AUBURN - With increased greenery coming downtown in the upcoming second phase of the city's downtown revitalization project this year, the proposed elimination of support funding for the downtown Business Improvement District's beautification efforts comes at an unfortunate time, according to BID members.
BID board members met with city manager John Salomone Wednesday night to express concerns about this year's proposed budget, which does not contain support funding for the BID's beautification crew consisting of one full-time employee. BID's beautification efforts evolved over the years from pairing part-time workers with city public works employees to in recent years hiring a full-time worker devoted to cleaning up and maintaining the downtown area.
“When you dropped us from the budget, we were all scratching our heads saying where do we go from here?” said Tony Piccolo, BID board president, to Salomone. “You tell us we're a partnership, but now you're cutting us loose. We don't know what to do, we can't afford this guy.”
Piccolo and others said this year's budget was a surprise because the city had been such a strong BID supporter in previous years. In last year's budget, the city reduced support funding for the full-time BID worker to $8,000, which required the BID to dip into its reserve funds to cover costs this year. The $8,000 covered about half the cost of the downtown employee.
This year's budget also proposes to raise parking meter rates from 25 to 50 cents. The BID does not oppose the increase as long as some of the money can be used to maintain its beautification crew. The budget does not reflect sharing any of the increased revenue with the BID.
Salomone, however, told BID members that things could change over the course of the budget sessions. Ultimately, it will be up to council to decide whether any revenue is shared.
At the same time, Salomone said since this year's budget also recommends laying off 26.5 full-time equivalent positions, a lot of support funding for outside programs had to be eliminated first. The city would face a $3.7 million deficit at the end of fiscal year 2007 if no changes were made.
“I felt that I had to keep that money within the city,” Salomone said, of the parking meter revenue. “This is a setback for now, but you've got to look at the long-term picture.”
Salomone told BID members that he was confident the city would be able to maintain all the landscaping and greenery improvements made during this upcoming revitalization project. Steve Lynch, director of the office of planning and economic development, said the city would be ready to go out to bid on the $3 million project in about four weeks. The city received a $3.1 million loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development a couple of years ago for the project, which will be paid back through funds the city annually receives from HUD as an entitlement community.
Jerry DelFavero, superintendent of public works, said his department would do what it could to help maintain downtown, should the beautification crew be eliminated. The department, however, is also facing 12 layoffs, which will spread its employees thinner. The city still offers $20,000 to the BID through Community Development Block Grants. Despite Salomone's insistence that downtown would continue to be maintained without a full-time BID employee.
Board member Henry MacDonald said without a devoted employee, any maintenance would be sporadic, as it was before a full-time worker came on almost two years ago.
“I know what it looked like before the guy came full-time,” MacDonald said.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
“When you dropped us from the budget, we were all scratching our heads saying where do we go from here?” said Tony Piccolo, BID board president, to Salomone. “You tell us we're a partnership, but now you're cutting us loose. We don't know what to do, we can't afford this guy.”
Piccolo and others said this year's budget was a surprise because the city had been such a strong BID supporter in previous years. In last year's budget, the city reduced support funding for the full-time BID worker to $8,000, which required the BID to dip into its reserve funds to cover costs this year. The $8,000 covered about half the cost of the downtown employee.
This year's budget also proposes to raise parking meter rates from 25 to 50 cents. The BID does not oppose the increase as long as some of the money can be used to maintain its beautification crew. The budget does not reflect sharing any of the increased revenue with the BID.
Salomone, however, told BID members that things could change over the course of the budget sessions. Ultimately, it will be up to council to decide whether any revenue is shared.
At the same time, Salomone said since this year's budget also recommends laying off 26.5 full-time equivalent positions, a lot of support funding for outside programs had to be eliminated first. The city would face a $3.7 million deficit at the end of fiscal year 2007 if no changes were made.
“I felt that I had to keep that money within the city,” Salomone said, of the parking meter revenue. “This is a setback for now, but you've got to look at the long-term picture.”
Salomone told BID members that he was confident the city would be able to maintain all the landscaping and greenery improvements made during this upcoming revitalization project. Steve Lynch, director of the office of planning and economic development, said the city would be ready to go out to bid on the $3 million project in about four weeks. The city received a $3.1 million loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development a couple of years ago for the project, which will be paid back through funds the city annually receives from HUD as an entitlement community.
Jerry DelFavero, superintendent of public works, said his department would do what it could to help maintain downtown, should the beautification crew be eliminated. The department, however, is also facing 12 layoffs, which will spread its employees thinner. The city still offers $20,000 to the BID through Community Development Block Grants. Despite Salomone's insistence that downtown would continue to be maintained without a full-time BID employee.
Board member Henry MacDonald said without a devoted employee, any maintenance would be sporadic, as it was before a full-time worker came on almost two years ago.
“I know what it looked like before the guy came full-time,” MacDonald said.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be reached at 253-5311 ext 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
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