The Town Council has given staff a green light to proceed with an additional $900,000 in capital improvement projects that had been placed in a sort of pending mode with budget approval earlier this year.

Staff had wanted to provide the council with better revenue projections due to an anticipated downturn because of COVID-19. Five months into the fiscal year those revenue numbers are looking better than anticipated, according to Finance Director David Pock.

The items that will be added back to the capital projects list include miscellaneous drainage projects ($50,000), Pollina/Brantley Drive detention basin ($100,000), HVAC controllers for the town facilities physical plant ($70,000), fire alarm control panel replacement ($80,000), sidewalk infill ($200,000), Four Peaks Park upgrades ($335,000) and parking lot improvements at the Four Peaks Park playground.

There is some flexibility built into some of this work, such as the park upgrades and sidewalk infill. The council also dismissed a preliminary study for a traffic signal at Palisades Blvd. and Eagle Ridge Drive ($50,000).

As contacts are considered for any of the additional projects they will be brought to the council for approval.

Staff also updated the council on the progress of six projects that had been prioritized for the capital plan this fiscal year.

Design work toward the Golden Eagle (Park) Impoundment Area Improvements Phase I is 60 percent complete as of early November. Hydrology and grading concepts are substantially complete, according to a report from Public Works Director Justin Weldy. Additional work needs coordination with outside agencies including the Arizona Department of Water Resources, Maricopa County Flood Control District and Fountain Hills Sanitary District.

Construction on the Panorama Drive Storm Drain replacement project is expected to begin within a couple of weeks, with completion in late January or early February.

The Fountain Lake Liner and equipment assessment is complete. This $139,648 study by Black and Veatch shows systems in relatively good condition.

Fountain lighting replacement is also near completion, with a lighting scheduled for Dec. 15.

The Avenue of the Fountains, La Montana Drive roundabout is open and nearly complete.

The Fountain Hills Boulevard shoulder paving project is well underway and should be complete by late December.

Town Manager Grady Miller reported that the Capital Improvement Fund Balance is around $7 million.