WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
Kent County’s infrastructure for service delivery and operational needs will grow dramatically in the next 24 months as the The Kent County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 23 approved nearly $18.7 million for three strategic capital funding projects — all without the need for any issuance of bonds.
The projects include a new North County campus for various service delivery located just outside Cedar Springs , a permanent Kent County Parks and Recreation Department office at Millennium Park, and an expanded county vehicle repair and maintenance facility at the county’s Fuller campus.
The project expenditures include $12.5 million for the North County campus, $2.68 million for the parks department office, and $3.5 million for a fleet vehicle facility.
The funding for these projects was allocated from the county’s Capital Improvement Program Fund, established in 2015 to “reserve funding for future capital needs and to reduce the size of debt associated with large capital projects,” according to a county statement.
“I am very proud we were able to address the needs of the community and offer better, more efficient services without the need to issue bonds,” Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Mandy Bolter said in supplied material. “Our fiscal team has been very responsible with taxpayer dollars over the years so we could make that possible. These projects wisely invest taxpayer dollars in areas that will not only improve access to County services but prepare our infrastructure for the future.”
The new North County Campus will be located on 14 acres of County-owned property at 17 Mile Road NE near US-131. The approximate address will be 4223 17 Mile Road NE., and it will be located in open land on the north side of 17 Mile Road.
The site’s conceptual master site plan includes a full-service sub-station for the Sheriff’s Office, a clinic for the Health Department, and additional space for other county services. This new shared facility is expected to “improve response times by the Sheriff’s Office and increase access to services in northern Kent County,” according to the county.
“By consolidating and upgrading our facilities and operations, we are focusing on the county’s quality of life and addressing long-awaited projects to better serve our residents now and into the future,” Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt, said in supplied material.
As for the new parks department office, the offices currently are located in modular facilities near Millennium Park. Initial design challenges and the economic recession delayed the development of a permanent parks department office, according to the county. However, “the Board felt it was important to create a new, permanent setting for employees and for residents to access park services.” The new office will be located in the same vicinity as the current facility.
“Our parks system is a true gem for the region, and we are committed to making it more accessible for families and visitors and more functional for our employees,” Bolter said.
Last, the county needs a larger and more modern fleet facility for the repair and maintenance of County vehicles. When the original facility was constructed, it serviced 35 vehicles, and today it maintains more than 290, according to the county. The location for the new 16,100 square foot facility will be located on the county’s Fuller campus and “will increase the efficiency of maintenance operations and address the physical limitations and safety issues associated with the current facility.”
The Kent County Building Authority will assume project management responsibility for the projects, and all are scheduled to immediately commence with architectural and engineering services. The projected timeline for the North County campus is 24 months, 15 months for the parks department office, and 18 months for the fleet facility, according to the county.
