If the 2011 budget debate could be summarized as services vs. spending, the debate over the 2011-16 Capital Improvement Program, representing $157 million in projects over the next five years, breaks down over whether or not the CIP is a wish list of needed repairs or more township spending that needs to be scaled back.

After a unanimous vote on an anti-discrimination ordinance, the Board of Commissioners once again split into two camps at the Dec. 8 meeting, debating whether or not to cut project funding or keep the CIP intact heading into 2011.

"The CIP is an aspirational document," Board of Commissioners President Bruce Reed said at the meeting. "It speaks to things that should be brought forward in the time period that we have."

Reed and Vice President Mark Taylor argued that the proposed projects, which total $28.3 million for 2011, should serve as a long-range guideline for capital improvements in which the township should invest, and that projects can be looked at for cost savings or alteration when they are proposed to be implemented on an individual basis throughout the year.

Commissioners Scott Zelov, Philip Rosenzweig and Cheryl Gelber presented an opposite view. Zelov said that he disagrees that the CIP is an aspirational document, arguing that work that goes into preparing projects tends to make it more difficult to alter them as they become ready to implement. (Commissioners Lewis Gould and Jenny Brown have also argued similar viewpoints; Gould was absent on Dec. 8 and Brown left early.)

In keeping with the opposing views, a minority of the commissioners asked specific questions about planned projects, and made amendments to reduce or increase their scope.

Much of the debate centered around the Bala Cynwyd Library renovation and expansion, scheduled to begin in 2011 at a cost of $7.9 million over the next two years; construction of the Cynwyd Trail, which the board recommended to move forward despite being $259,000 over budget; $1.6 million in improvements to the Bala Avenue streetscape; and ongoing stormwater management projects in the township, budgeted at $675,000 for 2011.

Which Libraries Should be Renovated First?

Rosenzweig proposed that the Bala Cynwyd Library project be delayed until 2013. Commissioner Brian Gordon proposed that the Bala Cynwyd Library project go forward in 2011, but only for renovation, not expansion, and Gelber proposed that Ardmore Library be renovated in 2011, as opposed to Bala Cynwyd Library. All three suggestions were made separately, and all three failed to draw support from the board's majority.

The rationale for delaying the Bala Cynwyd Library project was given, in part, by Chuck Scott of Penn Wynne, a resident who spoke during public comment. Scott said that the library system's capital campaign to raise funds for the renovation and expansion projects was about $3 to 4 million short, about the same amount of money proposed for expansion work on Bala Cynwyd Library.

Scott proposed that the board do renovation work on the other libraries before doing the larger Bala project so that they will have a better idea of if there will be enough money to do more than the basic repairs.

Commissioner George Manos said that he wanted to stick with the original program, which had Ludington Library undergoing changes first, then Bala Cynwyd. "I'm afraid support would diminish if we were to change the program now," Manos said.

Township Manager Cleland said that it would be tricky to change the order of the projects for funding reasons, saying it has already cashed donations for the Bala Cynwyd Library renovation.

How Much is Too Much for Sidewalk Lighting?

Another point of concern addressed in the CIP was a $1.6 million project–of which the township will pay $400,000–for Bala Avenue streetscape improvements. The project has two components, one for safety and the other for aesthetics. New crosswalks, stop signs and traffic calming measures will be put in place, and the remaining $900,000 of the project is designated for lighting improvements along the street and sidewalk.

Wynnewood resident Carl Watson submitted three memos to the township and has commented each budget session on reducing the scope of the lighting project, which by his calculation could be adequately accomplished for just $10,000.

Manos gave a presentation to the board with a slideshow, arguing that the $900,000 focuses primarily on sidewalk lighting, which Watson's proposal did not include. The sidewalk lighting would enhance the village-like feel of the neighborhood and provide additional security to pedestrians walking at night, according to Manos.

Commissioners Zelov and Gelber attempted multiple motions to reduce the scope of the project to free up funds, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Paying for the Cynwyd Trail

The only significant amendment to the CIP to pass was Zelov's proposal to allocate a portion of open space grants coming from Montgomery County to the Cynwyd Trail, rather than to a project in Belmont Hills that the county is not interested in supporting. The motion passed 9-2, with Rogan and Manos against.

The commissioners will vote on approving a $1.46 million construction cost to build the trail, which will include a bike trail and a walking trail on the northeastern end of the township, connecting to Manayunk in Philadelphia. The proposed cost is $259,000 over budget.

Residents from Friends of the Cynwyd Trail showed up in large number, wearing matching green T-shirts and urging the township to move forward with the project as proposed.

Stormwater Management Concerns

The only proposal to increase the cost of any project came from Gelber, who proposed raising the $675,000 to be spent on township-wide stormwater management concerns to $1 million in 2011.

"What strikes me with this budget is the priorities are a little goofy in some areas," Gelber said. The commissioner proposed taking funds from the Bala Avenue project as one possible means to pay for increased attention to flooding concerns, which most commissioners agreed are prevalent in many areas.

Gelber's motion failed 9-2, with Commissioner Rick Churchill casting the other supporting vote. Several commissioners said that while they think the investment would be worthwhile, they needed to know what projects would be funded with the extra money.

The Final Vote

The Board of Commissioners will meet on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. to cast the final vote on the 2011 budget and the 2011-16 Capital Improvement Plan.

The municipal tax rate increase was most recently forecast at about 10.9 percent, but additional cuts could be made before it is passed. Any changes to 2011 capital projects will not affect 2011 taxes because the township has already borrowed the necessary funds.