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What about the rest of the money? After detailing some of the expenses in the proposed Farmville town budget earlier this week, some residents reached out with questions about the other sections. They wanted to know what was included in the Street Maintenance Fund and what the Water Fund pays for. So with the public hearing coming up next Wednesday, May 14, we thought it was a good idea to go over those sections and explain what it is that each one pays for. 

First off, let’s refresh the numbers. The current proposed Farmville town budget is for $43,367,489. That consists of $33,331,990 in the general fund; a total of $2,621,672 in the street maintenance fund; $3,176,458 in the water fund; $2,688,059 in the sewer fund; $1,159,745 in the transportation fund and $379,565 in the airport fund.

Talking about streets and water 

As mentioned above, the street maintenance fund would see $2.621 million in the proposed budget. That fund is set aside for installing and replacing sidewalks, paving streets, repairing and maintaining traffic lights, installing and repairing traffic signs and any other street related repairs as needed. Where does this money come from? This is a state allotment. It’s given to Farmville on a quarterly basis from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to cover the cost of road maintenance. 

Up next is the Water Fund, which would get $3.176 million in the proposed budget, as mentioned above. This is where the money for Public Works projects comes from. It pays to maintain the water lines, the pipes and all other related infrastructure, as well as to operate the water treatment plant. You pay into this fund with the fees for water use, water meter taps, and other associated charges. The Water Fund is an enterprise fund, which means all costs are supported by fees charged for associated services. 

Then there’s the Sewer Fund. This gives Public Works the money to maintain the infrastructure, provide sewer service to residents and businesses, and operate the wastewater treatment plant. Just like the Water Fund, this is paid for in town by your fees and charges associated with water usage, sewer taps, and other associated charges. The Sewer Fund is also an enterprise fund, which means all costs are supported by fees charged to associated services. 

Focusing on transportation and airports

Now we shift gears for a minute for the proposed Farmville town budget and focus on Transport. We’ve had people ask if the Transportation Fund is given to the town, like the Street Maintenance Fund. No, that’s not the case. And also no, it doesn’t help pay for streets or any road maintenance at all. The Transportation Fund, proposed at $1.159 million in the upcoming budget, pays for the Farmville Area Bus (FAB) to operate. This comes from a mix of sources, in terms of who pays for it. The town gets part of the funding from federal grants, part from state sources and the rest is covered by local tax dollars, along with bus fares and contributions from Longwood University. 

And then there’s the Airport Fund. The Farmville Regional Airport is located at 130 Wedgewood Drive, just five miles northwest of town. During its time in operation, the airport has housed July 4th fireworks and other public events, law enforcement training, agricultural spraying and search and rescue training operations. While it’s for private airplanes, it’s similar in many ways to the airports you’ll find in Charlottesville, Richmond and Roanoke, just a bit smaller.  

A combination of Farmville tax dollars, land lease fees for hangers and the sale of gas to pilots helps cover part of the expenses. The town has also used state and federal grants where available, as well as just pulling money from the General Fund to cover costs. Currently there’s $379,565 set aside for it in the budget. 

But what does that money cover? It handles the operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the airport. 

Where will Farmville town budget hearing be? 

The public hearing on the budget is set for Wednesday, May 14, starting at 6 p.m. That’ll be held in the council chamber of the Farmville Town Hall, located at 116 N. Main Street.