Tonight's town council at 7:30 pm meeting includes a Public Hearing for citizen input on the proposed fiscal year 2008-2009 budget. Has anyone seen this published in a local paper? Posted on the town's website? The first comment may well be "Can I see it, too?"
At yesterday's Planning Commission meeting, its members were handed a copy of the Capital Improvement plan, and it appears this totals $19 million with $17.9 million representing existing debt service. This then appears to indicate there is $1.8 million in capital purchases planned for FY 2008-09. Government Capital Improvement plans generally seek public input on establishing priorities for expected expenses over the next five years. What are the costs of the town's proposed needs for the next four years? The Planning Commission was not ready to issue any statement or recommendation on the material handed them, even though a response is required in time to allow another public hearing on the matter, to be scheduled before the June 30 deadline for localities to adopt a budget.
Citizens shouldn't feel slighted in not knowing what Capital Improvements are being planned, because even the Planning Commission was given materials at the 11th hour.
At yesterday's meeting, this commission was also promised that a presentation in Blacksburg on Historic Districts, tax incentives and processes made on May 2 would be arriving soon in DVD format. Again, the Planning Commission didn't feel prepared to begin making any recommendations based on the limited information provided by town administrators. It's notable this is just now being discussed, given all the "historic" references in the town's Comprehensive Plan which was initially adopted in 2002.
A report on the Public Hearing -- citizen comments and subsequent council discussions will be posted soon. Note, too, that another Public Hearing, where new tax rates or fees and next year's budget are adopted, is scheduled for June 3 (before the Freedom of Information Act training and after other public hearings on zoning/conditional use permit requests).
Elected town council members and appointed planning commission members should press town administration to provide more information in a more timely fashion. It would be nice to see where citizens are made aware and encouraged to participate in these processes, too.