Committee adds $2 million in land and facility acquisition projects to capital budget for potential space and storage needs

The Committee on Finance voted to forward Bill 78 to council with a favorable recommendation. The bill would add two capital projects to the fiscal-year capital budget: a finance land/facility acquisitions project for $1,150,000 and a federal land/facility acquisitions project for $850,000, with funds provided from general obligation bonds, capital projects fund balance and/or federal grants receivable.

Deputy Finance Director Malia Keikai said the request is intended to give the county an appropriation to act quickly if space needs identified in an ongoing space study require purchasing land or storage facilities. “We realized that we don't have an appropriation if we did need to go out and get space,” Keikai said, noting the space study is near conclusion and that the county is also assessing long-term storage needs to reduce rental costs.

Council members asked about current rental spending; Keikai said the county’s total rental budget for office and storage across departments is “a little over $2,000,000” and that staff would need to break out storage-specific spending if the council wants that detail. The committee also discussed possibly acquiring land to build county-owned storage rather than continuing to pay private landlords. The motion to forward passed; the clerk recorded eight ayes with one member absent.