Palm Coast – The City of Palm Coast held a special budget workshop on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the fiscal year 2025 budget season. Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston began the workshop by providing a comprehensive overview of the budget process, which is integrated with the strategic action plan process, before introducing the ten-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston guided the City Council through the budget calendar, outlining key milestones for department overviews for budget preparation. Following this, Stormwater & Engineering Director Carl Cote presented the 10-year CIP, detailing budget allocations and project plans.
Highlights from the Capital Improvement Plan include:
- Design and Phase 1 construction of the Maintenance and Operations Center (MOC), including the Fleet Facility & associated site work.
- Expansion of parking facilities at the Community Center and Indian Trails Sports Complex, alongside lighting additions to baseball and softball fields at the Indian Trails Sports Complex.
- Transportation projects funded through the Transportation Impact Fee Fund, including safety improvements to Whiteview Parkway, Old King Road Widening Phase 2, Belle Terre Parkway Safety Improvements, and the Matanzas Woods Parkway to Palm Coast Parkway connector loop road. State Appropriations and Grant Funding are assisting with the cost of these projects.
- Pursuit of grant funding for various transportation projects and arterial corridor intersection safety studies.
- Construction of Fire Station 26 and the replacement of Fire Station 22, funded through the Fire Impact Fee Fund. State Appropriations have been allocated for Fire Station 26, and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds have been designated for Fire Station 22.
- Street improvement projects focusing on safety and maintenance, such as continuing the street lighting master plan implementation, traffic signal optimization, and bridge rehabilitation.
- Stormwater management projects, including London Waterway Capacity Improvements, P-1 Weir replacement, and Colbert and Blare Castle Pipe Replacement. These projects have received funding from State Appropriations, Pending State Appropriations, and ARPA Funds.
- Utility Rehabilitation & Renovation fund initiatives, including pending grant applications for sewer pipe lining and proactive/reactive maintenance to meet regulatory requirements.
“The 10-year Capital Improvement Program underscores our continuing commitment to planning and managing the infrastructure that supports our exceptional quality of life,” said Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin. ” We remain dedicated to providing the highest levels of public safety and quality of life to all of our Palm Coast residents!”
Following the 10-year CIP presentation, the Palm Coast Fire Department and the Community Development Department gave overviews of their departments in preparation for building the fiscal year 2025 budget. A full recording of the meeting can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/TXktR73EnpM?feature=shared
The City of Palm Coast continues to prioritize transparent and collaborative budgeting processes, ensuring responsible stewardship of funds while meeting the evolving needs of the community. For more information on the budget process, visit https://www.palmcoast.gov/finance/budget-preparation or explore the financial transparency dashboard at https://palmcoastfl.finance.socrata.com/#!/dashboard. For more information on Capital Improvement Projects, visit the Capital Projects dashboard here: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/db9a4ce73f774bdfb5dea84e01b2790c
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