Capital plans through 2033

The operating budget covers what the City spends each year to keep services running — salaries, utilities, supplies. The capital improvement program (CIP) covers what the City plans to build, replace, or substantially repair over a longer horizon. A new fire station, a road reconstruction project, a water main replacement — these are capital investments, distinct from annual operating costs.

Keene's CIP spans seven fiscal years, from FY27 through FY33. It covers 142 projects across six funds, totaling $209.5M in planned spending. Of that, $37.0M is planned for FY27. Most of this spending is in the General Fund, but significant capital work also appears in the Water, Sewer, and Equipment funds, where infrastructure investment is funded by user fees rather than property taxes.

The CIP is a planning document. A project appearing in FY30 means the City intends to fund it in that year, not that the spending is guaranteed. Each year's projects must be individually authorized and funded during the budget process for that year.

Source: Capital Appropriations sections across all funds — pages 49–52 (General Fund), 180 (Parking), 199 (Solid Waste), 211–212 (Sewer), 226–227 (Water), and 241 (Equipment/Fleet) of the FY27 budget.

Seven-year spending by fund

The General Fund accounts for $129.7M of the $209.5M seven-year plan — about 62% of total capital spending. The remaining $79.8M is spread across five enterprise and internal service funds.

General Fund
$129.7M
Sewer Fund
$34.6M
Water Fund
$24.5M
Equipment (Fleet)
$16.4M
Solid Waste Fund
$3.02M
Parking Fund
$1.29M
Fund FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 7-Year Total
General Fund $27,133,125$13,541,312$24,440,992$15,992,994$14,945,423$18,017,337$15,611,255 $129,682,438
Parking Fund $181,000$168,400$110,000$231,800$60,000$427,100$110,000 $1,288,300
Solid Waste Fund $700,000$757,000$590,000$150,000$525,000$150,000$150,000 $3,022,000
Sewer Fund $3,536,200$3,328,400$7,513,096$5,172,600$4,910,680$4,362,900$5,772,378 $34,596,254
Water Fund $3,520,500$7,751,500$2,332,300$3,577,900$2,884,200$2,372,900$2,054,500 $24,493,800
Equipment (Fleet) $1,893,233$1,944,666$2,774,160$2,371,183$2,188,864$2,445,527$2,782,508 $16,400,141
All Funds $36,964,058$27,491,278$37,760,548$27,496,477$25,514,167$27,775,764$26,480,641 $209,482,933

General Fund capital by department

Within the General Fund, capital spending is organized by the department responsible for each project. Public Works manages the largest share, covering roadways, stormwater infrastructure, bridges, and downtown reconstruction. Parks, Recreation, Cemeteries & Facilities covers both outdoor spaces and the maintenance of municipal buildings.

Department FY27 7-Year Total Projects
Public Works $13,877,680 $66,220,031 20
Parks, Recreation, Cemeteries & Facilities $5,316,304 $28,689,070 21
Airport $6,068,106 $11,284,774 7
Fire $290,235 $6,113,943 9
Capital Reserve Appropriations $1,410,000 $15,340,000 10
Information Technology $129,500 $1,075,900 6
Police $41,300 $802,720 3
Assessment $0 $156,000 1
General Fund Total $27,133,125 $129,682,438 77

How General Fund capital is funded

Not all capital spending comes from the same place. Some projects are financed through bonds (debt), some draw from capital reserve funds the City has built up over time, some are covered by grants, and some are paid from current revenue or fund balance. The mix matters because debt carries interest costs, grant funding may come with conditions, and fund balance use draws down the City's reserves.

Debt (bonds)
$48.3M
Grants
$31.7M
Capital reserves
$23.5M
Fund balance
$17.5M
Other sources
$7.27M
Current revenue
$1.45M

The largest projects

The ten largest capital projects by seven-year total (excluding annual capital reserve contributions) are listed below. These projects account for the bulk of the CIP's dollar value.

Project Fund FY27 7-Year Total Funded by
Stormwater Resiliency Program Public Works $3,509,300 $12,669,100 Debt
Roadway Preservation & Rehabilitation Program Public Works $1,900,800 $11,533,100 Debt
Lower Winchester Street Reconstruction Project Public Works $717,750 $11,033,825 Debt
Water Distribution Improvements Program Water Fund $1,814,500 $10,220,100 Debt
Sewer Improvements Program Sewer Fund $1,511,700 $8,932,796 Debt
West Street Corridor Improvements Project Public Works $8,311,029 Grants
Equipment Replacement Program Equipment (Fleet) $943,233 $7,740,141 Capital reserve
CR Appropriation: Equipment Replacement Equipment (Fleet) $950,000 $7,650,000 Capital reserve
W Keene Fire Station Project Parks, Recreation, Cemeteries & Facilities $6,259,975 other
Bridge Repair & Replacement Program Public Works $6,104,857 Grants

All General Fund projects by department

The full list of 77 General Fund capital projects, organized by department. Each project shows its planned spending by fiscal year and total. Capital reserve appropriations — annual contributions that build up dedicated reserve funds for future use — are listed separately at the end.

Public Works

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Stormwater Resiliency Program $3,509,300$1,230,700$2,184,000$2,197,900$1,280,000$1,282,700$984,500 $12,669,100
Roadway Preservation & Rehabilitation Program $1,900,800$1,163,800$1,627,100$1,764,400$1,656,400$1,710,300$1,710,300 $11,533,100
Lower Winchester Street Reconstruction Project $717,750$10,316,075 $11,033,825
West Street Corridor Improvements Project $829,441$418,578$7,063,010 $8,311,029
Bridge Repair & Replacement Program $493,485$164,495$2,941,978$146,910$2,357,989 $6,104,857
Downtown Infrastructure Improve & Reconstruct Project $3,932,830 $3,932,830
Gilbo Ave Solar Pavilion Project $2,196,000 $2,196,000
Sidewalk Asset Management Program $303,300$282,900$295,300$294,500$325,100$326,300$337,700 $2,165,100
Stormwater Main Lining Program $252,000$185,160$174,820$160,200$200,150$213,890$234,970 $1,421,190
Stormwater & Stream Channel Maintenance Program $215,000$168,000$220,000$160,000$138,000$220,000$180,000 $1,301,000
Traffic Signal Replacement Program $13,700$328,200$350,000$362,000$72,000 $1,125,900
Beaver Brook Flood Mitigation Project $500,000$500,000 $1,000,000
Stormwater Spot Repairs Program $82,000$85,000$88,000$91,000$94,000$97,000$100,000 $637,000
Liquid Brine Pre-Treatment System $578,400 $578,400
Dam Maintenance Program $173,500$200,800$184,400 $558,700
Downtown Restroom Project $442,000 $442,000
Jordan Road Salamander Crossing Project $380,000 $380,000
Downtown Traffic Signal Replacement $325,000 $325,000
Bridge Preservation Program $50,000$255,000 $305,000
Stormwater System Analysis Program $50,000$50,000$100,000 $200,000
Subtotal $13,877,680$4,888,701$16,877,180$6,363,873$6,962,628$11,344,510$5,905,459 $66,220,031

Parks, Recreation, Cemeteries & Facilities

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
W Keene Fire Station Project $750,000$5,509,975 $6,259,975
Robin Hood Park Improvement Project $2,692,000$1,175,000 $3,867,000
Transportation Heritage Trail Program $358,599$2,756,909 $3,115,508
HVAC and Energy Conservation $179,000$75,000$50,000$1,190,000$620,000$545,000$20,000 $2,679,000
Municipal Building Roofs Program $227,875$402,250$409,500$109,250$412,500$500,500$77,500 $2,139,375
Paving Parking Lots Program $379,300$382,600$456,000$326,400$68,000$184,100$88,000 $1,884,400
Municipal Parks Maintenance Program $163,530$310,500$332,615$208,358$198,461$202,827$295,021 $1,711,312
Ashuelot River Dam Repair or Removal Project $144,000$1,232,000 $1,376,000
Ashuelot River Greenspace Project $200,000$1,000,000 $1,200,000
Cemetery Improvements and Expansion $150,000$150,000$112,000$125,000$225,000$125,000$125,000 $1,012,000
Emergency Generator Replacements $296,000$235,000$245,000 $776,000
Municipal Building Capital Maintenance Program $100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000$125,000$125,000$125,000 $775,000
Open Space and Trails Program $58,000$133,000$35,000$50,000$35,000$70,000$35,000 $416,000
City Wide Security Upgrades Project $50,000$75,000$50,000$75,000$50,000 $300,000
Red Pine Scale Removal & Park Forest Sustainability $135,000$125,000$1,000$1,000$1,000$1,000$1,000 $265,000
HVAC Equipment - Records Storage $9,500$250,000 $259,500
Trail Bridge Maintenance Project $130,000$56,000 $186,000
Library Lighting $175,000 $175,000
Parks and Recreation Equipment Maintenance Program $52,000$56,000$62,000 $170,000
Finance Department Reconfig and Security Updates $65,000 $65,000
10 Central Square Kitchen Floor Repair $57,000 $57,000
Subtotal $5,316,304$4,734,350$2,787,615$2,435,008$4,799,870$2,044,427$6,571,496 $28,689,070

Airport

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Wildlife Perimeter Fence Project $4,156,718 $4,156,718
Terminal Apron Expansion Project $3,661,112 $3,661,112
Snow Removal Equipment Project $1,555,556 $1,555,556
Obstruction Management Program $166,666$666,666$333,334 $1,166,666
Beacon Replacement Project $555,556 $555,556
Pavement Maintenance & Marking Program $166,666 $166,666
Fiber Optic Replacement Project $22,500 $22,500
Subtotal $6,068,106$666,666$333,334$4,216,668$0$0$0 $11,284,774

Fire

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Fire Apparatus Replacement Program $1,500,000$2,000,000 $3,500,000
Ambulance Replacement Program $533,595$560,653 $1,094,248
Durable Equipment Program $150,235$56,135$35,700$300,000 $542,070
Portable Radios (Fire) $140,000$140,000$140,000 $420,000
Technical Rescue Equipment $65,000$50,000 $175,000
Mobile Radios (Fire) $140,625 $140,625
Fire Alerting System $104,000 $104,000
Gear Washer/Extractor & Drying System Project $69,000 $69,000
SCBA Fill Station Project $60,000$69,000 $69,000
Subtotal $290,235$842,595$1,696,135$200,625$665,353$2,050,000$369,000 $6,113,943

Capital Reserve Appropriations

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Parks & Facilities Infrastructure Capital Reserve $350,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000 $3,350,000
Apparatus (Fire) Replacement Capital Reserve $200,000$375,000$400,000$400,000$400,000$400,000$375,000 $2,550,000
Road & Sidewalk Infrastructure Capital Reserve $300,000$400,000$400,000$400,000$500,000$500,000 $2,500,000
Downtown Infrastructure Capital Reserve $350,000$350,000$350,000$350,000$350,000$350,000$350,000 $2,450,000
Ambulance Replacement Capital Reserve $150,000$175,000$175,000$175,000$175,000$175,000$175,000 $1,200,000
IT Systems & Infrastructure Capital Reserve $125,000$125,000$150,000$150,000$150,000$150,000$150,000 $1,000,000
Bridges Capital Reserve $120,000$120,000$120,000$120,000$120,000$120,000 $720,000
Transportation Improvement Capital Reserve $100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000 $700,000
Emergency Communication Capital Reserve $100,000$100,000$100,000$100,000$75,000$75,000$75,000 $625,000
Reappraisal Capital Reserve $35,000$35,000$35,000$35,000$35,000$35,000$35,000 $245,000
Subtotal $1,410,000$2,180,000$2,330,000$2,330,000$2,305,000$2,405,000$2,380,000 $15,340,000

Information Technology

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Storage Area Network Project $170,000$170,000 $340,000
Network Equipment Replacement Program $71,500$21,000$6,500$18,000$59,500$79,400 $255,900
Phone System Replacement Project $210,000 $210,000
Server Replacement Program $58,000$13,000$16,000$39,000$16,000$13,000 $155,000
5 & 10 Year Aerial Imagery Updates $65,000 $65,000
Database Software Upgrade Program $25,000$25,000 $50,000
Subtotal $129,500$229,000$232,500$104,000$18,000$75,500$287,400 $1,075,900

Police

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Body-worn & In-car Camera Replace Project $97,900$97,900$97,900$97,900$97,900 $489,500
Portable Radios Program (Police) $86,328$88,920$96,672 $271,920
EXACOM Hindsight System Replace/Refresh Project $41,300 $41,300
Subtotal $41,300$0$184,228$186,820$194,572$97,900$97,900 $802,720

Assessment

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Revaluation Program $156,000 $156,000

Other funds

Capital spending outside the General Fund is funded by the users of each service — water customers, sewer customers, solid waste users, parking users, and the internal fleet services fund. These funds do not draw on property tax revenue for their capital programs.

Sewer Fund

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Sewer Improvements Program $1,511,700$1,713,400$1,010,096$934,700$1,307,100$1,748,400$707,400 $8,932,796
WWTP Tank Repair Program $200,000$900,000$1,270,000$1,305,000$825,000$825,000 $5,325,000
CR Appropriation: Sewer Infrastructure $750,000$750,000$750,000$750,000$750,000$750,000 $4,500,000
CR Appropriation: Wastewater Treatment Plant $450,000$450,000$500,000$500,000$550,000$550,000 $3,000,000
Blackbrook Wastewater Pump Station Upgrade Project $300,000$1,910,000 $2,210,000
WWTP HVAC Replacement Project $420,000$445,000$445,000 $1,310,000
Court Street Pump Station Upgrade $80,000$150,000$1,077,000 $1,307,000
Sewer Main Lining Program $225,000$232,900$241,100$249,500$258,200 $1,206,700
Sewer Manhole Lining Program $190,000$560,000$202,000 $952,000
Martell Court Bypass Project $825,000 $825,000
WWTP Building Renovation & Demolition Program $280,000$525,000 $805,000
WWTP Clarifier Equipment Replacement Project $40,000$240,000$240,000$150,000 $670,000
WWTP Chemical Feed System Upgrade Project $100,000$500,000 $600,000
Martell Court Equipment Maintenance Program $75,000$81,000$87,480$94,478 $337,958
WWTP Septage Pumps Replacement Project $45,000$250,000 $295,000
WWTP RAS Valve Replacement Project $265,000 $265,000
WWTP UV Lamp Replacement Program $80,000$65,000$92,000 $237,000
WWTP Sludge Replacement Project $230,000 $230,000
WWTP Pavement Replacement Project $225,000 $225,000
WWTP Advanced Treatment $50,000$150,000 $200,000
Martell Court Pump Station Fuel Tank Replacement $182,000 $182,000
Lower Winchester Infrastructure $172,000 $172,000
CR Appropriation: Martell Court $25,000$25,000$25,000$25,000$25,000$25,000 $150,000
WWTP Roof Replacement Project $150,000 $150,000
WWTP Lab Instrumentation & Equip Replace Program $105,000 $105,000
WWTP Fiber Optic Replacement Project $32,500$65,000 $97,500
WWTP Grit Removal-Clamshell Replace Project $85,000 $85,000
Instrumentation Program $40,000$35,000 $75,000
NDPES Permit Renew Program $75,000 $75,000
Sewer Utility Work - Bridges Program $71,300 $71,300
Subtotal $3,536,200$3,328,400$7,513,096$5,172,600$4,910,680$4,362,900$5,772,378 $34,596,254

Water Fund

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Water Distribution Improvements Program $1,814,500$1,637,900$1,140,600$2,232,900$1,379,200$1,285,500$729,500 $10,220,100
Well Field Upgrades Program $35,000$4,229,000$75,000$350,000 $4,689,000
CR Appropriation: Water Infrastructure $500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000$500,000 $3,500,000
CR Appropriation: Water Treatment Facility $250,000$250,000$250,000$250,000$250,000$250,000$250,000 $1,750,000
Water Valve Replacement Program $210,000$125,000$120,000$125,000$130,000$135,000$140,000 $985,000
Emergency Generators Replacement Program $280,000$175,000 $455,000
WTF Valve & Actuator Replace/Upgrade Project $210,000$240,000 $450,000
Fox Ave & Glen Rd Pump Stations $190,000$240,000 $430,000
Water Supply Dam Maintenance Program $204,600$202,400 $407,000
Water Utility Work - Bridges Program $210,000$85,000 $295,000
Transmission Water Main Inspection Project $250,000 $250,000
WTF Water Pump Repair & Replace Program $75,000$155,000 $230,000
WTF HVAC & AC Unit Replacement Project $45,000$145,000 $190,000
Lower Winchester Infrastructure Project $176,700 $176,700
Chapman Water Tank Repairs Project $150,000 $150,000
Bulk Water Fill Station Project $121,000 $121,000
WTF Lab Instrumentation/Equip Replace Program $105,000 $105,000
WTF Waste Gate Actuator Replacement Project $50,000 $50,000
WTF Instrumentation Replace & Upgrade Program $40,000 $40,000
Subtotal $3,520,500$7,751,500$2,332,300$3,577,900$2,884,200$2,372,900$2,054,500 $24,493,800

Equipment (Fleet)

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
Equipment Replacement Program $943,233$884,666$924,160$1,171,183$988,864$1,245,527$1,582,508 $7,740,141
CR Appropriation: Equipment Replacement $950,000$950,000$950,000$1,200,000$1,200,000$1,200,000$1,200,000 $7,650,000
Fleet Services Building Upgrade Project $110,000$900,000 $1,010,000
Subtotal $1,893,233$1,944,666$2,774,160$2,371,183$2,188,864$2,445,527$2,782,508 $16,400,141

Solid Waste Fund

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
CR Appropriation: Recycling/Transfer Facility $350,000$350,000$325,000$150,000$150,000$150,000$150,000 $1,625,000
Recycling Equipment Replacement Program $75,000$375,000 $450,000
Upper Level Pavement Project $332,000 $332,000
Fire Suppression System Project $250,000 $250,000
Facility Power Project $165,000 $165,000
Climate Controlled Processing Project $100,000 $100,000
Compost Operations Project $100,000 $100,000
Subtotal $700,000$757,000$590,000$150,000$525,000$150,000$150,000 $3,022,000

Parking Fund

Project FY27FY28FY29FY30FY31FY32FY33 Total
EV Charging Stations Project $50,000$232,800 $282,800
CR Appropriation: City Hall Parking Facility $55,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000 $235,000
Surface Parking Lot Maintenance Program $58,400$97,800$69,300 $225,500
City Hall Parking Structure Maint Program $96,000$74,000$50,000 $220,000
CR Appropriation: Wells Street Parking Facility $30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000$30,000 $210,000
Wells Street Parking Structure Maint Program $50,000$65,000 $115,000
Subtotal $181,000$168,400$110,000$231,800$60,000$427,100$110,000 $1,288,300

Source: Capital Appropriations sections of the City of Keene FY27 Operating Budget. All figures are City Manager recommended unless otherwise noted.