Unidentified Speaker 2, a city staff member, told the meeting that the Safe Streets and Roofs for All project contractor bid is finalized and the consultant is preparing the project schedule, marking the start of a grant-funded phase aligned with the city’s Vision Zero planning. "It's been, I think, 2 years since we applied for the grant," the staff member said, adding that the first project phase will include public input and a committee to guide implementation.

The speaker said the Safe Streets grant covers $287,000 and is "completely paid for" with no city match required. On a separate project, the Nash Trails rail-trail award came in larger than requested because consultant costs rose; the state increased the grant amount and the city must provide a $51,000 local match. Unidentified Speaker 2 said consultants are assembling environmental permits required for the 100% design, including state-level approvals and permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to preserve the project schedule.

Staff announced a change to the capital-planning process: department capital requests were due the same day and the city will convene a capital committee that, for the coming cycle, will allow project requesters to present directly to the committee. "We're gonna allow the requesters to come in and present their projects and talk to the committee about them," the staff member said, noting that direct presentations aim to give the committee better information when evaluating projects.

Why it matters: the grant-funded projects affect street safety, bridges and regional trail connectivity and carry real budget implications for matching funds and permitting timelines. The Nash Trails match and environmental-permit requirements are likely to shape schedule and local budgeting decisions; the capital-planning change alters how projects will be evaluated in the near term.

The city also noted a separate bridge design effort in the final-design phase estimated at roughly $260,000. Staff did not provide implementation timelines beyond the consultant-driven schedule and did not identify which departments will lead follow-up reporting. The meeting closed the topic without a formal vote.