Newport News wants input on draft of five-year budget
Newport News is seeking feedback for the development of its FY 2022 – 2026 Capital Improvement Plan.
The budget department and Newport News TV created a video explaining the five-year spending plan and how residents can provide input during the pandemic.
“Citizen input has always been an important part of the budget process and although we can’t meet in-person, we still want to share information with you and get your input,” said Lisa Cipriano, the city’s budget director.
The plan focuses on large, long-term projects such as property acquisitions, technology investments, construction and facility maintenance and renovations.
Projects in the current plan include efforts such as the Choice Neighborhood Initiative, Stoney Run Park, Huntington Beach Trail and Riverview Farm Park. There’s also funding in the plan for a new fire station in the Menchville area and a Southeast Community Resource Center.
Usually, City Council would have discussed the draft sometime between November and February, but when coronavirus cases increased, city meetings returned to a virtual format and some work sessions were canceled.
City Council has seen the plan though and it’s available on the budget department’s website.
Cipriano said FY 2021 and 2022 were so integrated that they were presented to the council at the same time — the council adopted the FY 2021 Capital Improvement Plan in October.
The budget department and Newport News TV are considering creating future videos to explain other parts of the budget process. The existing video says one will be coming to explain the operating budget. The budget will not be released until March 23.
State law requires cities and counties to advertise a brief synopsis of the budget and provide notice of public hearings. Newport News advertises in the Daily Press, in the library, on the website and in the city’s newsletter — Newport News Now.
Cipriano said the city has considered making videos before, but the pandemic provided an additional need to continue to find new, safe ways to share the information.
The video is available on the Newport News TV YouTube channel.
Those interested in asking questions or commenting on the budget can email budget@nnva.gov or council@nnva.gov. To share an opinion over the phone, call 757-926-8734. Comments can also be mailed to Newport News City Council at 2400 Washington Ave., Newport News, VA 23607.