| AT THE TOWN BOARD
Besides the public hearing on the budget, Tuesday’s meeting included (details below):
|
Town Manager Leamon Brice formally presented a $7.6 million 2008-2009 budget on Tuesday that calls for a 2-cent increase in the tax rate. The modest increase would come in a year when revenue growth is expected to slow even as expenses grow, in particular for street and sidewalk repairs and a new east Davidson fire station.
But later in the meeting, Mr. Brice shifted gears and suggested an alternate approach to funding some of the town’s costliest and most pressing needs: eliminate planned borrowing in the coming year and instead consider a bond package that would be put to a vote on the November ballot.
The bond package would have to include money for a new fire station east of town, Mr. Brice said. And it likely would include money for badly needed road improvements.
Mr. Brice’s proposal would require more revisions over the next month for a budget that has already gone through many changes this spring. It likely will mean more budget discussions at the board’s work session later his month. Mr. Brice acknowledged that the idea of shifting the town’s borrowing strategy was coming at the 11th hour. But he said it might give the town the foundation for a longer-range solution to funding some essential needs.
“My thought is to revisit the budget, (and) don’t do any borrowing,” he said. The town could use the money allotted for debt repayments to “do a more manageable street plan” and essential planning studies. Then, with the help of a new finance director to be hired this summer, the town could “analyze where we are and rather than piecemeal borrowings look at a bond referendum. … Let the people decide what to spend it on.”
Mr. Brice said he has not done a bond issue in his 18 years with the town.
REVENUE SLOWS, SPENDING UP
The town expects revenues this year to rise more slowly than recent years. Property tax values are expected to increase only about 4 percent in 2009, slower than any year since 2004. That means property tax revenue growth will be similarly slow.
In his budget message, Mr. Brice told the board that the town will not, as previously thought, receive any occupancy tax revenues from the new Sheraton hotel and convention center. The hotel now is not expected to open until the next fiscal year.
But new revenues would come from increasing the town-assessed motor vehicle fee to $20 per car, from the current $5. Mr. Brice said that money would help with street repairs.
General fund spending (not including major capital projects) would rise 8 percent, to $7.6 million total. It includes a 24 percent increase in personnel costs, in part because of the proposed addition of a new town finance director. Mr. Brice has told the board that the increasing complexity of town finances requires a full-time administrator with specific expertise in municipal finance.
The budget also includes a $100,000 contribution to raise the town’s fund balance, a sort of rainy-day fund. The town typically tries to keep a reserve of about 40 percent of its basic operating budget, or around $3 million. In recent years, the town has been spending down the balance, and now is well below its target – and the average among peer towns.
“We’ve been doing projects and using up our savings account, if you will,” he said.
A 2-cent increase would raise taxes in Davidson to 36.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. Mr. Brice said the 2-cent increase would have a limited impact on most homeowners. It would add $92 per year in taxes on a home valued at $460,000, which was the average home closing price in Davidson in 2007. It would add $30 a year to the taxes on a $150,000 home.
FUNDED …
The proposed budget is similar to what the Town Board saw at its April 22 work session: It funds a small number of new items while limiting the size of the proposed tax increase.
Funded items include the new finance director position, additional hours for part-time firefighters, and other expanded personnel costs. It also would pay for planning studies including a new townwide comprehensive plan, revisions to the adequate public facilities ordinance, and a small area plan for the Beaty Street neighborhood.
The plan proposes borrowing $2.25 million for several priorities: $1 million for street repairs; $150,000 for sidewalks; $100,000 to connect Goodrum Street to Main Street in the Walnut Grove project; $150,000 to help the state build a roundabout – instead of a traffic light – at Davidson-Concord and East Rocky River roads; and $850,000 to buy land and build the new fire station east of town.
The fire station may be the town’s most critical current need. The department recently was reviewed by the Insurance Services Office of the N.C. Department of Insurance. The ISO, as it is called, is considering reducing the department’s rating because more homes, such as new homes off N.C. 73, are now beyond five miles from the fire station.
A new station east of town would alleviate the problem. A poorer rating would raise insurance rates for property owners. The town has 90 days to show the ISO how it plans to address the issue, such as by budgeting for a new station.
… AND UNFUNDED
While some key projects are still in the 2008-2009 budget, others have been cut since Mr. Brice and the board began discussing the budget. They included a new captain position in the fire department, and administrative help in town hall and Parks & Recreation. Several proposed planning studies were eliminated, including a Parks & Rec master plan, Phase 2 of the town’s “Greenprint Plan,” and a planning study for Jackson Street and the railroad station area.
Also cut were fire and police vehicles and equipment, traffic calming, audio-visual equipment for the Town Board meeting room, and money for improvements to town parks and sports fields. That included a proposal for new lights at McEver Field on South Street.
The parks funding cuts brought resident Ralph Angiuoli Jr. out to the public hearing. Mr. Angiuoli, president of Davidson Youth Baseball, he asked Mr. Brice to explain the town’s priorities. He questioned why the town is continuing to spend money on new properties, such as the former Baptist Church on Armour Street which it bought last fall, when it has work to do on existing facilities.
He was disappointed that money for the McEver field lights was cut and said the town needs both repairs on existing sports fields and new fields to handle growth in youth sports programs.
“We haven’t maintained the assets we have here,” he told Mr. Brice.
Mayor John Woods summed up the problem the town faces by saying, “We have grown and our revenues have not kept up with our growth.”
Mr. Brice said the town has tried to begin addressing those concerns by hiring a full-time public works and project manager, Doug Wright, whose job includes managing construction and repairs for the town. Mr. Brice also noted that the town is a partner in the development of the new Bradford county park off N.C. 73 and will have guaranteed use of sports fields there.
RAISE TAXES MORE?
That discussion led to questions about why Mr. Brice was limiting the tax increase to just two cents. Several citizens suggested that they and others might be willing to pay higher taxes for needed projects, as long as spending was handled well.
“I think you should raise ‘em,” said resident Rodney Graham. “Many people would be willing to pay more taxes. … I think people will pay more if they get more.”
Commissioner Laurie Venzon disagreed. “It depends on who you talk to,” she said.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the Town Board on Tuesday:
- Heard a presentation by about a proposed joint renovation by the town and CMS of the Davidson IB Middle School (See separate story, “Town, CMS consider joint IB school project”)
- Congratulated planner Parviz Moosavi on being named employee of the year
- Elected Sue Christensen to the planning board, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of Charlotte Epley.
- Authorized the town manager to pursue a final agreement to sell a portion of the town hall property to Artisan Builders, which wants to expand a proposed building at 212 S. Main St., next to town hall. See our Jan. 23 report, “Mooney’s Corner plan returns.”
- Approved a resolution supporting the Mayors Transportation Task Force proposal to form a new regional transportation committee and pursue joint solutions to traffic and transit issues. (See our May 2 story, “Task Force proposes regional transport body”)
LINKS
April 23, 2008, “Board wrestles with new budget”
Revised draft budget on Town of Davidson website.
The writer is president of Davidson Youth Baseball Association
Well, I stood alone at the May 13 Town Board meeting as an advocate for our sports families. Considering it was a Tuesday and Davidson Youth Baseball had 11 teams on the fields for games and practice, I won¹t guilt you too much. First and foremost I want to thank those families and individuals that sent Emails to the Town Board and Town Manager. They heard us and it was evident at the meeting they knew I was coming and the need for field space was clearly on people’s minds.
I can tell you that your taxes will probably be raised and nothing our sports families need is currently included and may not be unless the board reworks the budget or finds additional funds. Budgets are interesting things when you take them in simple chunks. Operating needs are always top priority. Second chunk is what the town would like to have additionally. Third, is what they promised people or feel obligated to deliver. Then you find throughout the budget the debt for past projects. The one thing I found to be missing was the improvements and maintenance we need for our existing town facilities. Nothing.
In my opinion it comes down to too many projects in past years that are weighing down the town budget with debt and no room for anything new or some of the necessary things the town needs like maintenance and road repairs etc. Oh and adding the church theater (on Armour Street), but that’s a whole different paragraph. To me there is some logic missing from the situation.
The Armour Street Church project is a very quiet project. I have received more emails and questions asking ³What Church?² I found it even more frustrating to be at the board meeting and there, within the Parks & Rec portion of the budget, was the entire cost for Armour Street. It was explained that a lease exists with the Davidson Community Players. That is what I had already been told. What had not been told to me prior to this and prior to my first email was that the Town was paying as well.
In my eyes, the $28,500 net from the Armour Street Church purchase the town is paying could be used now for maintenance, repairs and upgrades of all facilities this year.
The Davidson Community Players are not the problem. They are a quality organization with longstanding ties to the community. They will put their own money into the project to upgrade the property and pay the rent. Financially DCP and DYBA are light years apart. We have to raise money to purchase field safety nets. They can pay $28,500 rent per year plus pay for renovations. I would love to have that ability. DYBA was founded over 55 years ago and has been at the center of youth sports in Davidson throughout its history. DCP also has a very long tradition in Davidson as well and has been at the center of arts growth in the area. In fairness to DCP, I believe from the information I now have that they were a means to an end for what the town thought was important for this property. They are taking advantage of an opportunity the town made possible. I would do the same for DYBA. I just can¹t agree with the town¹s purchase and the fact that it’s another weight on the budget.
For me the budget became as much about what I wasn’t seeing for families’ needs as it was about a previous board that I feel overspent and overcommitted. Today our new board has little financial flexibility and the Town Manager is asking to raise taxes to cover the minimum needs according to the budget presented. They have approved project after project in the past without maintaining the facilities/assets that they already have. It is crazy.
I have nothing against green space, but you can’t load debt from all these great projects and forget about what is already here. And here is another problem: The past and current town board members are not from young families so they don¹t use the same family facilities we use on a regular basis. To my knowledge only Laurie Venzon has young children. Mainly they are not with us at River Run, Aida Jenkins or McEver field. Their kids aren¹t having the hardships with facility needs that our kids have today. I delivered this message the best I could to our Board.
Obviously it is not just about lights at McEver Field. We consider lights a necessity, they don¹t. The lights solve more issues than they may want to consider. It eases overcrowding by extending the field usage times, provides alternative space for other sports at night and offers safer playing conditions for our kids. On the budget, McEver lights is an “enhancement.” It’s
also about maintenance of all facilities, which was cut from the budget. That was approximately $120K, not including lights that (Parks & Rec Director) Steve Fraher requested to fix existing problems at many facilities like Roosevelt Wilson Park. It was suggested that we pursue a grant for the McEver lights. Parks & Rec installed lights for the lower field; I hope they will ultimately do the same for the Upper field if a grant can’t be secured.
Closer to home for sports families it¹s about 475 soccer children and why Davidson soccer families have to drive all over Mecklenburg county for quality and sometimes inferior field space. It¹s about the 17 baseball, 2 softball, 8 t-ball, 4 Challenge Baseball and a assortment of other community teams that need space and repairs to facilities this spring alone. It’s about Fisher Farm that has no fields. Selfishly, it¹s about every project that doesn¹t address the needs of sports families and where we play that is weighing on the current budget.
We have only a short time before the budget approval vote on June 10th. We must keep up the pressure and get them to make changes to the proposed budget prior to its final approval. Please email again our town board members and town manager.
Tell them that you support the issues that I have raised and that without
exception you:
*Are in favor of restoring the funds requested by Steve Fraher for
repairs to the Towns recreation facilities especially those intended for
McEver Fields.
*Want field space that is fully functional with lights.
*Want a detailed plan to provide additional field space for our
children before other projects are considered
*Want them to focus on the growing number of families, now
If you feel as I do tell them you are disappointed that the town has used
the Parks and Rec budget to apply the cost for the Armour Street Church an
asset that will provide very few Parks and Rec benefits.
In closing thank them for considering the needs of our children.
As a parent, I certainly understand that organized sports play a significant and often positive role in the lives of our town’s children. I’m reluctant, however, to pit sports against the arts in a struggle for public funding. An appreciation for and familiarity with fine art, including theatre and concert performance, is surely as critical to my child’s development as his opportunities to play team sports. In the years that my family has lived here, the Town’s budget has supported both an ever-expanding array of recreation offerings and underwritten the development of an increasingly vibrant arts community.
We are incredibly fortunate to live in a town that recognizes and actively pursues its potential as a diverse, open, and stimulating community. That potential stems from the incredible array of resources–financial and intellectual–we bring to Davidson as its citizens. At a time when the Town budget is straining under the demands we place on it as citizens, let’s not retreat to our individual corners to protect whatever slice of the pie we recognize as ours, but instead acknowledge that each of us must be willing to open our pocketbooks to support the quality of life we’ve all come to expect and demand from Davidson.
It’s not a question of recreation–whether you see that as sports, the arts, or both–getting cheated by the budget, it’s a question of our willingness to pay for the privilege of accessing these services through the public sector.