Will become emergency shelter
CIP '14 includes high school generator project
Under the Amelia County Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)
for FY '14, a larger capacity emergency electrical generator will be installed
at Amelia County High School and the high school would then become the county's
designated emergency shelter. Currently the elementary school is the designated
emergency shelter but has no generator.
On Jan. 23 the planning commission recommended the board of
supervisors accept the revised 2013-'17 CIP. The supervisors use the CIP for
budget planning but approve projects and funding one year at a time.
The FY '14 CIP includes the replacement of the existing
generator at the high school with one that will provide sufficient power to
cover the main portion of the building, including that portion that will be used
as an emergency shelter. The current high school generator will be moved to the
elementary school.
In his justification, Amelia Emergency Management Director
Kent Emerson wrote, "Amelia County must be prepared to establish an emergency
shelter in times of disaster. The school buildings are the closest suitable
public buildings within the county. None of the existing buildings have adequate
emergency power generation capabilities."
Mr. Emerson estimated the cost of this new project to be
$118,000.
Another new CIP project for FY '14 is the hardware, software
and related items necessary to establish a countywide GIS system that will
incorporate 911, water, sewer, zoning and other mapping requirements under
single system. The project would be phased in over two to three years and phase
one is expected to cost $40,000. Community Development Director David Whitaker
said the system will require the employment of an in-formation tech person.
The school board wants $50,000 to install cameras and
security doors in all schools and the school administration office building.
The most expensive new project is the second phase of the
Hindle building renovation. The FY '14 CIP includes the planning and engineering
for the renovation of the historic school building now that the roof has been
replaced. The planning and engineering is expected to cost $137,000.
Already on the list for FY '14 was the upgrade to the Jackson
building housing the Amelia Historical Library. The project will include
sidewalk installation, a handicapped ramp and upgrade to the existing parking
area for safer access to the building. The project is estimated to cost $83,000.
Also already slated for FY '14 is the re-paving of the school
bus garage parking lot and bus loop and is expected to cost $76,000.
A new telephone system for the elementary school was also
already scheduled for FY '14. The new system is deemed necessary be-cause the
manufacturer no longer supports the current system. The cost is estimated at
$52,000.
Other projects were moved back from FY '13, including the
paving of the parking lot at the War Memorial Building (parks and rec gym) at an
estimated cost of $80,000. This part of the Amelia Streetscapes Improvements
project was split from the FY '13 project.
Another FY '13 project that has been moved back is the second
phase of the Emergency Operations Center renovation to include a new 911 center
moved from the sheriff's office. This project, estimated to cost $350,000, was
requested by Mr. Emerson and Sheriff Ricky Walker. The county spent $150,000 in
the first phase of the EOC renovation in FY '12 and a further $500,000 is
estimated to complete the renovation of the building, now slated for FY '15.
The first phase of an expansion of the industrial park was
also pushed back from FY '13. This project will extend roads and utilities in
the county-owned park to provide access to a 15-acre site that could be
developed into five better-marketable lots. The cost is estimated at $568,845.
The county estimates it will cost $50,000 to add signage to
the industrial park entrance.
Improvements to the Boepple building, estimated to cost
$42,000, will improve the efficiency and meet absentee voting requirements.
The CIP includes $12,500 to install a sprinkler system at the
football/baseball field at the Joe Paulette Memorial Park. The school division
has agree to pay half the cost.
Parks and rec wants to install a Honeywell Instant Alert
system. The department would tie into the school division's instant alert system
with its own pass code and list to enable parks and rec to inform participants
of cancellations and provide other information. The cost of the project is
estimated at $10,000.
The public works department estimates the cost of replacing
the 1994 emergency power generator for the courthouse at $80,000. The 20 kw
generator would be replaced with a 100 kw unit that will provide power for a
greater portion of the courthouse. This project was moved forward from FY '16.
In all, the CIP for FY '14 would cost $1,749,345.
Several projects were rejected by the planning commission for
inclusion in the FY '2013-17 CIP.
The replacement of six desktop computers and the addition of
five laptop computers and accessories requested by the James L. Hamner Public
Library for a cost of $16,458 was rejected by the commissioners as not meeting
the criteria for CIP funding.
The library's request for $15,000 worth of e-books and other
electronic contents also did not meet CIP criteria.
The repair of structural damage to the middle and high school
buildings due to age was expected to cost $50,000 but was also rejected as not
meeting CIP requirements as was the repair to the elementary school foundation
at $10,000. Both projects were classified as more suited to the schools'
"operational and maintenance" budgets.
A generator for the elementary school was dropped entirely
from the CIP in favor of replacing the high school generator and installing the
old generator at the elementary school.
Three cars and four school buses requested by the schools
were moved to the new Vehicle Purchase/ Replacement Plan. The replacement of the
public works department's 2002 Ford Ranger pickup and a zero turn commercial
lawnmower were also referred to the vehicle plan.