The report is in on Bethlehem heading into the year 2020, and although the report cites many things working in the town’s favor, there is also a pending financial crisis that needs immediate attention.
The Bethlehem Town Board listened to a presentation by the co-chairs of the 20/20 Committee on Wednesday, June 24, and accepted a final draft report of 18 months worth of work by the volunteer group.
Former director of economic development and current planning board chairman, George Leveille, gave the presentation, while former town supervisors Ken Ringler and Theresa Egan also fielded questions and gave recommendations on behalf of the committee as its co-chairs.
The committee’s report focuses primarily on our capital needs for the town, and `key values,` said Leveille as he gave an outline on the report. He said the town needs to be adaptive and evolve with its needs.
`The needs of our community in 2020 will be different than in 1970 or 80 or 90,` Leveille said. `What’s good in 2002 might not be good in 2012.`
The bad news came in the form of financial predictions.
`The town’s tax base is primarily residential,` he said. `The town’s revenues are growing slower than its expenditures.`
It is something Supervisor Jack Cunningham has mentioned frequently over the past year, as Bethlehem dips into its reserve funds to balance the budget.
Leveille put an actual date on the crisis.
He said that by the 2014/15 budget the town could be spending more than it is taking in if there aren’t any significant changes in economic development.
Ringler echoed this sentiment, but said by acting now, the town could lead other municipalities by example during a time of economic woe and ever-increasing state mandates and expenses.
`There’s a key message here: The town is not sustainable on its current path,` Ringler then added. `Out of crisis sometimes comes opportunity.`
He told the board, `Bethlehem should be bold; Bethlehem should a take a leadership position.`
Controlled economic development and `not just focusing on the big-ticket items` such as big-box stores or the Vista Technology Park as a financial solution was a sentiment put forth by the group.
Egan said now that the report is finished, the board should act on the recommendations as quickly as possible.
`Now that we’ve done all of this work, what do we do next?` she asked the board before offering her opinion to `take this framework and get going as soon as possible. The time to act is now.`
Egan told the board another opinion that was shared by several other 20/20 members regarding the tough decisions that lie ahead of the town.
`We don’t envy your position; it’s going to be very difficult,` she said, adding the current financial crisis was `not of your own doing.`
Another committee member, Steve Baboulis, took a small swipe at neighboring Colonie’s financial deficit.
`I think it would be virtually impossible for this town to come up with an $18 million deficit,` he said before thanking the board. `I would like to say to thank you, especially to Jack [Cunningham] for putting this together and to Kyle Kotary and Sam Messina for attending many meetings.`
The report points to many of the positives the town has to offer, too, in its vision statement.
`In the Year 2020, the Town of Bethlehem is a community of attractive residential neighborhoods, vibrant hamlets, successful mixed-use commercial centers, modern industrial facilities, and productive rural lands,` the report reads. `These are well connected by regional highways and local streets, adequately serviced by public transportation, and linked by a network of sidewalks and trails.`
Location and natural resources were also on top of the list.
`Situated at the heart of the Capital District, Bethlehem offers convenient access to all that the region has to offer. It is recognized for the excellence of its schools, the quality of its public safety and community services, the abundance of its recreational opportunities, the productivity of its local businesses, ten miles of Hudson River waterfront and the beauty and health of its natural environment,` the report states. `This exceptional quality of life contributes to the economic growth and prosperity of the town and the region, assuring that the community can continue to meet the increasingly diverse needs and expectations of its residents in a fiscally sustainable manner.`
All of the Town Board members and the supervisor thanked the 20/20 members for their work on the project.
`They all did a great job and worked very hard together on this,` Cunningham said of the bi-partisan group. `Now we have to start looking at our infrastructure needs and our priorities.`
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