Capital Improvement Committee

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Board Description

The Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) is a sub-committee of the Nashua City Planning Board (NCPB). The CIC is an appointed committee, with its composition as follows: four (4) citizens appointed by the NCPB, the City Treasurer, the City Comptroller, the City Planning Director, and a liaison of the Board of Aldermen. Historically, one of the citizen members is a NCPB member. In an annual cycle that begins in late summer and is completed in late spring, the CIC receives, evaluates, and makes recommendations on capital improvement projects requested by each municipal department. The CIC's function as an appointed body is advisory in that it makes recommendations to the NCPB, and then to the Mayor, and Board of Aldermen on priorities for funding requested capital improvement projects.

The CIC process is as follows: a) Late summer: Letters are sent out to Division/Department Heads requesting their detailed CIP project submittal information for the next fiscal year, in addition to a listing of projects within a six-year time frame. Each year, Division/Department Heads reassess all of their prior project requests and add a new sixth year; b) fall through early winter: The CIC reviews all project requests, conducts site visits to locations of proposed projects, and schedules public meetings for Division/Department Heads to present their project requests for the next fiscal year; c) beginning of calendar year: After all requests have been heard, the CIC meets to prioritize all requested projects; d) Late winter: The CIC makes its recommendations to the Nashua City Planning Board (NCPB), and then to the Mayor, and the Board of Aldermen; e) Within 30 days of receipt of the CIC's recommendations: The NCPB may attach its own amendments to the CIC's recommendations to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, but such amendments shall be in the form of supplementary recommendations or comments attached to the proposed CIP Budget; f) Early spring: the Mayor reviews all recommendations regarding the CIP, together with the rest of the City's budget requests, and makes his recommendations for funding to the Board of Aldermen; g) through the spring: the Budget Committee hearings are held for the proposed CIP Budget and for City Division/Department budget requests; h) at start of Budget Committee hearings: The CIC makes its presentation to the Aldermanic Budget Committee regarding its recommendations for project funding and the relative priorities assigned to each, including rationale and justification for those recommendations; i) by the end of Spring: the Aldermanic Budget Committee makes its recommendations to the full Board of Aldermen; a public hearing is held, and by the end of the fiscal year (June 30) the Board of Aldermen adopt the final City Budget. Definition of a capital improvement: a capital improvement will be any single project requiring an expenditure by the City of $50,000 or over, and which falls into one of the categories listed below. Projects under $50,000 will only be considered by the CIC if there are exceptional circumstances.

1. The purchase, construction, replacement or rehabilitation of any physical facility for the community with an anticipated life in excess of ten (10) years; Amended by Committee February 15, 1994, for FY 1996 CIC process. 2. The purchase of equipment for any physical facility when first erected or acquired; 3. Significant equipment purchases. (Amended by the CIC February 15, 1994 for the FY 96' process.) 4. The acquisition of property of a permanent nature; 5. The acquisition of land or interests in land; 6. The construction, reconstruction, or major improvement of public facilities such as highways and sewerage lines; 7. Any other expenditure which increases the physical assets of the community; 8. Surveys or studies relative to the aforementioned items or of significant value to the community; and 9. The purchase of wheeled vehicles or motorized equipment having an anticipated life of over twelve (12) years, and which are not included in the City's Capital Equipment Reserve Fund. Definition of Priority Categories: In order to evaluate each proposed capital improvement project with other projects for the same department, and with projects from other departments, the Committee utilizes the following priority categories: A. Essential (highest priority) - Projects which are required to complete or renovate a major public improvement; projects which will remedy a condition dangerous to the health, safety, and welfare of the public; or projects which will provide facilities for a critically needed community program. B. Desirable (second priority) - Projects which will benefit the community; whose validity of planning and timing have been established. C. Acceptable (third priority) - Projects which are adequately planned, but which can be postponed if budget reductions are necessary. D. Deferrable (fourth priority) - Projects which are definitely recommended for postponement or elimination from the capital improvements program since they pose serious questions of adequate planning, proper timing, or community need. E. Other - Those projects presented as capital improvement projects by various departments but which in the CIC's opinion do not meet the definition of a capital improvement project as such or which are more appropriately funded in another manner. Non-prioritized.

About the Board

The Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) is a sub-committee of the Nashua City Planning Board (NCPB). The CIC is an appointed committee, with its composition as follows: 4 citizens appointed by the NCPB, the City Treasurer, the City Comptroller, the City Planning Director, and a liaison of the Board of Aldermen.

The Committee receives, evaluates, and makes recommendations to the Planning Board and then the Mayor and Board of Aldermen on funding capital improvement projects requested by each municipal department.