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TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1999 <br />redevelopment opportunities, and Mr. Whitlow agreed. Council Member Dallas remarked that this was a <br /> <br />very popular program. Mr. Whitlow then covered budget issues related to Planning and Zoning, noting a <br />$17,000 decrease in funds for professional services, a $15,000 expenditure for update of the Zoning Code. <br />In the Housing budget, Mr. Whitlow noted a level funding budget, but in Rental Assistance a 12% <br />increase in the Personnel budget was noted, relating to the request for an additional position to help cover <br />a greatly increased workload in that department. Mr. Whitlow stated that the Housing office had already <br />been understaffed prior to the State' s increase in the past year of the housing voucher program. This, Mr. <br />Whitlow stated, had added a tremendous burden to their office, prompting the need for the new position to <br />help with the increased case load. Mr. Whitlow pointed out that additional funds from the State in <br />addition to housing loan repayments would cover the cost for the requested position. Council Member <br />Haskell asked what the net cost for the new position would be. Mr. Wade Bartlett, Director of Finance, <br />responded that the net increase in cost of about $30,000 for the position would be more than covered by <br />an expected increase in program revenues of more than $50,000. Mr. Reynolds noted that the City was <br />the State' s agent in the rental assistance program, through a contract with the Virginia Housing <br />Development Agency (VHDA), and that in return for the work the City was paid by the State. He noted <br />that the City had gotten tremendous value from this program, with positive impact realized in the <br />Community Development Block Grant and Critical Care housing rehabilitation programs. Mr. Reynolds <br />then discussed the Physical Plant Expansion element of the Community Development budget, describing <br />a cooperative plan to help encourage developers to develop new housing areas. He described the plan as <br />one in which the City would construct streets, curbing and utilities in a new housing development area off <br />Brookdale Avenue, to be repaid for this work by the developer from the sale of lots as the development <br />was marketed. Mr. Reynolds added that this project would also result in a new street, connecting to <br />Brookdale, that would provide a much needed new exit for the City Shop operation. He then noted that <br />there was $i00,000 in the budget for this effort. Council Member Haskell asked if full recovery of these <br />funds was expected, and Mr. Reynolds responded by stating that full repayment was expected within 12 <br /> <br /> <br />