County adopts five‑year capital improvement plan (FY25–30) to map facilities, IT and transportation needs

The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the county's FY25–30 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) on May 6, a five‑year planning document the county says aligns with Government Finance Officers Association best practices and the county charter requirement for a capital program.

John Steyer, interim chief financial officer, presented the CIP as a transparent tool to inform the public and municipal partners about planned capital work across facilities, fleet, parks, information technology services and Land Use & Transportation. Steyer said projects in the CIP are grouped under three categories: maintenance and preservation, modernization, and expansion. He said the plan presents funding sources, cost estimates, and identifies funding shortfalls.

County administration noted work done under board leadership to complete the county's first facility condition index, which staff said helps prioritize critical facility needs across the county. Staff said that proactive planning is intended to prevent large deferred maintenance crises and pointed to ongoing work on public safety facilities and community corrections projects that are currently under construction.

The board discussed the backlog of facility improvements and the reality that available resources limit how much can be done. After staff remarks, the board voted to adopt the CIP; the motion passed unanimously, 5 to 0.

Next steps: departments will use the CIP to inform the FY2025–26 budget process, update project costs and timelines annually, and continue to identify funding strategies to close identified gaps.