Lyle House at Crondollet Park, noting a fire caused significant damage, and that a $250,000 private grant application is pending. She emphasized that without funding, the building will likely need demolition. Ben from the Mayor’s Office cautioned against spending limited resources on a project without a clear financial path, but Rich noted that $250,000 could cover demolition if renovation proves infeasible. The committee agreed to list the Lyle House line item as “renovation/demolition” to allow flexibility.
• ADA Accessibility at City Hall: A discussion arose about the lack of a accessible entrance at the south parking lot of City Hall. Rich confirmed that the north tunnel entrance is the designated accessible route, and that bathroom upgrades are underway, but work on a south entrance has been challenging.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken at this meeting; the committee is expected to finalize recommendations at a subsequent meeting scheduled within the next week.
• Scheduled Follow-Up Meeting: The committee agreed to meet again by March 30, 2026, to approve a recommendation package for submission to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment in April. (Note: March 30th conflicts with one member’s birthday and another member’s prior commitment; the chair agreed to find an alternative date.)
• Staff Commitments: Rich agreed to revise the GOB list to ensure all items are suitable for bond funding and to check the budget for a separate hazardous tree removal item. Paul agreed to provide updated exhibits with clearer descriptions for the Lyle House (renovation/demolition), the tow lot relocation (design only), and the PSAP funding (more specific categories).
• Lease Purchase: The committee acknowledged the need to proceed with a market survey for a lease purchase program to support fleet replacement, with the $3.5 million allocation remaining in the regular capital plan.