Lynchburg city projects continue despite economic woes

A series of city projects affecting roads, downtown revitalization and public parks will carry on as planned, according to recent City Council deliberations.

Going Forward
The city plans to move forward on all projects currently under way, including:
- Renovations to Riverfront Park on Jefferson Street in downtown.
- Construction of a traffic roundabout on Fifth and Federal streets.
- Construction on phase one of the Greenview Drive expansion, and beginning of design work on phase two.
- Design work on Ivy Creek Park, whose plans include a nature center, trail and pier on an existing lake.

Growing economic troubles may force delays in future endeavors, officials noted, but all current projects should forge ahead.

Council referred specifically to those ventures already put out to bid — examples being renovations to Jefferson Street in downtown, services related to the expansion of Greenview Drive and beginning design work for a new city park.

“We wanted to give you an idea of the vigor and size and dynamism of (our capital improvement plan),” City Manager Kimball Payne said during a presentation to council Tuesday. “I don’t think we could stop this program.”

The prospect of postponing the less utilitarian projects on the city roster had come up as officials weighed a new financial climate that includes a possible recession and cuts in state support.

“I just think a couple of these projects are more aesthetic than actually functional,” said Ward III Councilman Jeff Helgeson, who supported making changes.

“It’s a tough little pill to swallow. We have a significant slowdown in the economy and people are seeing aesthetic projects being built,” he said.

A majority of City Council agreed such considerations must be taken into account in the future, but felt it was ill advised to reverse course on current projects already put to bid.

An invitation to bid implies intent to follow through, officials said, and pulling out now could undermine the city’s credibility with contractors.

Some also noted certain items, such as downtown revitalization projects along Jefferson and Fifth streets, are being counted on by private investors funneling money into those areas.

“We’ve got to be prudent, obviously, next budget year, but I know there are people who predicated their development on these improvements, particularly on Fifth Street,” said Vice Mayor Bert Dodson.

Ward II Councilman Ceasor Johnson, who represents the downtown area, said council needed to let people know the city is “still on a mission for downtown revitalization.”

“We can’t reject the commitments we’ve already made to our citizens,” he said.

Future projects not yet at the bidding phase could be pushed back in response to the city’s tighter financial outlook.

Earlier plans called for the city to borrow $37 million during mid-to-late 2009. Officials are now working to whittle that figure down.

The bulk of the money — a total of $27 million — is needed for the new Juvenile & Domestic Relations Courthouse and Sandusky Middle School, both of which are already under construction.

The remaining $10 million is where officials are concentrating their budgetary scalpels. Projects could be postponed or, in certain cases, paid for in cash or financed through some temporary means until long-term financing can be secured.

Affected projects include bridge repairs, downtown work and several major road projects.

The city is currently working under strict financial projections for next fiscal year. Departments have been told their budget requests should include no new expenditures, except in cases where additional measures are either required by law or somehow necessary to safeguard public welfare.

Employee raises could be among the items sacrificed when the final budget proposal is ready, according to the city manager.

“I refuse to be painted into any absolute statements at this point in the budget process,” he said in an interview, adding only, “We’re not going to be able to do business as usual.”