Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A new fire truck, improvements to City Hall and Centennial Hall and a finished sidewalk at 13th Street are just three of the capital improvements the residents of Steamboat Springs could see next year. City Council will discuss a number of major capital improvement projects today when it meets at Steamboat Springs Airport for its annual budget retreat.
Capital improvement project expenditures account for $3,696,635 of the $34,294,818 in the proposed budget, a drop of almost 40 percent from this year's revised budget figures for capital improvements. Nonetheless, the city is hoping to finance some major projects in the upcoming year. Also, the city will likely find it has more money to spend than it anticipated after the mid-budget review in July.
The new fire truck would replace a similar truck that has been in operation since 1979. The new truck, at a cost of $80,000, will have at least a 100-foot ladder.
"I fully expect council to support us," Fire Chief Bob Struble said. "It's been in the five-year CIP for a number of years."
The truck, as Struble discussed, is part of the city's five-year capital improvement program and would be paid for out of the city's general fund.
The city police department is similarly looking to improve its infrastructure by remodeling the public safety building at 840 Yampa St. The facility's meeting room will be vacated by City Council and the Planning Commission when those two groups move to Centennial Hall early next year. Public Safety Services will then transform the meeting room into offices and move a locker room into newly freed-up office space.
To bring its bus fleet into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, the transit department is proposing to buy six new wheelchair-accessible vehicles in 2001, five of which will be vans. The department is asking for about $200,000 to match a grant that would pay for the vehicles.
Centennial Hall, which will likely be up and running by February of next year, was paid for primarily out of the 1999 and 2000 budgets. The building, however, is up for some improvements, including the purchase of new phones and expanded parking.
Just across the street from the centennial building, the old city hall building will be up for a number of improvements as well. Because of complaints about moldy ceilings and a leaky roof, the city is looking to remodel its main building to the tune of at least $150,000. Although the planning department will be relocated to the Centennial Hall building, many of the city's departments will continue to brave the old building.
The public works department may need as much as $284,000 to complete a 13th Street sidewalk project to help pedestrians get around safely and to provide easier access to scenic destinations such as Emerald Mountain. The sidewalk, which was begun this summer, covers an area from Evans Street to Gilpin Street.
"It's worked out great," said John Spezia, one of the organizers of the sidewalk campaign. "We just need to get it connected. Basically, we've got a half a trail now."
The sidewalk will eventually reach to the 13th Street bridge. The cost may be as much as $140,000 less than what the public works department requested, depending on whether the city has to pay contingency fees to the railroad company for crossing the tracks, Spezia said.
Also on the agenda for capital improvements are a dehumidifier for the tennis center, Whistler area lighting improvements and a $62,500 subsidy for the Regional Affordable Living Foundation.

To reach Avi Salzman call 871-4203 or e-mail asalzman@amigo.net