Transparency dims on CIP finances by vote of Supervisors

One page of the county’s Capital Improvement Project planning document in the financial budget would no longer be available to the public after the Board of Supervisors agreed to discard it at the September 27, 2022 meeting.

The page includes a variety of conceptual capital projects within the Gateway Crossing area and the US  220 Corridor up to Glebe Road. The conceptual projects reflect potential new public streets, greenways, and trails and additions or enhancements to existing infrastructure that could be proposed by private developers.

The page was originally generated because Virginia law required the document in order for the county to consider and approve private investments for public improvements. Information provided by the County indicates that Virginia law requires the inclusion of such conceptual projects in the CIP of any locality that experiences population growth of 5% or higher between decennial censuses.

Botetourt County did not experience that level of growth between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, so the County is no longer required to maintain this page.

Additionally, the page confused citizens as to its purpose, according to county officials.

This deletion does not affect other pages in the county’s CIP, which may be found in the financial budget for fiscal year 2023 on the county’s website.

That document indicates the county plans to spend $1.7 million this year on various projects. That would be $183,800 in parks, recreation, and culture; $86,000 in general government, $473,100 in maintenance, $365,000 in community and economic development, $10,000 in waste management, $271,750 in fire and emergency services, $320,000 in libraries, and $36,000 in technology services.

The CIP also indicates long-range planning in those categories, and a breakdown of each category for specific projects.

                                                                                          — Anita Firebaugh, Special to The Botetourt Bee