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GREENSBORO — The county could spend more than $1.13 billion on major projects in the next ten years.
If it can find the money.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners has received a proposed capital investment plan of $499 million from the county staff.

The plan, released Thursday, lists county projects that cost more than $100,000 and have a life longer than 10 years. It looks ahead to projects such as school construction, public safety and major technology expenses from 2010 to 2019.

“Accepting this document and working through it does not authorize any part of the plan,” said Michael Halford, the county budget director. He reminded the commissioners that they make the final call on spending.

The plan provides a guide for upcoming projects and expenses.

If the plan is carried out, the county must come up with about half of that $1.13 billion for proposed projects. New bonds or taxes generally pay for new projects.

Funding for Guilford County Schools could add a wrinkle to the plan.

Ongoing school projects were included, but no new construction. Building just a few new schools can easily reach into the hundreds of millions. Halford said the school system is expected to submit its plan later this year.

From the county’s capital plan:

• New money would go to GTCC, which expects $366 million in new expenses. The plan includes $16.5 million for an expanded aviation building and millions more for new or renovated training facilities for dental, continuing education, business, emergency services, hospitality, general classrooms, land and support facilities to go with those expansions at campuses in High Point, Greensboro and Jamestown.
• Emergency services would receive $67.5 million to upgrade the county’s communication system, a shared expense with Greensboro.
• Proposed legislation in the General Assembly could change the age for juvenile offenders, meaning more room would be needed at the county’s juvenile detention center. An expansion and related staff for that expansion would cost $11.3 million through 2019.
• Ongoing projects, such as the approved bonds for the $115 million county jail complex or $467 million for county schools are included in the plan.

County staff encouraged the commissioners to put more money into savings so smaller projects could be paid for with cash, not debt.

“Are you going to be fighting off more debt than you can handle? And how much cash will you be putting in it?” County Manager Brenda Jones Fox asked. “I think we’ve been a little deficient in putting in cash in our planning.”

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com