The Blaine City Council approved the city’s 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program at its Dec. 15 meeting, authorizing capital purchases and projects for 2026 on a 5-2 vote. Council Members Jess Robertson and Chris Massoglia voted against the measure.
Finance Director Jason Zimmerman said the Capital Improvement Program, or CIP, serves as a blueprint for the city’s capital investments and reflects an assessment of community needs. He described it as a fiscal management tool used to plan the location, timing and financing of capital improvements over a five-year period.
City staff annually presents a recommended CIP for council adoption, Zimmerman said, noting that the plan is updated to reflect changing needs, priorities and funding opportunities.
Zimmerman said the CIP process includes project submission, evaluation and ranking, financial analysis, plan preparation, and annual review. Council workshops on the program were held June 23, July 14 and Sept. 29.
He emphasized that the CIP is a planning document and does not authorize future spending.
“The CIP is not a budget,” Zimmerman said, adding that it does not bind the city to future expenditures. Authorization to spend funds occurs through council action and adoption of the annual budget.
Zimmerman said the program helps identify and prioritize future projects while projecting capital expenditures needed to meet community demands.
He outlined several benefits of the CIP, including coordinating capital and operating budgets, identifying cost-effective financing methods, balancing existing infrastructure needs with those created by development, evaluating competing demands, linking the city’s strategic plan with fiscal capacity, and informing the public about planned investments.
Zimmerman said considerations in developing the CIP include infrastructure condition, demand for improvements, estimated costs, available resources, potential debt levels, operating costs, and alternatives for providing services.
The city’s CIP is divided into five categories: facilities, transportation, parks, utility infrastructure and capital equipment. The projected five-year investment totals more than $151 million, including $2.7 million for facilities, $42.6 million for transportation, $10.1 million for parks, $71.6 million for utility infrastructure and $24.3 million for capital equipment.
The facilities portion includes $2.7 million in improvements funded through the city’s facilities fund, which was created to centralize maintenance efforts and establish a consistent evaluation process for building needs. Notable 2026 projects include fluorescent lighting replacement and ventilation updates in the evidence room.
Transportation projects account for $42.6 million in projected capital improvements focused on preservation, safety enhancements and major roadway reconstruction. Zimmerman said Blaine’s Pavement Management Program, which began in 2019, includes nine projects in 2026 totaling $7.8 million.
The parks category includes $10.1 million in projected capital improvements for trails, open space, shelters, playground equipment, athletic lighting and related facilities. Notable projects include the Ostmans Park building, the Jefferson Park playground and trail rehabilitation.
Utility infrastructure projects total $71.6 million and focus on maintaining safe, reliable and cost-effective water, storm sewer and sanitary sewer systems. Zimmerman said many utilities are located underground and are coordinated with roadway projects under the Pavement Management Program. Notable 2026 projects include water main relocations related to the Highway 65 project, upgrades to Lift Station 16, and replacement of a culvert and vault.
The CIP also includes $24.3 million for capital equipment to address vehicle and equipment needs. Zimmerman said the city maintains 690 pieces of equipment, with replacement decisions based on condition, downtime, parts availability and maintenance costs.
Zimmerman said 2025 marked the first use of general fund reserves to support capital equipment purchases, which did not increase the tax levy. The city’s goal is to fully prefund capital equipment by 2029.
Council Member Tom Newland said the CIP reflects ongoing discussions about directing alternative revenue sources toward transportation and other investments.
“We’re early in discussions for a lot of this, but I believe that this is a very real option for us that we have talked about,” Newland said. “I think we will continue to see traction come forward in 2026.”
Council Member Chris Ford said he supports capital improvement programs as a long-term planning tool.
“So I just like them as a financial tool for the future,” Ford said.