Commissioners favor $3.25 million Capital Improvement Plan for FY2016-17 New Kent projects; New Kent Elementary renovations not included

New Kent Planning Commissioners put a stamp of favorable recommendation on a $3.25 million Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY2016-17 in the county.

Tuesday evening’s public hearing presented no speakers as county administrator Rodney Hathaway introduced a $3,253,392 proposal to commissioners. Of that amount, $532,950 are self-sustaining funds to handle projects in the public utilities department. Of the remaining $2,720,442, state and federal grants total $983,528, something that Hathaway was proud to speak about.

“When you look at this CIP, only half will be tax-funded,” the county administrator said, pointing to the figure of $1,736,914. “We were approached with more than $20 million in requests for this year.

“While we know we can fulfill all of those requests, we elected to provide those that needed to be addressed,” Hathaway added.

Topping the list of recommended projects is a $550,000 tab for the replacement of a fire department apparatus. Vehicle replacement of general government vehicles (which includes eight sheriff’s vehicles) totals $408,850. Other major projects include new surveillance cameras at the courthouse ($200,000), adding new cardiac heart monitors ($112,000), and replacing medium intensity runway lighting at the county’s airport ($300,000).

New Kent County Schools had requested $15,059,217 in a CIP proposal approved at the school board’s January meeting with the intention to use $13.6 million to initiate a massive overhaul at New Kent Elementary School. However, Hathaway recommended only $857,892 to fund school repairs and upgrades for next year.

“When we got the request for the school, we looked at the borrowing capacity that the county could do,” Hathaway told commissioners. “We are very close to our debt limits.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t borrow any funds, but it means we have to look at other ways to find funding for the school projects,” the county administrator concluded.

Top school projects proposed for funding under the county’s CIP include replacement of school buses and vehicles ($275,208), continuation of digital conversion at the middle and high schools ($137,684), replacing windows and lights at the middle school ($160,000), and HVAC replacement at the middle school ($60,000).

The county’s Board of Supervisors will decide during upcoming budget talks if the proposed CIP projects are to be included in the next fiscal year’s budget.