For the purposes of this chapter, the following
terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
A.
A major, nonrecurring, tangible, fixed asset.
Capital projects generally include one or more of the following categories:
(1)
Property acquisition or lease of land and/or buildings.
(2)
Major improvements to an existing facility.
(3)
New building construction.
(4)
Major equipment and vehicles.
B.
Capital project costs may include related architectural
and engineering fees, site work and bond issuance costs.
C.
Facilities and infrastructure refer to all public
facilities, including both municipal and school, such as buildings,
streets, bridges, wastewater systems, parks and transfer station facilities.
D.
The estimated cost for a capital project must
be over $10,000, and the project must have an expected useful life
greater than the life span of any debt used to fund the project.
Not later than November 1 of each year, any Town agency, official or department having need for capital improvement projects as defined by §
55-1 shall submit requests for capital improvement projects to the Town Manager.
Annually, each department updates prior year
capital project requests and identifies new projects and/or funding
needs, and submits their requests to the Town Manager for consideration
and incorporation into the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). The Town
Manager in association with the Finance Director shall prepare a proposed
plan for submittal to the Town Council based on their review and evaluation
of each requested project with the appropriate agency or department
head.
In evaluating requests and recommending a capital
improvement project, the Town Manager shall establish a priority for
all projects, based upon the following criteria:
A. Projects address health and safety concerns;
B. Protection of public property;
C. Meet any federal or state mandates and/or legal obligations;
D. Secure any outside funding such as federal, state
or private to reduce the tax burden;
E. Preservation of the tax base while continuing to maintain
infrastructure/assets;
F. CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) should be based on
available financial resources and determine the impact on public health
and safety should a project be deferred;
G. The first year of the CIP’s (Capital Improvement
Plan) pay-as-you-go element is the capital budget portion of the Town’s
general operating budget, and, therefore, the balancing of overall
need and affordability becomes a major consideration.
The Town Manager with the support of the Finance
Director shall review all requests with respect to the financial resources
of the Town and shall prepare a schedule indicating the effects of
the requested projects upon the proposed annual budgets for the six-year
capital plan. This schedule shall include projected debt service costs,
annual maintenance and operating costs, increases in any service or
user charge, a recommendation for any new service charges, user fees,
and increases in any existing licenses or permits to support a proposed
project request. The impact on the property tax rate for the six years
of the proposed plan shall also be projected.
No later than during the month of February of each year, the Town Manager shall present to the Town Council a proposed six-year CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). The Town Council shall publish a detailed draft CIP ( Capital Improvement Plan), as part of the overall annual Operating Budget Program and make it available to the public as outlined in the Town Charter, on or before May 1 as noted in the Charter Section
C-33. The Town Council shall adopt the annual Operating Budget Program, including the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan), on or before June 10 as noted in the Charter Section
C-34.