by Neil Richard
The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 7:25pm.
There were no amendments to the Agenda.
Public Comment began with John Marlowe speaking as the President of the Potomac Landing Home Owners Association (HOA). He said that Planning Commission had approved the subdivision application of Section 4 of Potomac Landing despite 72 residents attending the meeting in opposition. He said eleven people made comments at the meeting against the planned subdivision and said the developer would be in violation of the HOA rules by turning the existing 18 lots into 87 lots. Marlowe said the investment company that purchased the lots said they had invested millions of dollars in the property and had no intentions of being stopped. Marlowe also said the HOA had been threatened with legal action by the investment company and that they claim to have the money to sidestep the HOA if needed. He closed by asking the Supervisors to not approve the subdivision.
Next to speak was a resident of Potomac Landing Drive who endorsed the previous statements but wanted to add that the additional homes would impact school needs as well as increase the number of cars on the road. He said when entering Route 218 (Caledon Road) from Potomac Landing Drive, it can sometimes be dangerous.
Richard MacDonald spoke next, stating that the Planning Commissions approval to change ten acre lots into two acre lots was a 500% increase. He said the additional homes meant additional traffic and additional water runoff into the existing retention pond. He said one of the main attractions of King George was the rural setting and didn't want us to turn into Stafford County. He said the development company would increase their profits at the cost of the County and homeowners in the area. He closed by saying the developers should be forced to live with what they bought.
Glenna Marlowe was next to speak, stating she made comments at the Planning Commission meeting. During that meeting she shared photos from behind her house showing the runoff that was already present and that additional runoff from new homes would be dangerous. She shared the concerns of those that spoke before her but also wanted to add her concerns about the amenities. She didn't feel that the existing amenities could handle such a large number of people. Marlowe also said that she felt the attorney from the investment company minimized residents' concerns and that it felt like he questioned why they were even there to raise issues. She said a lot of people felt like their intelligence was questioned at the meeting.
Geoffrey Florschutz was next to speak simply stating that he wanted to voice his opposition to the proposed subdivision and that he concurred and agreed with the comments made before him.
The next resident spoke about their runoff concerns and the increase in non-permeable surfaces a large subdivision would bring.
Alice Austiff added that she concurred with those speakers before her and added that the runoff that goes to the pond is only held back by a dirt berm. She said any overflow goes directly into the Potomac River. She closed by saying that there are no bathrooms at the small beach below them and that with the additional people using it, it could contribute to the contamination in the river.
The next speaker against the proposed development also mentioned the potential increase in run-off as an issue as well as the flaunting of the covenants by the developer.
The next speaker was Reverend Leonard Bland, the pastor of Salem Baptist Church. He said the proposed gun range off Salem Church Road could be neighbors with the 150 year old church. Reverend Bland said they're concerned about the sound of gun shots and felt they would be detrimental to church services, funerals, burials, and children. He prayed the Board would not partake of this proposal. He then asked for the church members in the audience to stand and they did so.
John Jenkins thanked everyone for coming out to speak. As he did so, many in the audience began to leave to which Ruby Brabo said they could stay and listen to the Board's responses if they wished. A few continued to leave while some returned to their seats.
Jenkins continued by again thanking those that spoke and voiced their opinions. He said it gave him motivation to look further into the matter. Regarding the gun range, he reiterated that the Board has not received any plan or proposal but when that moment comes, he would certainly take the concerns to heart. On October 7th, he attended the KG Que Fest and that he looked forward to seeing it progress in the coming years. He then congratulated Jeff Bueche and Dr. Neiman Young for taking third place.
Dr. Young jokingly asked if he said the barbecue was "pretty good" to which Jenkins said "really good." Jenkins also thanked law enforcement for their help during the festival. He added that he attended the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) work session on the 9th, the Fall Festival parade on the 13th, and a George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) meeting on the 15th.
Jeff Bueche thanked everyone that gave public comment and said that when it does come before the Board, it gives them something to look at. Regarding the gun range, he also said that nothing has been brought before the Supervisors but that he has gotten numerous emails both for and against the potential gun range. He said that while he is interested in the opinion of neighbors in the region, the opinion of King George residents matter more.
Bueche said October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that he was wearing a pink tie in honor of his cousin who is currently fighting breast cancer.
On October 6th and 7th, Bueche attended the KG Que Fest. He said it was an honor to compete with Dr. Young and they placed 3rd in pork. He also thanked the numerous sponsors, the Sheriff's Office, Fire and Rescue Department, and the many other people that worked to make the event a success. He noted that Tim Smith, Ryan Gandy, Dr. Young, and Annie Cupka went above and beyond to help. Bueche then presented Dr. Young with a pig trophy to recognize their efforts.
On the 9th, Bueche attended a Social Services meeting and the CIP work session. He thanked the emergency services crews for their help during the remnants of Hurricane Michael. On the 12th he attended a team building exercise with department heads and on the 13th participated in the Fall Festival parade. On the 14th he noted the Commonwealth Foxhounds group sponsored a trail ride in Caledon State Park and that the Dahlgren Naval base would celebrate their 100th anniversary on the 19th.
Ruby Brabo began her report by saying the Planning Commission makes their decision based on how a project fits with the Comprehensive Plan while the Board of Supervisors make their decision based on what citizens want. She said it is important to make sure residents get involved early and was glad to see so many citizens speaking. Regarding the potential gun range, she also echoed previous comments that no proposal has been put before the Supervisors yet. She then said that petitions don't help. She said that in the past, some Supervisors have just thrown them in the trash but hoped that wouldn't be the case with the current Board. She said the real issue is that an online petition doesn't show the address of the person signing it so Supervisors don't know if they're King George County residents or not. She also said with a written petition that it was difficult to verify the signatures were valid. Brabo said that because of these issues with petitions, voicing concerns in person or via email were the best.
Brabo then asked if Dr. Young had an update on Port Conway Road and the damage done by recent storms. Dr. Young said that he had been in contact with VDOT and that currently there was no estimate on when final repairs would be made.
On October 3rd and 9th, Brabo participated in conducting interviews for the Service Authority General Manager position. On the 9th she also attended the CIP work session. During a conference call on the 11th for the National Association of Counties (NACo), there was hope that the current population limit of 16,000 would be raised to 40,000 for grants. She said this would help King George "pursue improving our broadband infrastructure" as well as fire house and Service Authority needs. On the 13th, Brabo participated in the Fall Festival parade and on the 15th she attended a GWRC meeting.
Brabo closed her report by saying Canterbury would be submitting an application in the future for approval as a golf cart community.
Cathy Binder thanked everyone for coming out to speak at public comment and that she would take their thoughts on Potomac Landing into consideration. Regarding the potential gun range, Binder said she has also gotten a lot of emails, noting that at one point she received over 75 in one day.
On October 6th and 7th, Binder attended the KG Que Fest and her daughter really enjoyed the bounce house and pony rides. Binder enjoyed speaking with residents and thanked law enforcement for their help in keeping the event enjoyable. Binder attended the CIP work session on the 9th, the team building event on the 12th, and the Service Authority General Manager interview session on the 16th.
Binder then resigned from her position on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees representing the James Madison District and asked to be appointed to the Trustees as a representative from the Shiloh District. The Board approved.
Richard Granger thanked the residents from Potomac Landing for coming out and said he would investigate the issue further. To Reverend Bland who had already left the meeting, he thanked him for the prayers saying he could really use them.
On October 7th, Granger attended the KG Que Fest and judged the competition. He said it was a lot of fun and that the tasting was a blind tasting so there was "no collusion." He said the barbecue was delicious but said "I think I had a barbecue hangover" by the end.
Granger attended the CIP work session on the 9th, the Fall Festival parade on the 13th, and an FRA meeting on the 15th. He said he now has open positions on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and the Social Services Board and asked anyone interested in serving to reach out to him. He then nominated Kris Parker to serve on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees and the Board approved.
Granger then asked for a moment to recognize County staff and had Brad Hudson come forward to speak. Hudson then spoke of the accomplishments of Travis Self, stating he was the only inspector he's known to become fully certified within a one year period. He said that not only did Self need to attend multiple modules and take four exams, he did it all while working a new job. Because of Self's determination, Hudson nominated him for the NACo High Performance Leadership Academy and he was accepted.
Hudson then went on to celebrate the accomplishments of Heather Hall. Hudson said she started with the County as a permit technician in 2005 and has been promoted several times since. He said she has also made great strides by improving the process for permits and planning and zoning. As part of his nomination letter to the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (VAZO), Hudson said Hall was "firm, fair, and consistent." He said VAZO only gives five awards each year and said Hall had earned the Annual Achievement Award for Certified Zoning Officials from them.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Next on the Agenda was the Capital Budget Presentation by Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator. Dr. Young said he invited Sheriff Dempsey and Chris Dines, Director of Information Technology (IT), to the meeting to provide answers to some outstanding questions from the Supervisors. Dr. Young also said that he researched the potential for a 50,000 square foot Courthouse and the estimated cost was $306 per square foot for a total of $21.9 million but cautioned the Supervisors that his estimate was based on 2017 prices. Young said with an industry standard inflation increase of 3%, it would be closer to $22.5 million.
Sheriff Dempsey then came forward to answer questions regarding his CIP request for new laptops. Brabo said that some of the Supervisors couldn't remember how old the current laptops were and also wanted to know if there was a cost savings to making a bulk purchase and what the benefits were for training officers on matching devices.
Sheriff Dempsey said a bulk purchase allows them to use the same docking equipment as well as a 25% cost savings. He said the current laptops were six years old and seven of them no longer worked. The Supervisors seemed pleased to hear his answers.
Chris Dines then came forward to answer questions about his IT requests. Brabo asked the same question, if it was necessary to do both projects, related to fiber and server upgrades, at the same time. Dines said both projects don't need to be done at the same time, however the point of the projects was to create redundancy for the County, including for emergency services. Brabo asked Dines to explain, for herself and for citizens, the reason for redundancy and if the project was split over multiple years how that would impact redundancy. Dines said the idea behind having a back-up was for emergencies and natural disasters. He said by virtualizing the servers to a secure cloud platform, it would allow employees to access data and systems from anywhere. Dines also said that it would act as a backup for data and provide increased connection speeds which would be essential for the next generation 911 system.
Dr. Young added that the 911 Dispatch Center went offline twice last year and King George had to rely on neighboring Counties for assistance. Young said he tasked Dines with creating a redundancy plan to ensure the County could still operate should something happen, like a loss of a fiber connection. He said he really didn't want to rely on neighbors to address their needs in the future.
Dines also said that with Atlantic Broadband being the sole internet provider, it would be good to have a back up and would eventually save money by cutting costs. Jeff Bueche asked about the fiber lines that were installed by the schools and if the five year waiting period was over to tap into those lines. Dines said the section on Route 3 was available but the ones to Potomac and Sealston Elementary Schools were not. Bueche asked if there would be a cost savings if Dines only focused on providing fiber to the Fire and Rescue Department. Dines said there would be a cost savings to not do all of the upgrades but didn't have an exact number. Dr. Young interjected and said he would advise against splitting up the project like that because it would be like kicking the can down the road and added that later in the meeting he would explain that the County would be healthier than expected compared to last week. Brabo added that they would eventually pay more by doing the project in pieces. Bueche said he understood that but was thinking about the still undecided solution for the Courthouse and that installing new fiber to the Courthouse now may not be a benefit if they build a new building later. Dr. Young said that regardless of which Courthouse solution is chosen, faster internet would still be necessary as none of the plans call for the existing Courthouse to sit empty. The Supervisors appeared to come to a consensus on both the laptops and the IT upgrades.
Moving on, the Board then had a discussion on the future of the Courthouse. There was some discussion about funding and how much was needed, but in the end, they voted to approve funds to do a study to determine the best method of delivery for whatever solution is eventually decided upon.
The Board then approved the CIP projects and their respective budgets.
Brabo noted that this was the third year in a row that the Supervisors have cash funded projects without accumulating any new debt.
Dr. Young said they would still need to vote to adopt the CIP projects and appropriate their budgets but that no waiting period was required. He recommended the Supervisors do this prior to their training session on October 30th, thus giving County staff time to get the paperwork ready. Dr. Young also said that with the approvals tonight, there was no need for the previously scheduled meeting on October 23rd.
Next on the Agenda was an update from Eric Gregory, County Attorney. He said he had finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County Parks and Recreation Department, the Friends of Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT), and the trail's owner, David Brickley. He said the DRHT, a trail over 15 miles long in the County, would continue to be privately owned and that the Friends of DRHT would continue to maintain it. The big change would be the Parks and Recreation Department would take over management of the trail as a County park and a DRHT Committee would be formed to ensure all parties would be represented. Jim Lynch, Friends of DRHT Secretary, was present to answer questions and said he felt that Gregory captured everything. Lynch also said that the Friends group felt this was the right step along the way to becoming a part of the State Park System. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT.]
The Supervisors approved the MOU. Brabo added that this was a "long time coming" and that for those that have been involved from the beginning, they now get to see the benefit. She also thanked everyone and said the Board sees the trail as an asset. Gregory added that the Parks and Recreation Department was enthusiastic about the addition of the trail.
Dr. Young then proposed a request to transfer funds so the Parks and Recreation Department could purchase a new gymnastic spring floor for the Quonset Hut, also known as the Old King George Elementary School Gymnasium. He said the current gymnastics team, the Astros, would be moving to a new location and they would be taking the spring floor with them because they purchased it. Young said the spring floor was an important part of the Parks and Recreation Department's gymnastics program. Brabo asked if the team was leaving because of the condition of the Quonset Hut and Young said no, they just got a better deal elsewhere. The Board approved of the expense.
Dr. Young then presented two amendments to the Landfill Agreement. The first amendment was for the County to assume operations at the convenience centers. He said the County would hire two full-time employees and three part-time employees. John Jenkins asked when the job announcement would go out and Young said very soon. Brabo said she heard rumors that the convenience center hours would be reduced. Dr. Young said that Jeff Jenkins, Director of Landfill Operations and no relation to Supervisor John Jenkins, and the Landfill Advisory Committee have been taking a hard look at the impact but would not be reducing hours. He said that the hours may change and there was discussion about holiday closures but he didn't want to get ahead of the Committee. The Board approved of the first amendment.
The second amendment was to accept additional tonnage at the landfill. The increase in trash being accepted would result in just over $3 million in additional revenue. The Board approved the second amendment.
Dr. Young began his report by asking for the Board to choose a representative for the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) to attend the annual business meeting. Jeff Bueche was chosen as the primary representative with Ruby Brabo as the alternate.
Dr. Young then informed the Supervisors of additional VACo communication and information from VDOT regarding upcoming meetings. He also recognized Amanda Sumiel, Director of Human Resources, for her work on getting King George County certified as a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer. The audience applauded her efforts.
The Board went into Closed Session at 8:51pm. Darell Hertenstein and three others were invited to attend but were given hand signals to wait a few minutes before they did. Hertenstein and his associates eventually joined the Closed Session at 9:02pm and left at 9:19pm. The rest of the Board ended their Closed Session at 9:23 pm.
The meeting adjourned at 9:24pm.
The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 7:25pm.
There were no amendments to the Agenda.
Public Comment began with John Marlowe speaking as the President of the Potomac Landing Home Owners Association (HOA). He said that Planning Commission had approved the subdivision application of Section 4 of Potomac Landing despite 72 residents attending the meeting in opposition. He said eleven people made comments at the meeting against the planned subdivision and said the developer would be in violation of the HOA rules by turning the existing 18 lots into 87 lots. Marlowe said the investment company that purchased the lots said they had invested millions of dollars in the property and had no intentions of being stopped. Marlowe also said the HOA had been threatened with legal action by the investment company and that they claim to have the money to sidestep the HOA if needed. He closed by asking the Supervisors to not approve the subdivision.
Next to speak was a resident of Potomac Landing Drive who endorsed the previous statements but wanted to add that the additional homes would impact school needs as well as increase the number of cars on the road. He said when entering Route 218 (Caledon Road) from Potomac Landing Drive, it can sometimes be dangerous.
Richard MacDonald spoke next, stating that the Planning Commissions approval to change ten acre lots into two acre lots was a 500% increase. He said the additional homes meant additional traffic and additional water runoff into the existing retention pond. He said one of the main attractions of King George was the rural setting and didn't want us to turn into Stafford County. He said the development company would increase their profits at the cost of the County and homeowners in the area. He closed by saying the developers should be forced to live with what they bought.
Glenna Marlowe was next to speak, stating she made comments at the Planning Commission meeting. During that meeting she shared photos from behind her house showing the runoff that was already present and that additional runoff from new homes would be dangerous. She shared the concerns of those that spoke before her but also wanted to add her concerns about the amenities. She didn't feel that the existing amenities could handle such a large number of people. Marlowe also said that she felt the attorney from the investment company minimized residents' concerns and that it felt like he questioned why they were even there to raise issues. She said a lot of people felt like their intelligence was questioned at the meeting.
Geoffrey Florschutz was next to speak simply stating that he wanted to voice his opposition to the proposed subdivision and that he concurred and agreed with the comments made before him.
The next resident spoke about their runoff concerns and the increase in non-permeable surfaces a large subdivision would bring.
Alice Austiff added that she concurred with those speakers before her and added that the runoff that goes to the pond is only held back by a dirt berm. She said any overflow goes directly into the Potomac River. She closed by saying that there are no bathrooms at the small beach below them and that with the additional people using it, it could contribute to the contamination in the river.
The next speaker against the proposed development also mentioned the potential increase in run-off as an issue as well as the flaunting of the covenants by the developer.
The next speaker was Reverend Leonard Bland, the pastor of Salem Baptist Church. He said the proposed gun range off Salem Church Road could be neighbors with the 150 year old church. Reverend Bland said they're concerned about the sound of gun shots and felt they would be detrimental to church services, funerals, burials, and children. He prayed the Board would not partake of this proposal. He then asked for the church members in the audience to stand and they did so.
 |
| Reverend Bland speaks out against the potential gun range off Salem Church Road. |
John Jenkins thanked everyone for coming out to speak. As he did so, many in the audience began to leave to which Ruby Brabo said they could stay and listen to the Board's responses if they wished. A few continued to leave while some returned to their seats.
Jenkins continued by again thanking those that spoke and voiced their opinions. He said it gave him motivation to look further into the matter. Regarding the gun range, he reiterated that the Board has not received any plan or proposal but when that moment comes, he would certainly take the concerns to heart. On October 7th, he attended the KG Que Fest and that he looked forward to seeing it progress in the coming years. He then congratulated Jeff Bueche and Dr. Neiman Young for taking third place.
Dr. Young jokingly asked if he said the barbecue was "pretty good" to which Jenkins said "really good." Jenkins also thanked law enforcement for their help during the festival. He added that he attended the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) work session on the 9th, the Fall Festival parade on the 13th, and a George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) meeting on the 15th.
Jeff Bueche thanked everyone that gave public comment and said that when it does come before the Board, it gives them something to look at. Regarding the gun range, he also said that nothing has been brought before the Supervisors but that he has gotten numerous emails both for and against the potential gun range. He said that while he is interested in the opinion of neighbors in the region, the opinion of King George residents matter more.
Bueche said October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that he was wearing a pink tie in honor of his cousin who is currently fighting breast cancer.
On October 6th and 7th, Bueche attended the KG Que Fest. He said it was an honor to compete with Dr. Young and they placed 3rd in pork. He also thanked the numerous sponsors, the Sheriff's Office, Fire and Rescue Department, and the many other people that worked to make the event a success. He noted that Tim Smith, Ryan Gandy, Dr. Young, and Annie Cupka went above and beyond to help. Bueche then presented Dr. Young with a pig trophy to recognize their efforts.
On the 9th, Bueche attended a Social Services meeting and the CIP work session. He thanked the emergency services crews for their help during the remnants of Hurricane Michael. On the 12th he attended a team building exercise with department heads and on the 13th participated in the Fall Festival parade. On the 14th he noted the Commonwealth Foxhounds group sponsored a trail ride in Caledon State Park and that the Dahlgren Naval base would celebrate their 100th anniversary on the 19th.
Ruby Brabo began her report by saying the Planning Commission makes their decision based on how a project fits with the Comprehensive Plan while the Board of Supervisors make their decision based on what citizens want. She said it is important to make sure residents get involved early and was glad to see so many citizens speaking. Regarding the potential gun range, she also echoed previous comments that no proposal has been put before the Supervisors yet. She then said that petitions don't help. She said that in the past, some Supervisors have just thrown them in the trash but hoped that wouldn't be the case with the current Board. She said the real issue is that an online petition doesn't show the address of the person signing it so Supervisors don't know if they're King George County residents or not. She also said with a written petition that it was difficult to verify the signatures were valid. Brabo said that because of these issues with petitions, voicing concerns in person or via email were the best.
Brabo then asked if Dr. Young had an update on Port Conway Road and the damage done by recent storms. Dr. Young said that he had been in contact with VDOT and that currently there was no estimate on when final repairs would be made.
On October 3rd and 9th, Brabo participated in conducting interviews for the Service Authority General Manager position. On the 9th she also attended the CIP work session. During a conference call on the 11th for the National Association of Counties (NACo), there was hope that the current population limit of 16,000 would be raised to 40,000 for grants. She said this would help King George "pursue improving our broadband infrastructure" as well as fire house and Service Authority needs. On the 13th, Brabo participated in the Fall Festival parade and on the 15th she attended a GWRC meeting.
Brabo closed her report by saying Canterbury would be submitting an application in the future for approval as a golf cart community.
Cathy Binder thanked everyone for coming out to speak at public comment and that she would take their thoughts on Potomac Landing into consideration. Regarding the potential gun range, Binder said she has also gotten a lot of emails, noting that at one point she received over 75 in one day.
On October 6th and 7th, Binder attended the KG Que Fest and her daughter really enjoyed the bounce house and pony rides. Binder enjoyed speaking with residents and thanked law enforcement for their help in keeping the event enjoyable. Binder attended the CIP work session on the 9th, the team building event on the 12th, and the Service Authority General Manager interview session on the 16th.
Binder then resigned from her position on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees representing the James Madison District and asked to be appointed to the Trustees as a representative from the Shiloh District. The Board approved.
Richard Granger thanked the residents from Potomac Landing for coming out and said he would investigate the issue further. To Reverend Bland who had already left the meeting, he thanked him for the prayers saying he could really use them.
On October 7th, Granger attended the KG Que Fest and judged the competition. He said it was a lot of fun and that the tasting was a blind tasting so there was "no collusion." He said the barbecue was delicious but said "I think I had a barbecue hangover" by the end.
Granger attended the CIP work session on the 9th, the Fall Festival parade on the 13th, and an FRA meeting on the 15th. He said he now has open positions on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and the Social Services Board and asked anyone interested in serving to reach out to him. He then nominated Kris Parker to serve on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees and the Board approved.
Granger then asked for a moment to recognize County staff and had Brad Hudson come forward to speak. Hudson then spoke of the accomplishments of Travis Self, stating he was the only inspector he's known to become fully certified within a one year period. He said that not only did Self need to attend multiple modules and take four exams, he did it all while working a new job. Because of Self's determination, Hudson nominated him for the NACo High Performance Leadership Academy and he was accepted.
Hudson then went on to celebrate the accomplishments of Heather Hall. Hudson said she started with the County as a permit technician in 2005 and has been promoted several times since. He said she has also made great strides by improving the process for permits and planning and zoning. As part of his nomination letter to the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (VAZO), Hudson said Hall was "firm, fair, and consistent." He said VAZO only gives five awards each year and said Hall had earned the Annual Achievement Award for Certified Zoning Officials from them.
 |
| Richard Granger, Heather Hall, and Brad Hudson. |
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Next on the Agenda was the Capital Budget Presentation by Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator. Dr. Young said he invited Sheriff Dempsey and Chris Dines, Director of Information Technology (IT), to the meeting to provide answers to some outstanding questions from the Supervisors. Dr. Young also said that he researched the potential for a 50,000 square foot Courthouse and the estimated cost was $306 per square foot for a total of $21.9 million but cautioned the Supervisors that his estimate was based on 2017 prices. Young said with an industry standard inflation increase of 3%, it would be closer to $22.5 million.
Sheriff Dempsey then came forward to answer questions regarding his CIP request for new laptops. Brabo said that some of the Supervisors couldn't remember how old the current laptops were and also wanted to know if there was a cost savings to making a bulk purchase and what the benefits were for training officers on matching devices.
Sheriff Dempsey said a bulk purchase allows them to use the same docking equipment as well as a 25% cost savings. He said the current laptops were six years old and seven of them no longer worked. The Supervisors seemed pleased to hear his answers.
Chris Dines then came forward to answer questions about his IT requests. Brabo asked the same question, if it was necessary to do both projects, related to fiber and server upgrades, at the same time. Dines said both projects don't need to be done at the same time, however the point of the projects was to create redundancy for the County, including for emergency services. Brabo asked Dines to explain, for herself and for citizens, the reason for redundancy and if the project was split over multiple years how that would impact redundancy. Dines said the idea behind having a back-up was for emergencies and natural disasters. He said by virtualizing the servers to a secure cloud platform, it would allow employees to access data and systems from anywhere. Dines also said that it would act as a backup for data and provide increased connection speeds which would be essential for the next generation 911 system.
Dr. Young added that the 911 Dispatch Center went offline twice last year and King George had to rely on neighboring Counties for assistance. Young said he tasked Dines with creating a redundancy plan to ensure the County could still operate should something happen, like a loss of a fiber connection. He said he really didn't want to rely on neighbors to address their needs in the future.
Dines also said that with Atlantic Broadband being the sole internet provider, it would be good to have a back up and would eventually save money by cutting costs. Jeff Bueche asked about the fiber lines that were installed by the schools and if the five year waiting period was over to tap into those lines. Dines said the section on Route 3 was available but the ones to Potomac and Sealston Elementary Schools were not. Bueche asked if there would be a cost savings if Dines only focused on providing fiber to the Fire and Rescue Department. Dines said there would be a cost savings to not do all of the upgrades but didn't have an exact number. Dr. Young interjected and said he would advise against splitting up the project like that because it would be like kicking the can down the road and added that later in the meeting he would explain that the County would be healthier than expected compared to last week. Brabo added that they would eventually pay more by doing the project in pieces. Bueche said he understood that but was thinking about the still undecided solution for the Courthouse and that installing new fiber to the Courthouse now may not be a benefit if they build a new building later. Dr. Young said that regardless of which Courthouse solution is chosen, faster internet would still be necessary as none of the plans call for the existing Courthouse to sit empty. The Supervisors appeared to come to a consensus on both the laptops and the IT upgrades.
Moving on, the Board then had a discussion on the future of the Courthouse. There was some discussion about funding and how much was needed, but in the end, they voted to approve funds to do a study to determine the best method of delivery for whatever solution is eventually decided upon.
The Board then approved the CIP projects and their respective budgets.
Brabo noted that this was the third year in a row that the Supervisors have cash funded projects without accumulating any new debt.
Dr. Young said they would still need to vote to adopt the CIP projects and appropriate their budgets but that no waiting period was required. He recommended the Supervisors do this prior to their training session on October 30th, thus giving County staff time to get the paperwork ready. Dr. Young also said that with the approvals tonight, there was no need for the previously scheduled meeting on October 23rd.
Next on the Agenda was an update from Eric Gregory, County Attorney. He said he had finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County Parks and Recreation Department, the Friends of Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT), and the trail's owner, David Brickley. He said the DRHT, a trail over 15 miles long in the County, would continue to be privately owned and that the Friends of DRHT would continue to maintain it. The big change would be the Parks and Recreation Department would take over management of the trail as a County park and a DRHT Committee would be formed to ensure all parties would be represented. Jim Lynch, Friends of DRHT Secretary, was present to answer questions and said he felt that Gregory captured everything. Lynch also said that the Friends group felt this was the right step along the way to becoming a part of the State Park System. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT.]
The Supervisors approved the MOU. Brabo added that this was a "long time coming" and that for those that have been involved from the beginning, they now get to see the benefit. She also thanked everyone and said the Board sees the trail as an asset. Gregory added that the Parks and Recreation Department was enthusiastic about the addition of the trail.
Dr. Young then proposed a request to transfer funds so the Parks and Recreation Department could purchase a new gymnastic spring floor for the Quonset Hut, also known as the Old King George Elementary School Gymnasium. He said the current gymnastics team, the Astros, would be moving to a new location and they would be taking the spring floor with them because they purchased it. Young said the spring floor was an important part of the Parks and Recreation Department's gymnastics program. Brabo asked if the team was leaving because of the condition of the Quonset Hut and Young said no, they just got a better deal elsewhere. The Board approved of the expense.
Dr. Young then presented two amendments to the Landfill Agreement. The first amendment was for the County to assume operations at the convenience centers. He said the County would hire two full-time employees and three part-time employees. John Jenkins asked when the job announcement would go out and Young said very soon. Brabo said she heard rumors that the convenience center hours would be reduced. Dr. Young said that Jeff Jenkins, Director of Landfill Operations and no relation to Supervisor John Jenkins, and the Landfill Advisory Committee have been taking a hard look at the impact but would not be reducing hours. He said that the hours may change and there was discussion about holiday closures but he didn't want to get ahead of the Committee. The Board approved of the first amendment.
The second amendment was to accept additional tonnage at the landfill. The increase in trash being accepted would result in just over $3 million in additional revenue. The Board approved the second amendment.
Dr. Young began his report by asking for the Board to choose a representative for the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) to attend the annual business meeting. Jeff Bueche was chosen as the primary representative with Ruby Brabo as the alternate.
Dr. Young then informed the Supervisors of additional VACo communication and information from VDOT regarding upcoming meetings. He also recognized Amanda Sumiel, Director of Human Resources, for her work on getting King George County certified as a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer. The audience applauded her efforts.
The Board went into Closed Session at 8:51pm. Darell Hertenstein and three others were invited to attend but were given hand signals to wait a few minutes before they did. Hertenstein and his associates eventually joined the Closed Session at 9:02pm and left at 9:19pm. The rest of the Board ended their Closed Session at 9:23 pm.
The meeting adjourned at 9:24pm.
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)
Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on October 30, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
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