Mayor, Council Funds: The Mayor and Corvallis City Council have discretionary funds remaining from last year that they will now decide how to spend.
For FY 22-23 the council had a beginning balance of $49,300 in discretionary funds. Of that amount, $34,300 was originally budgeted and $15,000 was a carryover from the FY 21-22 Green Grant Program, according to Finance Director Ryan Seidl.
“Fiscal year to date Council has expended $135 of its discretionary budget for the purpose of Social Service Task Force Minutes taking. The remaining balance is $34,165,” said Seidl.
This May Not Seem Like Much Money, But: The council asked city staff to review the discretionary funds and potential uses of the funds prior to the end of the fiscal year. And, at their May 1 council meeting, the council will look at a list of proposals presented by city staff.
“There are many ongoing and one-time organizational needs that go unmet every year due to resource limitations. Some of the larger ticket items show up on the Unfunded List in the budget document. While these needs cannot be addressed with council discretionary funds, there are needs that are smaller in scope that pop up each year without available funding,” said Seidl.
Some of the requests include three new handheld radios for the Fire department for $4,000 each, starting a fund for Artistic Excellence through the Corvallis Arts Center for $10,000, city branded clothing for events for $2,000, and new site furnishings for Avery Park including tables, benches, and trash receptacles.
Health Assessment: A health assessment for individuals living in Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties is available and will be available to the public. The regional Community Health Assessment for 2022-2026 gives an overview of the health status of the people living in the neighboring counties and identifies areas for improvement.
Benton County Health Department, in collaboration with the Partnership for Community Health: Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties, continues to share the results of the regional CHA with the community and gather input on key health issues to include in the regional community health improvement plan (CHIP), according to a release from the county.
Benton County will be hosting community engagements events:
Thursday, May 4, 2023; 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. (English session)
Monroe Community Library, 380 N. 5th Street, Monroe
Saturday, May 6, 2023; 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. (Spanish session)
Garfield Elementary School, 1205 NW Garfield Avenue, Corvallis
Wednesday, May 17, 2023; 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. (Spanish session)
South Benton Food Pantry, 650 Orchard Street, Monroe
For data brief documents and opportunities to participate in community conversations, visit: https://bit.ly/RegionalCHIP-GetInvolved.
By Jennifer Warner
