Nov. 16. By Dave Yochum. The Town of Cornelius is asking residents to complete an online survey to help prioritize areas of focus for the budget process. It will help determine how to spend taxpayer dollars on fundamental issues like transportation and public safety awe well as economic development and arts.
Mayor Woody Washam said his goal is to gain as much public input as citizens want and are willing to provide. It’s a high-dollar proposition: Property owners pay for most of the $24 million (FY 20-21) spending package.
WASHAM
“We truly care what our citizens think and want to integrate their thoughts and ideas in this most important process,” Washam said.
Background
The town adopts a fiscal year budget every year in June, commencing July 1. The spending plan is just about locked in for the next 12 months. has also added a public hearing for the 2021-2022 budget, tentatively scheduled for 7 pm Tuesday Jan. 19 at Town Hall.
Previously, the only public hearing on the budget was usually in May, after a draft fiscal plan was already formulated and submitted to the commissioners—after months of work by town officials.
Early input provides an opportunity for citizens to be heard and factored into the final product rather than limiting citizen comment to just the end of the process.
The electronic survey, which takes less than five minutes to complete, asks about where residents live, their income, age and housing situation.
It also asks them to prioritize the following budget items:
—Activity Centers and Development Nodes (shopping, restaurants, professional offices)
—Arts, Cultural, and Entertainment Experiences
—Economic Development and Business Recruitment/Retention
—Parks & Recreation (parks, greenways, recreation centers, special events, land banking for future parks)
—Public Safety (Police, Fire, 911 Communications, Animal Control)
—Public Works: Sanitation and Stormwater (garbage/recycling/yard waste, leaf collection, stormwater management, drinking water quality)
—Social and Racial Equity (access to social and community-based services, access to Town programs, aspiring for equity in housing, transportation & transit, recreation, etc.)
—Transportation (improving roads, sidewalks, greenways, etc. for all modes: vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit)
—Workforce and Affordable Housing
To complete the survey, click on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W8GGGRJ
