Frequently Asked Questions

CIP stands for Capital Improvement Plan (PDF) and it is, in essence, a planning document. This document serves a number of important functions in shaping the future of the City.

The CIP is an inventory of recommended and current projects and major capital purchases for the City. The projects, facilities, and other items mapped out by the plan will support the functions and programs of the City for the next one to seven years. As a result, the CIP serves as a guide for elected officials and City management in budget decisions addressing strategic planning for the City.

Examples of typical CIP projects include infrastructure (street projects) or capital purchases (purchasing or renovating a City building or property). There are, however, many kinds of CIP requests as you will soon discover.

You may want to think of the CIP as a recommended shopping list of purchases and projects the City needs to undertake to maintain its current services and achieve future community goals. Keep in mind though the CIP is a strategic document that keeps a mindful eye on the City budget and revenue sources to ensure the conscientious use of taxpayer money.

The CIP document is always evolving. In the CIP request process, a wide range of requests are submitted for inclusion in the CIP document. Citizens can suggest projects through the Citizen Input Forms (PDF) available in an annual mailing to utility customers and online at the City website. These requests are channeled to the appropriate department and are developed into a formal CIP request.

The corresponding department head is then responsible for reviewing the CIP requests with the appropriate advisory board to seek its endorsement. All CIP requests are then reviewed by the CIP Committee, which is made up of advisory board representatives, representatives from other taxing entities throughout the community as well as Garden City residents interested in participating in the process.

CIP Committee recommendations are reviewed by the City Manager, who is legally obligated to review the proposed CIP and make professional recommendations before sending it to the City Commission. The Governing Body will then review the CIP and the recommendations so that individual projects and/or programs may be inserted into the City's Budget.

The mission of the CIP Committee is to provide input on the needs and wants of the community by recommending how City Management and the Governing Body should prioritize CIP requests. Specifically, the Committee reviews the priority ranking given to each project identified in the planning document as well as the year in which the project is slated to be implemented.

You don't need special knowledge or expertise to be a constructive team member. Team members represent their opinion only; however, that opinion has been shaped by other members of our community.

What the CIP Committee does not do is make financial decisions on which projects will or will not be funded. These decisions are ultimately made by the City Manager and the Governing Body.

The City will receive the valuable benefit of citizen input through your participation as a CIP Committee Team member. Moreover, you have the ability to help shape the future of Garden City by assisting the City in identifying and selecting projects that meet the needs of the community.

As a CIP Committee Team member, you will receive exposure into the inner workings of one of the most important work processes of your local government. In addition, you have the deepest thanks of Elected Officials, City Staff, and your fellow friends and neighbors.