I don't want to live in Kingman but did buy a place there as a rental. This may be an area to consider for some of you. As I mentioned before Kingman does not have enough quality housing for rent and the market is hot for nice rentals right now. They are going to be putting in a Home Depot next year and that is when the real growth will occur in my opinion. Anyhow, here is an article from a local Kingman paper today.
City looks at projects to handle growth
By Marvin Robertson
Miner Staff Writer
Kingman City Manager Roger Swenson has told the City Council that the capital expenditure budget proposed for the next five years assumes that record housing growth will continue.
“It is more than a wave of growth or a short cycle,” Swenson said. “It is an ocean swell of construction and growth that is expected to continue for quite some time.”
Mayor Les Byram said the city would set priorities and do what it can to prepare.
“We can do only what we can financially do,” he said.
Councilman Jim Baker asked whether the budget for growth included any consideration for annexation. Swenson said annexation presents a different set of financial issues that would have to be considered at another time.
Street construction priorities include completion of Bank Street improvement from Airway Avenue to Gordon Drive at an estimated $2.4 million. The design has been completed and city staff members are looking at ways to do the project all at once and repay borrowing as the federal money becomes available.
Improving Gordon Drive further east to state Route 66, improvements to Glen Street and Western Avenue and the synchronization of traffic lights along Stockton Hill Road also are priorities.
The Gordon Drive project will cost $390,000 to design and an estimated $3.6 million to construct. the North Glen Street project from Morrow to Coronado avenues has been estimated to cost $300,000 and would provide alternate routes to Home Depot and the proposed Wal-Mart super center.
Improvements to Western Avenue, which runs parallel with Stockton Hill Road to the west, were added to the list without a price tag. The project would involve upgrading the Airway Avenue-Stockton Hill Road intersection to prepare for a wider Airway Avenue to Western Avenue. The traffic-light work is budgeted at $150,000.
Swenson said railroad underpasses at Airway and Louise avenues and Topeka Street are part of the five-year projections and depend on funding sources. The estimated costs are $4.4 million for the Airway underpass, where the right of way has been purchased and design work begun; $6.6 for a Louise Railroad underpass, not yet designed but with no right of way costs included; and $1 million for a Topeka Street underpass under one track.
Councilman Frank McVey asked that a feasibility study for the Louise Avenue underpass be added to the list for consideration when budget numbers are crunched. City Engineer Pete Johnson estimated cost of the study at $200,000.
The Kingman Area Transportation Study is in the final stages and will be available in May when the council makes budget choices for fiscal 2005, Community Development Director Dennis Roberts said.
Councilman Ray Lyons asked about alternatives to chip sealing streets that would solve dust and small-rock damage to cars. Changing to coated chips is being considered.
“There are alternative methods, but the cost would triple,” Public Works Director Jack Kramer said. “The choices are continue as we have, postpone maintenance or add another $1 million to the budget.”
The budget also projects about $2 million per year for street overlays as part of the maintenance program. State officials said Kingman has a good maintenance program and should maintain the current schedule, Kramer said.
Other projected capital expenditures considered for the next five years include $6 million for water and wastewater systems, $9 million for flood control, $7.5 million for new parks, two fire stations and park equipment replacement.
The wastewater budget has included $2.6 million for a new downtown sewer treatment facility.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has been pushing the city toward a new plant since determining that nitrates escape from the present system.
“We are looking for a site now,” Kramer said. “We expect to be required to build it within the next year.”
The money would be borrowed from a state agency and repaid from a monthly usage fee added to water, sewer and sanitation bills.
The Hilltop Wastewater Treatment Facility was financed in a similar way and is being paid for monthly by sewer customers.
Public safety equipment replacement would total about $2.5 million and an added fire truck is estimated at $485,000.
Public Works would replace $3.5 million of equipment and add $405,000 in new wastewater equipment.
The parks, golf course and engineering departments would replace $2 million of equipment during the next five years.
“Our equipment and vehicle replacement programs keep things updated and avoid putting off costs to a future time,” Swenson said. “We never save any money by postponing needed replacements.”