The Dunwoody City Council Budget Committee (comprising of Heneghan, Riticher & Tallmadge) reviewed staff proposals for reducing the Dunwoody 2020 Budget. The committee reviewed three main funds (SPLOST, Hotel/Motel & General Fund), and the committee recommended a reduction of the budget by about 3 Million dollars. The main reductions come from delaying the intersection improvement at Chamblee Dunwoody & Spalding, reducing the scope of the Winters Chapel Multiuse Path, and a small reduction to the proposed road repaving. On the Hotel/Motel fund, we removed the construction of Perimeter Center East Park (shown on the slide as undesignated) but provided funds needed to prepare that land for park construction in 2021. We also agreed to move the funding of the PCMS / Brook Run football field lighting from the general fund into the hotel/motel fund. The movement of those funds allowed the committee to move forward with basic improvements to the new Waterford park property. The General Operating Fund will be reduced by at least $849K, and the full Council will vote on all these proposed changes at an upcoming City Council meeting.
There were also discussions on the level of minimum fund balance or reserves to always have on hand and there was no movement by the committee to lower or change the conservative stance the city has taken over the last eleven years. Staff was explaining the possible need for a Tax Anticipation Note (TAN) if drastic cash flow issues were experienced by the DeKalb County Tax Collector on the property taxes that are usually paid to the city in August. The committee understood the issue but reiterated the need to manage cash flow around that anticipated low period of the year to alleviate risk. I take for granted that this item will be raised again during the full council vote along with better staff feedback, and depending on that feedback, there is a chance that there will be other cuts to the Dunwoody budget.
Please watch the video and follow along on the slides. Thanks.
Regarding Ongoing construction program at Brook Run Park. Management failed to have a program review and a value Engineeing session .
ReplyDeleteIt almost too late however some reductions in scope can be attained. Eliminate the planned and programmed but not started Disk Golf at $70,000. It was disingenuously planned and programmed . It was rated very low 17 of 22 plus it was / placed for construction within stream banks and along and within existing natural within our remaining 60* acres of Old Growth Urban Forest and along trails used by hundreds, It destroys ground cover, and under story . It eradicates wide fairways and constructs 24 foot wide Goals and then paths to tees etc all times 18.
The planning documents were too hard to read and understand in terms of locations of holes etc
It is unsustainable and unwanted by hundreds of avid existing users .Pleasing only 39/50 potential users while displacing hundreds of walkers, dog walkers and naturalist young and old, whom do not appreciate the intrusion and risks to them selves their dogs etc But above all the best amenity in the entire 102 acres is the existing Old Growth Urban Forest which must be Preserved-by staff and council and leave it as a legacy Amenity benefiting thousands in numerous quantifiable ways .