|
At the conclusion of six months of work, the
CIP Citizens Advisory Committee transmitted the CIP for FY 2004-2008
to the Planning Commission. The
report was presented as an Executive Summary (dated October 2002),
and it was organized into three discrete categories:
Construction, Major Systems Replacement, and Technology.
Paul Blackmer, Committee Chairman, briefed the Planning
Commission on
November 21, 2002
prior to its public hearing.
The Executive Summary contained in the
proposed CIP for FY 2004-2008 proposes a 5-year funding request of
$36 million; $27.7 million from new debt and $18.5 million from
general revenue; resulting in a cumulative $17.6 million increase in
operating costs. The Citizen Advisory Committee noted to the
Planning Commission that the primary challenge over the next five
years will be the School Board’s identified need to fund the
construction of a new high school, along with the associated
operating costs. Under
Board of Supervisors financial policies, the new high school will be
subject to voter approval through referendum.
Funding will present a challenge over the
next few years, with expected shortfalls from state funding sources.
As a result, the Committee also considered other sources of
capital project funding: for example, consideration be given to
local Certificates of Participation to raise funds for libraries,
cultural centers, and recreational facilities.
Planning Commission
Recommendations:
At the conclusion of the
November 21, 2002
public hearing, the Planning Commission scheduled and conducted
December and January work sessions.
A.
Recommendations.
At its
January 23, 2003
meeting, the Planning Commission forwarded the proposed CIP for FY
2004-2008 to the Board of Supervisors for approval, with the
following unanimous recommended revisions:
1.
Cedar Lee Performing Arts.
Remove any reference, under the Construction – Debt
subsection, from the CIP since there is no public funding planned or
considered for this project; and
- Groundwater Study/Survey.
One of the top Board of Supervisors and Planning
Commission objectives is to establish a clear understanding of
the capacity of groundwater resources Countywide, including
Countywide geology; recharge area locations and other associated
information. This project will require, through time, the use of
water resource consultants, the USGS, County and state staff.
The Planning Commission recommended an annual
reservation of $60,000 to be included as part of the CIP or
special projects account for this undertaking.
Other general comments are provided in the Planning Commission Report
included as an attachment.
|