The Sherburne County Board approved the county’s five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) during its last meeting in 2018.

 

The plan gives the county the ability to plan its annual budget to deal with future growth and changes in technology.

 

One of the goals of the plan is to spend a consistent dollar amount each year, rather than make a huge expenditure in a single year that would require a significant hike in the tax levy.

 

The biggest expenditure slated for 2019 is $3 million for the Government Center remodel, which is still underway. However, that expenditure will use non-levy funds. The project is expected to be completed this year, with no CIP funds needed after 2019.

 

The Information Technology (IT) department will have capital expenditures totalling $3,112,317 over the next five years, with the bulk of spending going towards computer and server replacements and security upgrades. 

 

Those expenditures have been broken into manageable amounts over five years of $501,830, $518,000, $724,750, $672,632 and $630,105. 

 

The same system goes for the public works department, where the county will spend $4,435,000 over the next five years, mainly  on new shop equipment and vehicle replacement. That yearly breakdown is $907,000 in 2019, then $882,000 each year from 2020 through 2023.

 

The sheriff’s department has $3,175,000 in capital expenditures planned over the next five years on squad car replacement, transport vehicles, computer equipment, software, training equipment and recreational enforcement equipment.  

 

The five year breakdown: $683,000 for 2019 and $623,000 for each year from 2020 through 2023. About $1.1 million of the total will come from non-levy funds.

 

Other departments have fewer capital expenditures planned over the next five years:  County Attorney - $299,300; Veterans Services - $41,500; Recorder - $12,000; Planning & Zoning - $20,000; Maintenance $175,000; HHS - $82,270; County Board - $10,000; Extension - $2,500; Auditor/Treasurer - $77,145; Assessor - $5,000.