How would you spend $2.4 million? In May, Durham teens and adults get to decide.
Durham residents age 13 and older will get to decide how the city spends $2.4 million, starting Wednesday.
Called participatory budgeting, the City Council agreed to spend $800,000 in each of the city’s three wards. Any Durham teen or adult can vote for projects, regardless of citizenship status.
Participatory budgeting has been a priority of Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson, who brought the idea to the council last year. Johnson wanted to spend $2.5 million, and city staff recommended spending $750,000. Council members approved $2.4 million last May. Mayor Steve Schewel and Council member Mark-Anthony Middleton voted against it because they wanted the amount to be closer to the staff recommendation.
Residents submitted hundreds of ideas, which were then narrowed down to this final list for voting. Voters can rank their project choices from one to 10.
Ward 1, represented by council member DeDreana Freeman, has the most projects. Ward 2 and Ward 3 are represented by council member Mark-Anthony Middleton and council member Vernetta Alston, respectively.
Voting will be open from May 1 through May 31 online at pbdurham.org and at participating schools and pop-up events including Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival May 18 at Rock Quarry Park.
Here are the participatory-budgeting projects on the ballots. Some citywide projects appear on all three ward ballots:
Ward 1:
▪ Historic monuments along the Fayetteville Street corridor. Cost: $89,702
▪ LGBTQ Youth Center. Cost: $113,300
▪ Accessible ramps for people with disabilities. Cost: $56,650
▪ Hillside Park improvements. Cost: $470,195
▪ Lakeview Park improvements. Cost: $490,589
▪ Play equipment for Carroll Park. Cost: $90,640
▪ Purchase equipment to make playground accessible. Cost: $79,310
▪ STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Entrepreneurship Youth Center. Cost: $99,121
▪ Bus shelters with reclaimed art and solar panels. Cost: $395,757
▪ Durham Housing Authority lighting and security cameras. Cost: $283,250
▪ Goose Creek tributary restoration. Cost: $653,740
▪ Solar tree and site lighting for W.D. Hill Recreation Center fustal court. Cost: $157,281
▪ Street trees. Cost: $67,980
▪ Technology for Durham Public Schools that would replace projectors at some middle and high schools. Cost: $134,784
▪ Wi-Fi hotspot picnic tables at nine Durham Housing Authority properties. Cost: $123,750
▪ Bus shelters on Dearborn Drive. Cost: $106,502
▪ Sidewalk on Carroll Street. Cost: $798,743
▪ Pedestrian island at North Miami Boulevard and Juniper and Guthrie streets. Cost: $226,000
▪ Protected crosswalk from Lakeview Park to Lakeview Secondary School. Cost: $96,305
▪ Sidewalk repairs on Gray Avenue. Cost: $559,884
Ward 2:
▪ El Futuro expansion of its clinic into adjacent space at the Shoppes at Lakewood.
▪ LGBTQ Youth Center. Cost: $113,300
▪ Accessible ramps for people with disabilities. Cost: $56,650
▪ Belmont Park improvements. Cost: $124,630
▪ Burton Park improvements. Cost: $309,309
▪ Bus shelters with reclaimed art and solar panels. Cost: $395,757
▪ Durham Housing Authority LED lighting and security cameras. Cost: $113,300
▪ Technology for Durham Public Schools that would replace projectors at some middle and high schools. Cost: $134,784
▪ Wi-Fi hotspot picnic tables at nine Durham Housing Authority properties. Cost: $123,750
▪ Bus shelters on Fayetteville Street. Cost: $158,620
▪ Cook Road sidewalk extension. Cost: $420,729
▪ Sidewalk on East Pettigrew Street. Cost: $354,652
Ward 3:
▪ Art displays on blank building walls on East Chapel Hill Street. $60,049
▪ LGBTQ Youth Center. Cost: $113,300
▪ Accessible ramps for people with disabilities. Cost: $56,650
▪ STEM equipment for The Life Center youth program. Cost: $145,991
▪ Bus shelters with reclaimed art and solar panels. Cost: $395,757
▪ Durham Housing Authority LED lighting and security cameras. Cost: $57,783
▪ Solar electric vehicle charging station at Lakewood Shopping Center. Cost: $81,222
▪ Technology for Durham Public Schools that would replace projectors at some middle and high schools. Cost: $790,746
▪ Wi-Fi hotspot picnic tables at nine Durham Housing Authority properties. Cost: $123,750
▪ Connect sidewalk gaps on Chapel Hill Road. $790,746
▪ Pedestrian crossing at James Street and Nation Avenue. Cost: $52,118
Winning projects will be announced in June. Robin Baker, budget engagement coordinator, told the City Council in April the city hopes to complete half of the projects in the next fiscal year.
This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 10:33 AM.