Been a Long Time
I apologize to regular readers for the unplanned hiatus since late February in keeping fresh material posted. There's been a great deal happening in town government over the last several weeks that's taken considerable focus and time. I'll use this opportunity to provide updates and insights on the bigger issues we've been dealing with:
1. FY 2010 Town Budget Approved: Tough economic times all around, at home and at town hall, but the budget for next year is now approved with no tax increase for town residents. Highlights for the budget beginning 01 July 09 include prudent capital expenditures; no layoffs but no cost of living increases for town employees; freezing a number of unfilled staff positions and hiring only key council-directed positions like Director of Finance; funding to appropriately launch the aquatic center; and increased bus service for town residents. This year's budget required the judiciuos use of reserve funds in lieu of further service reductions or tax increases, and a majority of council felt that this was an appropriate time and place to dip into it to get through the tight times we all find ourselves in. We're all hopeful that recovery will take root and that next year's process will not present the extraordinarily difficult choices that this year's budget presented. I know the Finance Committee of Council wrestled long and hard with Staff with the choices at hand, as did the rest of Council once the Draft Budgets were presented and reviewed in our two workshop sessions. It's safe to say that although no one was completely satisfied with the final product, this year's budget is indeed the result of deliberate scrutiny, open and candid discussion, sometimes strong sentiment, and ultimate majority consensus.
Aquatic Center - Although an exact completion date is not defined nor guaranteed by contract, based on the information provided by town staff and the contractor, Council has planned our budget assuming an Opening Day of October 1, 2009. We all hope that this will be the case.
Increased Bus Service - The response to last fall's Bus Survey to every household in town was extraordinary at 38%. Typical survey response is 10%, with 20% considered very successful. Of the 38% respondants, 60% indicated they would use the service. Based on these results, and a thoroughly planned and attractive opportunity extended by the Blacksburg Transit (77% of the combined capital and operational costs will be state and federal money), the Town budget for 2009-2010 includes $163,000 to extend the bus service within Christiansburg. If approved by Council, the funds will be used as a local match to provide for eight additional routes and accessibility by every household in town. This will include four new "short" buses (decorated to the town's liking), a total of eight new program routes including flex service and direct house pickup for call-aheads, extended hours of service (to be established by Council by October), and special event service capabilities (think Downtown Events, Aquatic Center, Harkrader, etc.). As explained to Council at the special workshop on public transit, the total value of this service is close to $1 M, so it was my opinion that the town and our residents will certainly benefit from the leveraged and cost-effective nature of this opportunity. With many folks considering their transportation options from either an economic or ideological standpoint, this opportunity would provide a very real and cost-effective choice for the future.
Huckleberry Trail - Hot off the Press - Our 2009 Transportation Enhancement funding application was successful this year (hooray!) in the amount of $165,000. Needless to say, this is outstanding. Although this is not enough to extend the trail over Route 114 given the present budget, this will be enough to extend the trail to Route 114 and provide seed money for the bridge. This funding will be available in the form of cash on October 1, 2009. This will be combined with dedicated private match money, donated materials, and possible use of town forces for construction assistance to extend the project as far as possible. Additonal dedicated funding is also being sought to keep the project moving, and updates on this will continue to be posted on this site. The good news is that we will see construciton progress on this in 2009.
Route 114 - Unfortunately Phase II of the Route 114 project (the widening from the present construction project limits into North Franklin Street) is not expected to be funded with Stimulus (ARRA) money. The outlook from VDOT is equally bleak with all future urban allocations being further reduced to federal money only -- the state has adopted its new Six Year Improvement Plan that now offers NO money to localities for new projects over the next six years. This is really crummy and needs to change. So the Town's number one priority project continues to stay on the backburner, if it's on one at all, due to a lack of state funding.
Flooding - Many areas of town received rainfall two weeks ago of between 4.5" and 6.25" in a predominately three-hour timeframe. This is extraordinary by any measure, and by some federal metrics for intensity exceeded a storm that has a 0.1% (or 1 in a thousand) likelihood of occuring in any given year. The town staff, and council members, have been hearing from numerous residents about the aftermath of this storm and we are working diligently to address these concerns and help out where possible. This topic will be more thoroughly discussed as needs are addressed, information is gathered, and future decisions are made.
Hope this is helpful.
Brad Stipes
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Reader Comments (9)
Mr.Stipes, your information is incorrect on the percentage of survey responders who say they will use the bus system. Only 27% respoded they would very likely use the bus while 33% stated they would somewhat likely use the system.
We should be spending Town funds on solutions to the recent floods rather than investing in a bus system that will grow every year and will add to the Town's
expenses which already exceed the income. Looks more like the federal budget every year; spend more and tax more.
Conservative
Thanks for taking time to write. I understand and respect your position. In considering the long-term needs of the community, including a focus on self-reliance and prudence, I view this opportunity as one to help people view mobility in a different way. This is to say that if we don't change our mindset, we will continue to head down the path of overconsumption and increased foreign dependence for petroleum (or as George Washington calls it, "entangling alliances"). I also see the bus service as a cohesive element of community life and one that will help us meet the needs for special events (hotel-restaurant-Downtown-shopping-Aquatic Center-Harkrader), making the town more attractive for destination planning (tourism). Since being elected, I've heard from a wide range of Seniors and disabled in town who note that getting around in town is a challenge and ask if there's anything that the town can do to help. So I'm hopeful that this will better connect this population and allow them be more active and involved (evidence of this success can be found just down the road in Pulaski). So I may be wrong, but like Mark Twain said, "The man with a new idea is a Crank, until the idea succeeds." I guess we'll see, but I certainly value your perspective and assure you that I do not come from a tax and spend mindset.
I think if people use the bus will depend on when it runs and where. It will depend on how well the town can promote it. I think it is the right thing to do for holding cost down and helping the environment. I am also glad to see some progress with the Huckleberry and hope it is just the beginning for more paths throughout our town. It also sounds as if that mess out at Peppers Ferry will ever be fixed it will have to be paid for by the town. There's another generation that's grown up since it was just a twinkle in someone's eye and the town needs to rely on itself instead of the feds or state to fix a problem it created for itself. I doubt the new property taxes from the new construction will come close to paying for it but it past time to take care of it. We need more crosswalks all around too and traffic lights to slow drivers down and let walkers get across the street without having to run fast. If our town is really progressive and going to advance we need to have things in place that keep us moving even if we can't put gasoline in a car. Thanks for seeing this and following through on your campaign promises.
I'm not so sure that the new bus service will be used. I don't think the attitude of the people have changed. People love their cars and the ability to go when ever and where ever they please.
Jaba
Thanks. As Andy Griffith might say, "You're a 100% exactly right." It's certain people won't use it if it's not available. An example of this about five years ago (about a year and a half before deciding to run for election) - the need for more bicycle/pedestrian facilities in town was being discussed and the comment was made that there's little need to do much with sidewalks and bike lanes because people in Christiansburg don't ride their bikes or walk like they do in some other towns. This is vivid because it was a catalyst to get more involved. In looking at the history of the bus system, it took several years to get traction in Bburg. But it did. And although students are a majority of the users (think cost subsidizers), I ride the bus system a couple of times a month for something and there seems to always be a variety of passengers other than students ... children, working folks, and seniors. An old sage once noted, "If you always do what you've always done, then you always get what you always got." So I think this one's worth the risk, especially since the town is only responsible for 23% of the actual costs of the service. I understand and respect your viewpoint. As an aside, I'd be interested to know if you would have supported this as a voting member of council (that is, are your reservations strong enough to have given this a thumbs down). Please reply.
Actually Yes I would have voted against the bus line just because there are more useful things we as a town can spend our tax dollars on. What happened to curb side recycling?
Jaba- Thanks for responding; I appreciate it.
As for curbside recycling, council opted in February 2009 (unanimously I think) to support Valley Curbside Recycling (www.recyclenrv.com) in their private-sector initiative to gain traction and build a customer base for voluntary participation. This support includes ongoing assistance by town staff to coordinate trash pick-up routes and strategies for expanding service to new areas of town. Valley Curbside (Jeremy Hart) has a cost-effective and efficient model in place to provide this service, and at a similar cost that the town would likely incur based on the study that was done. As I recall, Council decided to give this approach a year and revisit for further consideration. Plenty of options exist for further implementation of curbside recycling, in partnership with or exclusive of, the private sector. I'm interested to see how this shakes out over the balance of this year and hope that a blueprint for further progress is clear in 2010. Brad
Here's to hoping that gas goes up to $10/gallon!! This is the only way that people's mindset can change. Hit them where it hurts, in the pocketbook. And if you don't think that this can happen, you are naive. The only reason it is so cheap right now is because the feds are subsidizing it. Remember $4+/gal last year? That can happen again at the flip of a switch x2. The Middle East has too much control over us.
Recycling is all about mindset once again. While I would love to have curbside recycling, I can still do it on my own. Public transportation I cannot.
Let's try this as an exercise. How many times in one week do you pass by a recycling center? Do you ever drop anything off there while you go by? Sure, it may not be convenient, but like the bus service, it might require a little change.
See its all about the mind set of the citizens. Progressive Town for the not so progressive citizens?