SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and county staff agreed at an April 25 budget meeting more money needed to go into county road maintenance.

“Understanding the continuing deterioration of so many of our roadways, I think it is important to put as much funding into this as we can,” District 1 Supervisor John Hidahl said.

District 2 Supervisor George Turnboo agreed.

“(Department of Transportation Director Rafael Martinez) and I have talked about this a lot because the product he has to purchase is more than double (the cost), which puts us way behind on road repairs,” Turnboo said.

That is why the county’s new reserve goals for both road maintenance and capital projects will be included in the recommended 2022-23 fiscal year budget.

The board approved increasing the budget goal for road maintenance from $3 million to $5 million in the General Fund.

Other changes involved increasing the capital projects reserve from $5 million to $6 million.

The Chief Administrative Office staff set other general recommended budget goals for the 2022-23 fiscal year, including $10.75 million for the general reserve, $6.5 million for contingency and two years of goal increases for California Public Employees’ Retirement System contributions.

During the meeting CAO analyst Emma Owens also shared a list of projects and funds expected to be carried over in the 2022-23 fiscal year, including the Placerville jail expansion project, a broadband project grant match of $600,000, the Old Depot Road bike park, the replacement of a Shakori Drive garage in South Lake Tahoe and a Spring Street facilities replacement plan expected to cost $350,000, among others.

Owens said some of the projects not included in the general budget are staffing costs for the jail expansion, building a new juvenile hall, Spring Street facilities replacement costs and the proposed Diamond Springs Sports Complex.

The new juvenile hall is set to be built on county property on 300 Fair Lane at an estimated cost of $18 million.

The Spring Street facilities replacement includes the prospect of moving the psychiatric health facility into the site of the old juvenile hall.

The county is projected to receive $18.5 million in sales tax revenue at the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year, according to Owens. Sales tax is expected to increase in the 2022-23 fiscal year by 2.4% statewide, according a study done by consultant company HDL.

General Fund reserves and designations ending balances are projected to be more than $58 million at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The projected fiscal year fund balance includes excess revenues of $10.98 million from extra Transient Occupancy Tax, sales tax and other revenues.

For the rest of the fund balance, departmental savings include $12.12 million, $19.67 million in excess contingency funds and $4.26 million in carry-over funds from board-approved capital projects.

Owens said some of the projects not included in the general budget are staffing costs for the jail expansion, building a new juvenile hall, Spring Street facilities replacement costs and the proposed Diamond Springs Sports Complex.

The new juvenile hall is set to be built on county property on 300 Fair Lane at an estimated cost of $18 million.

The Spring Street facilities replacement includes the prospect of moving the psychiatric health facility into the site of the old juvenile hall.

The county is projected to receive $18.5 million in sales tax revenue at the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year, according to Owens. Sales tax is expected to increase in the 2022-23 fiscal year by 2.4% statewide, according a study done by consultant company HDL.

General Fund reserves and designations ending balances are projected to be more than $58 million at the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The projected fiscal year fund balance includes excess revenues of $10.98 million from extra Transient Occupancy Tax, sales tax and other revenues.

For the rest of the fund balance, departmental savings include $12.12 million, $19.67 million in excess contingency funds and $4.26 million in carry-over funds from board-approved capital projects.