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Committee reviews FY2025 midyear budget: parks bridges, solar streetlight pilot, maintenance barn and stadium parking concerns
Summary
Committee members reviewed midyear budget changes affecting parks and public works — including $20,000 for a three-light solar streetlight pilot, funding for Walton Ferry/Old Chapel work from reserves, planned pedestrian bridge replacements, concerns about Greenway boardwalk warranty/workmanship, and parking pressures at rugby fields.
Hendersonville staff briefed the Public Works Committee on midyear FY2025 budget adjustments affecting parks and public works on Feb. 25, highlighting funding shifts for infrastructure repairs and pilot projects.
Staff reported the largest midyear public-works expenditure is increased funding for the Walton Ferry/Old Chapel project, funded from reserves. Parks items include appropriations of donated funds, added part-time program supervisors for expanded gym usage and basketball programming, and two pedestrian-bridge replacements at Drakes Creek Park after repeated flood damage. Staff said the city will replace bridges that have been repeatedly damaged and will budget maintenance and replacement as needed.
The committee approved a small pilot—$20,000—to install three solar streetlights in a neighborhood (Bonita Park) that currently lacks street lighting; staff said the amount would pay for three units on Bonita at Buck Haven, Stillwater and Ridgemont and that the pilot is intended to test illumination, durability and suitability where running electrical wiring or trenching would be costly. Staff described RF/solar technology and said LED/solar lights are cheaper when wiring is difficult and can operate during outages; committee members supported pursuing LED/street-light pilots but wanted additional technical data and cost/ROI analysis for larger-scale wind or turbine generation concepts discussed later.
Parks staff described Greenway boardwalk problems: fastener torque and some rail/board wave issues that have appeared within a year and require tightening and maintenance. Staff said bolts need re-torquing and some concrete settling at transitions will need repair; they noted routine maintenance is expected but also described difficulties securing local contractors for water work. For stone-faced bridge entrances, staff reported more substantial options ranging from removal-and-painting to full replacement; staff estimated one remediation could be in the tens of thousands and full remediation up to roughly $150,000; a formal request for proposals has been issued and staff recommended addressing some items in next year’s budget depending on bids.
Committee members also raised park parking pressures at rugby fields and nearby streets; staff said they had added roughly 50 parking spaces recently but that demand has grown with programming expansions (flag football registration increases were cited). Staff said a long-term solution is tied to park design and anticipated new park parking to be built with future projects.
Other midyear items discussed included signal funding adjustments (additional funds for the Maple Row Boulevard signal), potential additional salt purchases, Greenway call boxes and professional stormwater services. Staff and committee members asked that the bridge and Greenway maintenance items be tracked carefully and—where possible—budgeted or moved to next year’s capital plan if immediate funds were insufficient.
