Adding to the list of coronavirus casualties is the schedule of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners, including the cancellation of a regular meeting of the group for the second time in a row.
This involves the session that would have been held Thursday at 7 p.m. in accordance with the board’s usual timetable, which includes gathering on the first and third Thursdays of each month.
Some elected officials are concerned about pressing matters that aren’t being addressed in the meantime, including the effects of COVID-19 on the municipality’s budget.
Normally during the early spring, city government leaders are working to assemble a spending plan for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1.
But the presence of the coronavirus — and the cancellation of the council meetings — is limiting the commissioners’ ability to have input into the process leading to the presentation of a proposed budget by City Manager Barbara Jones in May.
Commissioner Ron Niland, also the city’s mayor pro tem (or vice mayor) said Monday that he is concerned about the municipal budget on multiple levels in conjunction with the board meetings being put on hold.
“One thing I’d like to talk about is ‘where are we with our existing budget?’” Niland said of the package for the 2019-20 fiscal year which was approved last June — months before anyone even knew about COVD-19.
“How is this (the coronavirus) affecting our existing budget and revenues?” he added of a related concern.
Niland also is seeking some preliminary discussion on the next fiscal year’s budget.
On Monday, Mount Airy Finance Director Pam Stone said the impact of COVID-19 on the issues he raised is being determined.
“I am still trying to wrap my head around it all,” Stone explained.
“I am working on getting Barbara some budget reports today,” she added in reference to the city manager Barbara Jones, with Stone saying she also would be preparing information for the board this week.
Mount Airy officials already were anticipating a tight revenue outlook for the upcoming fiscal year. In addition to regular expenditures, they have been exploring ways to fund capital needs — big-ticket items related to buildings and equipment which are estimated at $42 million over the next decade.
Early May meeting eyed
Both Niland and Mayor David Rowe are shooting for the city council being able to meet again next month.
“I’m hopeful it will be the first meeting in May,” Niland said of a date that would fall on May 7.
“I’d like to try for an early May meeting,” the mayor agreed.
“I think it would be similar to what we had last time,” Niland said of a session on March 19 that was limited to council members, a handful of staff members and the media, in which everyone practiced social distancing.
“Some people can be remote if they want to be,” he mentioned concerning previous discussions about the possibility of video conferencing or similar options using modern technology.
Rowe indicated that if nothing else, the council should simply be doing its job, as are others who have remained at their posts during the epidemic. “We want to set a good example for the rest of our people.”
The mayor also says a meeting is needed because there is much to be done.
“You’ve got to stay up with what the city is doing, especially with the budget at this time of year,” he commented.
Niland said that along with the budget, other matters need attention, such as ones involving the city government’s ongoing redevelopment of the former Spencer’s industrial property downtown.
“We have other, smaller items that are not as pressing, like the storm-drainage issue,” he said of a request for municipal assistance to benefit the Shepherd’s House homeless shelter.
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Source: https://www.mtairynews.com