DOVER — With Kent County Levy Court’s operational budget complete, a Wednesday workshop moved on to $8 million in proposed capital expenditures, for large, one-time items and projects.

Regarding public safety, the big-ticket pieces are the new emergency medical services stations in Harrington and Frederica, each requiring $1.5 million in fiscal year 2025.

“The project is moving along a little slower than we want,” said public safety director Kevin Sipple. “We’re trying to accelerate some things.”

He said drawings for the facility are coming in and that the design firm Becker Morgan Group hopes to start charting construction very soon. The effort is funded using Kent’s American Rescue Plan Act monies and must be complete by December 2026.

Also requested is $274,500 for the replacement of three of the county’s EMS vehicles. They would join six that have been replaced over the last two years.

About $145,000 of the budget would be dedicated to parking lot upgrades and a storage building at Kesselring Park in Dover. According to community services director Jeremy Sheppard, there is a need for more parking there, and many items that sit outside the recreation center need to be stored.

Community services also asked for $100,000 to upgrade a 2006 dump truck. The funding was allocated over two years — $50,000 of it in fiscal year ’24 and the other $50,000 in fiscal year ’25.

“It’s been there for years, and it’s worked well for us, but it’s time to start replacing that,” Mr. Sheppard said, adding that the county typically would sell a used vehicle, allowing it to recoup some of the cost. Also, though $100,000 has been allocated, he said he has received quotes of $80,000-$90,000 for a new truck.

Further, several facilities enhancements are in the works, like $1 million in ARPA funds for new air-monitoring and filtration systems in county structures, plus $300,000 in security enhancements at Levy Court’s administration building in Dover.

With both the capital and operational budgets now discussed, commissioners will prepare to pass the budget during an upcoming business meeting.