County Commission | The Magazine October 2017 | Page 23

FROM THE COVER
Planning to Succeed
in Coffee County
C
offee County’s
systematic and
forward-thinking
approach to a
widespread challenge
earned special
recognition and an
opportunity to share
“lessons learned” with
county leaders from
around the state at
ACCA’s 89th Annual
Convention.
The featured project
was the “Coffee County
Capital Improvement
Plan: 2017-2037,”
which earned the 2017
Excellence in Urban
County Government
Coffee County representatives on-hand to accept the 2017 Excellence in Urban County Government Award
Award.
from 2016-17 ACCA President Bill Stricklend (fourth from left) were: (from left) Buildings Superintendent Todd
The annual
Excellence in County Rugg; Administrator Rod Morgan; Commissioner Jimmy Jones; Stricklend; Commissioners Tom Grimsley,
Dean Smith and Frank Britt; Engineer Randy Tindell and Commissioner Kim Ellis.
Government Awards
recognize innovative
owned buildings were aging and that the long-range funding was a high
and effective programs initiated or
its facilities program was focused
priority. If you know the courthouse
completed during the previous year
on reacting to problems rather than
roof is expected to last another 15
and implemented by the commission
proactively addressing its needs,”
years, then you know that in about
itself and not its agencies or boards.
15 years you will need the money to
explained the awards entry. “As a
Coffee County won in the category
result, buildings were slipping
pay for a new roof.
for counties with populations more
into disrepair.”
Coffee County’s funding
than 50,000.
Guided by a belief that “failing
solution had multiple components.
At the convention, Engineer
to plan is a plan to fail,” in early
• Energy conservation projects
Randy Tindell presented Coffee
were selected that would pay for
2015 the commission tasked Tindell,
County’s plan during a General
Administrator Rod Morgan and
themselves in cost savings.
Session, starting with some
Building Superintendent Todd Rugg • Because of record-low interest
attention-getting questions, such
with a four-step charge. They were
rates, money has been borrowed
as: “Do you know exactly how
to come back with an inventory
to fund some urgent projects,
many buildings that you, as a
including expanding the jail and
of all county buildings, a needs
commissioner, are responsible for?”
assessment, a capital plan and a long-
sheriff’s office.
Neither did we, he said. “The
• A Capital Improvement Fund
range funding plan.
Coffee County Commission
The commission did not want
Account was established to cover
recognized that many of the county-
this to be a one-time exercise, so
anticipated projects in the next
COUNTY COMMISSION | 23