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The Danville Town Council is set to consider approving initial plans to modify the town’s Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District (LLAD) and a change to the fee schedule aimed at contending with a budgetary shortfall as costs for water and electricity have increased to exceed revenue generated from the existing fee schedule in recent years.
In the past fiscal year, the town saw $3,050,957 in revenue from lighting and landscaping assessment fees compared with $4,846,264 – marking approximately a 3.1% increase in revenue and a 78% increase in expenditures compared with 20 years ago, according to a staff report from Maintenance Services Director Dave Casteel.
“A significant portion of the increased expenditures are attributable to utility costs that are largely outside of the Town’s control,” Casteel wrote. “Direct water and electricity costs have increased by $1.41 million, accounting for over 66% of the expenditure increase.”
While the town has sought to reduce its water and electricity use, Casteel noted that costs for these utilities are set to continue increasing in the coming years.
The council held a study session in September 2024 to discuss the ongoing shortfall of funds and potential remedies, ultimately directing town staff to seek approval from property owners to approve changes to the LLAD and associated fees that would go into effect in the next fiscal year and generate approximately $1.4 million in additional revenue.
If those changes are approved by property owners and the council, a new district – LLAD No. 2025-1 – would replace the existing LLAD No. 1983-1 starting in the next fiscal year “to provide ongoing funding for the operation, maintenance and servicing of landscaping, parks, streetlighting, and associated improvements that are responsibility of the Town,” according to Casteel.
As part of that process, the council is set to review and consider approving an engineer’s report aimed at highlighting the public benefits of the assessment district compared with the benefits for property owners and providing an assessment methodology that is proportional to the special benefits for each property.
Under the proposed new fee structure, total assessment rates for single-family homes would range from $219.50 to $329.26.
The council is set to consider approving a resolution of intention and preliminary approval of the engineer’s report for the new district at its upcoming meeting. If those measures pass, required notices and ballots would be sent to property owners by April 4, with an additional public hearing and the closure of the voting period set for May 20. The council would then tabulate votes and declare results at its June 3 meeting.
The Danville Town Council is set to meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday (March 18). The agenda is available here.
In other business
*The council is set to consider appointing two new members of the Bicycle Advisory Commission at their regular meeting following interviews with applicants in a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. The two seats have been vacant since January, when the council voted to remove former commissioners Al Kalin and Bruce Bilodeau. The agenda is available here.
*The council is set to issue proclamations recognizing March as Women’s History Month and National Disabilities Awareness Month.
*Danville Police Chief Tom Rossberg is set to provide his first quarterly police department report since beginning his time in the position at the start of the year.
