The Bayfield Town Board this week passed relief measures for its utility customers and identified thousands of dollars in possible budget cuts in an effort to help residents and town finances during the coronavirus pandemic.
Like other La Plata County municipalities, the town of Bayfield is trying to stay the course while facing revenue cuts because of the virus-related shutdowns. The town staff identified about $416,000 that it can remove from its budget. The move could stall some projects, like the town’s wayfinding signage project, and enhance support for others, like local food banks.
“The town has a responsibility to look at our own finances and reduce wants and continue to provide needs to the community,” said Katie Sickles, interim town manager.
The Bayfield Board of Trustees focused on supporting utility customers, local businesses and food bank programs during Tuesday’s board meeting.
The trustees passed a resolution that allows the town to waive penalty fees for solid waste, water, sewer, recycling and mosquito control until Aug. 6. Town customers seeking financial relief will also be able to apply for a payment plan.
For those looking to connect to the Bayfield water system, the town allowed customers to defer water plant investment fees for up to two years. Trustees also approved $3,000 to support local food banks.
Trustees discussed allocating $10,000 in rental assistance for people who have exhausted every other option. The town would work with Pine River Shares, a local nonprofit, which already has an application process in place for rental assistance.
The nonprofit’s application process includes restrictions, like limits on the price of rent and assistance for mortgages, to ensure the assistance goes to those with the most need, staff said. The town will likely vote on a rental assistance resolution April 21.
“Seeing some of the need that this crisis has caused, with respect to people’s ability to put food on the table, has been a real eye-opener,” said Trustee David Black. “I know many people are living paycheck to paycheck.”
They also discussed relaxing signage rules to support businesses that want to advertise services.
“I’ve been inundated with a million different things,” said Trustee Ashleigh Tarkington. “If we could help to streamline (resources), I think that would be a huge battle to win there.”
Because of the stay-at-home order, municipalities expect to see a drop in sales tax revenue. Sales tax revenue is the primary funding source for the town’s general, capital and street funds.
Sickles proposed delaying the design of a parking lot to serve Joe Stephenson Park, which would cost $220,000.
Trustees approved spending $16,000 from the general fund to install the scoreboard at Joe Stephenson Park and re-erect eagles statues.
The town already purchased the scoreboard and invested in engineering for the project. The only remaining step is to install it, Sickles said.
In the capital fund, town staff recommended removing about $212,000 in expenses, including a $170,000 wayfinding signage project and about $42,000 for future equipment purchases, Sickles said. The wayfinding project could be restored or reduced later in 2020.
The town authorized up to $60,000 to be spent on a new law enforcement vehicle for the Bayfield Marshal’s Office. Although the office applied for grant funding to replace a 2010 vehicle, the funds are tied up in the federal debate over immigration, said Marshal Joe McIntyre.
Finally, trustees approved $1,000 for census celebrations. The goal was to get more people to respond to the census because it will affect the town financially for the next 10 years, Sickles said.
“I want to get some type of signage out there, so that basically people know that this is something they need to do,” she said.
smullane@durangoherald.com
