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 public works projectsFederal Stimulus Money to Assist Peninsula Families Struggling to Avoid Homelessness
Some localities in the Peninsula received federal stimulus money to help prevent homelessness for some area residents who are struggling, according to the Daily Press. The funds will be used for rental assistance, utility and security deposit payments and credit repair. This is good news for all residents in these areas because preventing homelessness is cheaper than correcting it. Also, preventing homelessness can protect property values. "As part of the federal stimulus package, nearly $1.4 million has come to the Peninsula to help stem the tide of growing homelessness associated with the lingering economic recession. Government and nonprofit agencies in Hampton, Newport News, York, Poquoson, James City County and Williamsburg recently began disbursing funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing program. The six localities evenly split about $727,000. A secondary pot of money totaling more than $659,000 was allotted specifically for Newport News, said Joy Cipriano, director of property and resource development for the Hampton/Newport News Community Services Board, the agency administering the grant funds. The money is specifically earmarked for such things as rental assistance, utility and security deposit payments, and credit repair. It is not targeted for the chronically homeless, Cipriano said. 'The money is for helping people that were otherwise stable and making it. But, due to loss of a job or reduction of income, can't meet rent payments,' Cipriano said. 'It's cheaper to prevent homelessness than correct it once it happens.' Cipriano said the federal government has instituted strict guidelines about how the money can be used and is requiring stringent reporting to make sure the funds are spent appropriately." Posted on Monday, January 4, 2010 - 1:49pm
Lynchburg City Council Budget Talks Starting Early This Year
Lynchburg City Council will do something new this year. They will start budget talks much earlier than normal and before the city manager makes his recommendations, according to the Lynchburg News & Advance. The Council members will give input to the city manager on which various topics that will help him make informed decisions about the city's tight budget. Hopefully this new approach will benefit Lynchburg homeowners. "In a highly unusual move, Lynchburg City Council will engage in preliminary budget talks next month before any recommendations are made by the city manager. Traditionally, such deliberations are held in the spring and start only after City Manager Kimball Payne unveils his budget proposal in early March. Council then responds to and revises that plan over the course of several weeks. This year’s accelerated deliberation schedule was adopted after Payne approached officials in December seeking early guidance on topics ranging from spending cuts to tax hikes. Council doesn’t typically play such a direct role in shaping the city manager’s budget recommendations. In explaining his request, Payne referenced the austere revenue climate, which he has described as the most challenging of his career. 'We’ve never faced anything like this before,' he said in an interview. 'We thought last year was different, but it’s only getting tougher. 'This is going to be a unique and different year. I think doing things in a unique and different way will inform the process and give me a little better sense of Council’s interests as I put the proposal together.' Council has scheduled a special all-day budget retreat for Feb. 6. Payne has asked members at that time to consider six specific questions: This is the latest in a series of unprecedented steps taken by the city manager to gather advice as he ponders a slew of unappetizing budget choices." Posted on Monday, January 4, 2010 - 1:18pm
James City Puts Programs on the Chopping Block
Reducting operation costs for the library, parks and swimming pools are being examined as the county faces major budget issues. Homeowners should be aware of these problems because a typical solution is to raise property taxes, but also because reduction in community services can also hurt property values. It is a difficult situation that many Virginia localities are facing. Hopefully County officials and residents can work together to find solutions that James City County residents are comfortable with. "How bad is James City County's budget outlook for the next few years? Residents might have to deal with less county money for schools and libraries. Reductions in, or even elimination of, long relied-upon services like leaf collection, parks and swimming pools might also have to be stomached. It's that or face tax and fee hikes, says County Administrator Sandy Wanner. In the past two fiscal years, James City has significantly reduced operating costs and outlays to agencies it supports. Nearly 36 positions have been eliminated by attrition and county operating costs have been reduced by about $4.4 million. Still, he insists that more cuts are necessary. On Tuesday, Wanner laid out 23 possible areas to further cut county spending. Topping the list was a reduced contribution to the school system James City shares with Williamsburg. Funding to outside agencies, already down a total of $640,000 over the past two years, could be slashed again, he said. Other proposals include cutting library funding and less spending on capital projects. Remaining suggested cuts are to county services, including reduced park hours and limiting county swimming pool hours or not opening them at all. Convenience center hours could also be cut, along with reductions to animal control and community center operations." Posted on Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 12:22am
Suffolk Residents Might Not Get Charged for Bulk Trash Pick-up Due to Budget Surplus
Suffolk city officials are anticipating a budget surplus of $3 to $5 million dollars, and have been brainstorming ways to spend the money according to The Virginian Pilot. Currently, the most popular idea is to use the extra money to fund bulk trash pick-up instead of charging residents for the service. This could be great news for homeowners who not only want to receive the service for free, but also live in neighborhoods where trash is abandoned because other residents do not want to pay for the service. "The city anticipates a budget surplus of $3 million to $5 million, according to an audit that is nearing completion. The projected surplus is an estimate of the city's financial standing at the close of the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, said Finance Director Dale Walker. He cautioned that 'this next fiscal year may be a whole 'nother story.' Council members responded Wednesday with a flurry of ideas on how to spend the money. The exact amount of cash won't be known for two or three weeks. Several liked the idea of using it to fund bulk trash collections. The city recently began charging residents for the service to balance the budget, prompting complaints about the cost, lingering debris piles alongside roads and reports of illegal dumping. 'To have a surplus in this economy is really an amazing thing,' Mayor Linda Johnson said. Johnson said there are 'a number of things' the council might address with the money, but she singled out bulk trash pick up service. She acknowledged that she had been a consistent supporter of the city's new fee schedule but said in recent days she has driven around town "looking at piles of trash" and talking to residents. 'We're going to have to do something,' she said of the trash issue." Posted on Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 10:04am
EPA Awards Va. $80.2 Million for Wastewater Treatment
Lynchburg and other Virginia towns will be able to make improvements to aging wastewater infrastructure and create jobs thanks to federal stimulus money from the Environgmental Protection Agency, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This is great news for homeowners throughout the state who will benefit from the enhancements made to protect public health and the environment. Some of the projects to be funded by the stimulus money will help to make various communities more desirable to homeowners and, therefore, improve property values. "The Environmental Protection Agency has given Virginia $80.2 million in federal stimulus money for wastewater treatment improvements. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine accepted the money yesterday. It will be used to create jobs, improve aging water infrastructure, and protect human health and the environment. A news release says projects include work to eliminate sewage discharges from combined sewage overflow systems in Lynchburg and Richmond. The largest grant will be $25 million for the Lynchburg project. Kaine says the money also will be used to reduce discharges of nutrients and other pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay watershed and eliminate overflows of raw sewage in communities throughout the state." Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 11:40am
Free Pesticide Disposal Service for Southside Residents in 2009
The program assists agricultural producers, licensed pesticide dealers and pest control firms, golf courses and homeowners with the proper disposal of unwanted pesticides. The program is available at no cost to eligible participants. To administer the Pesticide Disposal Program, Virginia is subdivided into 5 regions. A pesticide disposal program is conducted annually in localities within each of the regions. Once all 5 regions have been served, the program will start another cycle. The Southside region is being serviced by the program for the remainder of 2009. Participants should complete a pesticide disposal registration form ahead of time and return the completed form to VDACS, PO Box 1163, Richmond VA 23218. The form is available online, or by contacting Pesticide Disposal Program at (804) 786-3798. "The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Pesticide Control Board invite farmers, pesticide dealers, pest control firms, homeowners and golf courses to participate in the 2009 pesticide disposal program, which collects unwanted, outdated, or banned pesticides and disposes of them in a safe manner. VDACS, through its Office of Pesticide Services, provides this service at no cost to participants in the designated localities. The program is funded through pesticide product registration fees collected by OPS. Since its inception, Virginia's Pesticide Disposal Program has collected and destroyed nearly 1.5 million pounds of outdated and unwanted pesticides, completely eliminating the environmental threat they could have posed."
Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2009 - 12:40pm
Questions Linger Over Old Doc Roberts Site in Blacksburg
Today the Roanoke Times coverd a developing story in Blacksburg as the old Doc Roberts site in nearing its grand-opening as the Town Hall annex. Various concerned citizens and critics are claiming that the building is environmentally unsafe due to underground storage tanks leaking gas into the ground. Area homeowners should reach out to town officials to receive more information about the town's efforts to properly clean-up the gas leaks. "From the ground up, the new town hall annex appears to be all that Blacksburg officials say it is: a historic building restored in a way that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Beneath the surface, however, lies a mass of contaminated soil and water. The $5.3 million project, to be unveiled today at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, occupies the former Blacksburg Motor Co., which included a gas station that operated for more than four decades before closing in 1968. Over the years, underground storage tanks on the property leaked an unknown amount of gas into the surrounding soil. Before the town started construction, it had three of the five tanks and 259 tons of tainted dirt removed from the site. But as recent events have shown, enough contamination remains to cause problems -- and raise questions, at least in the minds of some critics, about the safety of the building." Posted on Friday, August 7, 2009 - 2:29pm
Who should pay for Harrison connector in Spotsylvania?
The Freelance Star has given the latest report on an issue that has puzzled a few in Spotsylvania County, and resulted in a lawsuit filed against the county. The issue revolves around the Harrison Connector and who is going to fund the project? Homeowners in the area can voice their opinion on Aug. 11, when supervisors hold a public hearing on whether to scrap the Community Development Authority for a Special Service District as the funding mechanism for the connector road. "Spotsylvania County Attorney Jacob Stroman says the path the Board of Supervisors wants to take to pay for the Harrison Road Connector is fair to all property owners. Stroman was responding to a letter sent last week by Gifford Hampshire, an attorney representing resident Susan Tait, who is suing the county over this road project. The 1.5-mile road begins at the back of Spotsylvania Towne Centre off State Route 3 and ends on Harrison Road near Hazelwild Farm. The road is just west of Interstate 95. The crux of the argument is whether it is fair to include residential properties in a proposed tax district to help pay for the road--if the residential property is rezoned to commercial or industrial." Posted on Thursday, August 6, 2009 - 10:43pm
Three Virginia Beach Council Members Oppose Proposed Tax Hike
The Virginian Pilot reported today that Virginia Beach council members have been flooded with e-mails from residents against a proposed tax increase to fund additional city projects such as an animal shelter and recreation center. Homeowners spoke out against raising taxes during such difficult economic times. The council is now discussing options of holding a public meeting for residents to voice their concerns about raising funds for these projects. "Three council members, including two who are running for state offices, oppose a proposed tax rate increase to pay for projects, such as an animal shelter and a recreation center. While none of the 11 council members objected to the idea when it was brought up during their retreat earlier this week, Rosemary Wilson, Ron Villanueva and Glenn Davis said Wednesday they are against raising taxes to pay for seven big projects. Several council members said they have been flooded with e-mails from residents blasting any tax increase." Posted on Thursday, August 6, 2009 - 9:00pm
Virginia Beach Officials Look at Property Tax Hike
Although homeowners in Virgina Beach could benefit and enjoy the completion of these projects, it may be in the best interest of homeowners to work with city officials in finding alternative ways to fund projects like a new animal shelter. "Mayor Will Sessoms and Vice Mayor Louis Jones on Monday floated the idea of raising taxes next year to pay for several large projects, including a new animal shelter and a Bayside recreation center. "Bottom line: This could result in a tax increase," Sessoms said during a break at the annual City Council retreat. He suggested that with lower construction costs caused by the weak economy, the city might be able to get $100 million worth of buildings for $70 million." Posted on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 - 10:40pm
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James City County's budget problems may mean that some county services and programs are cut, according to the Daily Press.
