Wellington residents can post their opinions online at www.wellingtonfl.gov for capital improvements they believe are important for the village.
Recommendations will be considered during the council’s capital improvements workshop on Monday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. in preparation for budget approval. Input on the Wellington Budget Challenge, which includes the capital budget, has been extended from Aug. 24 to Aug. 31.
Capital projects currently make up about 12 percent of the 2016 budget, or $6.6 million, which is down $1.1 million from the previous year.
Total general government projects of $2.7 million are budgeted for fiscal year 2016, with $9.3 million through 2020, with $800,000 planned in fiscal year 2016 for the Acme Improvement District renewal and replacement program to improve conveyance and drainage through a $30 per unit assessment initiated in 2014, and a total of $3.4 million through 2020.
About $250,000 will be spent to upgrade major technology equipment, cables, wireless communications, broadcasting and telephone equipment, with a total of about $1 million through 2020.
General facility improvements will include $135,000 to upgrade buildings to extend their usefulness. The neighborhood parks and trails programs have $200,000 in improvements earmarked, with a total of about $1.1 million budgeted through 2020.
Parks will see about $140,000 in improvements, with $820,000 budgeted through 2020. About $210,000 will be spent on road and pathway expansion for non-vehicular connections to key destinations.
A roundabout costing $450,000 is budgeted for the intersection of Stribling Way and Pierson Road in lieu of a traffic signal, and streetscaping is planned with the installation of landscaping and pedestrian features on village roadways at a cost of $105,000 for 2016 and $440,000 through 2020.
Surface water system work to improve flood control and water quality is planned at a cost of $100,000 for 2016 and $950,000 through 2020.
Turn lanes and traffic engineering for reworked drainage are planned for Big Blue Trace at the Barberry Drive and Wiltshire Village Drive intersections at a cost of $300,000 for 2016, and $750,000 through 2020.
Water and wastewater projects total $3.9 million for 2016, with $14.2 million budgeted through 2020. Of that, $360,000 will be spent to repair and replace existing manholes and gravity pipes. Lift station upgrades and rehabilitation are planned at $315,000 for 2016, and more than $3 million through 2020.
Water distribution and transmission renewal and replacement is budgeted for almost $1.2 million in 2016, and almost $4.3 million through 2020, as well as $385,000 in 2016 and $765,000 through 2020 for wastewater treatment facilities.
About $1.3 million is budgeted for renovations at the village’s water plant to comply with regulatory requirements and maintain expected levels of service and reliability.
The council adopted a truth in millage (TRIM) tax rate of 2.45 mills on July 14 and will hold its first public hearing on the proposed budget, the capital improvements element and Acme budget on Thursday, Sept. 10, with final adoption on Thursday, Sept. 24.
This Council will do whatever they want to do, not what the majority of folks in Wellington want done.
We’ve seen this with the exclusive contract given to ‘friends’ for the failed KPark Horse Park and the last KPark RFP in which outraged residents showed up in force to protest.
Be alert and recognize that this current Council will be giving over open park land for more massive development.
It’s only their ‘ good old boy’ friends who get what they want pushed through.
Get rid of this entire Council and vote in new leadership.
Time for these ‘good ole boys’ to go.