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Staff outline $17 million in potential capital funds to reassign as CIP review continues
Summary
County staff told commissioners the FY2026-2031 Capital Improvement Plan draft includes refinements that could free about $17 million in remaining capital balances for reallocation or return to the general fund after reconciling completed projects.
Calvert County staff presented a broad overview of the recommended FY2026-2031 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during the board's Jan. 28 work session, and told commissioners that reconciliation of open projects has identified about $17 million in remaining capital balances to be examined.
Danielle Russell, acting capital and grants management specialist, and Mary Andes, acting deputy director of budget, said staff reviewed all open projects after migration to Workday and closed completed projects, moved smaller items into the operating budget where appropriate and refined several large-scope projects into clearer line items. They said some long-open projects contained unspent PAYGO balances that, if verified, should be returned to the general fund; bond balances would be evaluated separately for repurposing to similar bond-eligible activities.
Russell said 79 projects were identified for closure or reclassification during the review. The CIP draft shows large out-year cost spikes because of several multi-year construction projects including the Harriet E. Brown Community Center, a new District 2 facility for the sheriff's office, and a new Southern Branch library. The Calvert County Detention Center project scope has been expanded based on state feedback.
Andes said staff are preparing a breakdown of the remaining $17 million to separate PAYGO (county funds available to return) from bond funds (which must remain in bond-eligible accounts or be repurposed to similar bonded projects). Commissioners were reminded that only FY2026 is adopted this year; the five out-years are planning estimates and can be reprioritized.
Why it matters: Refining project scopes and returning completed-project balances for reallocation affects future budget choices and gives the board more flexibility to prioritize near-term needs. Staff said they will return with line-by-line detail in subsequent work sessions.
Ending: The board scheduled department-level deep dives on Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 to examine enterprise and public-facilities CIP requests; staff said they will provide a PAYGO vs. bond breakdown when reconciliations are complete.
