During a July 26 meeting, New Braunfels City Council authorized New Braunfels City Manager Robert Camareno to enter into an agreement with Freese & Nichols Inc. to update the city’s capital improvement plan.

On May 11 city staff issued a request for qualifications and received three responses before selecting Freese & Nichols.

The capital improvement plan is a community planning and fiscal management tool the city uses to coordinate the timing and financing of city capital projects over a five-year period.

Officials most recently updated the plan in 2012, and the new update would be utilized in planning for a possible 2023 bond election.

Work on the new plan is expected to be completed in two phases with the first phase set to include identifying capital needs by reviewing current plans, coordinating with stakeholders and engaging with the community.

Capital projects identified will be incorporated into the plan and could include projects focused on transportation, drainage, parks and facilities used for city departments and community members.

The plan will include a preliminary list of capital projects to be evaluated and prioritized by City Council and the New Braunfels Bond Advisory Committee, which is expected to be appointed between October and December.

Phase 2 of the plan will include conducting preliminary design to finalize the plan through the committee and City Council.

Through the agreement, funding to Freese & Nichols for Phase 1 will not exceed $300,000, and funding for Phase 2 will be determined when Phase 1 is complete.

The bond plan is expected to be completed by April 2022 before the final proposal is submitted to City Council in early 2023.