Streetscape, Greenway funding mulled
Waynesboro City Manager Mike Hamp told the City Council at its Wednesday work session he would look into options to pay for the completion of the streetscape and Greenway projects.
At times, contentious discussion among council members, Mayor Tim Williams, Vice Mayor Frank Lucente and Councilman Bruce Allen, favored prioritizing the Greenway project, especially now that The Mill at South River project, which incorporates the Greenway with its property, is set to begin work after its expected approval from the council.
Councilwomen Lorie Smith and Nancy Dowdy favored moving forward with the streetscape project’s phase two to fulfill what they say is a promise to the downtown merchants, several of whom were at last night’s meeting.
A number of downtown merchants spoke out at a July council meeting to finish the streetscape and the mall wall projects.
Both Smith and Dowdy believe the two projects should be done simultaneously.
The completion of the streetscape, Hamp said, would cost between $350,000 and $400,000. Hamp said $250,065 remains in the TEA-21 grant money for the Greenway. That money is available as a reimbursement, meaning the city pays for work up front and then applies to the Virginia Department of Transportation to get the money back.
Hamp said an additional $355,465 was available for the Greenway project through a 2007 general obligation bond issue, with $304,000 of that still remaining. He also said there was $432,863 available in a capital reserve for special projects.
Phase one of the streetscape was mostly completed in 2007, though Hamp said he would also look into what work remains.
The area along West Main Street from Arch Avenue to Wayne Avenue has new brick along the sidewalks, along with new lampposts, traffic signals and curb extension to calm traffic. Phase two from Wayne Avenue to Church Street has none of that.
Hamp told the council that the focus of city staff has been on the Greenway and not on the streetscape.
Dowdy said the TEA-21 money has been available for at least nine years that has gone unused.
Smith said that the city has opportunities for the Greenway with The Mill at South River project, but said downtown merchants deserve to know when the streetscape would be complete.
“I also feel strongly that we’ve got to finish something we’ve started,” Smith said.
Dowdy accused Lucente of turning the streetscape into a political discussion after he said the streetscape project would benefit the Wayne Theatre and reiterated that the city had already given the theater $300,000 for a new roof he said is not yet on there. Dowdy and Smith said injecting the theater into the discussion was irrelevant.
“You’re making this a political issue and it’s not a political issue,” Dowdy said.
“I’m not making it a political issue,” Lucente said.
“Yeah you are,” Dowdy replied.
“I’m being honest,” Lucente replied back.
Said Lucente: “It’s not that I don’t want to do this streetscape. ... I think the people in the city – it’s not a high priority for them.”
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If there are no more jobs in Waynesboro then there is no more tax base. This issue is about building our tax base and bringing new industry and jobs to our town. Over the past 10 yrs WDDI has created a well researched comprehensive plan for the revitalization of downtown. A plan based on proven techniques that has resulted in successfully revitalized downtowns stretching actors America during the past 30 years. There have been more new businesses and higher levels of private investments made in Waynesboro’s downtown in the past 10 yrs than there had been during the previous 25. The funny thing is those new businesses and private investments are located where? On the stretch of Main Street that has the streetscape completed. WDDI’s goal is to create a critical mass of people living, working and entertaining downtown. The Mill at South River project didn’t just happen. It is the result of 10 years of hard work and focus on the downtown plan. They need support from City Hall (who happens to be the largest land holder downtown) to succeed in creating news jobs. I own quit a bit of property downtown and pay significant taxes to the city of Waynesboro. Over a ten year period I will pay enough taxes to cover over 10% of the cost of streetscape. I’m not a resident of Waynesboro so I cannot vote nor do I consume services from the city other than police and fire protection. So if my investment does not continue to grow why would I stay in Waynesboro when I could make a higher return on my investment somewhere else? What am I getting for my tax dollars? What benefit do the folks loosing their jobs get when I move my business, put more folks out of work and sell my properties?
Typically hypocritical. Lucente spends money, good. Smith spends money, bad. Nice logic.
I said nothing of Mr. Lucente. And even if he is talking about spending money, his track record on the issue is a lengthy one of conservatism and restraint.
I believe Mrs. Smith means well for the community, but her good intentions typically are accompanied by the reality of higher taxes/fees or the issuance of costly new debt.
Figure out how the city is going to pay for cops, schools and basic infrastructure in next year’s budget, then worry about green space.
This just in: Lucente is talking about spending money, too. Throwthebumsout conveniently overlooks that. Which renders the observation callow.
When people are losing their jobs left and right, they won’t have money to spend in town, no matter how much money you waste making things pretty! Right now, people are worried about putting food on the table, keeping their home safe from foreclosure and being able to pay for medical care.
Recently, Waynesboro had the highest unemployment in the area. Where are all those jobs the new stores and restaurants were supposed to bring?
Stop worrying about pretty and start worrying about practical.
Is it time to vote Mrs. Smith out of office yet? With all due respect, she must not have a clue about the economic circumstances we’re living through. She obviously missed the news yesterday that Gov. Kaine had grossly overestimated revenues in his FY10 budget, requiring more than $1 billion in additional cuts. She obviously underestimates the grave challenges the city is going to face in funding critical services in the FY11 budget.
I guess she figures the city can just float more bonds or raise more taxes and fees to make ends meet.
In any event, promises or not, a greenway is not going to do anything to solve the challenges all downtown merchants and small businesses in the city face in this environment.
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