Delta Rhythm, Bayous budget ignites debate
As budget hearings continued Tuesday afternoon with the Development & Planning Committee, chairman Bruce Lockett could not get his meeting started without addressing the Delta Rhythm and Bayous’ 2024 budget of zero dollars.
The DRB project had $590,584 in its 2023 budget but was zeroed out for 2024. Lockett was disturbed to see that, while the money for the DRB project was no longer available, the money for the Marriott Courtyard Hotel was still there.
Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said all the money allocated for the Sixth and Main project would not be needed and they would reduce that total amount of $4.1 million by subtracting about $1.4 million, which is the amount needed for the DRB project for 2024.
Council and committee member LaTisha Brunson asked what contracts and projects were current.
“Do we have contracts already active on projects?” she asked. “And the projects that we don’t have contracts on, we’re allocating money to put into these projects, but what are the updates on them?”
Brunson was specifically referring to DRB projects as Go Forward Pine Bluff projects are currently under contract, according to Washington.
“What has been done? It’s been going on since 2018. It’s supposed to be getting grants. What is the update?” asked Brunson.
Washington said the money wouldn’t be expended until the project got to that point. Council Member Lanette Frazier said that the DRB project had hired a cultural district director.
“They are negotiating with property owners to purchase the property,” said Washington.
“So again, what has been done on the project since 2018, but we’re dumping $2 million over here, but we have contracts on the books for projects that need to be completed,” said Brunson. “What has Delta Rhythm and Blues done to get their project going?”
Lockett said what he doesn’t want to happen is for them to go project by project because Go Forward has been working on the go-kart plan for the last five years. “They don’t have great results on that either,” said Lockett. “We don’t need to go down this road.”
“We can go,” said Brunson. “The reality of it is, what has Delta Rhythm and Blues done? They haven’t even got the building.”
Washington took the floor and explained to Brunson that the $2 million for the DRB project was approved by the council by putting approximately
$500,000 in the budget for 2023 to be used for the purchase of property. Then the remainder — some $1.5 million — would be allocated in 2024.
“We are putting it there so as the project advances and they need the money, it’s there,” said Washington. “We may have to make adjustments as we need it to make sure we can pay because there are contracts for Sixth and Main, so we’ll have to move through that process to make sure we can meet all of those and have operating capital moving forward.”
Washington said the money from carryover may have to go there if the budget falls short.
Lockett said the budget can be adjusted as necessary.
Go Forward Pine Bluff CEO Ryan Watley and Urban Renewal Executive Director Chandra Griffin said they were fine with the budget. According to Watley, Go Forward cut about 75% of their funding to balance their budget.
The five-eighths-cent sales tax that funds Go Forward projects sunsets in September 2024, and Watley said those behind the public-private tax initiative are being conservative in their approach. A second attempt this year to renew the Go Forward sales tax will be decided on Nov. 14, having been defeated in May.
With the potential closeout of the sales tax, Lockett said the budget was adjusted quite well.
Watley said there are solid budgets for all of their projects, based on contract value.
“We have all of those in place,” said Watley, mentioning Go Forward has the gross maximum price on all projects and contracts to match.
According to Watley, the go-kart track has a 50% deposit paid on it already and the rest will be paid once the dirt work is completed and the go-karts and other accessories arrive on site.
Lockett asked that the budget be communicated to the Public Works Director for all Go Forward projects because the city may have to take on the responsibility of the projects after the November election.
“How does the city take the responsibility for all of these projects? Because they become city projects if we don’t have Urban Renewal management,” said Lockett.
Lockett said the public must know that the projects from now on are public projects that will be funded and supported by the city for the duration of their existence.
“They are not private projects,” said Lockett. “Everything that we do in regards to these projects, the go-kart track and the Sixth and Main … we’ll have those for their duration.”
According to Griffin, the Sixth and Main project is on schedule and will be completed in May 2024. The gokart track, however, which was originally scheduled to be completed later this year, has had some delays due to costs, according to Griffin, and will open in spring 2024.
Other budget hearings held Tuesday afternoon included Jefferson County Extension Agent Kevin Harris, whose work highlights stormwater runoff. His operational budget was set at $103,505.
Harris presented the key programs and activities conducted during the three years in his position. Some of those include training conducted for municipality partners, a free Tree Friday event, a Rain Garden revitalized at Boys & Girls Club, Storm Drain Murals and cleanup events.
Downtown Development’s Joy Blankenship asked for the same amount as years past — $45,000. Collaborating with numerous partners, Blankenship said she couldn’t do it by herself.
Blankenship said Downtown Development is a Main Street-accredited developer which has hired an architect to redo the pavilion at Barraque Plaza.
She also said Downtown Development is working with the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas to do a mural on the wall, art grants with the cultural district, and phase two of Streetscape, which is to begin in January.
Patrick Lockett with Code Enforcement explained his budget looked good and the only changes were salaries, adding a new code officer to the staff that was part-time for more than a year. The other change was in demolition, which added more funding to cover more in each ward.
“It’s going to help us do our job more effectively and cover more area,” he said.
Larry Reynolds with Southeast Arkansas Regional Planning and Mitzi Ruth with Inspection and Zoning said their budgets are the same.