Civic amenities and public facilities not only draw visitors and families to cities, they also greatly increase opportunities for municipal revenue and growth. These high-dollar projects are leading "Top Priorities" lists, but budget constraints are big hurdles to overcome.

There is a precedent for using private funds to build public facilities such as stadiums and theaters. Now, civic assets such as multi-purpose centers may become prospects for public-private partnerships or P3s for the same reason.

Public officials cannot find funding for large civic projects. Private capital is needed.

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Virginia Port Authority contemplating private sector operation of terminals

The Port of Richmond is managed by the Virginia Port Authority. Authority officials are considering private sector firms to operate the state's ports.

Will be in collaboration with public, private universities in six areas of country

Mark Ansboury

A private company is planning to deliver ultrahigh-speed Internet service for six communities that are near research universities throughout the country. Gibagit Squared plans to work with a collaboration including both public and private universities seeking to build networks that are extremely fast. Their goal is to promote education and health care services and scientific research in those communities.

The company is currently negotiating with one yet-to-be-announced community and will announce others as they sign on. Mark Ansboury, president and co-founder of Gigabit Squared, noted that the United States is falling behind other countries that are already building high-speed Internet infrastructure. Boston is the nation's fastest city with an average bandwidth of 8.4 megabits, but that is only good enough to have the city ranked 51st in a survey last year by a network service provider. The world's fastest city was Daegu, South Korea, at 21.8 megabits per second.

Officials say scientific research and remote medical technology will definitely benefit from ultrahigh-speed service, but only when next generation networks are put in place will the magnitude of its effects on advanced online education systems and remote medical diagnosis and health care be known.

Pennsylvania school district plans massive renovation projects

Bryan McGraw

A $13.1 million district-wide renovation project is in the works for the North Pocono, Pennsylvania, School District. Superintendent Bryan McGraw said favorable bond rates and growing needs of the district's facilities point to the need for the projects now. The only school in the district not slated for renovations is the last school built, the local high school. Among the projects for school buildings and athletic facilities are roof repairs, security systems and technology upgrades. The North Pocono Middle School will get the biggest piece of the pie, with expenditures there estimated at $6.6 million, including $2.2 million for heating and cooling systems. The Jefferson Elementary School would see $2.27 million in renovations and the highest athletic facility expenditure would be for synthetic turf at a cost of $950,000. These expenditures are contingent on adequate state funding. If that funding is not available, the scope of the project will be revisited.

Maryland schools to benefit from state's approval of $161 million in funding

The first round of state funding headed to Maryland schools for FY 2013 was recently approved by the Maryland Board of Public Works. A total of $161 million in school construction funds will benefit school systems in the Baltimore area. With about $187.5 million approved in January, total funding for FY 2013 for these schools totals $187.5 million. That denotes an increase of $85 million over FY 2012. About 40 projects are being funded for upgrades that include air conditioning, boilers, roofs, elevators, doors, windows and fire alarms. The funds will also pay for construction of a new Waverly Elementary/Middle School and the completion of a renovated and expanded Leith Walk Elementary. Additionally, a new elementary and middle school are planned for construction in Howard County and an addition to help house kindergarten classes will be added in Anne Arundel County. Funding in the Baltimore area includes: Anne Arundel County - $33.3 million; Baltimore County - $43.3 million; Baltimore City - $42.6 million; Harford County - $14.5 million; and Howard County - $32.4 million.

Portland State unveils plans for makeover of Stott sports facility

A $44 million makeover of the Peter W. Stott Center on the campus of Portland State University will change the venue to an upgraded multipurpose facility that features an 82-foot glass entry. As seen in the accompanying architect's rendering, the new "Viking Pavilion" includes plans for replacing the eastern half of the building with a concourse and three-story arena. The facility will seat 4,700 for sporting events and 5,500 for performances, tripling the current 1,500 capacity. The gym that is now at the rear of the facility will stay, but additional space will be added for students, academics and physical education. The upgrades will be financed by private funds, deferred maintenance funds and revenue bonds. A campaign has been launched to raise $22 million toward the cost of the upgrades. If a previous plan by the Portland Development Commission to designate Portland State and the surrounding 144 acres as an education urban renewal area comes to fruition, the arena would not be eligible for related revenues. The earliest groundbreaking for the project would likely be 2014, according to university officials. 

 

Oregon school district finally passes bond issue for school upgrades

The Banks School District in Oregon has passed a bond issue aimed at providing funding for repairs in its school buildings. It was the fourth bond issue effort for the district. Approved was a $10.5 million construction bond for numerous facilities. The school facilities currently face roof problems, are in need of asbestos abatement, problems with fire alarms, pipes that need replacing and an aging heating system. The first bond issue was in 2008 and the second in 2010, both losing by a small margin. Even after the bond amount was scaled back last year to $10.5 million, it again failed. This year's bond referendum passed even though voters knew they would face a tax increase.

 

Energy-efficiency projects planned for schools in Wisconsin district

Dave Hazen

Officials of the Racine Unified school district in Wisconsin are planning to spend $42 million to update science labs and incorporate energy-efficiency projects. The school board has voted to borrow $42.25 million. If there are no objections within 30 days of the school publishing its intent to borrow the money, the board can continue with its plans for the loan, according to Unified CFO Dave Hazen. The energy-efficiency projects include such projects as installation of more efficient lighting and water conservation programs. More than two-dozen of the schools in the district would be affected. Five middle schools also would see their science labs updated. All of the projects could begin as early as this summer and be completed by December of next year. Officials estimate that $39 million of the district's $90 million in deferred projects could be taken care of with the funding and that along with energy savings could pay for the projects over 20 years. Some of the funding would be allocated as follows: $9.08 million to the McKinley Middle School for water conservation efforts, replacement boiler and HVAC system and upgrades to windows, doors, roof, science labs and bathrooms; $6.886 million to Mitchell elementary and middle school for water conservation efforts, replacement boiler and HVAC system and upgrades to bathrooms, windows, doors, roof and science labs; $4.5 million to Case High School for athletic area renovations, boiler replacement, HVAC recommissioning, curtain wall improvements and parking lot lighting; $4.2 million to Jerstad-Agerholm elementary and middle school for water conservation efforts and upgrades to windows, doors, bathrooms, roof and science labs; and $3 million to Park High School for boiler replacement, HVAC upgrades and water conservation efforts.

 

Some S. Carolina colleges, universities could get financial help for maintenance

A surplus of lottery funds could help a number of colleges and universities in South Carolina take care of at least part of what is estimated as a $1.1 billion backlog on maintenance projects. The state budget, approved by the South Carolina House, included $11 million for deferred maintenance, but did not include funds for technical colleges of The University of South Carolina, which has the state's largest needs for maintenance. Some of the $18 million in lottery surplus funds could be going to state universities, upping the total amount set aside for maintenance at $32 million. USC officials recently approved a master plan that sets aside $20 million each year for deferred maintenance. In the meantime, the Senate is debating the budget and there has not been any talk of removing the higher education funding that passed out of the House.

 

 For information about these and other contracting opportunities,

 contact Reagan Weil at 512-531-3900

 

Galveston Port to ask for bids for $4.5M transportation terminal

Port of Galveston officials recently agreed to request bids for building a $4.5 million downtown transportation terminal. Attempting to meet a July 28 deadline to begin construction on the project, port officials plan to advertise the request for proposals on June 3 and 10. Plans call for the new transportation terminal to increase the number of parking spaces available to cruise passengers and for short-term visitors. The terminal also will have an information center, a 170-space parking garage, a city bus terminal and public restrooms. The project also includes about $1 million in renovations to the Shearn Moody Garage to bring it up to code and to connect it to the terminal. The city of Galveston has agreed to lease the transit center from the port for the next 40 years. Port officials expect the transit center to be completed in July 2013.

Palo Alto officials studying infrastructure needs for bond election

Yiaway Yeh

Officials in Palo Alto, California, have approved a process for determining which infrastructure projects will likely go on a bond issue vote in 2014. It is part of what Mayor Yiaway Yeh calls the city's "year of infrastructure replacement and renewal." The City Council took the recommendation of its Policy and Services Committee, which said the city needs more time to determine how big a bond issue is needed. A citizens committee last year identified $41.6 million in deferred maintenance projects and recommended replacing the city's police building and two fire stations. A commission also recommended the city increase capital spending by $2 million each year. Staff will begin working on a list of potential projects to be funded, cost estimates for each and potential funding sources, which could include a tax increase or bond measure. The staff report is due by Sept. 1.

  

Oklahoma receives federal grant to upgrade western rail lines

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has received a $6.75 million federal grant it will use to upgrade rail lines in western Oklahoma. The funds will help defray the $8.5 million cost of a project to refurbish nearly 50 miles of state-owned track in Beckham County. With the award of the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant, Oklahoma will begin work on a project that will allow train speeds to increase from 10 mph to 25 mph and place fewer restrictions on how many cars per train are allowed, resulting in the fast delivery of oil to keep up with increased oil and natural gas production in the area.

 

South Portland hoping voters will approve $10 million public works complex

Officials in South Portland, Maine, have unveiled plans for a new facility for the Public Works, Transportation and Parks departments. The 65,000-square-foot facility would serve all three departments and would also have covered parking for service vehicles, a seven-bay maintenance garage and shared administrative space. City Councilors now will have to ensure that taxpayers will approve a bond to pay for the construction and are trying to sell the project on how much the facility will save the city by consolidating space and services and allowing maintenance on city equipment at the new maintenance garage. The current facility for Public Works was built in the 1930s. Equipment is left outdoors because there is no storage space and the complex of buildings is in various stages of disrepair. The new complex would take up about 10 acres and would also include covered salt and stand storage, a greenhouse, wash bay and refueling station.

 

Arlington gets look at proposed capital improvement plan for city over 10 years

Barbara Donnellan

Plans to spend $2.45 million over the next 10 years are part of a capital improvement plan for the city of Arlington, Virginia, laid out recently by City Manager Barbara Donnellan. Among the proposed projects are street improvements, a streetcar line and an aquatics facility. Donnellan told the members of the County Board that her proposal focuses on maintenance, street paving and technology infrastructure. But board members will also be determining how much to spend on schools, fire stations, bridges and other improvements. All of Donnellan's proposals would result in a $111 million bond proposal that includes $42.5 million for the swim center; $25.7 million for maintenance and park facilities, streets and transportation infrastructure; $14.6 million for Metro; $13.5 million for transportation systems and $11 million for needs among neighborhoods. Another $537.7 million is set aside for schools, $114 million for paving projects, $76 million for parks and $71 million for other facilities. A final vote on the capital budget is set for late July.

 

State funding set aside for capital improvement transportation projects

State funding totaling $37.5 million has been set aside for capital improvement transportation projects in Hawaii. Among the projects are those that address storm damage to highways and roadways that occurred in March. The funding includes close to $8 million for construction at Kahului Airport, $5.41 million for construction of an aircraft parking apron extension at Kahului Airport; $2.5 million for construction of a new public address and gate management system at Kahului Airport, $2 million for Han Highway improvements including widening of roadways to allow two-way traffic flow for emergency vehicles responding from a local fire station, nearly $1.7 million for construction of a runway safety area extension at the Kapalua-West Maui Airport, $300,000 for design and restoration of shoulders on the Honoapiilani Highway, $4,000 for design of a taxiway safety area extension at Hoolehua Airport,  $15 million for emergency slope repairs and $7 million for emergency drainage repairs on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Molokai.

 

 For information about these and other contracting opportunities,

 contact Reagan Weil at 512-531-3900

 

Check out these recent awards:

• Reiman Corp. was awarded a $1.4 million contract by the Wyoming Transportation Commission to rehabilitate bridges on highways in Lincoln, Sublettee and Sweetwater counties.
• Massana Construction was awarded a $1.7 million contract from the city of Denton, Texas, for the construction of a new pedestrian bridge over Loop 288.
• Riverside Contracting was awarded a contract worth $20.2 million by the Wyoming Transportation Commission for a highway reconstruction project that includes six miles of I-90 southeast of Buffalo.
• Desmear Systems Inc. was awarded a $7.7 million contract from DeKalb County, Georgia, for cleaning, grubbing, rock and soil excavation and construction of a retaining wall at the Snapfinger Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility.
• HK Contractors won a $4 million contract from the Wyoming Transportation Commission to help preserve the pavement on highways in Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater and Unita counties.
• Evolvent Technologies has been awarded a 1-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract from the National Institutes of Health to provide IT services and solutions for the NIH Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center. 
• ManTech International has been awarded a contract by the FBI to provide essential and mission-critical support services for the CJIS portfolio of Justice and Public Safety Systems - collectively known as Systems of Services (SoS). The award to ManTech is valued at $77.9 million with a six-month base period and four option years.
• Noresco has secured an almost $9 million Energy Department Energy Savings Performance Contract to install a 1 MW PV solar system and other energy efficiency upgrades at the Federal Aviation Administration's Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control facility.

Detroit Public Schools to sell properties and reinvent their purposes

Roy Roberts

Detroit Public Schools is working in tandem with city officials to repurpose many vacant school properties and is looking to sell some 84 of them. The city's decreasing population has also meant a decline in school enrollment, so many of the school district's facilities are no longer in use. So the city and the school district are working together on a citywide effort to turn those vacant properties into successful redevelopment projects. To help move the project along, the Detroit Planning Commission has recommended an ordinance to allow for nearly 20 new uses for the buildings that were originally built as schools in residential zones. DPS Emergency Manager Roy Roberts said the cost to raze the empty buildings is between $300,000 and $900,000. If the properties are sold, however, those sale dollars can go back into the school district coffers to help reduce its deficit. In the last three years, DPS has made more than $8 million off the sale of vacant properties. Roberts said the sale of empty properties will ensure they don't become eyesores in their respective communities. Some of the properties are being considered for such uses as housing, a business incubator and a food processing center. Among the additional uses if an ordinance is approved are assisted living facility, boarding school or dormitory, nursing home, loft, adult or child care center, library, museum, business college or trade school, medical or dental clinic, office, radio or TV station, recording studio, health club, youth hostel and school of dance, music, art or cooking.

  

Partnership leads to opening of two urban parks in downtown Ohio

Thanks to a public-private partnership, two new urban parks in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio, kicked off a new season over the Memorial Day weekend. The partnership has added a walkable area to the downtown area and officials expect it will also provide an economic boost for the area. Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC)/Capitol South teamed with private non-profit development organizations to raise more than $70 million to develop the two parks. The Columbus Commons was developed on the site of a former City Center Mall, which has been vacant since 2009. When it opened in May of last year, it boasted 300,000 visitors in the first year. The park area is expected to be the site of more than 230 planned events this year, bringing money to the downtown area and boosting the local economy. The parks area features a carousel, an outdoor reading room with free Wi-Fi access, and will be home to concerts and other events such as outdoor films and orchestra performances, recreation classes and more. Less than two blocks away, an 11-acre park along the riverfront drew 500,000 in its first year. It features a massive fountain and an interactive water play area and restaurant. It also features concerts and movies.

Port of Wilmington, state seeking public-private partnership

Alan Levin

The Port of Wilmington and the state of Delaware are searching for a private sector partner to operate the port terminal and provide infrastructure upgrades such as expanding the port by adding ship berths that could cost as much as $500 million. Expanding on the Delaware with container ship docks, cranes and cargo facilities would allow for deeper-bottom vessels that cannot currently traverse the shallower water on the Christina River. Delaware Economic Development Office Director Alan Levin said the state is seeking a long-term lease or partnership that would include developing a deepwater container terminal to attract larger ships. The main navigation channel is currently being deepened from 40 to 45 feet. "We are looking for individuals, an entity, that can help us get to the Delaware River," said Levin. "The State of Delaware and the port do not have the funds to do that." Cost estimates for building the berths are estimated at a half-billion dollars. Two bidders have already shown interest - Kinder Morgan Inc. and Delaware Terminal Operation Co. There are a growing number of ports nationwide seeking public investments.

 

Ohio

• The Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is seeking psychiatric services to support mental health programming within the DYS juvenile correction facilities.
• The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is seeking proposals from qualified individuals, agencies or organizations to perform statistical services to develop a predictive statistical model to identify geographic areas in Ohio where children under age six years have a high risk for elevated blood lead levels (targeted testing plan).
• The Ohio Department of Administrative Services is seeking proposals for a Digital License Plate Production and Graphics Design System for the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

New Mexico

• The State of New Mexico is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide food services to operate various nutritious food service programs statewide and will be a joint effort procurement involving four major state agencies - the NM Children Youth and Families, NM Corrections Department, NM Department of Health and the NM Department of Public Safety.
• The State of New Mexico, on behalf of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, is seeking a single offeror contractor responsible for implementing a statewide outsourced LiveScan fingerprinting service solution for all applicant background checks in the state.
• The State of New Mexico is seeking to award three separate contracts to provide services, administer and operate the New Mexico Commodity Supplemental Food Program in Central and Northern, Southeastern and Southern New Mexico in conjunction with the New Mexico Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture.  

North Dakota

• The North Dakota Department of Human Services is seeking proposals for an entity to provide respite care services through temporary child care of children with emotional and behavioral disabilities in the West Central Human Service Center region.
• The North Dakota Department of Agriculture, Pesticide and Fertilizer Division, is soliciting proposals for lab services to analyze water samples for pesticides.

New Jersey

• The State of New Jersey is seeking proposals for police and homeland security equipment and supplies.
• The State of New Jersey is seeking proposals for telephone-based tobacco cessation counseling.

Georgia

• Atlanta Public Schools is seeking proposals to provide an e-mail and content filtering solution.
• The Georgia Secretary of State's Office is seeking to contract with a vendor to provide janitorial services. The contract will be for a period of one year with four optional year renewals.

Patricia A. "Patty" Perillo (top left), dean of students at Davidson College and a 25-year veteran of higher education, has been named Virginia Tech's next vice president for student affairs, succeeding Ed Spencer. Ajay Nair (top middle), senior associate vice provost for student affairs at the University of Pennsylvania, will become the new senior vice president and dean of Campus Life at Emory University, replacing John Ford, who served in that capacity for 11 years. Col. Pete Flores (top right), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division director, will retire at the end of this month after more than 27 years of state service, with Chief of Staff David Sinclair, who has worked for TPWD for four decades, named acting division director. Michael Rock, town manager and public works director in the Bay Area community of Fairfax, has been chosen because of his public sector experience and expertise in water issues as city manager of the city of Lomita, California. Frederick Hill, superintendent of the Tupelo, Mississippi, Public School District, will be the new superintendent of the Natchez-Adams school district. Lehigh County (Pennsylvania) Executive Don Cunningham has been nominated to lead the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, the region's primary economic development agency, to replace Phil Mitman, who left at the end of April. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko (middle right), under fire for his reported personality conflicts with fellow members and agency staff, said he will quit the agency once his successor is found. Industrial engineer Verna M. Fitzsimmons (middle center), who has served Kent State University as interim dean, has been named Chief Executive Officer and dean at Kansas State University-Salina, replacing Dennis Kuhlman, who is retiring. Don Borut (middle left), who has served as executive director of the National League of Cities since 1990, will retire at the end of the year, and a national search will begin for a new executive director. Stevensville Village Manager Joe Sobieralski has been selected as the new city manager in Bangor, Michigan, replacing Michael Selden, who left the job earlier this spring. Sharon Ozment, chief financial officer for Guilford County Schools in North Carolina has announced she will retire on June 30, after nearly 40 years with the school system, the last 12 as CFO. The vice chairwoman of Rhode Island's economic development agency, Helena Foulkes, has resigned her position. Chris Breitmeyer (bottom left), interim vice president and dean of math, science and health at St. Charles Community College in Missouri, has been promoted to vice president for academic and student affairs, replacing Michael Banks, who accepted the presidency at the Blue River campus of Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Mo. Cedar Park (Texas) Fire Chief Chris Connealy (bottom center), who started his career in 1978 as a Houston firefighter and rose to chief, has been appointed the new state fire marshal. Former El Segundo, California, City Manager Doug Willmore (bottom right) was recently chosen city manager of the city of Bell, California, after former City Manager Robert Rizzo was fired over a citywide salary scandal. Bill Lahmann will end his 41 year education career with his retirement at the end of next month, with the last 11 years spent as superintendent of the Olympia (Washington) School District, and will be succeeded by Dick Cvitanich, superintendent of Lake Pend Oreille School District. Ron Tyler, captain in the Florence, Alabama, Police Department and a member of the department for 17 years, has been named police chief, replacing Chief Rick Singleton, who is retiring. Nancy Brickhouse, deputy provost at the University of Delaware and who has been with the university since 1988, will serve as interim provost for the 2012-13 academic year, while a national search is conducted for a replacement for Provost Tom Apple, who will become chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.