Bridget Reed Morawski
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) A $29 million budget surplus in Prince William County left board members crossing items off their rather lengthy wish lists on Tuesday night.
Among the proposals was a one million dollar allocation of funds for an animal shelter expansion and renovation project design. Another $1.1 million was desired for repairs and a maintenance building project at Locust Shade Park, while a restroom and snack bar facility at Catharpin Park was requested for $500,000.
An additional $75,000 was allocated to funding the Wheels to Wellness program, which subsidized taxis for disabled and elderly residents to travel to medical appointments.
These were some of the largest of an initial 19 different proposals for how to allocate the surplus. Remaining funds unused during the appropriation will be transferred to the capital reserve fund.
However, not all of the supervisors were on board with the amount being earmarked for various projects. Vice-Chairman Pete Candland and Board Member John Jenkins were the only two members of the board to vote nay on the appropriation. Candland cited his dismay over the lack of frugality.
“We’re overpaying on a few items here, and I don’t feel comfortable with [it],” said Candland before the vote. “I think there are definitely some savings that could be found, and I don’t think we’re being wise with taxpayer money.”
Though voting in favor of the spending appropriations, Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson voiced the need for future projects to find matching grants.
“I am sympathetic to this, I am going to support it,” said Anderson, specficially referring to the Wheels to Wellness program. “But I certainly think that we need to go forward with really, really working on those grants for future years and work toward other options for some of the people who use this service.”
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