Government, Pittsboro

Chatham County Commissioners approve 2024-30 Capital Improvement Program

Pittsboro, NC – On December 19, 2022, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), as proposed by the Manager’s Office, covering fiscal years 2024-30. The seven-year CIP is updated every year as a process to plan for and fund major capital needs costing more than $100,000.

The following new projects are included in the approved CIP: 

  • Schools –
    • Chatham Park Elementary (Northern Village):
      • Design and construct a new school to open in the fall of 2027 in the Chatham Park Northern Village. [$47.6 million]
  • K-8 Gyms:
  • Construct new masonry/metal building gymnasiums at Bennett, Bonlee, and Silk Hope Schools. Existing gymnasiums to be demolished to create needed space. [$21.6 million]
  • Pollard Expansion:
  • Add two 6-classroom pods (behind each wing) to create additional capacity. [$2 million]
  • Utilities –
    • Bynum Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade:
  • Provide site security improvements, additional lighting, and a possible working platform. [+$2.76 million]
  • Water Treatment Plant Granular Activated Carbon:
  • Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) can be used to treat emerging contaminants such as PFAS.  [+$12.1 million]
  • Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center –
  • Construct Phase 2a of the Agriculture and Conference Center site. [+$8.5 million]
  • Parks and Recreation –
  • Northwest Dam:
  • Address the issues identified by the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s dam safety inspection. [+$1.1 million]
  • Management Information Systems (MIS) –
  • Install 11 miles of fiber between Renaissance Drive near Pittsboro and the backup Emergency Operations Center in Siler City. [+$1 million]

The CIP includes revisions to projects already approved in the previous CIP, based on changing needs or conditions:

  • New Emergency Medical Services Base:
    • Budget for this project has increased due to increased construction costs and the increased cost of materials (including furnishings and equipment). [+$425,000]
  • Park Lighting at Northeast District Park:
    • Budget for this project has been finalized because official bids have been received. Bids came in higher than previously estimated. [+$13,292]

The CIP also looks forward by including future projects that are not yet funded. This forethought helps Chatham County keep these needs in mind, even if a funding source has not yet been secured or a timeline for the project has not been identified. The following new unfunded future project was added this year:

  • Schools –
    • New Elementary School at Chatham Park (Southern Village):
  • Construct a new elementary school in the Southern Village of Chatham Park to meet the projected population growth in the Northwood/Seaforth attendance zones.

To view the entire CIP, individuals may visit the county website at chathamcountync.gov/CIP.