Town of Cary delays projects to keep spending in check

The town council begain reconsidering 384 capital projects over the summer, in light of the economic downturn. At a Dec. 15 meeting, council officially decided to delay 19 projects, at a savings of $68 million, and postpone 39 projects indefinitely, saving $20.6 million. The decision leaves 326 general government and utility capital projects ($413 million) on schedule.

“When each of these projects was created, each was considered important to our community, so it’s unfortunate that we’ve had to choose among them,” Town Manager Ben Shivar said. “That said, setting new priorities was the right and responsible approach, especially during these unprecedented economic times, and we’re much better off than many other local governments experiencing the same pressures.”

While no money is allocated for the 39 postponed projects, they can be submitted for reconsideration in future capital budget discussions.

Shivar said the town staff emphasized public safety and preserving and infrastructure maintenance when choosing which projects to sustain and which to defer.