In accordance with the City Charter, City Manager Tom Ambrosino recently submitted the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY 2023-2027 to the City Council.

This five-year CIP is the City’s 24th consecutive capital planning document. The CIP is a multi-year document that identifies long-term improvements to the City’s infrastructure and facilities, and provides a program for prioritizing, scheduling and funding. It consists of a capital budget, which is the upcoming fiscal year’s plan and a capital program, which is an outline for capital expenditures for the four years beyond the capital budget.

For FY23, the proposed total investment is in excess of $24 million. The investment is divided into six “Program Areas”: Parks and Open Space, Utility Enhancements, Public Safety, Public Buildings and Facilities, Surface Enhancements and Equipment Acquisition.

Programs identified for FY23 include but are not limited to improving and/or expanding the City’s open space resources, including full rehabilitation of Highland Park, historical staircase rehabilitation, utility replacements on Willow Street and Central Avenue, a full redesign and remodel of the 911 dispatch center, public building renovations including at the Williams School and Mary C. Burke Complex, and replacing roadways and sidewalks as part of a complete streets and transportation improvement.

In total, this year’s plan capitalizes on federal funding and the City’s current fiscal position to improve the quality of life of Chelsea residents.

Of the 24 million proposed, 12.3 million is funded from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

As part of this submission of the five-year CIP, City Manager Tom Ambrosino asked the City Council to move the CIP to a public hearing. Next steps include a City Council sub-committee meeting to review the plan, and the announcement of a date to hold the public meeting.