SARANAC LAKE — The village is seeking advice on how to spend money on its infrastructure in the coming years, and is holding an open house Thursday evening to hear from the public about what projects are important for them to invest in.

The village has $40 million in assets — buildings, parks, streets, sidewalks, water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, and equipment.

Trustee Kelly Brunette said the village has for years had separate plans for upkeep of infrastructure and for new infrastructure. Now, the village is developing a “Capital Improvement Plan” to formalize these plans into one big document and make them work together rather than stand alone.

This CIP plan will be made up of projects that will take more than $50,000 to complete. These projects could be existing upgrade needs in the village or brand-new projects.

“The CIP is about using taxpayer dollars efficiently, ensuring that investments are well-planned and prioritized based on the needs of the community,” Brunette wrote in an email.

The open house on Thursday will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Saranac Lake Free Library.

People can come as prepared, or as not, as they like, Brunette said. The task force is open to hearing any sort of idea and wants to hear what matters to village residents.

There’s also an online survey residents can fill out by the end of the month — at tinyurl.com/ycm7uwhp.

The village is contracting with Municipal Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm out of Le Roy, to help develop the eventual plan. The CIP will become the village manager and treasurer’s document to use during budget season in the spring.

The maximum budget for this consulting is $16,000.

The village board established a CIP task force in March. This group meets publicly on the third Monday of each month from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the village board room at the Harrietstown Town Hall.

Members of this task force include village Parks and Trails Advisory Board Chair Charlotte Lomino; Harrietstown Councilman Jeremy Evans; village Development Board member Rick Weber; community Downtown Advisory Board Chair Jerry Michael; stakeholders Tammara Van Ryn and Trevor Jackson; village trustees Kelly Brunette and Matt Scollin; and village Manager Bachana Tsiklauri.

The task force found the village has more than 30 plans and policies with more than 200 action items, according to Brunette. They’ve combed through these, reduced duplicates and after hearing about the public’s hopes, will put the projects into a prioritization matrix to weigh the importance and timing of each one.

She said they need to keep infrastructure updated to avoid large surprise expenses.

“This planning is to prevent larger costs in the future,” Brunette said. “Well-maintained infrastructure will support a vibrant economy and a quality of life for residents.”

This plan is something Brunette and Scollin heard a lot about when they campaigned to get on the board three years ago. She said they’re excited to see it finally moving forward.

“This initiative represents a major step forward in planning for the long-term sustainability and enhancement of Saranac Lake’s infrastructure,” a news release from the village states. “The input and engagement of village residents will play a critical role in shaping these future investments. Don’t miss your chance to have your voice heard!”

The task force is not really pitching any specific projects yet, Brunette said. They want to hear from the public first.

These CIPs are something the state recommends as a best practice for local government.

Brunette gave credit to the task force, Tsiklauri and Treasurer Karen Darrah for the work they’ve already put into this plan.

The first draft of the plan is expected to complete by early 2025.

More information on the CIP can be found on the village website.