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Planning commission reviews county capital improvement priorities; major projects pushed to later years
Summary
County staff presented the draft Capital Improvement Plan for FY2010–FY2014, reporting schedule shifts on the jail, a $2.6 million radio coverage project tied to state towers, airport environmental clearance and runway timing, and funding earmarks for agricultural preservation and mitigation accounts.
St. Mary's County planning staff presented an update to the county's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during the Planning Commission meeting Oct. 26, 2009, laying out schedule changes and funding updates for multiple projects including the jail expansion, radio system coverage, airport improvements and FDR Boulevard property acquisitions.
The CIP update matters because it sets the county's capital spending and bond timing across departments; several large projects were deferred or rephased after changes in state and federal funding and to coordinate with bond sales.
Elaine Kramer, who presented the CIP, told the commission the list in the county budget book reflects a number of projects moved later “because the design hasn't progressed as far as the construction funding” and because the county timed changes to support bond sales. Kramer said some projects were “pushed out” rather than removed from the program.
On the county jail, staff said design work is under way and the project was rescheduled into FY2011 for construction funding. “The design, we're currently selecting the architect now,” said George Erickson, public facilities staff. Erickson added construction funding is not needed for “12 to 15 months,” and that the sheriff had sought funding for both phases of an addition but the state only awarded phase‑1 design funds.
A public‑safety communications project appears in the CIP as a radio system coverage enhancement budgeted at about $2,587,000. Erickson said the State is erecting two towers — at the Bethune School site and at the Valley Lee convenience center site — and the county is evaluating whether it can place county equipment on those towers to address existing coverage “void spots.” Kramer cautioned the county will only spend the budgeted money if attaching to the State towers is practical and in the right locations.
Airport improvements also remain in the five‑year plan. Staff reported the environmental assessment is complete and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Finding of No Significant Impact. Wetland mitigation design is about 80 percent complete, and runway lengthening is scheduled in the 2014–2015 timeframe. Kramer said federal grants have covered the large share of airport work to date; when asked about cost shares she said, “The state picks up 2.5, we pick up 2.5, and the Feds do 95.”
On FDR Boulevard, staff said property acquisitions continue and noted a pending offer for the Turner property (called Rosie’s Place). The five‑year plan includes $5.9 million in FY2011 and $4.4 million in FY2012 tied to early phases of roadway construction from Route 4 toward Chancellor's Run Road.
Donna Sasser from Ag Land Preservation updated commissioners on a proposed installment purchase agreement (IPA) program included in the comprehensive plan and said county staff plan to use CIP work sessions to walk through an IPA so it could be enacted by next June if the board chooses. Kramer said past excess collections leave about $1.5 million available to start a purchase program now.
Commissioners also pressed staff about how developer mitigation funds are being tracked. Kramer said the county maintains separate mitigation revenue accounts for roads, schools and parks and is developing a process, working with Land Use and Growth Management, to appropriate those funds for identified projects. She said staff would bring a process to the Board of County Commissioners soon to address both collected funds and future fee accounting.
Phil Rollins, Recreation and Parks, described enterprise fund operations for Wicomico Shores and recreation programs, noting most programs are self‑supporting but the Great Mills pool operates at a deficit and requires a subsidy: “The Recreation Enterprise Fund … probably anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000 is the deficit,” he said, adding the county subsidized the fund in past years to cover the pool’s operating shortfall.
Staff said next steps will include additional work sessions with departments to refine CIP timing and project scopes and to prepare items for the county commissioners’ consideration in the budget and bond schedules.
