Council critiques spending proposal

After a stint in citizens’ hands, responsibility for the town budget is now squarely back under the purview of the Chapel Hill Town Council.

The recommendations of the citizens’ budget review advisory subcommittee were received Monday by appreciative yet critical council members, who were quick to defend two community values: public art and nonprofit services.

Along with town consultant Maximus Inc., the committee was convened in January to help the town explore options for reducing the impact of what, at the time, was projected as a 10-cent property tax increase.

Council member Bill Strom was the first to compliment the group for “a very comprehensive and remarkably useful document.”

But he was critical of the committee’s recommendation to cut the Human Services Advisory Board’s funding, which would limit the amount of town contributions to nonprofit groups.

“Having worked with nonprofits in Chapel Hill, we are often a lifeline to a very important service that makes this a much better community for people to live in,” Strom said.

The recommendation came late in the committee’s last session when member Jill Ridky-Blackburn expressed concern over the town’s contribution of $206,000 to a host of nonprofit groups.

“Most of us were not aware that the town was supporting nonprofits,” said Ridky-Blackburn, adding that committee members had nothing against these organizations but were merely concerned about the donation process.

Council members also were concerned about the committee’s suggestion that the public art budget be cut by 10 percent and that the committee review the allocations to the Percent for Art program.

Committee leader Gene Pease, who at times in the group’s sessions voiced strong support for public art, said he was not surprised by the criticism.

“Did we push the envelope? Yeah, that was our job,” Pease said. “We didn’t expect they would take a lot of the ideas.”

In its final presentation, the committee found that the town could save more than $2 million by taking a variety of measures.

A high priority for both the committee and Maximus has been commercial trash pickup. Maximus held that the town should get out of the business.

But the citizens’ committee, citing concerns about a 1999 interlocal agreement to send waste to the county landfill and issues of town cleanliness, advised the town to retain pickup and levy fees for groups that now receive the service for free or at reduced costs.

This option could raise almost $400,000 at the expense of apartment complexes, fraternities and sororities, churches and even tax-funded functions such as schools, which will be asked to pay the same amount as businesses: $801 for weekly pickup.

The committee’s recommendations also included additional funding for police and a pay raise of 1.5 percent for town employees, a suggestion that elicited praise from Mayor Pro Tem Edith Wiggins.

While some committee members have said they would be willing to continue their work, the group’s future is uncertain.

Council member Cam Hill thanked the committee for making the budget more understandable than in years past and said he hoped the process would be continued in coming years.

But Town Manager Cal Horton said Monday’s report would conclude the committee’s duties.

Horton’s recommended budget is scheduled to be passed June 27.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.