Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Town of Davidson Board Meeting from the Twitterverse

The following is the Twitter stream from tonight's Board Work Session.  Be on the lookout for the public notice for the hearing on Davidson's next Town Budget for 5/14.

It says a lot that the most contentious topic out of a $9 million dollar budget was the need for more crosswalk flags costing only $100 a piece.  Not sure exactly what it says, but it says a lot - a lot more than 140 characters can do justice.

6:08 PM
April Work Session underway at Town Hall

Mayor Woods updates on efforts at MTC to find $$$ for trains Comm Jenest updates on LNTC & HOT lanes, vote next mo

Comm Fuller comments that lots of activity w/ Lifeline - town's suicide prevention effort.

Concerts on the Green record number of events this year...

Parks & Rec...Family Fun Day, Murder Mystery Dinner, $1500 donation from CHS for Vial of Life prog, launch at DCOA (Davidson Committee on Aging)

Design for Life...HB150/SB139 working way through ...Due to CDC funding restrictions staff can't "lobby"

-- Commentary: HB150/SB139 are bills which limit municipal planning authority. They are bipartisan bills that expect to pass overwhelmingly. The Town of Davidson strongly opposes these changes.

bike/pedestrian HIA underway. Read more at

to host Southeast Regional HIA Summit 7/31-8/2. Hopes for attendees across SE US to address "black hole" of HIA

producing a "documentary" on Town efforts with HIA...Next up for DDFL...where Town goes post CDC grant? $$$

--Commentary: The Town of Davidson has resources to produce a documentary on HIAs but does not record public meetings to increase citizen involvement and awareness.

6:50pm
Design for Life if Town Funded would need $100,000+ per year at current funding level under CDC grant.

Design for Life could also seek other grants as well, but talk definitely leaning toward going fwd regardless

Public Works...$250k Pump House renovation done; McEver Field lights low bid $80k+ over budget - moving forward.

resurfacing Pine Rd, Eastway St and lot behind Dav Famiy Medicine

recycling % down from 18%-14% per current data - baffling due to Town efforts including $22k recycle bins in village.

--Commentary: The prevailing feeling is that the data must be wrong. It's not possible that people are not recycling more now that everyone has giant red bins in their homes and the town spent a fortune on recycling in the village. (See here for related story.)

moves to new bus,financing new dump truck rather than straight purchase impact of reval cutback caused financing

could experience $143k hit from portion of reval fiasco, 2.5% of value. Floated that 36c rate wld bring same $$$

7:37pm
budget... has $748k over expenses...$380k for CIP...oth infra $139k...$229k oth unfunded requests

: w/ $748k available above expenses no Comm mentions lower taxes...dicussion seems to be how to spend last $2k

Mayor Woods asks about how much crosswalk flags cost...answer, about $100 per crosswalk..."feels strongly" a/b it

pedestrian plan items are important to Comms, lots of talk a/b crosswalk flags

Comm Venzon & Mayor Woods get into it over the crosswalk flags. Apparently, there have been complaints over looks???

--Commentary: Really??? People have been complaining about the looks of the flags? Davidson is a bit quirky (good quirky). These flags fit right in with the award winning artistic signs around town, and they didn't cost $50,000.

three digital kiosks $10k per...at South Main, Circles at 30, & Main St

: Public Works progressing towards "getting to the next level" of service with this budget.

8:09pm
: non-profit committee requested $55k, only $50k budgeted. will send back to committee for them to cut if needed

budget public hearing at 5/14 mtg. Bring your questions. No mention by Board of Mi-Connection impact this year.

--Commentary: The largest single budget item (even after last year's fix) didn't get a single mention in the final budget discussion before the public hearing.

: Board still at it. Signing off..

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