County Board OKs $1 million list of improvement projects

The Ozaukee County Board on Wednesday approved spending $1.03 million to fund capital improvement projects this year.

The items, which were recommended by the county Executive Committee, includes:

• A digital evidence storage system necessary to combat cyber crimes.

• A van to deliver meals to seniors and others.

• A digital indexing of records in the Register of Deeds Office, making them searchable.

• Remodeling jury rooms at the Justice Center on South Spring Street in Port Washington.

• Upgrading the exterior lighting at the Justice Center and the Highway Department to enhance safety and energy efficiency.

• Replacing the air-conditioning system at the county Administration Center in downtown Port Washington.

• Upgrading the dispatch area in the Sheriff’s Office by adding workstations and relocating a break room.

• Upgrading the county’s Public Safety Network to correct deficiencies in accessing state systems.

• Improving audio, video and voting systems in the County Board Room. 

• Building a bathroom, open-air picnic shelter and storage area at Covered Bridge Park in the Town of Cedarburg.

• Updating the county government phone system.

Supervisors voted to leave a $177,000 contingency fund for additional projects or to cover cost overruns.

Twenty-two one-time projects, costing more than $2.6 million, were proposed by department heads and their oversight committees.

Funds for the projects came from 2018 budget surpluses, debt service funds and new construction property tax revenue.

Projects were scored and prioritized by county staff on the basis of their financial return, long-term savings and affect on delivery of services and operational efficiencies.

Projects not funded included $350,000 for a multi-purpose building and campground at Hawthorne Hills, $175,000 for a bathroom at Lions Den Gorge, $575,000 to repave portions of the Interurban Trail, $20,000 to study the feasibility of an on-site pharmacy in the Health and Human Services Dept. and $129,700 to upgrade the elevator at the Lasata Care Center. 

The vote was 23-1 to approve the list. Supervisor Bruce Ross voted no, arguing that the Covered Bridge project be removed, saying it did not have as high a return on investment score as other projects.