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E. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM <br /> <br />Public officials are faced with the difficult task of allocat- <br />ing limited resources among a seemingly unlimited number of <br />demands and needs for public services. In many instances, <br />decisions must be made regarding the merits of one project <br />over another without benefit of sufficient information, or <br />without time for adequate evaluation. A method available to <br />local units of government to help manage and systematize the <br />budget allocation process is a Capital Improvement Program. <br /> <br />Ramsey's Capital Improvements Program should include a compre- <br />hensive list of major projects and equipment necessary and de- <br />sirable to meet the needs of the community for the next five <br />(5) years. A "Capital Improvement" may be defined as a major <br />expenditure of public funds beyond maintenance and operating <br />costs, for the acquisition or construction of a needed physical <br />facility. These improvements or acquisitions should generally <br />be of a permanent nature, representing a long-term investment. <br />Some examples of capital improvement items are: <br /> <br />Municipal Buildings <br />Fire and Police Stations <br />Park Acquisition and Development <br />Utility Construction <br />Major Equipment <br />Road Construction and Parking Facilities <br />Joint School and Community Development Projects <br />Airports <br />Hospitals <br />Fire Fighting Equipment <br /> <br />A Capital Improvement Program is a method of anticipating the <br />type of improvements and scheduling the expenditures over a <br />period of several years in order to maximize the use of public <br />funds. A Capital Improvement Program may cover a period of <br />four to ten years, and should be updated and extended every <br />year. <br /> <br />See Appendix B for the current Capital Improvement Program. <br /> <br />101 <br /> <br /> <br />