Four members were present for Washington’s City Council meeting Tuesday. KCII photo.

The Capital Improvements Plan that lays out a timeline for projects for the City of Washington over the next five years was discussed and tabled at Tuesday’s council meeting. The council had multiple workshops ahead of the meeting to consider different projects from roads to well upgrades. The proposed plan includes $6 million in upgrades to the water plant in Fiscal Year 2017. Fiscal Year 2018 includes $1.3 million for inflow and infiltration work in the southeast basin, $1.5 million for the wellness park, and nearly $2.5 million for fire station construction. Most of these projects are paid for with money from general obligation debt, the quarterly Washington County Riverboat Foundation funds, and grants. City Administrator Brent Hinson explained it’s set up to keep the tax rate around the current rate of about $3.90 per $1,000.

Councilman Brendan DeLong said, “I think it’s important that we move with infrastructure also, by all means. But I also agree that we have some responsibility to provide a wellness park in this town for kids to play at, to draw families to this town. … I think it’s important that we move forward with that, in the same aspect as we keep moving forward with our sewer and water.”

Four council members were in attendance and the item was tabled for full council consideration at their next meeting, ahead of budget workshops. For a link to the plan click here and see page 45.