The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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October 10, 2009

North Mankato projects add up

Uncertain 14/41 highway project more than half of $50M list

By Mark Fischenich

NORTH MANKATO — Sticker shock is in store for any North Mankato resident who happens upon the city’s five-year capital improvement schedule.

More than $50 million in projects are on the list for the next half-decade, nearly $4,100 for every man, woman and child in the city. But the number is substantially exaggerated by the potentially optimistic inclusion of funding for a new intersection at Highway 14 and Nicollet County Road 41 on the city’s northwest side.

“It’s something over half the (total),” City Administrator Wendell Sande said of the massive highway project. “So it doesn’t look quite as daunting if you factor out 14 and 41.”

The intersection itself would cost $23 million and will occur only if substantial funding is obtained in the next five years from the state or federal governments. Connecting roads for the new intersection will cost another $4.5 million, and much of that work is proposed to move forward in 2010 and 2011.

Much of the rest of the capital budget, which is financed primarily through bond sales and other borrowing, consists of the traditional long list of equipment purchases and smaller construction projects. While the City Council will officially approve a five-year plan in December, the final four years will come before the council again a year from now.

As for 2010, the plan presented by Sande last Monday includes nearly $7.7 million in projects.

The largest is $3.5 million for work related to and preparing for the 14/41 project, including the extension of Carlson Drive.

A new well has been proposed by the city’s public works director at a cost of $1.2 million. Painting and refurbishing a city water tower is expected to cost $272,000.

Park improvements slated for 2010 total more than $828,000, which would be paid for with a half-percent local sales tax approved by the Legislature and North Mankato voters for park improvements and other projects. The work includes $220,000 for new lighting on the original four softball fields at Caswell Park, $200,000 for a pavilion and restrooms at Benson Park and $238,650 for the final land payment for that park.

Restroom and parking improvements at Spring Lake Park total $140,000.

The 2010 portion of the five-year plan also has $200,000 for a street sweeper, $80,000 for a well building/vehicle storage garage, and $56,000 for a pair of police squad cars.

With tight budgets due to state aid cuts, Sande said he knows the council will be hesitant to take on too much additional debt and the debt service that comes with it.

“There will be some hard choices in terms of putting some of these things off,” he said.

And Councilman Bill Schindle suggested that even the capital projects that receive initial approval should have the start of construction delayed as long as possible to see if further state aid cuts are coming.

“Anything next year we can hold off, I’d suggest we hold off until the last minute,” Schindle said.

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