Norman council reviews FY26 capital improvements plan, sales‑tax priorities and neighborhood park funding

Jacob Huckabe, a budget analyst in the city finance department, opened the council’s discussion of the fiscal‑year‑ending 2026 capital improvements program and the FY28–31 plan, walking members through the budget book, fund tabs and project sheets.

Huckabe said the city’s capital sales tax fund is the largest in the packet and follows previously agreed categories. “The projected capital sales tax revenue is $17,633,956 and the proposed capital sales tax expenditures are 17,524,617,” he told the council, adding the fund would end the year modestly positive by about $109,000.

The presentation detailed major allocations. Capital outlay totals $4,728,384, including roughly $2.5 million for fleet and vehicles; street maintenance projects funded from the sales tax total $3,450,000 in addition to a recently renewed street maintenance bond program; and information‑technology hardware and software requests amount to about $900,000, a number staff said is larger this year because the city included the radio maintenance contract.

Sidewalks were discussed in detail. Staff identified a $500,000 sidewalk package that includes $100,000 for a schools and arterials program (Alama Street from Classen to Morningside Drive), $125,000 for a citywide sidewalk repair program that partners with property owners, $50,000 for a downtown Garver Street segment, $45,000 for an accessibility project and smaller programs for trails and saw‑cutting.

Councilors asked for clearer geographic definitions (for example, where the “downtown” sidewalk money would be spent) and requested maps and follow‑up detail on item boundaries. On monument signage and regional transportation funding, staff said a $225,000 monuments project near Ruby Grant Park will go out to bid imminently and that the city’s roughly $196,000 annual contribution to the regional transportation authority may shift to ballot funding in late 2026 or early 2027.

Huckabe also reviewed the general obligation bond appropriations included in the packet — the 2026 street maintenance bond (~$4.8 million), remaining 2019 transportation bond appropriations (~$2.7 million) and the 2023 bridge maintenance program — and said the voters’ approved permanent shelter and resource facility has the full $8 million appropriated and ready to begin.

On the city’s broader capital fund outlook, staff warned of a timing effect: once bond reserves and previously appropriated projects are factored in, the FY27 projection shows about $8.5 million “available for new projects” as a negative figure. Staff emphasized this is a cash‑timing and multi‑year delivery issue rather than an additional realized deficit and said they will develop a clearer graphic for the public that explains the multi‑year spending profile.

Next steps: staff will provide the requested maps and clarifications to councilors ahead of the June adoption meeting when the council will consider formal adoption of the FY27 appropriations.