The Board of Supervisors began their March 7, 2018 meeting at 7:23 pm. There were a number of people in the audience and several of them spoke during public comment.
Dick Schiebe started the public comment section of the meeting by saying he was there to talk about the news reporting done on the consideration of Smoot Library being taken over by Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL). He said he was here when Mrs. Smoot was here and remembers them building the curvy wall out front. He said the $700,000 Mrs. Smoot gave to run the library isn't enough to support the library now but was pretty good back then. Schiebe said we should not lose our independence just to save 25% of the operating budget. He said only four percent of the county was using the regional library and strongly encouraged the Board to keep this asset of the county.
Weldon Burt was next to speak his concerns for the library moving to CRRL. He said he volunteers at Smoot. He also said he wanted to make it clear he wasn't maligning CRRL because it's a good fit for their community, just like Smoot is a good fit for ours. He said Smoot has an excellent staff and they can offer classes quickly instead of waiting six to eight months. He said many people left big cities to move to small towns and the library maintains that feel of the small town that many are looking for. He said it's not just a bunch of bookshelves, it's a community of people. He also encouraged others to volunteer.
Dee Strauss then gave the only non-library comments and gave the Board an update on the recent state level DECA conference that was held in Virginia Beach. She said the local chapter from King George High School fielded 49 students and competed in 28 events. Strauss said the chapter was recognized as a Star and Super-Star chapter and many participants won awards and medals. She thanked the chaperones and judges who traveled from the area to the event and said several students would be attending the International conference coming up.
As Strauss handed the Board programs from the recent event, Ruby Brabo thanked her for her supporting DECA.
Bob Baird then made a few public comments. He started by complimenting Mrs. Strauss and the school administration for exposing students to the world of work. He then expressed his opinion on the Smoot Library. He said it opened during his Junior year in high school and he has used it, along with many other libraries, to do research over the years. He said we have a wonderful library and it's an underutilized resource and wasn't sure how the idea of merging with CRRL came to the table. He suggested those involved should survey the citizens to get their opinion on what they want from the library as he's heard strong reactions from both sides.
Carol Werle spoke next and said it wasn't just about the library but the way we spend money. She thanked the Board for the effort they put into the job and knows that they inherit some of the problems of the past. She said Port Royal almost became the capital after the burning of Jamestown. Werle said we make decisions based on history and that if you don't know history then you make the same mistake again. She continued on until Richard Granger broke in briefly to remind her to try to keep her comments to three minutes. She closed by saying that a study done in 2010 talked about the goal debt limit was $10 million and that it's now about $110 million and that maybe the debt service is behind the decision.
Tammy Wagner was next to add her comments about the library. She said she was a homeschooler and represents a large and growing group of people. She said she moved here 20 years ago and shortly after joined CRRL to get access to more material. She said back then, they were the only ones with computers and internet. She also said her youngest could only find one copy of their favorite series at Smoot but several copies at CRRL.
Hannah, a 17 year old minor, followed with her comments. She said she was a member of both CRRL and Smoot and that as a student, the books she needed were not available at Smoot. She said she can get extra copies from other branches of CRRL and that Governor's School students can get what they need from CRRL to get their homework done. She finished by saying we should join CRRL.
Jim Lynch was next to speak and said he was a member of both CRRL and Smoot. He encouraged the Board to be as open as possible in discussions and involve the public as much as possible. He said he had no advice for the Board but encouraged them to have a Town Hall about the topic.
Kim Dodge was the final speaker for Public Comment. She said she has been listening to both sides about the library. She said as a homeschooler that has lived in remote areas in the past, she never had any issues getting materials. She said she joined coops and other groups. Dodge didn't see why Smoot should join CRRL for this and should keep Smoot where it is for history. She closed by saying she didn't see a problem in spending $30 to join CRRL.
The Board then began with their reports. John Jenkins was first and said he was not unappreciative of the library, volunteers, history, or services provided. He said just like any service provided, we're always assessing and looking at ways to improve. He doesn't think there's any chance for a rash reaction. He then thanked Mrs. Strauss for her work with the DECA program. Jenkins also thanked Emergency Services for their hard work last week. He said he heard of a lot of reports of damage and that anyone with damage from the storm should report it via email - kgdamage@firerescue.com - or online. He closed by saying he attended the GWRC and FAMPO meetings on February 26th.
Jeff Bueche began his report by thanking everyone that spoke about the library. He said they were simply trying to gather information to make an educated decision. He said nothing was set in stone and no decision had been made. They were looking to see what would be gained or lost and that the Smoot Library Board of Trustees had been invited to have a discussion in closed session. He said he was getting questions about not being transparent but because it was discussed in closed session, nothing was public at this time. He thanked both sides for speaking out. Bueche then congratulated Mrs. Strauss for DECA and again said he was impressed by everyone at the career night. He then addressed Mrs. Werle's concern that the source of the potential library change was due to the debt service. He said this was not the case and that Davenport, the County's financial advisors, gave a debt mitigation plan at the last budget work session. Bueche then said he attended the award ceremony for Jim Howard on February 22nd and expressed his condolences on the death of Howard's mother. Bueche said he attended the budget work session on the 28th. He was impressed by the number of neighbors looking out for each other during and after the recent storms. He thanked the line crews and emergency services for all their hard work and their constant communication. From March 3rd to the 6th, he attended his first National Association of Counties (NACO) conference and was highly impressed. He thanked Brabo and Dr. Young for helping navigate all the sessions and making introductions. He said there were a lot of lessons learned and the experience was very educational. Bueche also mentioned that while he is active duty military, he attends all County functions and conducts County business while on official leave status. He said prior to being elected, he had accrued leave time for this reason.
Ruby Brabo started by saying that there has been a lot of misinformation out there in regards to the library conversation. She said no decisions have been made but a request for information has been made. She said that in budget sessions from previous years, this [the potential merger] has been looked into. Pros and cons are being discussed but nothing is being done behind closed doors. She said the Board of Trustees and Library Director were invited to ensure we're protecting the interests of King George County. She thanked Hannah and said she loves to see students come forward to speak and encouraged others to do so. Brabo said that as a parent, she found the library adequate for their needs but once the kids hit middle school, not so much. She said the Board of Trustees was charged with understanding what the community needs. Brabo said over 1,000 citizens have felt the need to join CRRL. She said the reason the conversation began two years ago is because the amount of money put into the operating budget isn't seeing a return of investment. She said regionalism may not always be the answer and when the time comes, the Board will frame it for the community. Brabo then listed the meetings she attended, starting with the Tri-County City Soil Water meeting on February 21st. The next day she met with Congressman Wittman and other local leaders regarding the recent move of the Chem/Bio division from Dahlgren to Indianhead. She said Wittman asked her to keep the details of the conversation out of the public for the time being. She attended GWRC and FAMPO meetings on the 26th and the budget work session on the 28th. She closed by saying she attended the NACO conference from March 3rd through the 7th.
Cathy Binder then gave her report by saying she attended the recent home show on March 3rd and 4th. She also attended the budget work session on February 28th and a meeting for Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging on March 7th. Binder then congratulated Mrs. Strauss and the DECA participants. She also thanked everyone who spoke about the library. She said she reached out to the Governor's School teachers and many spoke to her at the home show about the pros and cons. She also thanked the emergency services for their help during the storms.
Richard Granger was the last to give a report. He started by thanking emergency services for their service and thanked everyone who spoke about the library. He said his colleagues "spoke to it greatly" so he would just say "ditto." He then read a resolution to celebrate John Cornette and the El Tierra Farm regarding their winning the 2017 Clean Water Farm and Bay-Friendly Farm Award.
The Consent Agenda was approved without comment.
Judge Vance, a Constitutional Officer, spoke to the Board in support of the County Clerk Office's request for a two percent increase in salary. He said the two percent request totaled $3,568. He explained that clerks often leave because they aren't paid enough and that over the last 15 years, they've only received a 13 percent increase. He said the clerks here do a good job. He said many localities in the area do this by either a one-time payment or a percentage increase. He closed by saying he thought a two percent increase was reasonable.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Granger then introduced both Public Hearings but Brabo clarified that they were two distinct hearings. Dr. Young gave a brief overview of the Pine Forest Apartments project and advised the Board of his recommendation to approve it. There was no public comment. A motion was made and passed to approve the project.
Gregory then gave a brief update on the ProjectFAITH project by saying they had requested a delay. He clarified that a Public Hearing could still be held tonight and any comments could still count towards a final decision. There was no public comment and no action taken.
The Tri-County City Soil and Water District Manager, Marta Perry, then gave a brief presentation about her group and what they do. She gave the Board handouts and proceeded into a brief overview of the groups history. She said the local district formed in 1944, consisting of King George, Stafford, and Spotsylvania. She said she was grateful for all of the support from localities. Perry explained that the group exists to help solve conservation issues and to keep soil in place while keeping rivers clean and preventing soil erosion. The group also helps with agricultural conservation and shares best management practices, resources, and grants. She also said some non-agricultural projects, such as rain gardens and permeable paving, are also done to solve for erosion. She closed by saying they have a lending library to help teachers and sell seedlings and rain barrels.
Next on the Agenda was a request from Dashan Turner of King George County Schools to use the contingency fund of $100,000 from the Energy Performance Contract with Honeywell. He said there were no problems with this project but Dr. Young recommended tabling the decision until staff could do research. A motion was made and approved to table the decision until the next regular meeting on March 20th.
Wilma Ward, Director of the Finance Department, then asked for authorization to re-appropriate $112,781 in funds from the Instruction category to the Facilities category in order to complete the modular building installation at Potomac Elementary School. Again, a motion was made and approved to table the decision until March 20th.
Dr. Young then gave a summary of the FAMPO request for representatives for the Technical Committee. He recommended Ryan Gandy and Brad Hudson as the primary representatives and Annie Cupka and Kyle Conboy as alternates. They were approved without comment. Brabo did comment that the Citizen Advisory Committee for FAMPO had three openings and that she had heard from Rob Gates and Leslie Jordan as being interested in serving. Granger said he would rather wait until March 20th in hopes that others would step up and they could all be approved at once.
Dr. Young then began his report by thanking Judge Vance for promoting a veteran's court being formed in Spotsylvania. He also said that Carol Werle's comment about the Ralph Bunche developer asking for $3 million wasn't true. Young said the newly formed Regional Transportation Authority would meet for the first time on March 28th and that a joint meeting with the Planning Commission would be coming soon.
The Board then went into closed session with legal counsel at 8:49 pm regarding Smoot Library and returned at 9:33 pm. The meeting adjourned at 9:34 pm.
Dick Schiebe started the public comment section of the meeting by saying he was there to talk about the news reporting done on the consideration of Smoot Library being taken over by Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL). He said he was here when Mrs. Smoot was here and remembers them building the curvy wall out front. He said the $700,000 Mrs. Smoot gave to run the library isn't enough to support the library now but was pretty good back then. Schiebe said we should not lose our independence just to save 25% of the operating budget. He said only four percent of the county was using the regional library and strongly encouraged the Board to keep this asset of the county.
Weldon Burt was next to speak his concerns for the library moving to CRRL. He said he volunteers at Smoot. He also said he wanted to make it clear he wasn't maligning CRRL because it's a good fit for their community, just like Smoot is a good fit for ours. He said Smoot has an excellent staff and they can offer classes quickly instead of waiting six to eight months. He said many people left big cities to move to small towns and the library maintains that feel of the small town that many are looking for. He said it's not just a bunch of bookshelves, it's a community of people. He also encouraged others to volunteer.
Dee Strauss then gave the only non-library comments and gave the Board an update on the recent state level DECA conference that was held in Virginia Beach. She said the local chapter from King George High School fielded 49 students and competed in 28 events. Strauss said the chapter was recognized as a Star and Super-Star chapter and many participants won awards and medals. She thanked the chaperones and judges who traveled from the area to the event and said several students would be attending the International conference coming up.
As Strauss handed the Board programs from the recent event, Ruby Brabo thanked her for her supporting DECA.
Bob Baird then made a few public comments. He started by complimenting Mrs. Strauss and the school administration for exposing students to the world of work. He then expressed his opinion on the Smoot Library. He said it opened during his Junior year in high school and he has used it, along with many other libraries, to do research over the years. He said we have a wonderful library and it's an underutilized resource and wasn't sure how the idea of merging with CRRL came to the table. He suggested those involved should survey the citizens to get their opinion on what they want from the library as he's heard strong reactions from both sides.
Carol Werle spoke next and said it wasn't just about the library but the way we spend money. She thanked the Board for the effort they put into the job and knows that they inherit some of the problems of the past. She said Port Royal almost became the capital after the burning of Jamestown. Werle said we make decisions based on history and that if you don't know history then you make the same mistake again. She continued on until Richard Granger broke in briefly to remind her to try to keep her comments to three minutes. She closed by saying that a study done in 2010 talked about the goal debt limit was $10 million and that it's now about $110 million and that maybe the debt service is behind the decision.
Tammy Wagner was next to add her comments about the library. She said she was a homeschooler and represents a large and growing group of people. She said she moved here 20 years ago and shortly after joined CRRL to get access to more material. She said back then, they were the only ones with computers and internet. She also said her youngest could only find one copy of their favorite series at Smoot but several copies at CRRL.
Hannah, a 17 year old minor, followed with her comments. She said she was a member of both CRRL and Smoot and that as a student, the books she needed were not available at Smoot. She said she can get extra copies from other branches of CRRL and that Governor's School students can get what they need from CRRL to get their homework done. She finished by saying we should join CRRL.
Jim Lynch was next to speak and said he was a member of both CRRL and Smoot. He encouraged the Board to be as open as possible in discussions and involve the public as much as possible. He said he had no advice for the Board but encouraged them to have a Town Hall about the topic.
Kim Dodge was the final speaker for Public Comment. She said she has been listening to both sides about the library. She said as a homeschooler that has lived in remote areas in the past, she never had any issues getting materials. She said she joined coops and other groups. Dodge didn't see why Smoot should join CRRL for this and should keep Smoot where it is for history. She closed by saying she didn't see a problem in spending $30 to join CRRL.
The Board then began with their reports. John Jenkins was first and said he was not unappreciative of the library, volunteers, history, or services provided. He said just like any service provided, we're always assessing and looking at ways to improve. He doesn't think there's any chance for a rash reaction. He then thanked Mrs. Strauss for her work with the DECA program. Jenkins also thanked Emergency Services for their hard work last week. He said he heard of a lot of reports of damage and that anyone with damage from the storm should report it via email - kgdamage@firerescue.com - or online. He closed by saying he attended the GWRC and FAMPO meetings on February 26th.
Jeff Bueche began his report by thanking everyone that spoke about the library. He said they were simply trying to gather information to make an educated decision. He said nothing was set in stone and no decision had been made. They were looking to see what would be gained or lost and that the Smoot Library Board of Trustees had been invited to have a discussion in closed session. He said he was getting questions about not being transparent but because it was discussed in closed session, nothing was public at this time. He thanked both sides for speaking out. Bueche then congratulated Mrs. Strauss for DECA and again said he was impressed by everyone at the career night. He then addressed Mrs. Werle's concern that the source of the potential library change was due to the debt service. He said this was not the case and that Davenport, the County's financial advisors, gave a debt mitigation plan at the last budget work session. Bueche then said he attended the award ceremony for Jim Howard on February 22nd and expressed his condolences on the death of Howard's mother. Bueche said he attended the budget work session on the 28th. He was impressed by the number of neighbors looking out for each other during and after the recent storms. He thanked the line crews and emergency services for all their hard work and their constant communication. From March 3rd to the 6th, he attended his first National Association of Counties (NACO) conference and was highly impressed. He thanked Brabo and Dr. Young for helping navigate all the sessions and making introductions. He said there were a lot of lessons learned and the experience was very educational. Bueche also mentioned that while he is active duty military, he attends all County functions and conducts County business while on official leave status. He said prior to being elected, he had accrued leave time for this reason.
Ruby Brabo started by saying that there has been a lot of misinformation out there in regards to the library conversation. She said no decisions have been made but a request for information has been made. She said that in budget sessions from previous years, this [the potential merger] has been looked into. Pros and cons are being discussed but nothing is being done behind closed doors. She said the Board of Trustees and Library Director were invited to ensure we're protecting the interests of King George County. She thanked Hannah and said she loves to see students come forward to speak and encouraged others to do so. Brabo said that as a parent, she found the library adequate for their needs but once the kids hit middle school, not so much. She said the Board of Trustees was charged with understanding what the community needs. Brabo said over 1,000 citizens have felt the need to join CRRL. She said the reason the conversation began two years ago is because the amount of money put into the operating budget isn't seeing a return of investment. She said regionalism may not always be the answer and when the time comes, the Board will frame it for the community. Brabo then listed the meetings she attended, starting with the Tri-County City Soil Water meeting on February 21st. The next day she met with Congressman Wittman and other local leaders regarding the recent move of the Chem/Bio division from Dahlgren to Indianhead. She said Wittman asked her to keep the details of the conversation out of the public for the time being. She attended GWRC and FAMPO meetings on the 26th and the budget work session on the 28th. She closed by saying she attended the NACO conference from March 3rd through the 7th.
Cathy Binder then gave her report by saying she attended the recent home show on March 3rd and 4th. She also attended the budget work session on February 28th and a meeting for Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging on March 7th. Binder then congratulated Mrs. Strauss and the DECA participants. She also thanked everyone who spoke about the library. She said she reached out to the Governor's School teachers and many spoke to her at the home show about the pros and cons. She also thanked the emergency services for their help during the storms.
Richard Granger was the last to give a report. He started by thanking emergency services for their service and thanked everyone who spoke about the library. He said his colleagues "spoke to it greatly" so he would just say "ditto." He then read a resolution to celebrate John Cornette and the El Tierra Farm regarding their winning the 2017 Clean Water Farm and Bay-Friendly Farm Award.
The Consent Agenda was approved without comment.
Judge Vance, a Constitutional Officer, spoke to the Board in support of the County Clerk Office's request for a two percent increase in salary. He said the two percent request totaled $3,568. He explained that clerks often leave because they aren't paid enough and that over the last 15 years, they've only received a 13 percent increase. He said the clerks here do a good job. He said many localities in the area do this by either a one-time payment or a percentage increase. He closed by saying he thought a two percent increase was reasonable.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Granger then introduced both Public Hearings but Brabo clarified that they were two distinct hearings. Dr. Young gave a brief overview of the Pine Forest Apartments project and advised the Board of his recommendation to approve it. There was no public comment. A motion was made and passed to approve the project.
Gregory then gave a brief update on the ProjectFAITH project by saying they had requested a delay. He clarified that a Public Hearing could still be held tonight and any comments could still count towards a final decision. There was no public comment and no action taken.
The Tri-County City Soil and Water District Manager, Marta Perry, then gave a brief presentation about her group and what they do. She gave the Board handouts and proceeded into a brief overview of the groups history. She said the local district formed in 1944, consisting of King George, Stafford, and Spotsylvania. She said she was grateful for all of the support from localities. Perry explained that the group exists to help solve conservation issues and to keep soil in place while keeping rivers clean and preventing soil erosion. The group also helps with agricultural conservation and shares best management practices, resources, and grants. She also said some non-agricultural projects, such as rain gardens and permeable paving, are also done to solve for erosion. She closed by saying they have a lending library to help teachers and sell seedlings and rain barrels.
Next on the Agenda was a request from Dashan Turner of King George County Schools to use the contingency fund of $100,000 from the Energy Performance Contract with Honeywell. He said there were no problems with this project but Dr. Young recommended tabling the decision until staff could do research. A motion was made and approved to table the decision until the next regular meeting on March 20th.
Wilma Ward, Director of the Finance Department, then asked for authorization to re-appropriate $112,781 in funds from the Instruction category to the Facilities category in order to complete the modular building installation at Potomac Elementary School. Again, a motion was made and approved to table the decision until March 20th.
Dr. Young then gave a summary of the FAMPO request for representatives for the Technical Committee. He recommended Ryan Gandy and Brad Hudson as the primary representatives and Annie Cupka and Kyle Conboy as alternates. They were approved without comment. Brabo did comment that the Citizen Advisory Committee for FAMPO had three openings and that she had heard from Rob Gates and Leslie Jordan as being interested in serving. Granger said he would rather wait until March 20th in hopes that others would step up and they could all be approved at once.
Dr. Young then began his report by thanking Judge Vance for promoting a veteran's court being formed in Spotsylvania. He also said that Carol Werle's comment about the Ralph Bunche developer asking for $3 million wasn't true. Young said the newly formed Regional Transportation Authority would meet for the first time on March 28th and that a joint meeting with the Planning Commission would be coming soon.
The Board then went into closed session with legal counsel at 8:49 pm regarding Smoot Library and returned at 9:33 pm. The meeting adjourned at 9:34 pm.
Meeting Attendees:
John Jenkins (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (Chairman, Board of Supervisors)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Meeting Agenda
Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on March 20, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
