JOHNSTOWN - Officials on Thursday reviewed Fulton County's proposed $7.3 million capital plan for 2013 containing roof and software replacements, a technology park, and several highway and landfill projects. Supervisors made no immediate changes.
County Budget Director Alice Kuntzsch told the Board of Supervisors' Capital Projects Committee the preliminary plan isn't final until supervisors adopt the 2013 county budget late this year. The proposed plan is funded by $1.4 million from property taxes.
"There's really not a lot of fluff in here," Kuntzsch said.
She said the county has $3.1 million in capital improvement reserves and $1.1 million in capital equipment reserves to draw from to help pay for next year's capital projects. She said the county also has no debts for capital projects - the last debt being $145,000, which was paid in June.
"We planned on being debt-free and it couldn't have come at a better time," said board Chairman Michael F. Gendron.
The committee reviewed various proposed 2013 capital projects, including a $2 million project to transform the former Tryon campus in Perth into a Tryon Technology Park and Incubator Center.
"That is the project you have received a $2 million [state] grant for," said county Planning Director James Mraz.
The committee reviewed a $70,000 project to install a new roof on the County Services Complex II off Route 29. The building houses the Public Health Department on the upper level, and the Board of Elections and Information Services Department on the lower level.
Information Services Director Tony Basile submitted $184,217 worth of proposed projects, which includes a $20,545 personal computer upgrade and a $13,672 server upgrade. The projects call for 35 desktop computers and six servers.
"Tony always comes in with a round of upgrades," Kuntzsch said.
Perth Supervisor Greg Fagan suggested the county pull Basile's other big project - a $150,000 needs analysis and software replacement, but the committee took no action.
Kuntzsch noted Sheriff Thomas Lorey requested three new patrol cars costing $96,000. The sheriff said several vehicles need to be replaced, such as patrol vehicles from 2006 to 2009.
Among other capital projects is a $230,000 Automated Weather Observing System for the county airport. State and federal aid is expected to pay $218,500, with an original local share of $11,500. Mraz said the local share actually won't be that much.
"There's $6,000 already appropriated in the 2012 budget as the local share," he said. "We're really only asking for an additional $5,500 for a local share."
The Highways and Facilities Department is requesting $3.8 million for five road-paving projects. The top priority is a $2.3 million project to pave County Highway 110 in the towns of Broadalbin and Northampton. Kuntzsch said local shares for highway projects comes from $865,000 in state Consolidated Highway Improvement Program funding.
Other proposed projects in that department include a $230,000 tandem dump truck with plow and a $26,000 tank monitoring-fuel dispensing system that replaces a 1997 system.
Solid Waste Department projects for 2013 include a proposed $525,000 landfill compactor.
The committee will meet again at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the County Office Building.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.