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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend June 10, 2005 Housing boom fattens Talent budget By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune TALENT — A housing boom is increasing city budgets for parks, streets, storm drains and water systems, including buying land for a new reservoir. The projects are spelled out in an $8.37 million city budget approved last week by the City Council. The budget, which takes effect July 1, represents a 1 percent increase in spending from the current year. Included is $100,000 to buy land for a new water reservoir to replace the aging structure near the intersection of Talent Avenue and Highway 99. Systems development charges, now grown to $1.27 million, will pay for the reservoir and many other infrastructure improvements, including improvements to Creel Road, Rapp Road and Talent Avenue and Highway 99 (new water lines, storm drains, bike lanes and sidewalks), and landscaping at Chuck Roberts Park. "People moving here are what’s driving the increases in revenues and the ability to complete projects to handle the growth," said Finance Director Craig Gibons. "It all has to do with growth." Advertisement A $2.38 million capital construction budget includes outlays of $115,000 for equipment, $1.09 million for water projects, $58,000 for parks, $685,000 for streets and $371,000 for storm water projects. The council earmarked $7,200 for a new summer recreation program. "It’s a well-balanced budget, nothing much new and it makes it possible to keep up with replacement of infrastructure and extensions into new areas for water, sewers, connections to new roads — and to build new parks," said Mayor Marian Telerski. "We will have a new parks program, a new full-time code enforcement officer and another support person in the planning department," Telerski added. Asked what the Talent building boom is adding to city coffers, she said: "More. After four years of a building moratorium, a lot more." When the city’s water supply ran tight several years ago — brought on by damage from the 1997 New Year’s Day flood — all growth was halted. When a project to tap into Medford’s abundant water supply was complete in 2002, the moratorium was lifted and housing projects quickly took off. Since the start of last year, Talent’s population has grown from 5,700 to 5,890, said Gibons — a 3.3 percent growth rate. Departmental operating costs, which cover personnel, services, materials, recreation programs and capital outlay, are $2.95 million, down from $3 million this year. The budget also includes $849,000 for police, $395,000 for administration, $353,000 for community development, $25,000 for a parks master plan and $21,000 to upgrade the police station. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Air Purifiers Advertisement s