The Town Council has given its preliminary stamp of approval to a $19 million capital improvement plan for the 2013-14 fiscal year.

The council voted to add $40,000 for sidewalk projects in the downtown area. That money will come from an expected surplus after the Avenue of the Fountains median project is bid.

There is $1,640,000 in the proposed budget for the Avenue of the Fountains improvements, and staff is estimating that bids will fall in the $1.35 million to $1.4 million range, including alternates.

The council was comfortable in taking the $40,000 for sidewalks, leaving $1.6 million for Avenue upgrades.

Councilwoman Ginny Dickey raised a question as to why aspects of the long-range sidewalk plan were removed from the five-year CIP program. She cited areas of the downtown where there are gaps in the sidewalks as a particular concern.

Councilwoman Cassie Hansen agreed.

“Sidewalks are near and dear to me,” Hansen said. “It is really nice to know that we might be able to incorporate some of this work.”

Staff reminded the council that capital improvements are planned projects, but are not implemented unless the funding is available. Work cannot be initiated unless the money is allocated in the budget.

A specific example of this process is the $8.2 million allocated for reconstruction of Saguaro Boulevard. Unless voters approve the general obligation bond in November to fund the project the work will not be done.

There are 21 projects proposed for the capital budget in the next fiscal year. While the Saguaro work is the largest amount, a street project on Shea Boulevard has $3.9 million allocated.

This project includes work between the Beeline Highway and Technology Drive. It provides for widening the westbound side to three lanes, resurfacing the entire street, improvements to the Shea intersection with Saguaro Boulevard including new traffic signals.

The town’s Capital Improvement Fund will provide $957,000 for the work with the remainder coming from a Maricopa Association of Governments and Maricopa County Department of Transportation grant ($2,746,000) and $200,000 from a developer agreement.

There will be $1 million allocated to the annual pavement maintenance program.

An expansion project for Fire Station No. 1 on Palisades Boulevard has $420,000 in the budget. There is also $120,000 for radio equipment for the fire department with $108,000 in grant money and the remaining $12,000 from the General Fund.

The budget includes $300,000 for continued work on Fountain Lake water quality improvements.

There is $336,000 for a project to improve and pave the shoulders along Fountain Hills Boulevard.

The traffic signals at Saguaro and Palisades boulevards are in need of an upgrade and $400,000 is in the budget for that work.

Other work in the capital budget includes Ashbrook Wash channelization ($76,000); drainage projects ($50,000); Downtown Greening ($100,000 grant); Downtown Vision Plan implementation ($200,000); portable live fire training unit ($160,000); street maintenance facility ($225,000); Fountain Park improvements ($825,000); urban trail improvements ($20,000); alley paving ($325,000); highway safety improvements ($57,000); Shea Boulevard eastbound bike lane and overlay ($651,000); and a contingency of $190,000.

On Thursday, the Town Council will consider adopting a preliminary budget that includes the $19,198,080 for capital improvements, along with $22,407,378 from all other funds totaling $41,655,378.

Once adopted the preliminary total cannot be increased, but can be reduced prior to final adoption.

Final consideration of the budget, with a public hearing, is scheduled for the regular council session on Thursday, June 6.