A balanced budget is a wonderful thing. When existing obligations are met utilizing available resources and there are some reserve funds remaining, this can be a sign of strong and effective fiscal management. 

But, is anyone else wondering how the Town of Christiansburg’s budget moved from a "$2.6 million deficit" to "balanced" – while adding millions in expenditures - in the course of a week?

Instant Money
This happened even though the budget changed from bare-bones, with no new capital projects or personnel (except aquatic center), to adding a half-million dollars in street paving and $1.2 million for a wastewater plant upgrade. Plus, funding to numerous non-profits was restored, and a grant request presented the previous night to assist a local historic church replacing its roof was included. 

Paving and wastewater treatment are basic needs in every town. Libraries, museums and historic buildings enhance our quality of life. It's great to see all of these things in the budget. However, the budget presentation is still sloppy, and questions about the town's "accounting software problems" and personnel allocation have not been addressed.

Sliver of Sunshine
The NR Current quoted Council Member Mike Barber saying "This has never happened that I know of," about the budget work session. Indeed, things are changing for the better in Christiansburg.

What changed in the week between April 30 and May 7? Did someone on staff learn to use the accounting software, and suddenly all became clear? Congrats to the staffer, if that is the case.

While we may not fully understand Christiansburg's technique of presenting a budget, we at least get to see the proposed budget (although not on the Town’s web site). It's time to keep the budget balanced by supporting it with properly deployed software, implementation of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and regular review and questioning by both council members and town residents.

Those who know Steve Huppert understand some of his passions.  These include his family, our town, and Will Rogers.

Huppert, recently interviewed after this past week's town council elections, has been an ardent supporter for Downtown Christiansburg and trying to rebuild a  sense of community -- through his frequent letters to the editor to update residents about relevant issues or council activities, and in working to rebuild the business environment and aesthetics of the town's central business district. 

In the interview, he touched on getting to know two of the men who will assume council positions during recent debates.  For this election, the Historic Cambria & Downtown Christiansburg Partnership (HCDCP) sponsored three candidate forums and the Montgomery County League of Women Voters (LWV) hosted a fourth forum.  While this race and these venues put the candidates in a competitive mode, it also provided them    -- and citizens -- an opportunity to get to know each other and develop a better understanding of issues and positions.  This relationship building should be seen as a positive, secondary outcome of having such forums which can benefit all community members. 

Huppert also mentioned that the annual anticipated costs of the town's new aquatic center would be about $1 million, and the challenges operating this facility will pose in generating revenues to cover those costs.  The concept for a community pool was expressed by citizens more than ten years ago, and evolved into an aquatic center to be utilized by residents while also serving as a location for the VT Swim Team to practice and be their ACC sport venue.  It has also been stated the aquatic center is expected to serve as another draw for tourism and enhance related tax revenues, yet commonly, these types of sport venues do well to simply break even.  This new expense challenge alone gives substance to Huppert's belief that the town would be well served in expanding its accounting and financial planning capacity, as the complexity of managing town finances becomes even more important than in the past.

Maybe, due to public service or his focus on improving the downtown, residents will see him appear again -- either as a future candidate for office, or when adopting his Will Rogers persona and tickling the community's funny bone at a future festival.