Grundy County Board says yes to capital improvement plan

Grundy County has a newly updated capital improvement plan

The members of the Grundy County Board approved the five-year plan during its regular monthly meeting on Jan. 14. The plan maps out proposed spending for fiscal years 2020-2024 (FY20-FY24), and includes a grand total of $39.4 million, with spending greatest in FY20 and significantly reduced in the years following.

“The capital plan has been circulated and vetted for about a year now,” Grundy County Board Chair Chris Balkema said. “This is a comprehensive plan that goes out five years, and it tends to monetize and prioritize all of our capital spending for the next five years. So, while in any organization there will be unexpected [expenditures] ... as we get better and better at planning and preventative maintenance ... [emergencies] should become fewer and far between.”

The county spends considerable resources on buildings, improvements, equipment and the infrastructure necessary to serve Grundy residents.

An internal study determined the needs of different departments within the Grundy County administration, ultimately creating this newest version of the plan.

Costs included in the plan are estimates and subject to change. However, the overall goal is to plan and prepare for significant purchases and projects over the next five fiscal years. Per the plan, significant changes to costs on items within the plan will undergo substantial revision of the document.

Some of the highlights of the plan include:

Administrative Building

Over the course of the five years, the county will budget a total of $920,000 on projects, including $53,000 for new flooring projects in FY21 and $558,000 for a new parking lot, garage work, and sidewalk repairs in FY24.

Emergency Management Agency

Over the course of the plan, the county will budget $82,972 for EMA activities. Those expenditures all include technical upgrades and some office equipment.

Highway Department

The budget for the highway department is a significant portion of the plan, with a total budget of $34.1 million. The lion’s share of roadwork is expected to be complete within the FY20 time frame, at $22.2 million. Highway projects range in size and scope, from the widening of Ridge Road to equipment purchases.

Sheriff’s Department

The capital improvement budget for the Grundy County Sheriff over the course of the plan totals $1.6 million. That includes $150,000 for evidence room expansion and technology upgrades in FY20, and a $1 million placeholder for future growth in FY24.

Transit

The transit department has a total five year capital improvement budget of $935,000, all earmarked for vehicles and the construction of the bus garage

The grand total budgeted for each year is $23.7 million in FY20; $3.7 million in FY21; $4.1 million in FY22; $5.7 million in FY23; and $2.1 million in FY24.

Some projects are also included as placeholders, there to remind the board of a need on the horizon. Subsequent plans may move projects around on the timeline, add or eliminate projects, or be flexible enough to adapt as new goals and realities arise.

The projects are included in the county budget, and appropriate funds are determined based on a review of the plan.

The funds don’t just come from one pool of money. Within the plan, there are multiple funds created specifically to cover specific needs.

The capital improvement fund accumulates resources specifically committed to funding future projects and significant purchases above $5,000. Additional funds are earmarked for specific purposes, such as the highway restricted fund for road projects, motor fuel funds for projects approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation, and transit and EMA funds for those specific departments.

Funds are classified as:

• Restricted fund - most special revenue funds and grant funding

• Committed funds - capital improvement fun and highway restricted fund

• Assigned funds - none at this time

• Unassigned funds - general fund

Ultimately, the plan is designed as a blueprint for the county to be able to prepare for as many foreseeable issues as possible, with the option to move funds around or make changes as necessary.

“We, from a financial perspective, can walk forward for the next five years with as few surprises as possible,” Balkema said.

The plan passed unanimously. Balkema encouraged members of the public to review the plan.

The plan can be found in the January board agenda packet online at grundycountyil.iqm2.com, or can be viewed by visiting the Grundy County Administration Center, 1320 Union St. in Morris.