Too early to see what projects will be funded

No one can accuse Orange County of easing into budget negotiations, as it kicks off every season with the things it needs the most, but is least able to afford: its capital improvement plan. This particular part of the budget process works as a triage center, funding the projects in the greatest need and delaying those than can afford to be delayed.

In its first two budget work sessions of the year, the Orange County Board of Supervisors got a preliminary glimpse at the laundry list of county CIP projects, both old and new. Supervisors and county officials have said that it is still too early in the budget process to speculate about which projects will likely be funded, though state law and necessity have already green-lighted several. County finance director Glenda Bradley said the closing of the existing landfill and the construction of a new cell are among the projects mandated for the 2013 fiscal year.

“Projects that are already partially funded have a better chance of being approved,” said Bradley, “unless something is mandated by law.”

Bradley said a significant grant with an 80/20 local match will see that the 911 communications center receives a new recorder and the registrar’s office will receive the second half of its required voting booth upgrade, of which only half was funded last year.

County administrator Julie Jordan pointed to the estimated $7 million disparity between revenue and expenditures as the first step in CIP discussions.

“Right now it looks like we have a pretty big gap in the budget,” said Jordan. “Once we have a more clarified forecast of revenue we’ll be in a better position to determine which projects can be funded.”

Newly elected District 2 Supervisor Jim White is entering his first county budget season, but can already predict what this year’s CIP outcome will be.

“We’ll need to look at critical maintenance projects first, but those will likely just about eat up the budget dollars available for the CIP,” said White. “Any new initiatives, I just don’t see them. Much like last year, it’s going to be a lot of keeping the roofs from leaking and keeping the potholes filled in.”

A few of the projects the board will be considering in the coming weeks are the recently proposed $1.2 million relocation of the 911 center, vehicle replacement for the sheriff’s office and bolstering of the county’s broadband capabilities. Jordan said some likely deferments include library construction work, citing the relatively recent completion of the new Gordonsville Branch, and a study of county space.

The stalled state of the economy has dictated CIP project scheduling for the past few years, causing supervisors to approve only absolutely necessary projects and delaying the rest until hopefully better budget seasons. Jordan said it wasn’t always this way.

“In better years, it used to be that we would be having conversations about what we wanted to spend the surplus funds on,” she said. “I look forward to those years again. The downturn has hurt us all, but the only way to fund all these projects would be to increase revenue or decrease services. Both are undesirable.”

District 5 Supervisor Lee Frame hopes that at some point the board can alter its pattern of delaying a majority of projects and believes a separate capital improvements fund could be the answer.

“I think we ought to look at determining a set dollar amount we’re going to set aside for capital programs each year,” said Frame. “All we do now is shove it off from year to year.”

The next CIP discussion is Jan. 24 and will focus on public safety projects.