Durham is setting aside $2.4 million. You’ll decide how to spend it.
So you didn’t win the Powerball this week?
The good news is, if you’re a Durham resident, you still have a couple million dollars to spend this fall.
The city has set aside $2.4 million for residents to decide how to spend, an exercise in “participatory budgeting” that’s back for a third year.
They want ideas for one-time projects, like playgrounds, public art, bus shelters, Wi-Fi umbrellas, tree plantings and sustainability upgrades.
Andrew Holland, assistant director of Budget and Management Services, said the intent is to get tangible improvements residents can see and experience in Durham’s most underserved neighborhoods.
“Having residents submit ideas for what they believe the city should fund in their communities gives them a real voice in their local government decision-making process on how their tax dollars are put back into their communities,” he said in a news release.
Ideas are being accepted until Dec. 10 from residents 13 and older.
Submit online in English or Spanish.
Ideas are also being collected at a series of events this month lasting from 6 to 8 p.m. (in-person unless otherwise noted):
- Nov. 10: W.D. Hill Recreation Center, 1380 Fayetteville St.
- Nov. 15: Holton Career and Resources Center, 401 N. Driver St.
- Nov. 16: Virtual session for Spanish speakers (Register at pbdurham.org)
- Nov. 22: Walltown Recreation Center, 1308 W. Club Blvd.
- Nov. 29: Durham Teen Center at Lyon Parrk, 1101 Cornell St
- Nov. 30: Latino Educational Achievement Partnership, 1737 Hillandale Road (for Spanish speakers)
- Dec. 6: Weaver Street Recreation Center, 3000 E. Weaver St.
After brainstorming and developing proposals, a months-long process, residents will vote on how to divide the cash in September 2023.
The City Council will be asked to give final approval to the projects soon after.
Residents spent $2.4 million in the first exercise in participatory budgeting in 2019. Last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the budget was cut to $1 million.
For more details, visit pbdurham.org or call 919-560-4111, ext. 20290.
This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 12:23 PM.
