Salisbury City Council discusses spending plan

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 11, 2013

SALISBURY — City Council members praised the proposed 2013-14 budget Tuesday morning during an ongoing workshop, but council members also asked staff to find about $32,000 more for special projects.
Councilman Brian Miller asked for an additional $15,000 for Downtown Salisbury Inc., which had asked the city for $165,000 but received $104,000 in the budget proposed by City Manager Doug Paris.
Miller, former chairman of the DSI board of directors, said the organization will lose $15,000 in tax revenue in the coming year because the Yadkin House Apartments is now a tax-exempt organization. Miller asked the city to replace the funding, as well as moving $10,000 for a South Main Street corridor study from a city line item into the DSI allocation.
Councilwoman Karen Alexander asked the city to come up with $15,000 to help the Chestnut Hill neighborhood apply for status as a National Historic District. The city can apply for a federal grant to pay for the $35,000 application process, and the city would be responsible for 40 percent of the cost, interim Planning Director Janet Gapen said.
City Council has recessed the budget workshop being held at 1 Water St. to make adjustments to the budget.
Check back for updates.