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Haymarket Council to decide fate of planned trolley service
Haymarket staffers and Town Council members are set to decide in January whether a full-time trolley service will be considered a priority for town funding.The trolley service, which would receive funding from the local, state and federal government, is intended to take commuters to local businesses inside and outside of Haymarket.
Last Thursday, the council called for a work session to be held Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. to discuss upcoming capital improvement projects. That includes the trolley service.
There is no exact number of services and projects to be fully funded by the town. Rather, the question boils down to what is most important.
Council members received a list of 30 capital improvement projects and their estimated price tags.
The trolley system has a relatively low cost to the town -- $40,000, compared to a new town hall ($1.5 million) and the Street Scape program ($2.5 million).
The town already paid off one item on the list, the debt service for the Harrover property on the east side of town ($126,500), but has not done the same for the rest.
"We would have to rack and stack those," said vice mayor John Cole as he discussed funding priorities.
Planning Commissioner Linda Landwehr reported that a resident told her he would start a petition against the trolley if the council decided to hold a public hearing with the intent of funding the service.
"Petitions don't mean a whole lot," said Cole. "If they want to talk for or against (the trolley), come to the meeting. It's open to everyone."
The issue is whether it is practical for the town to fund the trolley when money is tight. Those opposed, like Council Member Bob Weir, argue a trolley isn't a high priority. Those in favor, like council member David Leake, consider it an important part of the town's future.
Town officials have not signed off on any contract with the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation yet. The sample contract, however, did not give Haymarket a hassle-free opt-out clause to stop using the trolley if it doesn't work out.
"I think all agree it's a deal-breaker if the contract is written so that we can't walk away," said John Cole.
The sample contract council members viewed includes penalties if the town backs out. For instance, the town would have to pay back expensive grants it received from the state.
Council members and Haymarket chief financial officer James Naradzay expressed concerns about how the town would fund the trolley service if revenue is tight.
"We've had had enough reserves on hand to get us through this lean time," said Naradzay.
Unlike other localities, the council has not had to furlough or lay off town employees, despite a dip in revenues. Another dip in revenues greater than 3 percent, however, could result in further budget cuts.
After budget projections showed declining revenues coming into the town, the council decided to transfer $126,000 from its operational budget to the capital improvement budget covered by the meals tax so it could pay its bills.
The meals tax was originally enacted to fund the Street Scape and it still does that. However, about $839,000 of funding not being used. The town opted to put $50,000 from the meals tax this past year into the Street Scape and use the rest of the money it generated for capital improvement projects.
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