Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City lobbyist outlines state short-session timing and local project priorities
Summary
Belmont’s lobbyist told council that the state short session schedule is extended and that local infrastructure projects — including $1.6M toward SCADA upgrades and funds for a police storage facility — are in the county delegation’s list; the final selections will occur late in the cycle, likely November.
Mike Hager, the city’s lobbyist, briefed Belmont City Council on July 1 about the state short-session calendar and the status of local project advocacy.
Hager said the short session has been delayed and fragmented this year; leadership disputes in the legislature mean select projects and member discretionary funds will be decided later in the cycle. He said Gaston County’s delegation coordinated to submit a narrowed, defensible list of infrastructure priorities. Hager cited two projects reflected in member submissions: roughly $1.6 million for the city’s SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system and $150,000 for a police storage/structural storage facility. He also said staff are pursuing discretionary “walk-around” funds from legislative leaders for the Morgan Branch project.
Hager urged patience: outside of the main two-year budget the roster of member projects is typically filled in the November work on supplemental items. Councilmembers asked about timing and whether discretionary funds were subject to appropriation; Hager confirmed those allotments are controlled by legislative leadership and can be used at their discretion.
Why it matters: state funding and member-directed projects can accelerate or enable local infrastructure upgrades (for example, sewer pump-station work and SCADA improvements) and reduce upfront costs to taxpayers.
What happens next: staff and the lobbyist will continue to pursue the named projects and report back to council as the General Assembly process unfolds.
