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County manager proposes $1.1M in fund balance for CIP; commissioners weigh tax and refinancing options
Summary
County Manager Curtis Potter proposed using $1.1 million from the general fund for high-priority capital improvements and suggested combining some CIP items to reduce costs; Commissioners discussed holding school funding steady and the possibility of refinancing a water bond to reduce interest costs by roughly $50,000 annually.
Washington County Manager Curtis Potter presented a draft Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) May 24 and recommended using $1.1 million from the general fund to fund projects scored as Management Score 1. Potter said the county currently has about $5.4 million in fund balance that could support those items.
Commissioner Tracey Johnson said she was uncomfortable spending the full $1.1 million and asked how the Board should prioritize items. Potter said he could rework the CIP by combining Management Score 1 and 2 projects to identify the most affordable list and return the revised plan at the June 7 meeting.
Potter also noted the county has paid off Commerce Building debt and is evaluating refinancing a water bond with a current rate of 3.7% that could potentially be reduced to 1.9%, a change he estimated might save about $50,000 per year. The manager said Pines Elementary School’s status remains uncertain and that the school system had asked the county to hold Washington County Schools funding at last year’s level ($240,000 noted in the budget tab correction).
The board agreed the courthouse roof is a priority for the CIP, and members discussed hiring a contractor to address persistent drainage issues that cross into neighboring Tyrrell County. Potter will rework the CIP funding mix and present prioritized options at the next meeting.
