Capital Improvement Plan

The numbers are unchanged for the fiscal year 2014 from an overview presented last week, but some project requests in Washington County's 10-year capital improvement plan are being moved further into the future due to budget constraints and uncertainties. The Capital Improvement Committee received $54.8 million in project requests for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1, and is recommending funding of $39.6 million, mostly for school and road projects. Pushed into next 10-year plan was $6 million that had been requested for land acquisition in 2016-18 for the Hagerstown Regional Airport, Director of Budget and Financing Debra Murray told the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Washington County Board of Education members will be asked Tuesday to approve a state capital improvement plan for the next fiscal year that is expected to include a funding request to start designing a new Bester Elementary or renovate the existing school. The capital improvement plan (CIP) also will list those projects for which Washington County Public Schools officials want to request state money in upcoming fiscal years, said Rob Rollins, director of facilities planning and development.

The Washington County government will hold a public hearing on its fiscal 2012 budget and Capital Improvement Plan on Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m. The hearing will be at Hager Hall at 901 Dual Highway in Hagerstown. Speakers during the hearing will be limited to three minutes each and must sign up prior to the meeting, county spokesman Norman Bassett said in a news release. Signup will begin at 6 p.m. More information about the budget is available on the Washington County website, www.washco-md.net.

Two appointed to advisory board Two people were appointed to the Fire and Rescue Communications Advisory Board by the Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday. The County Commissioners appointed Joe Ralls as delegate and Mike Lida as alternate delegate. Each was appointed to a three-year term. Capital Improvement Policy is approved The Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a new Capital Improvement Policy. The policy's objective is to set guidelines and goals for the county's Capital Improvement Plan, according to a written statement from the county.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A long-awaited bypass around Funkstown will be partially funded in fiscal year 2009 after the Washington County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to move the project up in the county's capital improvement plan. Southern Boulevard, which will connect East Oak Ridge Drive west of Funkstown with Edgewood Drive east of Funkstown, will cost roughly $30 million to finish and is being divided into two parts, County Commissioner James F. Kercheval said. About $1.43 million will be allotted in fiscal 2009, which starts July 1, for land acquisition and design of the road's first section from East Oak Ridge Drive near South Pointe Drive to Alt. U.S. 40 north of Funkstown, Washington County Budget and Finance Director Debra S. Murray said.

School Board to ask county for $500,000 increase to CIP By TARA REILLY tarar@herald-mail.com A $500,000 increase to the Washington County Board of Education's proposed Capital Improvement Plan would move up construction of an addition to Fountain Rock Elementary School by a year and make room on the plan for renovations to Fountaindale Elementary School, Dennis McGee, the School Board's director of facilities management said...

Decision due on fate of Maugansville, Conococheague schools By TARA REILLY tarar@herald-mail.com The Washington County Board of Education plans to discuss the fate of Maugansville and Conococheague elementary schools within a month, and a final decision on whether to close or renovate the schools must be made by Aug. 15, school officials said Tuesday afternoon. The two schools came up during a meeting with the Washington County Board of Commissioners, during which the School Board asked for a $500,000 increase to its fiscal year 2003-2008 Capital Improvement Plan.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- A long-awaited bypass around Funkstown will be partially funded in fiscal year 2009 after the Washington County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to move the project up in the county's capital improvement plan. Southern Boulevard, which will connect East Oak Ridge Drive west of Funkstown with Edgewood Drive east of Funkstown, will cost roughly $30 million to finish and is being divided into two parts, County Commissioner James F. Kercheval said. About $1.43 million will be allotted in fiscal 2009, which starts July 1, for land acquisition and design of the road's first section from East Oak Ridge Drive near South Pointe Drive to Alt. U.S. 40 north of Funkstown, Washington County Budget and Finance Director Debra S. Murray said.

The Washington County Board of Education approved a $132.8 million operating budget for fiscal year 2003 Tuesday night. The move allows the School Board to bring the proposed budget to a public hearing before the Washington County Board of Commissioners on April 2 at 7 p.m. at Hagerstown Community College's Kepler Theater. The School Board is seeking a $5.78 million increase from the county over its current contribution of $68.3 million. The county, however, has proposed a $1.4 million increase to the operating budget, which is more than $4 million less than the School Board requested.

School Board sends proposals for final vote The Washington County Board of Education voted to take the following proposals to a final vote on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. --Send 35 Eastern Elementary School students to Funkstown Elementary School. Vote: 7-0 --Send 45 Eastern Elementary School students to Pangborn Elementary School. Vote: 7-0 --Send 45 Eastern Elementary School students to Potomac Heights Elementary School. Vote: 6-1 --Send 36 Williamsport Elementary School students to Fountain Rock Elementary School.

Hagerstown Community College is willing to delay some capital improvement projects for a period of years in exchange for getting a Public Safety Training Center back into the proposed 10-year capital improvement plan, President Guy Altieri told the Washington County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. The county Capital Improvement Committee had recommended pushing phase one of the center from 2016-19 to begin in 2024, while phase two would be moved back from 2019-20 to begin in 2028, Director of Budget and Finance Debra Murray said.

The numbers are unchanged for the fiscal year 2014 from an overview presented last week, but some project requests in Washington County's 10-year capital improvement plan are being moved further into the future due to budget constraints and uncertainties. The Capital Improvement Committee received $54.8 million in project requests for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1, and is recommending funding of $39.6 million, mostly for school and road projects. Pushed into next 10-year plan was $6 million that had been requested for land acquisition in 2016-18 for the Hagerstown Regional Airport, Director of Budget and Financing Debra Murray told the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday.

Washington County legislators met for their first delegation meeting during this session of the Maryland General Assembly on Wednesday to discuss legislative requests from the Washington County Board of County Commissioners. County Administrator Greg Murray, County Commissioner Ruth Anne Callaham and John Latimer, who represents the Washington County Community Coalition and the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce, were among local officials at the meeting. At the meeting, the delegation voted to go ahead with a bill to appoint police officers from municipalities as special sheriff deputies.

The Washington County Commissioners are considering asking the local delegation to the Maryland General Assembly for permission to borrow $60 million in bond money to fund the county's Capital Improvement Plan through 2018. The commissioners might also ask the local delegation for permission to appoint municipal police officers as special sheriff's deputies, get authority for the country to design special payment plans in lieu of personal property taxes to attract technology companies.

Funds to begin construction of a new Bester Elementary School in Hagerstown and to possibly look for land for a new "West City" elementary school are among the reasons the county school board is asking for $15.8 million for capital improvements for the next fiscal year. The seven-member Washington County Board of Education voted 6-0 during a meeting Tuesday afternoon at the central office in Hagerstown to approve its county funding request for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2012, according to an online broadcast of the meeting.

The Washington County government will hold a public hearing on its fiscal 2012 budget and Capital Improvement Plan on Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m. The hearing will be at Hager Hall at 901 Dual Highway in Hagerstown. Speakers during the hearing will be limited to three minutes each and must sign up prior to the meeting, county spokesman Norman Bassett said in a news release. Signup will begin at 6 p.m. More information about the budget is available on the Washington County website, www.washco-md.net.

Washington County Public Schools officials have scaled back plans for an east city high school, reducing the estimated project cost from $73 million to about $50 million. The latest plan for the school calls for an initial student capacity of 800 students, but core space that could handle 1,200 students to allow for future expansion, Robert Rollins, the school system's director of facilities planning and development, told the Washington County Commissioners Tuesday. The county's share of the project would be about $24 million.

Washington County Public Schools will ask for $9.5 million in capital improvement money from the state in the next fiscal year. On Tuesday, the Washington County Board of Education approved a six-year list of requests, with needs totaling $80.6 million. The top item on the fiscal year 2012 list is $3.3 million for a new Antietam Academy, which is expected to open in January. Next is $4 million for Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School, which is expected to be ready for the 2011-12 school year.

Washington County Board of Education members will be asked Tuesday to approve a state capital improvement plan for the next fiscal year that is expected to include a funding request to start designing a new Bester Elementary or renovate the existing school. The capital improvement plan (CIP) also will list those projects for which Washington County Public Schools officials want to request state money in upcoming fiscal years, said Rob Rollins, director of facilities planning and development.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- The Washington County Commissioners are considering changing part of the county's excise tax ordinance that can trigger doubling of the excise tax rate for fast-growing subdivisions. Currently, if building permits are issued for 25 homes in one fiscal year in a subdivision with school capacity or road capacity problems, subsequent permits issued that same fiscal year are charged double the excise tax. Based on a discussion with the commissioners in June, county attorneys are drafting some possible alternatives to that provision, Assistant County Attorney Andrew F. Wilkinson said.