County Commission | The Magazine October 2017 | Page 24

FROM THE COVER
20 years and to build a reserve.
The reserve is intended to build
up so the county could eventually
cash-flow the next 20-year cycle of
capital improvements.
This fund receives cash savings
from reduced energy costs as well
as annual contributions from the
General Fund, Sheriff and Jail Fund,
Highway and Engineering Fund and
Environmental Services Fund.
Commissioners considered at
least nine drafts before approving
the final version last fall, and they
don’t have to search too hard to
find evidence of its impact. Money
is being saved every day with more
than 2,000 new, energy efficient
LED light fixtures plus upgraded
HVAC systems and a digital phone
system. About 40,000 square feet of
space has been built or renovated, not
to mention 18 roof projects.
These projects and dozens more
are all tracked in a database of the
52 county-owned buildings, and cost
estimates for future projects are catalogued there too.
Coffee County is justifiably proud of these achievements. As the entry
form stated, “The commission is taking care of its buildings in such a way
that problems are averted, making for a much better working environment
for the county employees as well as members of the public that use the
facilities.” n
1.
many buildings you,
Do you know exactly how
ponsible for?
as a commissioner, are res
how many
2. Do you know exactly
t are running on
HVAC units you have tha
R22 refrigerant?
the roof on your
3. Do you know how old
courthouse is?
ny voting houses you
4. Do you know how ma
g on any of them?
have? If the roof is leakin
cooled?
How they are heated and
sh?
And if the toilets will flu
“Neither did we,” said Coffee County Engineer
Randy Tindell. He posed these questions to county
leaders in his convention presentation about the capital
improvement plan and funding mechanisms.
Find his presentation online at
www.alabamacounties.org/convention2017/wednesday/.
24 | COUNTY COMMISSION
is anywhere you can
5. Do you know if there
nty to ask – that
go – or anyone in your Cou
the above information?
can provide you will all