The Olympia Parking and Business Improvement Board (PBIA) is underspending its 2022 budget, according to its staff liaison Max DeJarnatt.
For 2022, the city has allocated $135,000 for PBIA's programs but has only spent $27,512 so far.
DeJarnatt said the PBIA has five focus areas with programs under it to spend on this year but remained unexpended or underspent:
DeJarnatt explained several factors, including that COVID-19 could cause the underspending, staffing changes from downtown no longer having a liaison, and PBIA may be fiscally conservative.
The JOLT reached out to the city for clarifications on the committee’s spending but has yet to receive answers.
"The PBIA has not been able to spend money at a rate that it had in the past… it is time to spend money again," he told the board members.
Board member Jacob David said he wants to see increasing support for public art, like another mural project.
Board member Oliver Stormshak said the "surplus" money should be used for something interesting that can add value to downtown.
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pheong
so, PBIA, i.e. forced membership in what used to be ODA now has a surplus despite so many closed businesses. For a scam whose calculations were largely built on employee numbers, the drop in downtown employee numbers due to covid and the surplus; it would seem that no adjustments were made as to that. Scammers will scam. Maybe take the next logical criminal step and fudge the books. PBIA has always been a criminal activity. Especially shame on you Janice.
Monday, September 12, 2022 Report this
SandiToeze
Money that is allocated and not used, but still we have to put up with the rutted, bumpy streets that give this city a bad reputation and drive visitors to other locations because of it? Shame on you. Murals and other art, events, marketing, or flowers don't take away the awful street maintenance.
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 Report this