5
Adopted FY 2017-18 Budget
Groundbreaking for the Steven Tanger Center for
the Performing Arts was held in April 2017. The
3,000 seat multi-purpose performance venue is
funded through a public/private partnership. The
Center will be located adjacent to the new privately
financed Carolyn and Maurice LeBauer City Park.
The MWBE program is a critical element of the
City’s economic development initiatives. The City
has contracted with Griffin & Strong, PC to assess
the effectiveness of the City’s efforts to achieve
MWBE goals and objectives and to make
recommendations for program improvements. The
study will analyze procurement activities from FY
11-12 through FY 15-16.
The MWBE Office continues to offer enhanced
outreach opportunities, including educational
workshops, networking opportunities, one-on-one
debriefing sessions and mentor-protégé training.
MWBE participation for construction services
contracts increased from 10% in calendar year
2015 to 13% in calendar year 2016.
Greensboro has grown by more than 50,000 people
and expanded to over 133 square miles since the
City
completed
the
“Connections
2025”
Comprehensive Plan in 2003. Updating the City’s
comprehensive plan will be an important blueprint
determining where and how Greensboro grows.
Work is already underway on the comprehensive
plan update and will continue over the next two
fiscal years.
Finally, the City of Greensboro continues to stay
focused on the development of water and sewer
infrastructure for the Greensboro-Randolph
megasite project. This regional and public-private
project will develop approximately 1,500 acres of
land in northern Randolph County with expectations
of landing one or more advanced manufacturing
companies creating jobs and significant capital
investment.
“Promote public safety and reduce crime.”
During FY 16-17, the Police Department expanded
its focus on increasing community collaboration and
partnerships to address crime trends, improve
police facilities and ensure that the department
remains at the forefront of innovative police
initiatives. The department established the Safe
City Summit, a community grass roots collaborative
addressing violent crime. The Summit will continue
in FY 17-18. The department combatted opioid
abuse, working with Guilford County partners to
provide officers with medication to reverse opioid-
related overdoses.
Police partnered with Cone Health to provide
additional mental health training for first responders
to increase awareness, de-escalation and
successful outcomes involving mental health crisis
incidents. Police also began implementing ICAT
(Integrated Communications and Tactics), a
national model that provides officers with more
tools, skills and options for handling critical
incidents, particularly those involving persons
experiencing mental illness.
Fire Station #63, to be located on Burlington Road,
will serve approximately 4,200 citizens in accordance
with established performance standards. The City
will construct the new station during FY 17-18 and
open the station during FY 18-19.
“Maintain infrastructure and provide sustainable
growth opportunities.”
Greensboro residents passed bond referenda in
2006, 2008 and 2009 authorizing borrowing of more
than $228 million for streets, fire stations, parks and
other improvements. Much of these projects are
complete with the remainder, mostly street
improvements, scheduled for the next two to three
years.
Construction on the 3.5 mile long Horsepen Creek
Road Improvement Project (widening from New
Garden Road to Battleground Avenue) begins in
winter 2017. Extensions to both Cone Boulevard
and Nealtown Road are under construction. Design
is underway for the Alamance Church Improvement
Project, which will run from Martin Luther King, Jr.
Drive to the city limits. Remaining 2008
Transportation bonds will also fund improvements
to Vandalia Road, Mackay Road and the Summit
Avenue Streetscape project.
Sidewalk improvement projects, designed to
improve pedestrian safety and provide alternative
modes of transportation, are underway throughout
the city. Improvements along sections of Randleman
Road, Florida Street and Phillips Avenue are under
construction. Projects along sections of Lovett Street,
Holts Chapel Road and Lowdermilk Street will be
underway during FY 17-18.
Much of the Parks and Recreation improvements
funded through a 2008 bond referendum are now
complete. The new Barber Park Community Center/
Memorial to Women will open in FY 17-18. The
Glenwood Skate “Spot” is now open with the new
Latham Park Skate Park opening in May 2017.
The 2016 successful bond referendum included
$34.5 million for new parks capital improvements.
$5.0 million are programmed for the initial
development of the Battleground Parks District, an
innovative concept that will integrate the current
recreation options at the City’s Country Park with
nearby Guilford Courthouse Military Park and the
Natural Science Center. $3.0 million for citywide
improvements to the City’s many public tennis
City Manager’s Budget Message