New Kent county administrator proposes $4.4 million in CIP projects for FY2017-18

A $4.4 million proposal for the county’s FY2017-18 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was presented to planning commissioners during their Nov. 21 monthly meeting.

County administrator Rodney Hathaway’s 15-minute presentation highlighted proposed projects to address county needs for the next fiscal year. Of the more than $68 million requested by county departments for projects, the county administrator deemed $4,403,526 was feasible in the upcoming cycle. Of that amount, $2,213,255 will be provided through federal grants, $1,540,276 from CIP cash reserves, $443,766 through state grants, and $206,229 through proffer allocations.

The big ticket item proposed by Hathaway is $1.9 million for repaving New Kent Airport’s runway. Of that amount, $1.71 million will be funded federally funded while an additional $152,000 will come from state funding. The county’s match for the project will be $38,000.

Other major projects recommended by the county administrator are self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units for the fire department ($470,311), cardiac heart monitors ($320,071), vehicle replacement ($261,000), and accounting software replacement for the accounting department that will use $821,116 in carryover funding to pay for the project.

New Kent County Schools requested $36.5 million in projects for the upcoming cycle, specifically pointing to needs to address the continuous enrollment growth. Of their request, Hathaway recommended providing $757,824 to the schools.

The county administrator addressed commissioners about projects to address school growth, saying conversations with county supervisors emphasized addressing the issue before the end of this fiscal year.

“The board has identified funding in this year’s budget to move forward with renovations to New Kent Middle School,” Hathaway said, pointing to the $2 million project to add anywhere from five to ten classrooms at that complex. “We are hoping that we can begin renovations in June and that’s why it was not listed in the capital improvement plan for next year.”

Hathaway also added comments that more research is being conducted on renovations for New Kent Elementary School as well as the construction of a new elementary school in the county with hope that it may begin in 2019.

Of the approved CIP funding for schools for next year, $377,824 has been designated for bus replacement, the third year for digital conversion (one-to-one initiative) and trailer renovations both have been pegged at $100,000 apiece, New Kent middle school lighting replacement at $70,000, and other projects totaling $110,000.

Public utilities, which use self-sustaining funds for projects, received a $649,800 recommendation from the county administrator. Projects proposed are placing a SPS Spiral Lift Grinder in Talleysville ($175,000), well pumps and motor replacement at Parham Landing ($105,000), odor control unit at Chickahominy Sewer Pump Station ($77,000), preliminary engineering report for water treatability ($75,000), Parham Landing SBR diffuser maintenance project ($68,600), water system interconnections ($50,000), well and pump maintenance ($50,000), vehicle replacement ($44,000), and computer replacement ($4,200).

A total amount of $5,053,326 for general government and public utility projects is proposed for next year. A public hearing is scheduled to take place at the planning commission’s December meeting.