SALISBURY – Officials in Wicom-ico County agreed this week to extend the date for adopting the fiscal years 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program for a second time.
On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council approved a resolution to extend the date for adopting the fiscal years 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) from March 19 to June 4. The decision comes one month after the county council voted to extend the date of adoption from February 19 to March 19.
“The resolution before council today is to extend the adoption of the Capital Improvement Program for a second time to June 4, 2019,” said Council Administrator Laura Hurley. “The reason is that state legislation has been introduced that may have a fiscal impact on the county, and administration has requested to take a look at the projects in the CIP.”
In a work session earlier this month, Director of Administration Wayne Strausburg said county staff would re-examine capital projects proposed in the CIP in light of new developments in the state legislature.
He noted legislation to raise the minimum wage and plans to implement recommendations from the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education – or Kirwan Commission – could impact the county’s capital planning document.
“Back when I was doing the CIP, I was looking at finances quite a bit differently than I’m looking at them right now as we prepare the budget,” he said earlier this month. “So, we are going to revisit that.”
Strausburg requested the county council delay the adoption of the CIP.
“I think I would have a much better idea of what the real spending and affordability is going to be by the end of March,” he said.
Back on the legislative agenda this week, the council voted unanimously to extend the date for adopting the CIP for fiscal years 2020-2024 to June 4.
