Voter Dollars Put to Good Use

In the recent past, ballot questions have served an important role to help fund critical capital improvement projects in Boulder City. And our aging utility infrastructure has been a big beneficiary.

In 2014, two ballot questions passed with over 70% voter approval. Question #1 authorized expenditures from the Capital Improvement Fund (CIF) of up to $500,000 annually for seven years to meet utility infrastructure needs. Similarly, Question #2 authorized the sale of 29 acres at Adams and Bristlecone for the purpose of “making much needed repairs and improvements to the City’s utility infrastructure.” Then in 2015, a supermajority passed a third ballot question authorizing another $1 million annually from the CIF to maintain and improve City facilities and infrastructure.

Since then, we’ve been aggressively pursuing capital improvement projects, including close to $20 million in utility upgrade and replacement projects. The list is long, so space won’t permit me to mention them all. But you’ll recognize many of the project locations, including water projects at Avenue I, Utah Street, Lake Havasu, Juniper Way, US-93, Lido Drive, Del Prado, Arizona Street, Elm Street, and Judi Lane. Wastewater projects at Birch Street, Utah Street, Buchanan Blvd., Georgia Avenue, and Hotel Plaza. And electric utility projects at Broadbent Park, Marina Drive, Ville Drive, La Plata Place, Shirley Lane, US-93, Arizona Street, Temple Rock, and the Claremont and Gingerwood subdivisions. Of course, several projects have also been occurring at electric substations and other miscellaneous locations, including improvements to transformers, breakers, conduit, feeders, valves, meters, line insulators, and backflow devices.

Most projects were planned. A few were unanticipated. But all have been necessary.

Since the CIF is funded primarily by solar revenues, it’s not surprising that our solar fields have contributed over $10 million toward utility infrastructure projects since 2015. And now utility revenues are also being used to fund major projects, with over $8 million encumbered this fiscal year and another $8.5 million tentatively budgeted for the coming year.

Anyway, I just wanted to report that your CIF solar revenues are being used just as you directed, and your utility dollars are also being wisely invested in a healthy utility system going forward. I’m confident that future generations will applaud you for your selfless foresight.