Work Session Minutes of the Town of
Time:
The
purpose of the work session is to provide Council with information regarding the
overall revenue picture, to review the recommended budget, and to identify goals
for the Town. The proposed budget is attached to and incorporated in these
minutes as Exhibit A.
Town
Manager Bill Coleman stated that the capital budget is developed prior to the
operating budget because many of the projects approved by the Council have
operating budget impacts. He said that the resulting budget for capital projects
is 51% lower than in the previous years and the projects recommended will serve
the goal of completing projects already in progress.
Mr.
Coleman provided the Council with a brief overview of each project.
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Mr.
Coleman said that the
Mr.
Coleman stated that the
Mrs.
Robinson asked if the amount suggested will finalize the project. Mr. Bailey
responded yes, stating that most of the recommended $1.1 million funding is for
the stream restoration that is required.
Ms.
Dorrel asked staff to explain what is meant by untouchable and committed. Mr.
Bailey stated that untouchable is for priority projects that are well underway
which would have a significant negative impact on the Town if not completed. He
said that items placed on the committed list are projects for which the Town has
made some form of commitment.
Mrs.
Robinson asked if the road widening will have a significant benefit on traffic
congestion throughout that part of
Mrs.
Robinson asked how much has been spent on the project to date. Mr. Bailey
answered that the total amount is $6 million, and there are approximately
$200,000 in invoices from the consultants yet to be paid.
Mrs.
Robinson asked if it was possible to achieve the goals for the road widening and
still be able to save a significant amount of funds. Mr. Bailey responded that,
in addition to required mitigation for any changes in the impervious area
currently exempt, a stream crossing permit is needed.
Mr.
Coleman stated that the Morrisville Parkway Extension Phase 3 is a major roadway
to serve the western growth area. Mr. Bailey added that the critical part of the
project is working with the Western Wake expressway where the road must be built
in advance or the corridor will not be bridged, terminating the thoroughfare.
The road has to be built by the year 2006 in order for the bridge to be built at
essentially no cost to the Town.
Mrs.
Robinson asked if the $8 million in FY09 reflects an entrance ramp onto I-540.
Mr. Bailey said one phase is a commitment to link under the roadway and build a
road to and through I-540 from one direction; this next phase will go from I-540
and continue across 55 with a potential to include rail grade section.
Mrs.
Robinson asked if the
Mr.
Coleman said that the funding also includes maintenance projects. He said that
the Town has an annual street improvement project to repave streets and street
lights, and the FY05 budget includes traffic signalization projects.
Mr.
Coleman pointed out that street improvement projects funding is lower than in
previous years because the Town appropriated $1 million annually and has done a
significant amount of catch‑up with street paving, allowing a reduction in
the level of funding.
Mr.
Bailey commented on the Town Center Area Plan (TCAP) improvements, stating that
there are three roundabouts in the plan: East Durham and Chatham, West Chatham
and Old Apex Road, and in front of Cary Elementary School at Academy and Dry.
Mr.
Roseland asked why the roundabouts are of more value than streetscape or other
improvements that can be done to provide pedestrian infrastructure downtown.
Jim
Parajon, of the Planning Department, responded that capital improvements in
downtown are separate. He said the projects listed were in the current right of
way and the TCAP implementation committee suggested the type of priorities more
in conjunction with private development. Mr. Bailey added that the roundabout at
the intersection of
Mr.
Joyce asked if staff has taken into consideration existing manholes and sewer
lines. Mr. Bailey responded that annual projects are done on water and
sewer in downtown. He said they are now replacing the asbestos cement water
lines that have maintenance problems, stating that those issues do not exist on
the roundabout corridors, and they are adding structural integrity to the sewer
lines, which will not be dug up.
Mr.
Joyce asked if the sewer lines were adequate. Mr. Bailey responded that many of
them are acceptable unless major water usage starts to occur.
Mr.
Coleman said another maintenance project is the
Mr.
Roseland asked why the funding for sidewalks decreased. Mr. Bailey replied that
there isn’t a backlog of sidewalk requests at this time and staff is trying to
balance the funds available with the projects, and keep some activity moving.
Mr. Coleman added that if more requests than budgeted are received during the
year and there is a safety need for a sidewalk or a need for sidewalk
connectivity, staff will ask Council for more funding.
Mr.
Roseland would like the Town to do a gap analysis identifying areas of Town
where sidewalks are most needed and developing an estimate to provide them.
Mrs.
Robinson asked who initiated the
Mrs.
Robinson asked if there are any major thoroughfares lacking sidewalks for which
money has been or needs to be funded. Mr. Bailey said that the planning
department analyzes the requests to determine if a sidewalk can physically be
built and there is about $800,000 in previously funded sidewalks that are being
designed and easements obtained.
Mayor
McAlister asked if the $800,000 was funded from previous years. Mr. Bailey
replied that it is from FY03 and FY04. He added that for the last five years
sidewalks have been funded at $1.5 million dollars a year, one year Council
cleared the priority list and the Town spent about $1.2 million to make the
priority list go away. He said along the thoroughfares the limitation is usually
the road widening, and in neighborhoods the limitation is that the residents
don’t want them.
Mr. Roseland said that there are
still critical areas in Town, such as
Mayor
McAlister said that the purpose of the work session is not to determine what
projects to fund but to decide whether the amount of funding is appropriate for
the FY05 budget.
Ms.
Dorrel asked what the cost for sidewalks is per span. Mr. Bailey responded that
it cost approximately $26,000 to build a sidewalk, unless something major is
needed. He said that the proposed budget does not represent the entire sidewalk
funding in
Mr.
Coleman stated that the remaining projects recommended for funding consist of
the cost to continue implementing policies of Council with regard to the
creation of bikeways, looking at alternative modes of transportation in various
corridors, designated bus routes, bike and bus paths, purchasing buses for
C-Tran, and continuing to fund traffic calming projects.
Mayor
McAlister asked if a reserve for traffic calming exists. Mr. Bailey said the
Town did not fund traffic calming last year because the reserve from the prior
year was zeroed out; the funding started high but the need has been drawing down
and staff is trying to match the requests to the funding level.
Ms.
Dorrel asked if there was a potential for federal monies or other grants that
might assist. Mr. Bailey said that at the Operations Committee a request to
the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) was approved so
there is a possibility that the Town will receive full or partial funding for
the advanced planning project on the list. Mr. Parajon added that staff also
talked with Apex to request assistance with funding.
Mrs.
Robinson asked what the projected completion date is for the
Mrs.
Robison asked what the amount appropriated this year would be if staff had not
recommended that Council not appropriate the available FY03 GO dollars for
transportation, and what projects are not being done.
Mr.
Coleman said that since the Town has 7 years to spend that authorization, last
year there was about $18 million budget that staff elected not to budget this
year and staff has not looked at which projects would be the next highest
priorities.
Mrs.
Robison asked when staff will work on those high priority projects. Mr. Coleman
responded that staff will look at all of those projects next year. He said that
the general approach is to wait for revenue growth and the economy to pick up to
take care of the debt, and next year if there are projects that need to be
funded staff will recommend funding through debt for FY06. He added that if
growth picks up and traffic gets worse staff will make that recommendation.
Mr.
Roseland asked if anything is being done to fix the problem at Crossroads. Mr.
Bailey said that staff is working with NCDOT to move the ramp to a light at
Donaldson which will provide congestion mitigation. He said construction is
scheduled near the Red Roof Inn to add a through lane and there are funds
available to add the northbound through lane to make it six lanes, but it cannot
be done because the turning lanes need to first come off the ramp.
Mr.
Bailey said that NCDOT is concluding the design and planning to let a bid this
fall, and will be under construction this spring, adding through lanes on the
freeway corridor and adding ramp improvements at both Walnut Street and Cary
Parkway; in the interim, staff is studying the southeast gateway plan and has
new traffic recommendations for Council consideration.
Mr.
Coleman said staff looked at the major traffic issues and which ones have not
been resolved. He said the projects not being funded this year are primarily the
road widenings in the southern part of
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Mr.
Coleman stated that staff has elected to continue to spend some of the GOP bond
funding on parks, otherwise there would be almost no parks in the capital
budget. He said one of the major areas of funding for parks is the
Mr.
Coleman said that in order to make decisions on how to use the Cary Elementary
facility staff is recommending funding to go through the programming processing
to allow the Council and community to weigh in on the future of that facility
and how it fits in with the overall parks and recreation cultural resources
plan.
Mr.
Joyce asked if citizens are paying more for utilities so that the Town can
purchase open space and, if so, if that money is going to be used for things
other than building parks. Mrs. Henderson said the money was for the open
space, with the largest amount being used for the White Oak Greenway. She said
that they are buying some land that cannot be developed but a lot of what is
being bought is for greenway corridors.
Mr.
Joyce suggested putting a one year moratorium on building parks.
Several
Council members questioned the need to fund the
Mayor
McAlister said that Council needs to think in terms of cutting something the
Town doesn’t need from the budget instead of finding somewhere else to put the
money, and
Mrs.
Henderson said in prioritizing projects staff looked at creating funds in each
category by reviewing the percentage and geographic distribution of facilities,
as well as suggestions for priorities from the Parks, Recreation and Cultural
Resources Advisory Board. She said it is also identified in the cultural arts
part of the master plan as a facility where exhibitions and festivals can be
held. Mrs. Henderson agreed that the
ACTION:
Mayor McAlister called for a straw vote to put off funding the
Mr.
Joyce made a suggestion to remove the funding for
Mrs.
Henderson said that
Mr.
Roseland asked what the operating costs for the park would be when it is
completed. Mike Bajorek, of the Public Works and Utilities Department, said that
staff did not have the exact numbers at this time but would obtain that
information to provide to Council.
Mayor
McAlister asked Council members if they were in favor of leaving the
Mrs.
Robinson asked if the $75,000 funding for the Cary Elementary project could be
used to look at other options for the downtown area to meet the goals of the
Town center program. Mrs. Henderson responded yes, that those funds are for
the downtown area.
Mrs.
Robinson asked if it was possible to look at the feasibility for a stand alone
cultural arts center, not using the existing building, in the study. Mrs.
Henderson said it would need to be separate. She said that staff could look at
how that could be expanded in the plan at that time.
Council
members discussed the downtown art project and whether to move ahead with that
project.
Ms.
Dorrel asked where the Town was in terms of the artist’s commitment. Mrs.
Henderson replied that money has been spent on the design and the bridge work
has been contracted but there hasn’t been movement on anything else; also,
other ways to fund the project are being discussed.
Mayor
McAlister said there is a high likelihood that the funding issue will resolve
itself because the project is over budget and it can’t be built for the amount
of money allotted. He said there will have to be a lot of public support in
order to get it built. He said the decision to move ahead has been made but
there are some issues to be worked out with the project before spending any more
money.
Mrs.
Robinson asked how much the shortfall was for the project. Mrs. Dorrel responded
that it is somewhere around $6,200.
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Mr.
Coleman said there are three projects that relate to stormwater improvements
downtown, one which relates to the Town center streetscape improvements and
several that relate to making changes in the public utilities operations center
required because of expansion. He said these projects are limited in nature and
are required in order to continue to provide services.
Ms.
Dorrel asked staff to explain the parking deck funding. Mr. Coleman said that
because of expansions in buildings and grounds and road maintenance, the Town
continues to have to add employee traffic signalization, and space for people to
park is limited. In order to utilize the property for things other than surface
parking a small parking deck needs to be built. Mr. Bajorek added that during
leaf season there is no surface parking for people.
Mr.
Roseland would like to look at options on public works before moving forward
with a parking deck.
Mr.
Coleman said that there is no question that some time in the future a small
parking deck will need to be built in order to more efficiently utilize that
site and not take up more of it with surface parking. He said that staff will
review other alternatives and bring those back to the Council. His preference is
to leave the money in and not spend it until Council approval is received.
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Mr.
Coleman stated that other than normal maintenance and policy supporting funding
water and waste water, capital projects funded this year are very limited. He
said that the major projects are an additional centrifuge for the Cary/Apex
water treatment plant condition to help deal with increasing sludge capacity,
continued funding for the thermal biosolids dryer to create a permanent long
range solution to the sludge problem at the waste water treatment facilities,
the west Cary pump station and force main which will provide major sewer
capacity in the western growth area, and the batchelor branch and white oak
creek interceptors.
Mrs.
Robison asked why staff has not approximated the cost of the odor abatement and
included it in the budget to assure that there is adequate planning for the
investments needed.
Mr.
Coleman said staff looked at ways to provide estimates of the cost but there was
no way to make a reasonable estimate. He said that funding can be appropriated
but it would be completely arbitrary. He stated funding could be appropriated if
the Council chose to do so as an indication of a commitment for that project. He
said that the funding would come from the fund balance in the utility system and
the figure would be arbitrary.
Mayor
McAlister asked if they could get money from fund balance if needed. Mr. Coleman
said yes.
Mr.
Roseland asked staff to describe the $2.5 million capital project that would
provide some type of containment. Rob Bonne, of the Public Works and Utilities
Department, said that the $2.5 million is probably on the high side. He said a
study was done to cover all of the digestors at the plant and scrub the odor out
and the digestor causing all of the problems is one that will probably never be
used again.
Mr.
Roseland said that Council can look at escrowing the $2.5 million with a 90-day
reversion clause that goes back to the utility fund if not needed. He said there
needs to be a commitment that Council is projecting a potential infrastructure
to deal with odor and water reclamation problems in north
Mr.
Roseland asked for a straw poll to escrow $2 million contingent on the results
of the study.
Mayor
McAlister said before taking a poll it needs to be determined if the problem
will reoccur or if taking that digestor out of service eliminated the problem.
Mr.
Coleman said the Town will be using very little of the digestor capacity out
there in the future and whatever results from the abatement study is purely
speculation. He said that if the Council wants to appropriate some funding to
show a commitment then appropriating $1 million or $1.5 million would be
sufficient.
Mr.
Joyce asked when the survey would be completed. Kim Fisher, of the Public Works
and Utilities Department, responded that staff is expecting to bring it to
Council at the end of July.
Mrs.
Robison recommended that $1.5 million be included in the budget as an earmark
for the north
Mr.
Coleman said if there is consensus from the Council staff will add Council’s
recommendation to the budget. There was a consensus from the Council.
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Mrs.
Robison asked if the Maynard crossing connection is on the list. Mr. Bailey
responded that it is unfunded but was added so that Council would know the cost
and there is no plan for the next two years to fund the project.
Mrs.
Robison said that Council agreed at an earlier meeting to consider adding
Maynard crossing to the road projects and requested that it be added to the
10-year CIP. She asked if an immediate decision needs to be made for the funding
to be in the FY07 or FY08 budget.
Mr.
Bailey said that there is a time frame in the zoning conditions and FY07 or FY08
may be too late.
Mrs.
Robison asked which budget the funding would need to be in to address the timing
issue. Mr. Bailey said the cost is $700,000 for site acquisition of retail
property in the area and a subdivision plan is currently in review. He said it
would need to be included in the FY05 budget.
Mr.
Coleman said staff will discuss the Maynard crossing project and bring it back
to Council at the operating budget work session for clarification.
Mr.
Smith asked if the $150,000 for the veterans park is in the operations budget.
Mr. Coleman responded that it is an appropriation from the fund balance.
Work
session ended at