A Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a blueprint for planning the County's capital expenditures and is one of the most important responsibilities of local government officials. It coordinates community planning, financial capacity, and physical development.

A CIP is composed of two parts; a capital budget and a capital program. The capital budget is the upcoming years spending plan for capital items (tangible assets or projects that cost at least $30,000.00 and have a useful life of at least 5 years). The capital program is a plan for capital expenditures that extends five years beyond the capital budget.

The intent of the CIP is to identify in one document all capital projects that the County and its many related agencies are undertaking in the next five years regardless of funding mechanism. The County set up the Capital Improvement Program with the following goals:

• Protect the County's investment in its buildings, equipment, improvements and infrastructure.
• Recognize the need to preserve and maintain existing assets over acquiring new assets.
• Develop the most cost effective way to manage the County's assets through a comprehensive process that cuts across departments, boards and committees.
• Acknowledge that certain services cannot be compromised. The services provided and capital investments made must undergo a rigorous scrutiny to ensure that investments in these areas meet the needs of the County in the most cost effective manner possible.
• Provide equipment that is essential to do the work of the County.
• Where possible, the County needs to examine the long term operating and capital costs prior to instituting any new program.

Marathon County has maintained its commitment to protect the County's investment in its capital assets and infrastructure. The process started in 1989, has allowed the County the needed flexibility to maintain its capital assets while allowing the County services to continue to serve the needs of the citizens.

Approved County Budgets