A whopping $6,453,000 is proposed to be spent in the next fiscal year on capital projects within the city, substantially more than the $1,846,500 expected to have been spent this year. Mayor Emmett Jordan asked why there was such a big jump at the April 17 budget review worksession for capital projects and Public Works Department budgets. Assistant City Manager David Moran, City Treasurer Jeff Williams and Public Works Director Jim Sterling were there to explain the budget to council.
Fiscal Year 2020 city taxes will need to be levied to raise $1,295,000 to fund these projects. Various grants sought and obtained from other sources will provide nearly an equal amount of funding, $1,113,500. The remaining monies will come from other sources or funds already reserved for capital projects.
Williams noted that a substantial amount, $2,285,000, is to be spent on state-required repairs to the Greenbelt Lake dam, a project long under consideration and planning. Williams expects approval from the Maryland Environmental Administration (MEA) by July 1 and work could begin shortly after the Independence Day fireworks are set off.
For more of this story, see the May 16 News Review.