The Bethany Beach Budget and Finance committee met on July 25 to do a final review of the 2008 budget, review the first quarter budget for 2009 and to preliminarily discuss the budget for 2010. The group also discussed at length the plan for funding the construction of an eight foot extension of the boardwalk on the east end.
Janet Connery, director of finance for the town, said for the most part, things looked good. The town’s general fund revenue came in above the budgeted amount by 9 percent, or $416,000. Sanitation revenue and the water operating budget also exceeded the amount budgeted by 1 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
As far as expenses, Connery said that general fund operating expenses were 7 percent, or $262,000, under budget, and both sanitation and water operating expenses also came in under budget. She credited the managers with their continued efforts to keep costs under control.
Connery said that meter revenue was down 4 percent, but noted that last year was probable the busiest summer yet, so “going down isn’t a hit to the town.” For the first quarter of 2009, she noted that through July 25 there was less than $1,000 difference in transfer tax funds than last year as a whole. “Last year’s revenue was $700,000 and this year we only budgeted $450,000 and we have already collected $200,000 as of today,” she said.
Although the town has not seen a reduction in the tons of trash collected, they are happy with curbside recycling and have about 515 residents signed up for the program.
All in all, Connery said that the town is about “where we expected and about where we should be.”
The preliminary discussion for 2010 involved how the town will collect the ambulance service fee. Much of the discussion surrounded putting it in on the property tax bill to make payment processing easier and payments more likely.
The committee discussed a Streetscape project and the fact that it is worth investigating moving the utilities at the town’s expense before asking for state funds. Town manager Cliff Graviet noted that it is a total of eight poles. “We might be in better shape for lobbying if we have moved them. Eight poles is something that’s do-able,” he said.
The committee also talked of the boardwalk expansion project on the east side of town. Graviet reported that the “very preliminary” cost estimate was in the $750,000 range, with an additional $130,000 to re-deck the entire boardwalk, something that might prove to be cost-effective while the contractors are already out there. The committee discussed the use of a Trek-like material as opposed to wood, and the pros and cons of each taking into consideration the added cost of that, as well.
The committee discussed using the beach boardwalk reserve as the main source of funding for the project, as the boardwalk has added protection from the dune height as a result of beach replenishment. The committee decided it is in their best interest to meet more frequently and will meet again in August before the town council meeting to formalize a recommendation to council regarding the boardwalk project.