 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
January 29, 2004
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||
|
January 29, 2004 |
|||||
 |
|
Village Council agreed last week to pursue a yearlong effort to educate the community about Village finances and to create a five-year sustainable financial plan that includes ways to increase Village revenue, cut costs and address the Village’s many capital improvement needs. The action plan attempts to achieve one of Council’s five goals for 2004, which Council selected earlier this month. As part of the goal-setting process, Council members agreed to create specific action plans to achieve each goal. At their meeting Jan. 20, Council members agreed to pursue a seven-step plan to create the financial plan. Council did not vote on the plan, which was proposed by Council president Tony Arnett, Council member George Pitstick and Village Manager Rob Hillard. The plan is an attempt by Council to address concerns for the Village’s flat revenue, continued rising expenses and its staggering capital improvement needs. Last year, Hillard compiled an inventory of capital needs that included more than 125 projects totaling over $13 million. The action plan begins with assembling available information about Village finances, including existing five-year budget projections; “options already identified for increasing revenue and decreasing expenses”; and five-year capital improvement priorities. Council would then review the information with a “small test group” of community members, including residents, business leaders and people from community organizations. After the meeting, Arnett said that Council members would interview people one-on-one to get feedback and additional ideas about Village finances. While Council intends to interview a small group of people during this step, the plan says that anyone can request the financial information and answer a set of interview questions. Arnett, Pitstick and Hillard said last week that they would gather the initial set of financial information for Council to review. After conducting the interviews, Council will review the test group’s responses and prioritize the Village’s options to increase funding, reduce costs and address capital needs. Council will then discuss the updated information with more community groups, the plan states. Arnett described this part of the process as conducting “road shows” around Yellow Springs. Council will then again review the feedback it receives and further refine its financial plan, narrowing the list of options. The plan calls for Council to take its revised information to the “whole community” through a survey and large community meetings throughout Yellow Springs. Arnett noted that these forums will take place outside Council’s normal meetings. “We take it to the community,” he said of the financial package, “holding meetings at the Senior Center, holding meetings at the schools.” Finally, Council will create an official financial plan, the action plan states. Arnett proposed that Council complete the task by the end of the year. To complete the task of assembling the plan, Council member Denise Swinger said that she would need to better understand such fiscal elements as taxes. As part of the action plan, Council is sure to discuss with the community the type of services local residents want and what Yellow Springers are willing to pay for them. Pitstick brought up this idea when he noted that outside the Village’s obligation to protect the “health, safety, welfare in the community,” the government provides other amenities, and that the Village has identified not only capital needs for “essential services” but also for “nonessential but highly desirable” services. He said that Council needs guidance from the community about nonessential services and that the action plan will provide a “structured manner” to gauge what the community wants from the Village. Arnett said that the community needs to have a “sense of ownership” of the action plan, and noted that in order for the plan to be sustainable, it must “reflect the majority opinion” of local residents. When Council approved its five goals for the year, Council members said that they would create action plans to achieve the goals by the end of March. That effort may take slightly longer now. After urging from Arnett to tackle a second goal, Council members Mary J. Alexander and Jocelyn Hardman agreed to draft a plan to address Council’s housing goal, “to facilitate new construction and renovation across the housing spectrum.” Arnett had asked Council members to propose an action plan for a second goal for Council’s next meeting, Feb. 2. The other Council members, however, indicated that the next meeting was too soon. Alexander twice said that “my plate is full,” though she did agree to work with Hardman to present a plan by Council’s meeting Feb. 17. Council’s other goals are to promote new business, retain existing business and maximize the use of commercial space; increase interaction between the public and the Village; and continue to implement the Wellhead Protection Management Plan, improve communication with the Village’s commissions and boards; and support the use of volunteers. In addition, Council discussed ways for the Village to recognize its volunteers. Alexander proposed that the Village present its volunteers with certificates recognizing their efforts and that Mayor David Foubert declare the week of April 18–24 Volunteer Recognition Week in Yellow Springs. Local resident Peggy Erskine suggested that Council encourage other community groups to recognize their volunteers during that week. Arnett said he would write a letter with such a suggestion. Alexander called volunteers “unrecognized heroes.”
|
|
