Wicomico County, Md. — Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano held a public hearing on the county’s capital improvement plan this evening – part of the planning process for the budget over the next few years.

The hearing gave the public the opportunity to offer input on the plan that will help guide the county’s future budgeting. A capital project is one that are significant in scope, will take several years to complete, and require large amounts of funding, according to information provided by Wicomico County.

County executive Julie Giordano explained the importance of the hearing in a statement to WMDT.

“Public input is an important part of this process because these are the residents who ultimately benefit from these investments and whose tax dollars help pay for them. We want to hear what people believe should be prioritized, what needs they see in their communities and what projects they feel will have the greatest long-term impact,” Giordano wrote.

The CIP does not authorize spending – or guarantee funding in future budgets.

Officials heard about priorities from Wicomico County Public Schools – and individuals asking for continued support of projects locally. Wicomico County Finance Director Pam Oland says that the CIP is still in the feedback process, an important function of the hearing.

“Ultimately, it is the public’s funds and thus we should be listening to what the public wants. And so as a county, we are responsible for paying for schools, public safety, roads. And so all of those things have to be taken into consideration as to what are the top priorities for the county at that point in time,” Oland said.

And the public will still be able to share their input on the CIP. The county council will hold another public hearing based on the CIP submitted by the county executive.