by Neil Richard
After an earlier budget work session to discuss the upcoming Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Board of Supervisors once again met to discuss more projected CIP projects for the coming years. First on the agenda for the evening was Dr. Benson, King George County Schools Superintendent, and Dan Hopper, Supervisor of Technology. Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, once again apologized for not informing Dr. Benson of the previous meeting in time to present.
Dr. Benson began the school's presentation with the standard replacement of several school buses. He said they have a rotating schedule where every year they replace the oldest buses with the most mileage to ensure the fleet is as fully functional as possible. Next was a discussion about the need for a new phone system for all of the schools. Dr. Benson said the Middle School would be getting a new phone system with the expansion project and it would be compatible with the new system he proposes. Dan Hopper said it was a safety and security issue that calls could not be made out sometimes and that the system would randomly reboot. Although his concern was clear when he explained the need, Hopper's comment at the end that "it really concerns me" had the tone and inflection of somebody that truly was concerned about the safety of students and employees.
Hopper also asked for funding for new security cameras at Sealston Elementary and King George Elementary. Dr. Benson said there was a chance a grant would cover part of the costs but it wasn't guaranteed. The Supervisors suggested creating a replacement plan similar to the existing one for computers and buses and Hopper readily agreed to implementing that in the future.
Dr. Young then presented his previously discussed project to digitize and preserve the County's historical documents. The next item he added created a bit more discussion. The previously funded Trailways Feasibility Study was complete and he wanted to add the actual project itself to the CIP list. The Supervisors were split between putting such a large item on the list and actually following through with the study's findings. While they all seemed willing to make the money spent on the study count for something, some were not enthusiastic to put a project on the list for $36 million. In the end, they agreed to put it on there for now as a placeholder and revisit it next year to split it out into smaller pieces. Dr. Young felt this was the best course of action as it put the project on the list proving the money for the study wasn't wasted. He also said he didn't have the time to break it down into smaller projects before the CIP needed to be approved but would be able to do so by next year.
Dr. Young then presented some glowing news based on the hard work of Wilma Ward, Director of Finance. Mrs. Ward was able to scrub various capital project budgets that had been completed and found $148,090 in unused funds. Some of these funds dated back to 2007 and some were more recent. For example, the Ralph Bunche Study fund was last used in 2018 but only had a remainder of $329. On the other hand, the Government Complex Study fund was last used in 2008 and had $15,117 left over. The Board happily voted to return the unspent money back into the capital improvement fund.
The major news of the evening was Dr. Young's presentation on the Courthouse. As previously discussed at length by many of the workers in the Courthouse, it is in disrepair and there is a great need to either replace it or repair it. Dr. Young presented three different options for a potential solution. The first option was to build a new building next to the Sheriff's Office at an expense of about $30 million. The second option was to refurbish the Old Middle School at a cost of about $31 million. But it was his third option to reuse existing buildings at a cost of about $34 million, that he focused on.
While the details are still in flux and the Supervisors will later hear from architects, the end result Dr. Young presented was to move the Circuit Court to the Revercomb Building, keep the General District and Juvenile Courts in the Old Courthouse, and move the County Offices to the Old Middle School. In addition to the County employees moving to the Old Middle School off Dahlgren Road, he also proposed moving the School Board Offices and the Pre-School there as well. This would leave the current School Board Office, or the Old King George Elementary School, off St. Anthony's Road vacant.
Dr. Young said he had preliminary discussions with Dr. Benson but that nothing was set in stone and that this was his theory on how to best use existing space. While he admitted it would cost a little more to use this option, it provided for a better solution for the needs of the Courts. Additionally, it would allow them to expand in twenty to forty years off the Revercomb Building if the need arose. And if expansion was necessary, it would cost less than adding another brand new building.
There were a lot of questions the Supervisors had and they were all valid. From the security needs of Court employees to the security needs of the Pre-School students. From room for parking at the Revercomb building to potential future expansion at the Old Middle School. But in the end, even without having answers to all of the questions posed, this felt like a good plan. It may not be perfect and there are certainly wrinkles to iron out. However, if followed, it would leave the County with fewer abandoned assets to maintain and allow for future expansion needs, all while costing only slightly more than a brand new Courthouse building that would only be used by the Courts. As someone with a heavy interest in history, I felt relieved that it gave the County an option to use historical buildings without tearing them down.
After an earlier budget work session to discuss the upcoming Capital Improvement Program (CIP), the Board of Supervisors once again met to discuss more projected CIP projects for the coming years. First on the agenda for the evening was Dr. Benson, King George County Schools Superintendent, and Dan Hopper, Supervisor of Technology. Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, once again apologized for not informing Dr. Benson of the previous meeting in time to present.
Dr. Benson began the school's presentation with the standard replacement of several school buses. He said they have a rotating schedule where every year they replace the oldest buses with the most mileage to ensure the fleet is as fully functional as possible. Next was a discussion about the need for a new phone system for all of the schools. Dr. Benson said the Middle School would be getting a new phone system with the expansion project and it would be compatible with the new system he proposes. Dan Hopper said it was a safety and security issue that calls could not be made out sometimes and that the system would randomly reboot. Although his concern was clear when he explained the need, Hopper's comment at the end that "it really concerns me" had the tone and inflection of somebody that truly was concerned about the safety of students and employees.
Hopper also asked for funding for new security cameras at Sealston Elementary and King George Elementary. Dr. Benson said there was a chance a grant would cover part of the costs but it wasn't guaranteed. The Supervisors suggested creating a replacement plan similar to the existing one for computers and buses and Hopper readily agreed to implementing that in the future.
Dr. Young then presented his previously discussed project to digitize and preserve the County's historical documents. The next item he added created a bit more discussion. The previously funded Trailways Feasibility Study was complete and he wanted to add the actual project itself to the CIP list. The Supervisors were split between putting such a large item on the list and actually following through with the study's findings. While they all seemed willing to make the money spent on the study count for something, some were not enthusiastic to put a project on the list for $36 million. In the end, they agreed to put it on there for now as a placeholder and revisit it next year to split it out into smaller pieces. Dr. Young felt this was the best course of action as it put the project on the list proving the money for the study wasn't wasted. He also said he didn't have the time to break it down into smaller projects before the CIP needed to be approved but would be able to do so by next year.
Dr. Young then presented some glowing news based on the hard work of Wilma Ward, Director of Finance. Mrs. Ward was able to scrub various capital project budgets that had been completed and found $148,090 in unused funds. Some of these funds dated back to 2007 and some were more recent. For example, the Ralph Bunche Study fund was last used in 2018 but only had a remainder of $329. On the other hand, the Government Complex Study fund was last used in 2008 and had $15,117 left over. The Board happily voted to return the unspent money back into the capital improvement fund.
The major news of the evening was Dr. Young's presentation on the Courthouse. As previously discussed at length by many of the workers in the Courthouse, it is in disrepair and there is a great need to either replace it or repair it. Dr. Young presented three different options for a potential solution. The first option was to build a new building next to the Sheriff's Office at an expense of about $30 million. The second option was to refurbish the Old Middle School at a cost of about $31 million. But it was his third option to reuse existing buildings at a cost of about $34 million, that he focused on.
While the details are still in flux and the Supervisors will later hear from architects, the end result Dr. Young presented was to move the Circuit Court to the Revercomb Building, keep the General District and Juvenile Courts in the Old Courthouse, and move the County Offices to the Old Middle School. In addition to the County employees moving to the Old Middle School off Dahlgren Road, he also proposed moving the School Board Offices and the Pre-School there as well. This would leave the current School Board Office, or the Old King George Elementary School, off St. Anthony's Road vacant.
Dr. Young said he had preliminary discussions with Dr. Benson but that nothing was set in stone and that this was his theory on how to best use existing space. While he admitted it would cost a little more to use this option, it provided for a better solution for the needs of the Courts. Additionally, it would allow them to expand in twenty to forty years off the Revercomb Building if the need arose. And if expansion was necessary, it would cost less than adding another brand new building.
There were a lot of questions the Supervisors had and they were all valid. From the security needs of Court employees to the security needs of the Pre-School students. From room for parking at the Revercomb building to potential future expansion at the Old Middle School. But in the end, even without having answers to all of the questions posed, this felt like a good plan. It may not be perfect and there are certainly wrinkles to iron out. However, if followed, it would leave the County with fewer abandoned assets to maintain and allow for future expansion needs, all while costing only slightly more than a brand new Courthouse building that would only be used by the Courts. As someone with a heavy interest in history, I felt relieved that it gave the County an option to use historical buildings without tearing them down.
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