The McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission met with the Town Council last week for its annual joint session and discussion focused on the commission objective to move on construction of the central trailhead for the Preserve.

The town needs to coordinate access and construction at the trailhead with MCO Properties and its work in the Adero Canyon subdivision. However, the trailhead construction, while possibly starting by the end of the calendar year, is not imminent.

Community Services Director Mark Mayer explained to the council and commissioners that the construction money is not in the budget for the current fiscal year. However, he said there is $20,000 in this budget that he could use to conduct surveys needed to complete the engineering and design.

There was an engineering design that is 95 percent complete that was done in 2006. However, access became an issue and the plans have sat on the shelf for nearly 10 years.

The town has approximately $1.8 million designated for construction of the trailhead. It is funding received from development fees in an open space category. Due to changes in state law, the town can no longer collect development fees designated for open space, but can spend what has already been collected.

That money cannot be moved or used for any projects except open space related improvements.

Commission members questioned why more or all of the money was not put in the budget for the current fiscal year, so work could begin more quickly.

Town Manager Grady Miller explained that with the ongoing construction on Shea and Saguaro boulevards, as well as money for Fire Station #2 relocation, to place the additional $1.8 million in the current budget would have violated the annual expenditure limitation for the town.

It is planned that the funding will go into the 2016/17 budget that begins July 1.

Mayer said by July 1 work should be completed on updating code changes, plant inventory and a terrain survey, which would be paid for by the $20,000 available this fiscal year.

With the information updated J-2 Engineering will be able to move forward immediately in the new fiscal year to complete the engineering and architectural design.

At that point the design will be subject to approval before it is sent out for construction bids.

Mayer said that another consideration is that with this design update J-2 is including a planned restroom and ramada at the trailhead along with a seating wall. He said these were not included in the original cost estimate and will stretch the budget beyond the available $1.8 million by about $360,000.

Mayer said they would ask that the balance come from the Capital Improvement Fund (CIP).

With the current cost estimate of $2,160,000 Mayer said the town would look for opportunities in negotiating with the contractor and looking for other cost cutting opportunities to reduce the overall cost of the project.

Vice Mayor Henry Leger reminded the council and commissioners that a similar approach was used for the Avenue of the Fountains Plaza and resulted in significant savings over the budget.

Mayor Linda Kavanagh noted this is an important project because citizens voted in support of the Mountain Preserve but have had only very limited access for nearly two decades since it was established.

Mayer said the trailhead is designed to accommodate up to 40 vehicles and offer flexibility to allow buses to park. They also want to look into repairing the visible scar across the mountain where the old Jeep trail was cut. This is currently the Promenade Trail.