Capital Improvement Public Hearing Scheduled in Madison

The Capital Improvement Program Committee (CIP Committee) will be holding a Public Hearing on Thursday December 17th at 7:30 pm at Polson Middle School Auditorium. The purpose of this session is to introduce a new capital planning process to the public.

They will also be eliciting feedback from the public about the proposed five year plan as well as the proposed capital expenditures that are under review for fiscal year 2016-2017. Public participation is critical to the new process.

The CIP Committee is made up of six voting members – two from the Board of Selectmen, two from the Board of Education and two from the Board of Finance. There are also three non-voting members representing the public for each board. Several members of the town staff liaison to this Committee as well.

Madison Board of Education Chairwoman Jean Fitzgerald said the committee is charged with three basic actions: evaluating and prioritizing the requested capital expenditures from all the town/board of education departments, propose funding plans and finally to submit a recommended Capital Improvement Program to the Board of Selectman and the Board of Finance for review and approval.

The idea is to have one comprehensive planning document for Madison and to create more transparency on the long term use of tax payer’s dollars, Fitzgerald said.

Expenditures are evaluated and prioritized based on the following general criteria:

• Public safety, health and welfare
• Legal, regulatory or contractual requirements
• Preservation and protection of existing assets
• Enhancement of existing assets
• Obsolescence or end of useful life of assets
• Consistency with the Town Strategic Plan and Plan of Conservation and Development
• Promotion of economic development
• Return on investment and cost avoidance