CIP Overview/Process

What is a Capital Improvements program, under what authority is the program developed, why create a program? You should know what we know.

Salem's Capital Improvement Program or CIP is a ten-year document detailing projected capital needs for the Town. As part of a change in the process for 2006-2016 there are two distinct School and Town Programs. The original direction for the Planning Board to prepare and amend a CIP for a period of at least six (6) years comes from the legislative body in accordance with RSA 674:5. The 1989 Annual Town Meeting, Article #53, authorized the Planning Board to prepare and adopt a CIP for the Town of Salem. Prior to July 2002 RSA 674:5 directed the Planning Board as the primary authors of the Capital Improvements Program. Prior to this CIP cycle an evaluation of the process was conducted by the Community Development Department. The evaluation indicated a need to alter several key areas in the CIP process. Each of those recommendations, combined with policy decisions of the CIP Committee will be articulated within the applicable sections of this document. The following excerpts from the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated reflect the requirements for a CIP process and product. While the CIP for this year will follow the below requirements there are certain enhancements that will provide more favorable detail over the minimums required by the RSA's.

As a result of the report and progress made by the Board of Selectmen the 2005 warrant article number 45 authorized the Board to act as the Capital Improvements Program authority. In accordance with he RSA: As an alternative, the legislative body (Town Meeting 2005 article 45) may authorize the governing body (Board of Selectmen) of a municipality to appoint a capital improvement program committee, which shall include at least one member of the planning board and may include but not be limited to other members of the planning board, the budget committee, or the town or city governing body,

RSA 674:5 Authorization.

In a municipality where the planning board has adopted a master plan, the local legislative body may authorize the planning board to prepare and amend a recommended program of municipal capital improvement projects projected over a period of at least 6 years. As an alternative, the legislative body may authorize the governing body of a municipality to appoint a capital improvement program committee, which shall include at least one member of the planning board and may include but not be limited to other members of the planning board, the budget committee, or the town or city governing body, to prepare and amend a recommended program of municipal capital improvement projects projected over a period of at least six years. The capital improvements program may encompass major projects being currently undertaken or future projects to be undertaken with federal, state, county and other public funds. The sole purpose and effect of the capital improvements program shall be to aid the mayor or selectmen and the budget committee in their consideration of the annual budget.

674:6 Purpose and Description.

The capital improvements program shall classify projects according to the urgency and need for realization and shall recommend a time sequence for their implementation. The program may also contain the estimated cost of each project and indicate probable operating and maintenance costs and probable revenues, if any, as well as existing sources of funds or the need for additional sources of funds for the implementation and operation of each project. The program shall be based on information submitted by the departments and agencies of the municipality and shall take into account public facility needs indicated by the prospective development shown in the master plan of the municipality or as permitted by other municipal land use controls.

674:7 Preparation.

I. In preparing the capital improvements program, the planning board or the capital improvement program committee shall confer, in a manner deemed appropriate by the board or the committee, with the mayor or the board of selectmen, or the chief fiscal officer, the budget committee, other municipal officials and agencies, the school board or boards, and shall review the recommendations of the master plan in relation to the proposed capital improvements program.

II. Whenever the planning board or the capital improvement program committee is authorized and directed to prepare a capital improvements program, every municipal department, authority or agency, and every affected school district board, department or agency, shall, upon request of the planning board or the capital improvement program committee, transmit to the board or committee a statement of all capital projects it proposes to undertake during the term of the program. The planning board or the capital improvement program committee shall study each proposed capital project, and shall advise and make recommendations to the department, authority, agency, or school district board, department or agency, concerning the relation of its project to the capital improvements program being prepared.

CIP Documents and Links