Lynchburg City Council Work Session 6/13/23
Lynchburg City Council
Work Session
6/13/23
III. Work Session Agenda Items
III.1 Centra Health Improvement Plan
III.2 Proposed FY24 CIP
Helgeson advocates for postponement of maintenance when he previously was critical of the same at PMES
“As revenues come in less, we need to be more judicial in pour spending now.” [!! Brought on by his cut in tax rate!]
[In discussion, eliminating future projects (‘necessary-later’) or deferring another year continues the deferring the cuts required by revenue reduction. This is short-term thinking by Helgeson.]
He wants to stop at the legally required allocation of first year of CIP, and kick the rest down the road. [creates an more urgent discussion in the future when CIP projects become emergent. Less stability]
Wilder: planning and investment created an improved “Main Street” downtown area over the past 20 years. Praise for Donna Witt and other staff. Others don’t trust in our government process and people. Keep moving forward.
Dolan: $168million has already been taken out of CIP by D Witt! Call it what it is – cuts to pay for the tax cut.
Misjuns: streetscaping is not related to safety issue of water pressure for fire suppression. [However, surfaces are unsafe] Objects to brick and suggests printed asphalt instead like Wyndhurst. $50million in coasts will not be recouped in “future generation of revenue.” Need to back out expensive tastes because of lower budget [due to tax cuts].
Benda: this is along process of long-term planning to invest in downtown. There has been a progression and businesses have expectations based on previous planning. Downtowns are the “Character of the City.” Downtown charm is created by the aesthetic.
Misjuns objects to the beautification of downtown saying “downtown is subsidized by others.” “I am sick and tired of taking money to pay for Boonsboro’s playground.”[divisive and hostile]
Faraldi: takes exception with Misjuns’s characterization of downtown as Boonsboro’s playground, says he takes it personally.
Suggests targeting the pay-as-you-go items and reduce $6.2 to eliminate utility tax. Staff says this is not possible.
Helgeson: names examples of firms who have left downtown [all of which were prior to downtown improvements, and many left or dissolved for other reasons] [Helgeson has no sense of the value of aesthetics]
- Business Item Briefing(s)
IV.3 Dunbar MS HVAC renovations
IV.4 Request to amend LCS Major Classifications
IV.5 Sale of City-owned Early Street property
IV.6 2023 Bond Anticipation Note
IV.7 Lynchburg Adult Drug Court (LADC) opioid funding proposal
- Roll Call