WINDSOR
Town Council adopted the Capital Improvements Plan and Fiscal Year 2016-2017 operating budget during Tuesday’s meeting. This was a continuation of the one from May, owing to dealing with the aforementioned budget issues.

The CIP is for Fiscal Years 2016-2017 through 2020-2021, and includes $21,000 to replace computers in police cars, as well as $10,000 for a generator at the station. Money will also be spent to provide a part-time year-round position for maintenance, which could help keep down hours for other employees. The majority of council members voted yes to the CIP, save councilman Tony Ambrose who said no without comment.

As previously reported, there was no need to proposed increases in real estate or personal property taxes, which remain at 10 cents per $100 and 50 cents per $100, respectively. On these and other unchanged tax rates, the council voted for them unanimously. The members did the same for the $1.78 million operating budget

Town Manager Michael Stallings reiterated the need to raise the water rate from $7 per 1,000 gallons to $7.25 per 1,000 gallons. This keeps the town ahead of depreciation. Further, customers outside the town limits will pay $7.75 per 1,000 gallons, provided however, that no bi-monthly water bill shall be less than a minimum of $27.13.

Mayor Carita Richardson commended all personnel involved in the budgets.

“We’ve planned for things we need and save,” she said. “I’m very proud that you’re all so good managers.”

The draft 2016 Comprehensive Plan was also up for discussion.

Dennis Carney, director of Planning and Zoning for Windsor, said that he and the Planning Commission have been working on this since 2012.

“It’s probably the most important documents, at least in the land-use realm,” he said. “There are numerous topics; one of the big things is the Old Town Windsor idea. Even if adopted, there’s still a lot of work to be done; a course we may or may not follow. But the idea is to bring a revitalization to old areas of the town.”

Richardson asked if anyone on council had seen an editorial in last weekend’s Virginian-Pilot about putting a metropolitan airport north of the town.

Councilman N. Macon Edwards replied that was an idea that had been discussed 10 to 12 years ago.

“It’s not dead yet, trust me,” the mayor said. “We just have to keep hoping they’ll take us into consideration a little bit.”