SCC Board approves capital improvement plan funding
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HUDSON – On October 5 the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution for a capital improvement plan over the next five years. The plan included the purchase of a refurbished CT scanner for use to complete autopsies, which would save the county money paid to other counties for autopsies to be completed there. It was explained the use of a CT scanner for an autopsy would be less traumatic for family members of the deceased, and for those witnessing what was described as “human dissection.” Funding for capital improvement projects at Glen Hills Park saw several minutes of debate, including an amendment indicating the project number in the capital improvement plan could be addressed in 2023 instead of 2022. The project in question would upgrade the group camping area at the park; one supervisor questioned what the proposed $1.6 million would do for the park. Community Development director Ellen Denzer explained the funds would be spent to provide electrical service to the nine camper cabins in the group camping area; the funds would also be used to drill wells and provide water and sanitary service to the cabins. Denzer also explained during her annual department report, that there was a sharp increase in County Park usage during 2020, so it made good economic sense to make upgrades to the park facilities that have been in use since 1972.
Denzer said the county was awarded a $250,000 grant good from November 2022 June 2023 to help cover the cost of the improvements. Supervisor Dan Hanson said Glen Hills, and other County parks are ,”the gems of the county.” He followed up by pointing out increasing recreational and tourism traffic can be financially beneficial for the eastern part of the county, where Glen Hills Park is located.
There was also some debate over whether a $87 million building fund line item needed to be included in the five-year capital improvement plan funds. Some supervisors expressed confusion over whether approving the capital improvement plan funding was wise before hearing from the County Building Committee, and indicated it was their preference to be fully transparent regarding the need for that expense, expressing a desire to discuss the $87 million building fund necessity in a public meeting.
County Administrator Ken Witt explained county sales tax revenues are looking very strong, and said the county budget appears to be on target for what he expected through the end of August.
The next meeting for the County Board of Supervisors will be held at 8:30 a.m. on November 2.
