Council briefed on use of over $4.5 million in surplus funds including $1.1 million for Angus Road crosswalk improvements

Charlottesville City Council adopted a budget for FY2027 on April 9 that includes a one-cent increase in the real property tax rate, down from the two cents that had been recommended by Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders.

Eleven days later, Sanders asked Council to use another $4.5 million from the city’s Capital Improvement Plan contingency fund which has a balance of $20.3 million for one-time costs.

“It is meant to help us close gaps, address spontaneous priorities and fill holes that are created in critical areas that are not captured in an annual budgeting process,” Sanders said. “So it’s always good to have surplus so that you can close gaps.”

Sanders said the city has been asked by some groups to have money on hand to purchase properties which are currently being used for subsidized housing but gave no specifics.

For this request, Sanders did provide more information than was in the staff report before the meeting.

• $1.5 million would be used to implement a human resources management software suite called Successfactors to manage more than 1,100 city employees.
• $1,095,000 would be used to address pedestrian safety issues at Angus Road and Holiday Drive, the site of a future low-barrier homeless shelter. This would include a new bus stop, a new crosswalk, as well as additional lighting.
• $800,000 would be used for barriers to block vehicles from entering high-volume pedestrian areas, an emergency pet shelter, and to provide funding for the Charlottesville Fire Department. That would include buying drones, hazardous material equipment, and dress uniforms.
• $300,000 would be used to cover the costs of overtime for the Charlottesville Fire Department.
• $400,000 would be used to purchase two large pieces of snow removal equipment
• $310,000 would be used to assist with six aspects of government including a cultural assessment of the Finance Department, an assessment of procurement, and hiring temporary staff to assist with review of plans in the Department of Neighborhood Development Services. This would also include hiring a consultant to provide financial advisory services to the city’s housing program.

A $200,000 item for the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority had been listed but was removed.

“We have identified funds that are available, earmarked for CRHA in a different way that can be used to address an old item of what we had promised to give to the organization and never delivered

First reading was on April 21 and the second will be on the City Council’s consent agenda for May 4.

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