By James Windell
In a special workshop meeting on Monday, April 14, 2025, the South Haven City Council received a capital improvement plan.
Presenting a 90-minute slide presentation on capital improvement for the years 2026 to 2032 was Department of Public Works Director Dana Burd. He explained that a capital improvement plan (CIP) lays out the financing, location, and timing for capital improvement projects over several years.
A capital improvement project – also called a capital project – is typically a permanent structural change to a property or asset to prolong its life, increase its value, or enhance its capabilities.
When introducing Burd’s presentation, South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier said that “This capital improvement plan is how we are going to lay things out for the next six years. It shows what’s on our minds; what’s on our radar; and how we’re going to get it done.”
As Burd began his presentation, he said that last year he was new to his position as Director of Public Works and “I went along with what we had. Now I’ve had a chance to dig in and see what some of those estimates were based on. There are still some projects in future years that we still don’t have a lot of definition about, but in this plan we get into what is the estimated cost and we try to get a really accurate picture as to what the scope of the projects will be.”
He went on to explain that in his report he has tried to show total project costs. He also said that an assessment was made for every City asset and facility visiting every one of them and getting a good sense of what the needs are for each one. He stated in the beginning of his report that a capital improvement plan is a fiscal management tool for the city and that it is an integral part of budgeting. “We really work on this year around,” he added.
In his comprehensive report, Burd began by reviewing each facility owned by the city and looking at projects and expected expenditures for 2025-2026 and for each fiscal year through 2031/2032.
The first City facility discussed was the City Hall. He pointed out that projects for this year include bringing the elevator up to code. This will cost $18,000 in 2025-2026 and as much as $130,000 in 2026-2027. Other projects this year involve interior lighting updates (at a cost of $35,000) and a south entrance ramp and exterior stairs repairs (costing about $50,000). A major expense, anticipated in 2030-2031, is a roofing system replacement which could cost as much as $900,000.
Burd then discussed several other buildings owned by the City pointing out the projects and repairs slated for the next few years to each. Facilities that will need various projects include the Center for the Arts, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum and the Public Safety Building. The Public Safety Building will also require a roofing system replacement, perhaps in 2029-2030 at a cost of $460,000.
Burd’s detailed report went on from facilities to parks, cemeteries, and marinas as well as streets and sidewalks in need of repairs.
At the end of his report, Burd said that none of the projects in the capital improvement plan would be started without City Council approval and “When we make sure that funding is in place for each project.”
