Oro Valley is moving ahead with plans to spend nearly $264 million over the next decade on infrastructure upgrades, as discussions continue this week for the town’s long-term plan.

The plan, Oro Valley Path Forward, will help shape the town’s priorities and budget allocations for the next 10 years..

For the 2025–26 fiscal year, the town is proposing $45.6 million in capital improvements as part of the plan, with a strong focus on upgrades to water systems, roads, parks and public safety facilities.

Chief Financial Officer David Gephart outlined how the town intends to allocate funds to essential infrastructure projects during a study session last week.

More than 60% of the total budget is earmarked for improvements to water infrastructure, with one of the key projects being the replacement of the South Pump Station at the 36-hole golf course.

The station is starting to fall apart, said Parks and Recreation Director Rosalyn Epting.

Last August, town employees discovered a manifold leak in the pump that had caused it to rust from the inside out.

“The pump pushes all the water out through the irrigation system,” Epting said. “If it fails we could lose all of our turf and if it’s during overseed we could lose $75,000 worth of seed.”

The project involves installing a new and more reliable pump system to replace the aging equipment, which sits near hole 16.

In addition to water infrastructure, another significant project included in the plan is resurfacing the Community Center parking lot.

The pavement is crumbling and there are no more preservation options, town officials said. The town will have to completely remove the parking lot and install a new one at a cost of $950,000, which officials say will make the lot safer and more welcoming and reduce the town’s risk of liability due to a trip-and-fall incident.

Council Member Mary Murphy agreed that the aging parking lot should not be overlooked.

“I definitely have some safety concerns about that,” she said. “I think always focusing on safety is the most important thing.”

Vice Mayor Melanie Barrett expressed concerns about funding distribution across the town, pointing out that certain areas seem to be receiving a disproportionate share of the funds.

“I want to point out that it feels like we keep putting more money into this one area or section of the town,” she said. “For those who support that section, I hope that they also will support funding other areas of our town as well when they need capital improvements.”

Discussions will resume during Wednesday evening’s Town Council study session and meeting, and Thursday’s Oro Valley Path Forward working group meeting and study session.

McKenna Manzo is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at mckennamanzo@arizona.edu.

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