County officials set to approve budget
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 4, 2015 10:58 PM
A proposed five-year, $39 million capital improvement plan could be adopted by Wayne County commissioners when they meet Tuesday.
Slightly more than $27 million would be spent for projects in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2016.
That total includes $16 million for a proposed new agriculture/convention center and $6.7 million for a new 911E call center.
Tuesday's meeting will begin with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
Other proposed projects for 2015-16 include:
* $618,000 for ambulance replacement and $174,473 for cardiac monitor replacement in the Emergency Medical Department.
* $260,000 for exterior renovations on county facilities.
* $882,600 for computer server virtualization infrastructure replacement.
* $351,876 for vehicle and equipment replacement for the Sheriff's Office.
* $375,000 for an excavator and $300,000 for a material handler for the Solid Waste Department.
* $170,000 for an approach lighting system and $335,000 to purchase 35 acres for the Wayne Executive Jetport.
It also includes $250,557 for in-car and body cameras for the Sheriff's Office. But during budget sessions, commissioners voted 5-2 to delay spending $34,500 for the body cameras.
The other four years of the plan show the proposed timing of projects and equipment and the revenue sources that will pay for them.
Most of the funding for the projects will come from the county budget's general fund, which contains the funding for most county departments.
Grants and financing will be needed as well.
The county's planned $10 million satellite jail on North William Street is not included in the proposal. Commissioners already have earmarked the money in a capital fund for the project.
Also, they are expected to award the contract for the project and schedule a groundbreaking ceremony when they meet Tuesday.
Department of Social Services, Health Department, adult and juvenile probation office renovation and/or construction are not included either.
Those projects are not at a design stage where realistic cost estimates can be made, County Manager George Wood said.
Commissioners' decision not to renew a lease with Eastpointe for three flours of office space at the county-owned Borden Building also will factor into the needs of the Heath Department and DSS.
DSS already occupies three floors at the Borden Building. Not renewing the Eastpointe lease will open up 48 offices for use.
Also not included in the plan is a new library branch for the northern end of the county since a site has not been determined.
Also on Tuesday's agenda are motions to approve:
* Dobbs County Estates Section 11 final subdivision plat.
* A contract with StarPoint for document imaging and shredding.
* A resolution authorizing the sale of certain surplus real properties.
* Purchase of Harris radio equipment with financing over 48 months.
* Budget amendments.
Consent agenda items include: Establishing a public hearing on Tuesday, July 21, at 9: 15 a.m. in the commissioners' meeting room to receive public comments on a request to rezone a 15.96-acre tract off North Beston Road from Residential Agriculture 30 to Airport; application for Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion; applications for Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Exclusion; write-off delinquent inmate accounts receivable balances; budget amendments.
Public comments will be taken at 10 a.m. People will have four minutes to speak on their topic of choice.