[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6076603,"mediaKeyId","2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172","parentId",2969260,"title","Public hearing: Arcadia Project and Talking Book Center urge one-time city support during FY26 budget review","audioSeconds",829,"startMs",7622000,"endMs",8451000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172&start=7622&end=8451","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172/thumbnail_7622000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6076603/Staunton-City/Virginia/Public-hearing-Arcadia-Project-and-Talking-Book-Center-urge-one-time-city-support-during-FY26-budget-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076603-cbce0ad715644735c1066d6f4dcf2184/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156882&Signature=ZT43~RR-lhJbrSsyAE3h6jx5urv7Tg63diKMWE8oAbm2PiqQCGM7epPSqTKycgBN672M9qiud~WG3TRrUCm~sCHTZfYccVVMgbZKOlQwmAt5OV57ckLb4q6E6weMld2pkB0qwhMCSbuvBPB03Z7SC4iVFhrZePzTQ9dRToMnrQS993LQrGPP0HVm-2RC15zumnoN~xb~QBGCXQ0IQNQg2TVDLFlHOc5oagpXzPz7kOPUmgl4AoUYA9KH4Bt9bwlmDhdqg1D0bc8s24z0lped12xJ0Wv0Iq-q5QfD6bPJy2FqLmkiTxWFnOoSLqQ5OuNi~9euMX9b1RPMpepuJ7-W2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-11T16:15:05Z","article","During the April 10 public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget, several citizens asked council to use one-time or discretionary funds to support outside agencies and cultural projects that did not receive allocations in the proposed budget.

Elizabeth Respus, president of the Arcadia Project board, asked council to include a $30,000 appropriation in the FY26 budget to help the nonprofit leverage a $1,600,000 state ARPA grant she said must be spent by the end of 2026. \"Your approval of our $30,000 request will serve as a strong indication to others that you recognize the value of reopening the historic city landmark,\" Respus said, describing the proposed uses of the restored theater for live music, film, classes, rentals and community programming.

Multiple other speakers, including Arcadia board treasurer Stanley Grama and former board president Thomas Wagner, emphasized that the nonprofit has cleared many development hurdles and that a municipal contribution could unlock additional private donors. The Arcadia board said it is about 73% toward its private fundraising goal and called the city contribution a one-time match that would preserve the state grant.

Randolph Burton, speaking as a board member of the Talking Book Center, urged council to retain the proposed $4,000 contribution for the center, which provides recorded books and related services for blind and visually impaired residents. Burton read self-reported patron feedback showing daily usage and high satisfaction; he described the local contribution as a modest but critical part of a service that supports multiple jurisdictions in the Upper Shenandoah Valley.

Other speakers raised affordability concerns about a tax-rate increase and urged caution in balancing cultural investments with the needs of long-time residents. Nikki West, a downtown business owner, asked council to consider the implications of higher property taxes on residents and small businesses.

Councilors acknowledged the public testimony while noting that the council has a $50,000 discretionary fund available and that some members favored one-time support for new agencies rather than ongoing commitments. Council asked staff to return with criteria and options for allocating discretionary funds to outside agencies before final adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 10, 2025 Work Session and Regular Meeting of Staunton City Council","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at the FY26 budget public hearing asked council for one-time support to help unlock larger grants and to sustain local services: Arcadia Project requested $30,000 to preserve a $1.6 million state grant, and the Talking Book Center asked council to maintain a proposed $4,000 allotment.","taxTitle","Staunton City, Virginia","taxId",60274,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6076607,"Gypsy Hill and Cole Avenue stream restorations near completion; contractors address utilities and plantings",81,9359000,9440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172&start=9359&end=9440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172/thumbnail_9359000.jpg","/articles/6076607/Staunton-City/Virginia/Gypsy-Hill-and-Cole-Avenue-stream-restorations-near-completion-contractors-address-utilities-and-plantings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076607-20d9f4062bd7a66beebde50f73ebe003/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156882&Signature=LiTAA6DjOTbpr1xFU079QDyTWLYh9cJ~bd2K5WqWfKXKk3WPJZp9pmcJ6P40z2KeE9j-C-7FxyvpudLkzRd8-Ao0YAKVK21uCbFpR6l9Zt1aRzwDHZe~~4-9cxiXOCsgyHWn-gQhAIKyWcl8vJPuT~SOWhmiZ47ZlUDxxJmXR3cvn0d~m~B2YuefiROjIQwAPgiQKLYz52chv0eb~G5lAEE7Vf5MFwrG7nkKXf1qBPcPp18qbp6tWPFf2IIUUl7WH3twU4tDWOhMht~QA452m7FeocfYV6ceHlD7lrnyA0xuz0GsK7UpVt2477D6l-Rs0RhvlDID8pQDiliQQQv0rQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff updated council on two ongoing stream-restoration projects on April 10, reporting that the Gypsy Hill Park channel work is substantially complete but remains to finish sidewalks, educational signage and spring plantings, while the Cole Avenue project is on track for substantial completion by the end of the month.

Contractors on Gypsy Hill encountered underground utility conflicts while installing sidewalks; staff said the contractor repaired a damaged Dominion line and will perform sonar mapping to avoid future utility strikes. City staff said plantings will be completed in warmer weather and that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff who visited both sites had no major outstanding comments.

For Cole Avenue, sanitary-sewer relocations are almost finished; most planting is complete and only minor work remains. Both projects used DEQ SLAF grants for roughly half the funding and city ARPA and CIP funds for the balance, staff said.

City staff said they expect to finalize signage placement with Public Works and will schedule a public acknowledgment once the Gypsy Hill work is fully complete. Councilors asked about scheduling and whether nearby stream daylighting work appears feasible; staff said additional feasibility steps and funding would be required for future projects and that the FY26 CIP includes a study-level entry for daylighting where applicable.","City staff reported near-completion of stream restoration at Gypsy Hill Park and Cole Avenue. Delays were limited to utility conflicts and seasonal planting windows; both projects were funded in part by DEQ SLAF grants and will reach substantial completion soon.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6076612,"Engineers flag serious delamination beneath Staunton Wharf; council restricts Byers Street and part of lot",7706,2294000,10000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172&start=2294&end=10000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172/thumbnail_2294000.jpg","/articles/6076612/Staunton-City/Virginia/Engineers-flag-serious-delamination-beneath-Staunton-Wharf-council-restricts-Byers-Street-and-part-of-lot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076612-683a3f70793f797963c7c07b42ddd877/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156882&Signature=WapF0IZAYz0~sOIk2ymZJZB0S2g6DXN263pfvkWV8BNRe1-D4HBfop9Bn1utht2P8T2Jdmh-mGYTa~58LxMSemcSl0Wr3ee4ojzzSqL3p1ru7LLJERCJnoxvk4ckKM1S5J~Vf8f8hEJez7umaP0R~TrL0ppkJ624oZOUFdxRsmpXfetkiHFaUSXLd3AZMmmcY1GvcL-IaAr4HcrVAM7DCduElu5z0XSONVDywO4dVMSZ3RRuF83OUOILr7FzmhDM-2eYf8VggNpGMbezKks3I5nmuC2Q3RPo0~4pjPXOyMHrqIwdLkBd3FgqkELSqAL-RZIt85bhOikCinuEWufZLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A structural survey in March and April found substantial concrete delamination and corroded reinforcing steel in sections of the tunnels under the Staunton Wharf, city staff told council on April 10. The engineer recommended temporary closures of Byers Street and parts of the wharf parking lot ' actions the city implemented for public safety while design work continues.

\"This does not look good,\" a city presenter said while showing images of spalled concrete beneath Johnson Street and in the middle of the Wharf. The city's engineering consultant, Wiley Wilson, identified immediate areas of concern under Johnson and Byers streets and in the central wharf drive, and staff said those areas require a top-down repair approach because utilities and limited access complicate any effort to work from below.

City engineers said the repair approach will remove and replace tunnel walls and ceilings where needed and that design and permitting work must account for live stream conditions and existing utilities. \"We want to make sure we're adequately planning for traffic,\" the city engineer said, noting the area's importance to vehicles and pedestrian activity, including the farmers market.

Staff said cost estimates and a repair timeline are still in development; council members asked staff to pursue the most durable, cost-effective approach. The city will also examine longer-term options, including feasibility study language in the FY26 CIP for daylighting portions of piped channels where practical, though staff said daylighting would be a long-term, potentially costly undertaking requiring extensive community engagement.

Because the Wharf remains an important downtown asset, staff said they will assemble a Wharf business and resident network to coordinate outreach and mitigation during any repairs. City staff also asked for updated parking analyses and noted that shifts in court parking patterns (when neighboring county court functions move) could influence long-term parking planning.

Council asked for continued updates, engineering cost estimates and options that weigh immediate safety, disruption to downtown and long-term hydraulic performance.","A structural evaluation of tunnels beneath the Staunton Wharf identified severe concrete delamination and exposed rebar, prompting temporary closures of Byers Street and portions of the Wharf parking area and spurring an immediate plan to design repairs and minimize disruption.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6076615,"Staunton proposes 91— real-estate rate to fund infrastructure, COLA and court separation costs",7054,122000,7176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172&start=122&end=7176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172/thumbnail_122000.jpg","/articles/6076615/Staunton-City/Virginia/Staunton-proposes-91-real-estate-rate-to-fund-infrastructure-COLA-and-court-separation-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076615-ed00bda8c83e7ca92bd570d8fe3fb4c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156882&Signature=IhEuLg~4AKUQitcwVvvF~-hD1qbAZijpOkWzny18d7f-rW0VdM64e93H41ndiFD6ZacWamxMokJYhNuc1bh0DLoe-T-all44QZzP5twDf1QWcY7-SFgMVsnZi1EEDTJuEw85FNLVmPK~LRyKVll1f7HnpfAVGayzKv8~jin~6lpCov8ATKSTCrnQRU44lhbkwNNQu0rI6a~Ba0i0xVH4TVySMyhw44dVujEzvkdVSE556U9AcpD21ElMF-Jzb1epQ~YY~5aNEpOxqBThAVo9yaBA2CuLBT9tjawGY0jsUKOMBjarup6rCZHp7lh8F3-hWuLKNWYKzBHiUBdspk9mdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented the proposed FY26 operating and capital budget to Staunton City Council on April 10 and recommended a real-estate tax rate of $0.91 per $100 of assessed value to fund a range of needs, including an infrastructure reserve tied to deterioration beneath the Wharf and a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for city employees.

\"The proposed budget has a tax rate of 91\u0000 in addition to the assessment increases,\" a city budget presenter said, adding that the general fund portion of the budget is roughly $79.6 million. Staff explained the all-funds total of about $164 million appears large because enterprise capital projects (water, sewer, stormwater) and interfund transfers (including the school transfer) are double-counted in the headline total.

On expenditures, staff listed key drivers of the increase: a $1,647,000 rise in the school transfer tied to the funding formula; about $657,000 proposed as the equivalent of 2 cents on the real-estate rate to seed an infrastructure reserve focused on the tunnels that run under the Wharf; $1.1 million for a 3% COLA for full- and part-time employees; and additional costs tied to the new Juvenile and Domestic Relations courthouse that the city now separately funds.

Staff outlined other budget changes: a 10% increase in health-insurance costs, expanded real-estate tax relief for elderly and disabled residents, a $16500 replacement K-9 for the police department, and a 68% increase in animal-shelter expenditures driven by higher usage and a move to a larger facility.

Councilors discussed alternatives to the proposed rate, including presenting an 89\u0000 scenario. Some members asked staff to produce a budget at 89\u0000 for comparison; others said the FY26 package provided needed flexibility given the unknown cost of Wharf repairs. City staff noted that changing the personal-property tax rate would require an additional public hearing and delay adoption.

Councilors also debated whether to hire a dedicated grants coordinator; city staff recommended continuing with a decentralized grant process and using recently hired staff and regional partners for now, then reassessing the need later.

City staff said some one-time revenues, including proceeds from property sale(s) and unallocated funds, could be used strategically, and the council discussed using a previously established $50,000 discretionary council fund to support outside agencies that were not funded in the proposed budget.","City staff presented a FY26 budget proposing a 91\u0000 per $100 assessed value real-estate tax rate, funding a 3% cost-of-living increase for employees, an infrastructure reserve focused on tunnels under the wharf, and higher transfers for schools and regional human services.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6076616,"Staunton joint meeting outlines FY26 school transfer, funding formula and capital needs",846,54000,900000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172&start=54&end=900","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2969260-de59d9c31f48f88ff5bdd238d050c172/thumbnail_54000.jpg","/articles/6076616/Staunton-City/Virginia/Staunton-joint-meeting-outlines-FY26-school-transfer-funding-formula-and-capital-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076616-f9fc2801441e2e7e33b61c78c034cc69/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156882&Signature=Q7AVlrdznkl9t-bX-7cguDP2ySaqicUyWfKn7yATzUuUFIb66jfI0hUTxNvm6jPM8~iawZ9uG-l-Cn9MjGdEabtv-E3Z-926ZDnPhVWIY0Jdw0f22SNVDMsAD4oa85C3nSuxM9i4d49bIRFdfPwH4RpzNqmHW3glKLVwViemVxptBmczv34JL~i4xH-aXbYSnpyjDvFwQ7VlJ3BmpovuXYOwQuMp~RBfpJ~MSDzgtZVESzj8LzliLpw~VJVJojPCp2HzCuzUtw22eXevk61wqJBR0ykGeYc~1iWkHsa7kaWCDEP8vdoyd~hfSoNqpzW39e9OBaRkK3woI4WVFI868Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A joint work session of the Staunton City School Board and Staunton City Council on April 10 reviewed the FY26 school budget proposal and the local funding formula that determines the city's transfer to schools. City staff said the proposed budget would transfer $18,900,000 to the schools, an increase the presentation described as roughly 9.55% under the current formula.

The funding formula, the presentation said, was signed in August 2022 and bases the school contribution on audited property-tax data from the two prior fiscal years. \"It takes 26.559% of the property taxes,\" a city presenter said, adding that over two years the formula directs 53.118% of real estate and personal property taxes into the schools' budget. The city's presenter noted the formula excludes downtown tax flows that go to the SDDA.

City staff emphasized that headline figures in the all-funds budget can overstate operating changes because capital projects in enterprise funds are double-counted in the total reported budget. \"The total proposed budget...is over $164,000,000, which is a 10.4% increase,\" a city presenter said, then explained that about half a percentage point of that increase is related to water, sewer and stormwater capital and that some school-related amounts show twice because of interfund transfers.

Both the school board and city presenters highlighted sizable unfunded capital lists: the schools showed more than $48,000,000 of unfunded projects including a $7,500,000 request for the Shelburne Collaborative space and multi-phase work for the Shenandoah Valley Center for Advanced Learning. City staff said the city's unfunded capital total was about $134,000,000, listing needs such as new police facilities, Fire Station No. 1 renovation, streetscape projects and a century-old North River pipeline.

School staff and board members also presented non-budget items of accomplishment, including teacher awards and student performance gains in early literacy. Dr. Smith, a school official, highlighted regional recognitions and student achievement metrics that the schools expect to report publicly.

The joint session included time for questions about the mechanics of the formula, timing of audit years used in the calculation and the projected effect of assessment changes. City staff said the formula uses two-year averages of audited data (for example, FY26 contribution uses FY23 and FY24 audits) and reiterated that assessment-driven increases in 2023 are producing part of the FY26 uptick.

The meeting concluded with council and school board members acknowledging the scale of unfunded capital needs and agreeing to continue discussions as the council moves toward finalizing the city budget.","City staff and the Staunton City School Board held a joint work session to review the city's FY26 budget proposal, school funding formula and capital requests. The city's proposed budget includes a larger local transfer to schools and flags several sizable unfunded capital projects for both the city and schools.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public hearing: Arcadia Project and Talking Book Center urge one-time city support during FY26 budget review

Gypsy Hill and Cole Avenue stream restorations near completion; contractors address utilities and plantings

Engineers flag serious delamination beneath Staunton Wharf; council restricts Byers Street and part of lot

Staunton proposes 91— real-estate rate to fund infrastructure, COLA and court separation costs

Staunton joint meeting outlines FY26 school transfer, funding formula and capital needs