Commissioner Wynn Butler expressed displeasure at what he perceived to be too large of an increase for bus service, while both Butler and Commissioner Linda Morse believed the CVB had several flaws in its funding. With nearly $167,000 in property taxes slated to go straight to the CVB, Butler indicated he believed that is an unnecessary cause of the levy increase. Butler also cited his displeasure with the budget for aTa bus more than doubling from 2017, as well as using property tax money to fund part of the Convention and Visitors Bureau budget for next year.
Morse believed the CVB was underfunded and needed more support with lagging sales tax revenue. Commissioner Morse said she wasn’t happy, primarily with the lack of funding for the Bureau, which had it’s budget slashed by $200,000, saying that Manhattan needs a strong convention center more than ever.
Assistant Finance Director Hillary Badger then stated the Bureau’s perceived cut was in fact a one-time increase for 2017, with both Badger and Chamber of Commerce President Lyle Butler confirming the amount received by the Bureau was the amount they requested.
The Commission also approved five additional stipulations within the budget, as well as approving a $1 million recoverable grant to the Manhattan Housing Authority. The MHA’s main tower complex at 300 N. 5th Street has been closed for renovations for several months.
The MHA had asked the city for a $1 million recoverable grant to replace aging infrastructure including the replacement of the sewers and windows in the 12-story apartment building at 5th and Leavenworth.
MHA Executive Director Joann Sutton said those issues are the most pressing, but one other lingering issue is that the building, which is over 50 years old currently has no fire sprinklers.
Sutton says the MHA is in the very early stages of potential upgrading to sprinklers, though early indications say they could nearly double the budget of the project.
