City discusses capital improvements

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg City Council briefly discussed a five-year capital improvement plan during a regular meeting this month.

City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld said the biggest project will be drilling a new well.

Tim Moerman of Beck Engineering said the city is in a great spot financially and should line up projects for the future even it didn’t have the money right now. Infrastructure depreciates every day, said Moerman, and the city needs to anticipate what will need updated in the next five to 10 years.

The city may have to move some money because of new legislation that regulates ending balances in city budgets. The state is considering allowing an ending balance of not more than about 25%, said Sandersfeld.

If the state caps the ending fund balance, the city will need to move money it wants to hold over for capital improvements, said Sandersfeld. The city could move it to the equipment fund, he said.

“We’ve tackled a lot of stuff in the last 10 years,” said Sandersfeld. The city is finishing up several major projects. He asked the council to think about projects the city should complete in the next five years.