Manassas Staff Lays Out City's Plans for Five Years and Beyond

Manassas City Manager John Budesky laid out several city projects that staff would like to see materalize in the future on Monday during a joint meeting of the city council and school board. 

In addition to Manassas City Schools projects, the city's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes plans for streetscaping on Main Street.  A similar project is already complete on nearby Battle Street, Budesky said.  Streetscaping and improvements to pedestrian areas on Grant Avenue are also planned.

City staff also mentioned plans for a new public safety facility that would house an emergency operations center as well as police, fire and rescue administrative offices.

At some point, two new fire houses could also be built, the city manager said. 
Budesky stressed that these projects could take any number of years and not just one year. 
The new public safety facility and the proposed fire stations are both under study by contractors.

The study will help determine if existing structures can be used, Budesky said.
Some other proposed CIP City Projects Are:
Prince William Hospital Regional Storm Water Management Pond Harris Pavilion ImprovementsRoute 28/Nokesville Road WideningPortner Avenue Battle Street and Main Street Storm Sewer ImprovementsThere are several methods of funding for these projects.

Manassas could borrow money for the projects; the city's current debt service looks good and the city is set to be out of debt by Fiscal Year 2019, that is, if no other money is borrowed, Budesky said.
If they do borrow, he wants to make sure the city borrows at the right time, Budesky said.

If bonds are issued, the debt service, or repayments, would start the year after.
Other options include doing a pay go which is a method of paying for capital projects by relying on current tax and grant revenues rather than on borrowed money.

Whatever the options for funding the 109 CIP projects, the city will not reach its preset debt ceiling which is equal to 10 percent of the assessed valuation of real estate subject to local taxation.

The city has set up a special section on their website that residents can use to view and track the CIP. That website is manassascity.org/future.