The Hutchinson City Council on Thursday night trimmed nearly $1 million from its $17.6 million proposed Capital Improvements Project list for next year but fell short of its goal to cut more than $2 million.

A need to reduce to a range of $6 million to $6.5 million the projects that are paid for with General Obligation bonds that the city’s General Fund will cover established the goal.

The list of projects identified as funded by the General Fund at the start of the meeting topped $8.76 million.

The council actually exceeded the goal, but that was by agreeing to apply most of its unallocated federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward the priciest item on the CIP list – Woodie Seat Freeway repairs.

More:Hutchinson City council hires former Reno County Administrator as interim city manager

There seemed to be a consensus to apply at least $2 million of the city’s COVID-19 relief money toward the estimated $3.2 million project to improve the road from Avenue C south to the Arkansas River bridge.

The work on Woodie Seat includes a mill and overlay, removing the deteriorating median, repairing the ramps at Avenue F, and storm sewer replacement.

5 options the Hutchinson City Council heard to improve the deteriorating Woodie Seat Freeway

The biggest impact of the the cuts the council agreed to will be on city employees rather than the general public.

That’s because among the items eliminated was replacing the heating and air system in city hall and repairing a badly deteriorated parking lot serving the information technology staff.

Parks and Facilities Director Justin Combs explained that the current HVAC system at city hall uses an air handler and chiller installed in the 1970s and the boiler replaced in 2000. Replacing the entire system with a modern forced air system would make it much more efficient, reliable, and comfortable for staff and visitors to City Hall.

The replacement cost was pegged at $675,000. An option Combs offered, and the council agreed to pursue, would be just to replace the aging chiller and leave the rest of the existing system in place. That would only cost $160,000.

The plan to replace the IT parking lot with concrete was estimated at $90,000. The council noted only three vehicles use the lot and, despite its poor condition, it could wait.

More:Study of Avenue B pedestrian underpass at Woodie Seat could take five months, cost $60,000

Also cut from the list was a plan to repave the public parking lot at the Hutchinson Regional Airport and the FAA Maintenance lot. The lots were last crack sealed in 2012, Combs said. The plan included a 1.5-inch deep mill, followed by a 1.75-inch new asphalt overlay, estimated to cost $155,000.

A couple of council members opined they didn’t think the lot was bad when they last visited the airport and that it could also wait.

The CIP list still contains three other projects at the airport worth a combined $180,000.

These include $60,000 for replacing and expanding the deteriorating apron in front of the Midwest Malibu hanger, which services more than 300 single-engine aircraft per year, replacing the leaky airport terminal roof for $50,000, and refinishing the floor in Hangar 1 with brushed concrete for $70,000.

More:Efficiency study of Hutchinson departments recommends expensive changes

The CIP list included replacing playgrounds at three parks ­-- Rice Park, Grandview Park, and Herman Bunte Park – for a cumulative $400,000.

Councilman Jon Richardson inquired of Combs what are the worst and which might be delayed.

Combs said he’d probably eliminate Rice Park from the project list, saving an estimated $125,000, because that park has a lot of other activities people can use. The other parks don’t have as many amenities, and their playgrounds are in bad shape and need addressing.

Also left on the CIP list was a proposed new $350,000 bike park, possibly in Harsha Park.

“The site could include elements such as a pump track, skill development features and berms,” Combs noted in a memo provided to the council. “The site would also include a bicycle playground that will focus on younger or less experienced riders.”

They are still evaluating park sites for the amenity, but “Harsha Park makes the most sense based on the location to the trail, and it would fill in element gaps in our master plan," Combs stated.

One other expense that Councilman Steve Garza suggested cutting and at least one other councilman voiced support to delay was $100,000 for “traffic signal preemption” on 30th Avenue.

More:Hutchinson mayor delays appointments to city planning board pending revamp of policy

The funding would replace traffic lights along 30th Avenue with ones that emergency vehicles can activate to get a green light. The change was proposed by Fire Chief Steve Beer to cut fire response times.

It would be the second street in Hutchinson to receive the lights. Others are expected to be installed this year on Main Street.

“It’s not a life and death situation,” Garza said. “It’s not going to get anyone killed.”

After two hours, the council didn’t get to its MERF list, which is vehicles and equipment proposed to be purchased or replaced next year. That list topped $3.3 million.

Finance Director Angela Richards told the council that the list was still “a work in progress,” and interim City Manager Gary Meagher suggested if council members had specific concerns to let him know. Otherwise, he said, he and the staff would work on it.

The council has scheduled another budget study session for 3 p.m. on May 24 to discuss increasing water and sewer rates, and 3 p.m. on May 31 to look at other general fund spending.