by Neil Richard
The Board of Supervisors opened their meeting at 7:09pm to a full crowd of citizens in the Board Room.
There were no amendments to the Agenda.
Public Comment opened with Jeron Hayes and Sandy Pearson stepping up to the podium. Hayes said she was the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) for the Navy's base in Dahlgren and was there on behalf of Captain O'Leary. She read a letter from the Captain stating that the base would host a Fourth of July celebration in 2020 to help King George County celebrate its 300th anniversary. Hayes said the celebration is advantageous for the base and the County and that Pearson was an amazing asset to the County. Hayes said they are already discussing planning and budgets and said the Dahlgren Heritage Museum would host a tourism event later this summer as well. She said it was a rare occasion when everyone can come on base for an event. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.]
Pearson added that it was a pleasure to on the event even though they had to keep things quiet until now. She said they've been working closely with the base to make it the centerpiece of the 300th celebration.
Next to speak was Claudette Jordon, President of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association (RBAA). She asked for her fellow RBAA members in the audience to stand, of which about 15 people did so. Jordon said that instead of all them standing in line behind her to speak, she would ask the Supervisors if she could speak on their behalf. Jeff Bueche, Chairman, allowed it.
Jordon began her presentation by saying she had sent the Supervisors two letters, one from the RBAA Executive Committee and General Membership and another letter from the Center for Historic Preservation at the University of Mary Washington. Both letters rescinded their support for the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center (RBAHC) and their proposed preservation and development of the Ralph Bunche property. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association and a Board member of the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center.]
Jordon continued by saying that the RBAA was excited when Echelon, a developer, was working to develop the property. Jordon said that when Echelon backed out of the deal, Marsha Stonehill came up with a plan. Jordon said everything works on paper with the plan but she felt they didn't read the fine print and should have. Jordon said she was an original member of the RBAHC Board and tried to help as much as she could. She said some things were antagonistic and rigid and that the whole thing was built on the fact that they could do this. Jordon said the group never got to meet with the architects and developers and that the previously estimated cost of $6 million was too high. Jordon said the promised $2.5 million donation never materialized, there are no officers, and ten months was wasted working on a logo. She said Stonehill was not developing money to work on the development and that Federal and State grants were "poopooed" because Stonehill felt there were too many regulations involved. Jordon said nothing was getting done. She said you don't turn on the oven and put the pan in and then worry about the ingredients. She felt Stonehill parachuted into the project but didn't have the resources. Jordon said RBAA will continue to work this thing but doesn't think they should wait for a neophyte organization, the RBAHC, to come into their own while nothing happens. Jordon said there are other developers out there that have experience and funds to get started and that's what they're looking for. She said it's okay that Stonehill wants to develop the RBAHC group but not at the expense of the project. Jordon said the RBAHC will probably do a presentation later and that if Julie does it, it will be nice since she has skills. She said it became apparent to her that no input was going to be accepted and decided to rededicate herself to the Ralph Bunche project instead. Jordon said too much was at stake. She ended her comments with a scripted call and response from the crowd by asking "how long?" and the audience responding "too long."
Phyllis Cook was next to speak. She read an open letter to the RBAHC Board announcing her resignation from the Board. She said as a lifetime member of Alumni Association, she served as one of two members to represent the RBAA on the Arts and Humanities Board. Cook said she concurred with the recent votes of no confidence and, like others, was distressed to hear of the unauthorized removal of plans from the Ralph Bunche building by Marsha Stonehill. Cook said she was relieved to hear that Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, retrieved them. She said that Stonehill has a dream and she's heard a lot of talk but not a lot of progress. She said she heard about the no bid architect but there was an inability to follow through and report Board decisions accurately. Cook said that Stonehill has no President, no CEO, no executive leadership, and no funding yet still says there is no problem in getting $6 million in funding in three years. Cook also said the $10,000 in seed money was never mentioned and the proposed Letter of Intent (LOI) on tonight's Agenda will only delay the realities. Cook said she was confident that an experienced developer can be found by Dr. Young and appreciated Young's support.
John Jenkins started his report by thanking everyone for making comments. He said it certainly gives him something to think about regarding Ralph Bunche and that it was great to hear about the upcoming base event. He finished his report by saying he attended the budget work sessions on April 23rd and 30th.
Richard Granger also thanked everyone for coming out to comment. He said he was also excited to hear about the 300th celebration on base and thanked everyone for sharing their concerns with Ralph Bunche. He said he had not received the letters until that morning so had not had time to talk to staff or other parties about the issues. He finished his report by saying he also attended the budget work sessions on April 23rd and 30th.
Cathy Binder thanked everyone for coming out to speak and echoed previous comments that the base event was great news. She said her older son enjoyed past events but her younger daughter hasn't had the chance. She also thanked everyone for coming out to speak about the history of Ralph Bunche and the school's legacy. She said one of her many degrees is in history and that many don't know she has made it a mission to scan all of the high school yearbooks, including 11 from Ralph Bunche.
Ruby Brabo said that on April 17th she attended the Fredericksburg Chamber Legislative award ceremony and was happy to see her good friend Bob Thomas be recognized as Delegate of the Year. She said she and Bob have worked well together over the six years when he served on the Stafford Board of Supervisors and that the relationship has continued now that he's at the state level. On April 18th, Brabo spoke at the Hopyard Homeowners Association meeting. She attended the budget work session on the 23rd and 30th as well as the Electoral Board appreciation dinner on the 25th. On May 1st she was the guest of Stu Ashton at the Community Foundation Philanthropy Luncheon. On May 2nd she attended the National Day of Prayer and on the 4th she spoke at the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association meeting.
Brabo continued and said it was fantastic news about the base fireworks. She also thanked RBAA for sharing their concerns and letters and felt that it was obviously their project and their history and that their support was extremely important. Brabo said that the Mallows Bay issue needs to stay on the radar and asked for a new, updated letter be sent to all of the representatives as it has a big impact on the base. She then asked if the language in the No Wake Zone ordinance could be clarified as some residents were worried it applied to the entire Upper Machodoc Creek. Dr. Young said the ordinance is named after the Upper Machodoc Creek but the No Wake Zone boundaries are approved by Virginia's Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF). Young said they deliberately measure the boundaries. Brabo asked if there was a way to add that as a reference point int he ordinance and Young said the purpose was to allow other property owners to pursue a No Wake Zone if they wanted so that constant amendments to the ordinance wouldn't be needed. Brabo asked again if that was the only area, and Young said yes it was.
Brabo then read a letter from Juan Marte, CEO of KGI Communications, thanking her for speaking with the National Association of Counties (NACo) regarding the delay in acquiring approval for the non-line-of-sight frequency. Brabo then went on to issue County Challenge Coins to Heather Hall, Angela Foroughi, Louis Pancotti, and Brad Hudson, for their hard work in helping the County. Additionally, she read a Resolution to this effect stating that they "went above and beyond to ensure due diligence was done regarding the Heilman project..." and for "Making a Difference" in the County.
After the Board approved the Resolution, Dr. Young further clarified the No Wake Zone was hard to miss as the bouys were already in the water and very conspicuous.
Jeff Bueche, in a report nearly as long as Brabo's, made up for not giving reports at the last few meetings. On April 9th, he participated in the Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting which he felt was very educational. He said the information in the Tier II Facility Summary Report prepared by Monique Dina was going to be useful to the fire department for training as well as hazmat responders. On April 10th he participated in the Meet In The Middle torch run and was proud of his wife Ann and everyone else who worked to put on an amazing event. That same day he also went to the Tappahannock Region Local Government Round-table to discuss the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Phase III. Bueche said he had concerns about the WIP as it straddled the line between appropriate regulation and over regulation. He said the Bay needed an intervention but that due to years of regulations and oversight, the grasses and crabs are returning to the Bay in numbers that haven't been seen in decades. Bueche said he felt like the initial phases of the WIP worked but putting the financial burden on localities to enforce stricter rules was concerning.
Bueche continued his report saying he participated in the April 16th Board meeting remotely and was there for the budget work sessions on the 23rd and 30th. Also on the 23rd, Bueche said he visited the Purkins Corner Convenience Center and was pleased to see the employees were helpful and that the site was clean. He said there's a tendency to only hear the negative complaints and felt it was nice to share some positive news. Bueche said he felt the experience was not the exception but rather the norm. On the 25th, Bueche attended the Election Workers Appreciation Dinner and was impressed by the volunteers who dedicate so much time to protect the integrity of our democracy. He thanked Lorrie Gump, Registrar, for her help. On May 2nd, Bueche attended the National Day of Prayer. Regarding the comments from the public, he said it was good to hear both sides to gain insight.
Brabo added that as a point of interest, she had reengaged discussions with Vakos and Jarrell and would be meeting with them this week. Binder asked what the discussions concerned and Brabo said the Ralph Bunche building, the old King George Middle School, and the School Board Office buildings.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Bueche then asked for an update on the Fairview Beach Residents Association and a letter of credit related to the Army Corps of Engineers study. Gregory said the letter of credit was part of the agreement and amendments to the agreement are allowed. Bueche asked when a draft could be reviewed and Gregory said he would try to provide one by the next meeting.
Next on the Agenda was Steve McKeever from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to discuss the proposed Secondary Six Year Plan. McKeever asked the Supervisors if they had the drafted list in their packets and Brabo said they do but it's sideways and hard to read. After some wrangling of paper copies McKeever continued without any formal presentation in an attempt to simplify the process. He said that Peerless Lane is nearly complete and Chatterton Lane will begin construction in about two months. McKeever said he and his crews visited each road in question and even videoed each one, to get an estimate of how much it would cost to pave them. He said based on that, he highlighted in the list which roads he thought would be best to pave with the funds available. He asked the Board to approve the final list by their first meeting in June.
Binder asked about Alden Road and said it was mentioned last year. She said a lot of elderly residents live on the road and that it is subject to flooding in some areas and that it washes out in others. Brabo said that because of the low vehicle count and the length, it couldn't be done but agrees that it's dangerous and problematic. She suggested maybe there could be a temporary fix. McKeever said they could look at it again but that some drainage pipes fall under the definition of bridges because of their size.
Brabo reminded McKeever that the Board has looked to stretch funds by paving shorter roads in an effort to pave as many as possible on the list. She chided him for changing the order and that citizens are going to be mad. McKeever said he hasn't changed the order of the list and that they were simply listed in order of vehicles per day. Brabo said that citizens don't see it that way. McKeever said he didn't rank anything as a priority, just listed them in order of vehicle traffic. Brabo asked why he suggested paving the roads he did to which he said it based on numerous factors. In addition to the number of vehicles traveling the road each day, McKeever said he also looked at length, estimated cost, and the number of homes on each road. He said many of the ones he suggested were off Highway 301 in the Dahlgren District and they totaled 2.2 miles of improvements and would serve 53 homes and one church. McKeever said he felt that would give the biggest bang for our buck but that he wasn't trying to push the Board into picking these roads, instead he was just explaining his methodology.
Brabo asked if this was the year for revenue sharing to which Dr. Young said it was. Brabo said that would give the County more funding and McKeever cautioned that would be the case only if it was approved. McKeever added that some of the shorter roads also faced more complex issues, such as drainage and wetlands, and that's why their estimated costs were higher. He said if money was still left over he could try to pave part of Alden Road. Brabo said she didn't have any heartburn but hasn't heard from citizens. To Binder, Brabo said that residents may not like Chestnut Hill Loop getting paved before Alden but the Board didn't have to decide tonight.
Bueche said he had a few more wrenches to throw at him but felt if McKeever could dodge a wrench, he could dodge a ball. Bueche said Dixon Lane looked like a better choice as did Woodland Way. Granger said he drove all the unpaved roads in the past and took notes on each one. He said some have school buses and that families may have moved into those areas since then. Binder said she knows a bus used to go down Ivy Hill Loop but doesn't this year. McKeever also added that between Chestnut Hill Loop and Dixon Lane that there was a large gap in the number of homes they served. He said he thought about adding Dixon Lane but needed to keep some money on hand to address other issues in the County as they arose. Brabo asked if he needed a motion and Dr. Young said the Public Hearing had already been advertised. McKeever added that before their next meeting, he would like to know what the Board was thinking so he could enter it into the work portal before it closed.
Next on the Agenda was the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center (RBAHC) Letter of Intent Presentation by Marsha Stonehill and Julie Chatman. Before they began, Dr. Young added for clarity that he has never had a conversation with either Vakos or Jarrell and that the meeting was only set up a few hours earlier. Stonehill and Chatman took turns presenting various portions of the planned development of the Ralph Bunche High School. With a timeline of three years to raise $6 million dollars, specifically $2 million each year, the Arts and Humanities Center would restore the school and provide museum space for the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association (RBAA) as well as meeting areas for a variety of events. A restaurant could help provide revenue over the life of the project as well as leased office space. Artist studios and a gallery is also planned along with classrooms that could be used to teach art. With economic benefits to King George County, especially related to tourism and tax revenue, Stonehill and Chatman said the project is unique and offers a service unlike any other in the area. They said the location and history are great and the project is aligned with community planning.
Binder asked for clarification on the items that were removed from the building. Stonehill said that when she and others went to the building to get a program estimate, they discovered architectural plans and documents in a non-climate controlled environment. She saw it as an opportunity to better preserve them and thus removed them and notified Dr. Young.
Bueche asked for clarity about the funding. He said there was a lot of talk about $6 million and wanted to know if there were benchmarks along the way. Chatman said that yes, in the drafted Letter of Intent (LOI), the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center would be required to obtain $2 million in funding each year for three years. Bueche asked that if the LOI was ratified, could the County come back in a year and nullify the agreement if RBAHC didn't get the necessary $2 million. Chatman said that was correct, if RBAHC didn't get the $2 million in a year, the agreement was void and the property would remain under the control of the County.
Brabo said that, recognizing the current situation with the earlier revocation of support from the Alumni Association, could this plan be considered for a different building. Stonehill said not for her personally because the proposal was inspired by the importance preserving the African American heritage of Ralph Bunche. Stonehill said she felt that now that the plan is public, the County's endorsement would allow for a more aggressive pursuit of donors and philanthropists.
Binder asked how can RBAHC do it better than a big corporation or big developer. Chatman said the RBAHC can do it better because we live in the County and care about the County. She said the facility is something feeds back into the County while developers may be more concerned with adding something else like apartments. Stonehill added that there's a potential that a developer would donate money to the project but said these types of things are more about collaborating rather than competing. She also said that previous statements frequently mentioned only her name and she felt that instead of it being "Marsha Stonehill will, it's we will." Stonehill said it's an effort of many people and has to be endorsed by the community. She said there has been a lot of apprehension but with the County's endorsement, she feels that apprehension will subside.
Granger said that because of some of the comments tonight, he would like to do more investigating. He asked what the impact would be if the Board waited two weeks before deciding. Chatman said there would not be an impact and offered to address anything mentioned previously in the meeting. Granger said he would prefer to table the decision until later.
Jenkins said it was too important of a project to make a rushed decision. However, he did not want to just continue to kick the decision down the road and would like to make a decision by the next meeting. Binder said that most on the Board only heard about the project the day before. She said her daughter plays soccer on the fields below the school and there are a lot of broken windows. She added that the mold is bad inside and that it should be addressed sooner rather than later. Chatman asked if it was the project itself of the opposition that Binder had just learned about and Binder said it was the project. Binder said she would like to study it more before making a decision. Brabo said that Bueche and Binder didn't have the historical knowledge on the project.
Bueche said that, speaking for himself, he liked the concept. However, he did not like two nonprofits that have a similar vision but can't seem to get along. He felt it was a power struggle over a building that belongs to the citizens. Bueche said he wants to see something happen with the building and there have been a lot of dreams and delusions of grandeur, but nothing has happened. He said that the building is still there decaying and that it was unfortunate that three organizations, the Dahlgren Heritage Museum, the King George Historical Society, and the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association, can't collaborate to house everything in one place. He felt that would be a benefit to everyone in King George. Bueche said he was not willing to commit any County money to building at Ralph Bunche as long as there are other needs in the County. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a lifetime member of the King George County Historical Society.]
Brabo moved to postpone any decision until the next Board meeting and the rest of the Board approved.
Stonehill added that Larry Abell was present in the audience and it might be a good time to ask him about the building. Abell stood and said he was the President of the Maryland Veterans Museum at Patriot Park in Maryland. He said it felt like deja vu with all the discussions that occurred. He said the project in Maryland had a building with a similar age but in worse condition. He said the county was going to demolish the building but his non-profit group worked to get involved to preserve it. He said it took them eight years to deal with a bad roof, mold, asbestos, and lead paint but in the end they had 20,000 square feet of exhibit space covering everything from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War. Abell said their plan was for a county museum but it has turned into a state museum instead because of their support. He said a project like this can happen and that it's a place for the community. Abell said they've hosted everything from weddings to funerals. He said they have to take the first step and believe in each other.
Dr. Young said he wanted to address two things that were left a little ambiguous. First, he said the Board was not aware of the proposal's details because, as with any project proposal, the Supervisors see the highlights. He said that a proposal of 80 or more pages, regardless of who it comes from, it too much for the Supervisors to digest. Instead, he said the full proposal goes to staff and has the development office give the Supervisors a summary of the proposal and keeps the full proposal in his office for their review if they desire to do so. Second, regarding the removal of documents from the school, Young said that normally he would lead the tour of a County building. Due to scheduling conflicts, and that there was County staff in the building, he felt comfortable not being present. He said that Stonehill was going on vacation shortly after her tour so he went to pick up the documents himself since they did belong to the County. He added that having documents like this in a non-climate controlled environment was part of his reason for pushing to implement a document scanning project.
Bueche asked if County staff reviewed the proposal and if they did, what was their recommendation. Young said they had reviewed the proposal and the recommendation was to approve the signing of the Letter of Intent. He said that was before the concerns were raised by the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association. Brabo added that previously the Arts and Humanities Center had letters of support from the Alumni Association. Bueche asked if Jordon could stand again and answer a question about their vote on Saturday. Jordon said the Executive Committee had met earlier and voted for no confidence and then the general membership voted for no confidence on Saturday. Bueche asked when the Executive Committee met and made that vote and Jordon said she didn't have the date on hand but they meet once a month.
Bueche said the plan looks good on paper and seems like a viable project. He asked Jordon what would the Alumni Association do if this project didn't go forward. Jordon said the Alumni Association's plan has never changed. She said the County spent $65,000 on the Wiley Wilson report and that it was to be an education project. She said that every time a developer gets involved, the plan morphs. She said there was nothing wrong with the original plan from Wiley Wilson and the Alumni Association recommends every developer look at it. Bueche said that the previous plan didn't come to fruition. Jordon said that was because the developer couldn't work with the County. She said that whoever comes next, they need to have the funding to hit the ground running with shovels in the ground and hammers on the wall. Jordon said the building is going down and so are the alumni. She said there was no conflict between the groups, it just fell apart when the funding wasn't there. She said again that she was a founding member of the Arts and Humanities Center's Board.
Binder asked how can we be promised that a new developer can offer anything. She felt the important part was to keep the story alive for the people here instead of arguing about it. Jordon said she was just saying that a neophyte group isn't the one to use but rather an established group is the way to go. Bueche said he thinks things may have changed when a developer showed interest and that it may be a single organization's project instead of a joint project. Brabo said that was what she mentioned earlier but that the general membership of the Alumni Association had already voted before that. Binder said that not all members knew about it beforehand. Brabo said there was no disclosure to them beforehand and that she spoke to Vakos and Jarrell only this morning. Granger interrupted and said he felt the meeting was getting out of order with the discussion.
Next on the Agenda was Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, who proposed a new tax rate be created for data centers. He said this would allow King George to be competitive with surrounding counties as current zoning does not address data centers and therefore a tax rate can't be adopted for them. A Public Hearing was approved.
Gandy then presented along with Pearson about the Civil War Trails Application for tourism funding for signage. There were four proposed signs to be installed in the County to mark significant events from the Civil War. The funding would not be a grant but rather straight funding to pay for five years of membership. The Board approved. Jenkins added that he was excited to finally see this happen. He said the Civil War industry was huge and he could see a lot of tourism in the area. He thanked Annie Cupka for putting in a lot of work prior to her leaving to make it happen. Binder added that Elizabeth Lee is also working on a new John Wilkes Booth book about his route through the County.
Gandy and Pearson were joined by Jordon to discuss the Fall Festival applications for tourism funding. Brabo said every year they go through the same thing and ask for explanations and consensus from the Board and recommended they give the Fall Festival Committee the same amount as they gave them last year. Pearson said the decision was tabled in order to get the after action report on the Fall Festival and that the report is in the Tourism Advisory Committee agenda where they talked about inflatables. Brabo said that wasn't the intent of the funding but rather it was for marketing. She said they've removed inflatables in the past and again recommended they do so this year and explain that the funds were for marketing. Pearson said that was why they tabled the decision and didn't know it would be on the Agenda for tonight.
Binder asked if she could get a copy of the state law because she continues to hear about inflatables but needs to know what the law says about funding. She said that in the minutes there was an obsession with attendance but felt it was hard to track. Pearson said Brabo suggested they try to capture demographics in an effort to improve attendance because that drives tourism funding.
Gregory offered to cite the law on tourism funding. After reading it, he said it authorizes the County to levy a transient occupancy tax and as long as the County consults with those tourism organizations, it can spend money on tourism. He added that the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) has that as part of their Charter. Binder joked that there was no mention of inflatables. Bueche said he had no problem moving forward with the staff recommendation. Gregory said the organizations only need to provide input and the Board doesn't have to agree. Granger said he felt the TAC needed to make a decision first before the Board did. Everyone voted in favor of a motion to table the decision except for Binder.
Brabo said it was enlightening. After misguidance six years ago she felt the need for clarity going forward. She asked if the TAC had a copy of what Gregory just read. Gregory repeated himself that the language is in their Charter. Gandy added that each jurisdiction does it different. Some hire employees while others spend tourism funds on events. Gregory agreed saying that some counties hire staff while others build ball fields.
Next on the Agenda was Chris Clarke, Director of Parks and Recreation. He began with a presentation on the proposed update to the Bylaws for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Brabo said she had concerns about his staff putting up and taking down signage. Clarke said that was his next point and that he was talking about the Bylaws. Binder said she appreciated the update to the Bylaws because she used to serve on that Committee. Clarke said they had to make several updates because what the Committee was doing, such as meeting times, was different than the Bylaws. Additionally, some new changes needed to be made to address quorums and the student representative. The Bylaws were approved.
Clarke then presented his request for the creation of a policy regarding signs and banners for facilities. He said there is currently no policy on the construction of signs, size, or content on signs and banners that are displayed in parks. Brabo repeated her earlier concern about staff placing or removing signs. She said that was a concern to her because it seemed like additional work for staff. Clarke said that as the policy states, either County staff or the organization can put a sign up or take it down. He said right now it's just the King George Little League that has a lot of signs. Brabo again asked why staff would be involved. Clarke said the intent was to make the policy work for future plans of the Parks and Recreation Department installing sponsored signs. Clarke further explained that these would be affiliate signs that the County could earn revenue from. Brabo asked Gregory if the language needed to be clarified to address this. Gregory said he felt the language was clear enough. Bueche commented that it sounded like he was proposing what they suggested the schools do for their fields so seasonal signs could be installed. Dr. Young said the reason for the request was that the Little League was asked to install a sign for a political candidate. Because of the request, they realized there was no policy in place. Young said the policy would ensure there is a guideline, not just for political signs but also to prevent hate speech. The Board approved the policy.
Clarke then presented information on the Complete Census Count Committee. Brabo asked if the meetings would be in the evenings. Young said he wasn't sure since the Committee hasn't been established yet. Brabo asked if they would meet during business hours and Clarke said it wasn't clear yet. Young said it was best to assume they would meet in the evenings for now. Brabo asked if anyone was interested on the Board in serving since her plate was already full. Granger offered to serve as the representative. Bueche asked if he was sure since he had already taken one of his seats in a previous meeting. The Board approved Bueche serving as the representative as well as the rest of the individuals listed in the Agenda. Bueche thanked Granger for being willing to take on another duty.
Dr. Neiman Young then gave a brief report saying that all of the air conditioning units had been replaced at the Courthouse and the mold remediation had been completed. He said Mike Muncie, Director of General Properties, spent over 30 hours of his own time on weekends ensuring the project was completed. Young said the Deputy Treasurer, Camyell Pratt, completed the necessary training to participate in the Virginia Department of Taxation's Debt Set Off Collection Program, allowing the County to realize over $300,000 in revenue. He thanked Muncie and Pratt for their hard work and service to the community.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 9:20pm and invited Gregory and Young to attend. They returned from Closed Session at 9:50pm.
Once back in Open Session, the Board voted to remove Sandy Pearson from the Tourism Advisory Committee. All of the Supervisors approved with Brabo abstaining.
The meeting adjourned at 9:51pm.
Meeting Attendees:
John Jenkins (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Chairman, Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (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 May 21, 2019 at 7:00 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
The Board of Supervisors opened their meeting at 7:09pm to a full crowd of citizens in the Board Room.
There were no amendments to the Agenda.
Public Comment opened with Jeron Hayes and Sandy Pearson stepping up to the podium. Hayes said she was the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) for the Navy's base in Dahlgren and was there on behalf of Captain O'Leary. She read a letter from the Captain stating that the base would host a Fourth of July celebration in 2020 to help King George County celebrate its 300th anniversary. Hayes said the celebration is advantageous for the base and the County and that Pearson was an amazing asset to the County. Hayes said they are already discussing planning and budgets and said the Dahlgren Heritage Museum would host a tourism event later this summer as well. She said it was a rare occasion when everyone can come on base for an event. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.]
Pearson added that it was a pleasure to on the event even though they had to keep things quiet until now. She said they've been working closely with the base to make it the centerpiece of the 300th celebration.
Next to speak was Claudette Jordon, President of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association (RBAA). She asked for her fellow RBAA members in the audience to stand, of which about 15 people did so. Jordon said that instead of all them standing in line behind her to speak, she would ask the Supervisors if she could speak on their behalf. Jeff Bueche, Chairman, allowed it.
Jordon began her presentation by saying she had sent the Supervisors two letters, one from the RBAA Executive Committee and General Membership and another letter from the Center for Historic Preservation at the University of Mary Washington. Both letters rescinded their support for the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center (RBAHC) and their proposed preservation and development of the Ralph Bunche property. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association and a Board member of the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center.]
Jordon continued by saying that the RBAA was excited when Echelon, a developer, was working to develop the property. Jordon said that when Echelon backed out of the deal, Marsha Stonehill came up with a plan. Jordon said everything works on paper with the plan but she felt they didn't read the fine print and should have. Jordon said she was an original member of the RBAHC Board and tried to help as much as she could. She said some things were antagonistic and rigid and that the whole thing was built on the fact that they could do this. Jordon said the group never got to meet with the architects and developers and that the previously estimated cost of $6 million was too high. Jordon said the promised $2.5 million donation never materialized, there are no officers, and ten months was wasted working on a logo. She said Stonehill was not developing money to work on the development and that Federal and State grants were "poopooed" because Stonehill felt there were too many regulations involved. Jordon said nothing was getting done. She said you don't turn on the oven and put the pan in and then worry about the ingredients. She felt Stonehill parachuted into the project but didn't have the resources. Jordon said RBAA will continue to work this thing but doesn't think they should wait for a neophyte organization, the RBAHC, to come into their own while nothing happens. Jordon said there are other developers out there that have experience and funds to get started and that's what they're looking for. She said it's okay that Stonehill wants to develop the RBAHC group but not at the expense of the project. Jordon said the RBAHC will probably do a presentation later and that if Julie does it, it will be nice since she has skills. She said it became apparent to her that no input was going to be accepted and decided to rededicate herself to the Ralph Bunche project instead. Jordon said too much was at stake. She ended her comments with a scripted call and response from the crowd by asking "how long?" and the audience responding "too long."
Phyllis Cook was next to speak. She read an open letter to the RBAHC Board announcing her resignation from the Board. She said as a lifetime member of Alumni Association, she served as one of two members to represent the RBAA on the Arts and Humanities Board. Cook said she concurred with the recent votes of no confidence and, like others, was distressed to hear of the unauthorized removal of plans from the Ralph Bunche building by Marsha Stonehill. Cook said she was relieved to hear that Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, retrieved them. She said that Stonehill has a dream and she's heard a lot of talk but not a lot of progress. She said she heard about the no bid architect but there was an inability to follow through and report Board decisions accurately. Cook said that Stonehill has no President, no CEO, no executive leadership, and no funding yet still says there is no problem in getting $6 million in funding in three years. Cook also said the $10,000 in seed money was never mentioned and the proposed Letter of Intent (LOI) on tonight's Agenda will only delay the realities. Cook said she was confident that an experienced developer can be found by Dr. Young and appreciated Young's support.
John Jenkins started his report by thanking everyone for making comments. He said it certainly gives him something to think about regarding Ralph Bunche and that it was great to hear about the upcoming base event. He finished his report by saying he attended the budget work sessions on April 23rd and 30th.
Richard Granger also thanked everyone for coming out to comment. He said he was also excited to hear about the 300th celebration on base and thanked everyone for sharing their concerns with Ralph Bunche. He said he had not received the letters until that morning so had not had time to talk to staff or other parties about the issues. He finished his report by saying he also attended the budget work sessions on April 23rd and 30th.
Cathy Binder thanked everyone for coming out to speak and echoed previous comments that the base event was great news. She said her older son enjoyed past events but her younger daughter hasn't had the chance. She also thanked everyone for coming out to speak about the history of Ralph Bunche and the school's legacy. She said one of her many degrees is in history and that many don't know she has made it a mission to scan all of the high school yearbooks, including 11 from Ralph Bunche.
Ruby Brabo said that on April 17th she attended the Fredericksburg Chamber Legislative award ceremony and was happy to see her good friend Bob Thomas be recognized as Delegate of the Year. She said she and Bob have worked well together over the six years when he served on the Stafford Board of Supervisors and that the relationship has continued now that he's at the state level. On April 18th, Brabo spoke at the Hopyard Homeowners Association meeting. She attended the budget work session on the 23rd and 30th as well as the Electoral Board appreciation dinner on the 25th. On May 1st she was the guest of Stu Ashton at the Community Foundation Philanthropy Luncheon. On May 2nd she attended the National Day of Prayer and on the 4th she spoke at the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association meeting.
Brabo continued and said it was fantastic news about the base fireworks. She also thanked RBAA for sharing their concerns and letters and felt that it was obviously their project and their history and that their support was extremely important. Brabo said that the Mallows Bay issue needs to stay on the radar and asked for a new, updated letter be sent to all of the representatives as it has a big impact on the base. She then asked if the language in the No Wake Zone ordinance could be clarified as some residents were worried it applied to the entire Upper Machodoc Creek. Dr. Young said the ordinance is named after the Upper Machodoc Creek but the No Wake Zone boundaries are approved by Virginia's Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF). Young said they deliberately measure the boundaries. Brabo asked if there was a way to add that as a reference point int he ordinance and Young said the purpose was to allow other property owners to pursue a No Wake Zone if they wanted so that constant amendments to the ordinance wouldn't be needed. Brabo asked again if that was the only area, and Young said yes it was.
Brabo then read a letter from Juan Marte, CEO of KGI Communications, thanking her for speaking with the National Association of Counties (NACo) regarding the delay in acquiring approval for the non-line-of-sight frequency. Brabo then went on to issue County Challenge Coins to Heather Hall, Angela Foroughi, Louis Pancotti, and Brad Hudson, for their hard work in helping the County. Additionally, she read a Resolution to this effect stating that they "went above and beyond to ensure due diligence was done regarding the Heilman project..." and for "Making a Difference" in the County.
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| (l to r) Foroughi, Hudson, Pancotti, and Brabo. |
After the Board approved the Resolution, Dr. Young further clarified the No Wake Zone was hard to miss as the bouys were already in the water and very conspicuous.
Jeff Bueche, in a report nearly as long as Brabo's, made up for not giving reports at the last few meetings. On April 9th, he participated in the Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting which he felt was very educational. He said the information in the Tier II Facility Summary Report prepared by Monique Dina was going to be useful to the fire department for training as well as hazmat responders. On April 10th he participated in the Meet In The Middle torch run and was proud of his wife Ann and everyone else who worked to put on an amazing event. That same day he also went to the Tappahannock Region Local Government Round-table to discuss the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) Phase III. Bueche said he had concerns about the WIP as it straddled the line between appropriate regulation and over regulation. He said the Bay needed an intervention but that due to years of regulations and oversight, the grasses and crabs are returning to the Bay in numbers that haven't been seen in decades. Bueche said he felt like the initial phases of the WIP worked but putting the financial burden on localities to enforce stricter rules was concerning.
Bueche continued his report saying he participated in the April 16th Board meeting remotely and was there for the budget work sessions on the 23rd and 30th. Also on the 23rd, Bueche said he visited the Purkins Corner Convenience Center and was pleased to see the employees were helpful and that the site was clean. He said there's a tendency to only hear the negative complaints and felt it was nice to share some positive news. Bueche said he felt the experience was not the exception but rather the norm. On the 25th, Bueche attended the Election Workers Appreciation Dinner and was impressed by the volunteers who dedicate so much time to protect the integrity of our democracy. He thanked Lorrie Gump, Registrar, for her help. On May 2nd, Bueche attended the National Day of Prayer. Regarding the comments from the public, he said it was good to hear both sides to gain insight.
Brabo added that as a point of interest, she had reengaged discussions with Vakos and Jarrell and would be meeting with them this week. Binder asked what the discussions concerned and Brabo said the Ralph Bunche building, the old King George Middle School, and the School Board Office buildings.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Bueche then asked for an update on the Fairview Beach Residents Association and a letter of credit related to the Army Corps of Engineers study. Gregory said the letter of credit was part of the agreement and amendments to the agreement are allowed. Bueche asked when a draft could be reviewed and Gregory said he would try to provide one by the next meeting.
Next on the Agenda was Steve McKeever from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to discuss the proposed Secondary Six Year Plan. McKeever asked the Supervisors if they had the drafted list in their packets and Brabo said they do but it's sideways and hard to read. After some wrangling of paper copies McKeever continued without any formal presentation in an attempt to simplify the process. He said that Peerless Lane is nearly complete and Chatterton Lane will begin construction in about two months. McKeever said he and his crews visited each road in question and even videoed each one, to get an estimate of how much it would cost to pave them. He said based on that, he highlighted in the list which roads he thought would be best to pave with the funds available. He asked the Board to approve the final list by their first meeting in June.
Binder asked about Alden Road and said it was mentioned last year. She said a lot of elderly residents live on the road and that it is subject to flooding in some areas and that it washes out in others. Brabo said that because of the low vehicle count and the length, it couldn't be done but agrees that it's dangerous and problematic. She suggested maybe there could be a temporary fix. McKeever said they could look at it again but that some drainage pipes fall under the definition of bridges because of their size.
Brabo reminded McKeever that the Board has looked to stretch funds by paving shorter roads in an effort to pave as many as possible on the list. She chided him for changing the order and that citizens are going to be mad. McKeever said he hasn't changed the order of the list and that they were simply listed in order of vehicles per day. Brabo said that citizens don't see it that way. McKeever said he didn't rank anything as a priority, just listed them in order of vehicle traffic. Brabo asked why he suggested paving the roads he did to which he said it based on numerous factors. In addition to the number of vehicles traveling the road each day, McKeever said he also looked at length, estimated cost, and the number of homes on each road. He said many of the ones he suggested were off Highway 301 in the Dahlgren District and they totaled 2.2 miles of improvements and would serve 53 homes and one church. McKeever said he felt that would give the biggest bang for our buck but that he wasn't trying to push the Board into picking these roads, instead he was just explaining his methodology.
Brabo asked if this was the year for revenue sharing to which Dr. Young said it was. Brabo said that would give the County more funding and McKeever cautioned that would be the case only if it was approved. McKeever added that some of the shorter roads also faced more complex issues, such as drainage and wetlands, and that's why their estimated costs were higher. He said if money was still left over he could try to pave part of Alden Road. Brabo said she didn't have any heartburn but hasn't heard from citizens. To Binder, Brabo said that residents may not like Chestnut Hill Loop getting paved before Alden but the Board didn't have to decide tonight.
Bueche said he had a few more wrenches to throw at him but felt if McKeever could dodge a wrench, he could dodge a ball. Bueche said Dixon Lane looked like a better choice as did Woodland Way. Granger said he drove all the unpaved roads in the past and took notes on each one. He said some have school buses and that families may have moved into those areas since then. Binder said she knows a bus used to go down Ivy Hill Loop but doesn't this year. McKeever also added that between Chestnut Hill Loop and Dixon Lane that there was a large gap in the number of homes they served. He said he thought about adding Dixon Lane but needed to keep some money on hand to address other issues in the County as they arose. Brabo asked if he needed a motion and Dr. Young said the Public Hearing had already been advertised. McKeever added that before their next meeting, he would like to know what the Board was thinking so he could enter it into the work portal before it closed.
Next on the Agenda was the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center (RBAHC) Letter of Intent Presentation by Marsha Stonehill and Julie Chatman. Before they began, Dr. Young added for clarity that he has never had a conversation with either Vakos or Jarrell and that the meeting was only set up a few hours earlier. Stonehill and Chatman took turns presenting various portions of the planned development of the Ralph Bunche High School. With a timeline of three years to raise $6 million dollars, specifically $2 million each year, the Arts and Humanities Center would restore the school and provide museum space for the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association (RBAA) as well as meeting areas for a variety of events. A restaurant could help provide revenue over the life of the project as well as leased office space. Artist studios and a gallery is also planned along with classrooms that could be used to teach art. With economic benefits to King George County, especially related to tourism and tax revenue, Stonehill and Chatman said the project is unique and offers a service unlike any other in the area. They said the location and history are great and the project is aligned with community planning.
Binder asked for clarification on the items that were removed from the building. Stonehill said that when she and others went to the building to get a program estimate, they discovered architectural plans and documents in a non-climate controlled environment. She saw it as an opportunity to better preserve them and thus removed them and notified Dr. Young.
Bueche asked for clarity about the funding. He said there was a lot of talk about $6 million and wanted to know if there were benchmarks along the way. Chatman said that yes, in the drafted Letter of Intent (LOI), the Ralph Bunche Arts and Humanities Center would be required to obtain $2 million in funding each year for three years. Bueche asked that if the LOI was ratified, could the County come back in a year and nullify the agreement if RBAHC didn't get the necessary $2 million. Chatman said that was correct, if RBAHC didn't get the $2 million in a year, the agreement was void and the property would remain under the control of the County.
Brabo said that, recognizing the current situation with the earlier revocation of support from the Alumni Association, could this plan be considered for a different building. Stonehill said not for her personally because the proposal was inspired by the importance preserving the African American heritage of Ralph Bunche. Stonehill said she felt that now that the plan is public, the County's endorsement would allow for a more aggressive pursuit of donors and philanthropists.
Binder asked how can RBAHC do it better than a big corporation or big developer. Chatman said the RBAHC can do it better because we live in the County and care about the County. She said the facility is something feeds back into the County while developers may be more concerned with adding something else like apartments. Stonehill added that there's a potential that a developer would donate money to the project but said these types of things are more about collaborating rather than competing. She also said that previous statements frequently mentioned only her name and she felt that instead of it being "Marsha Stonehill will, it's we will." Stonehill said it's an effort of many people and has to be endorsed by the community. She said there has been a lot of apprehension but with the County's endorsement, she feels that apprehension will subside.
Granger said that because of some of the comments tonight, he would like to do more investigating. He asked what the impact would be if the Board waited two weeks before deciding. Chatman said there would not be an impact and offered to address anything mentioned previously in the meeting. Granger said he would prefer to table the decision until later.
Jenkins said it was too important of a project to make a rushed decision. However, he did not want to just continue to kick the decision down the road and would like to make a decision by the next meeting. Binder said that most on the Board only heard about the project the day before. She said her daughter plays soccer on the fields below the school and there are a lot of broken windows. She added that the mold is bad inside and that it should be addressed sooner rather than later. Chatman asked if it was the project itself of the opposition that Binder had just learned about and Binder said it was the project. Binder said she would like to study it more before making a decision. Brabo said that Bueche and Binder didn't have the historical knowledge on the project.
Bueche said that, speaking for himself, he liked the concept. However, he did not like two nonprofits that have a similar vision but can't seem to get along. He felt it was a power struggle over a building that belongs to the citizens. Bueche said he wants to see something happen with the building and there have been a lot of dreams and delusions of grandeur, but nothing has happened. He said that the building is still there decaying and that it was unfortunate that three organizations, the Dahlgren Heritage Museum, the King George Historical Society, and the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association, can't collaborate to house everything in one place. He felt that would be a benefit to everyone in King George. Bueche said he was not willing to commit any County money to building at Ralph Bunche as long as there are other needs in the County. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a lifetime member of the King George County Historical Society.]
Brabo moved to postpone any decision until the next Board meeting and the rest of the Board approved.
Stonehill added that Larry Abell was present in the audience and it might be a good time to ask him about the building. Abell stood and said he was the President of the Maryland Veterans Museum at Patriot Park in Maryland. He said it felt like deja vu with all the discussions that occurred. He said the project in Maryland had a building with a similar age but in worse condition. He said the county was going to demolish the building but his non-profit group worked to get involved to preserve it. He said it took them eight years to deal with a bad roof, mold, asbestos, and lead paint but in the end they had 20,000 square feet of exhibit space covering everything from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War. Abell said their plan was for a county museum but it has turned into a state museum instead because of their support. He said a project like this can happen and that it's a place for the community. Abell said they've hosted everything from weddings to funerals. He said they have to take the first step and believe in each other.
Dr. Young said he wanted to address two things that were left a little ambiguous. First, he said the Board was not aware of the proposal's details because, as with any project proposal, the Supervisors see the highlights. He said that a proposal of 80 or more pages, regardless of who it comes from, it too much for the Supervisors to digest. Instead, he said the full proposal goes to staff and has the development office give the Supervisors a summary of the proposal and keeps the full proposal in his office for their review if they desire to do so. Second, regarding the removal of documents from the school, Young said that normally he would lead the tour of a County building. Due to scheduling conflicts, and that there was County staff in the building, he felt comfortable not being present. He said that Stonehill was going on vacation shortly after her tour so he went to pick up the documents himself since they did belong to the County. He added that having documents like this in a non-climate controlled environment was part of his reason for pushing to implement a document scanning project.
Bueche asked if County staff reviewed the proposal and if they did, what was their recommendation. Young said they had reviewed the proposal and the recommendation was to approve the signing of the Letter of Intent. He said that was before the concerns were raised by the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association. Brabo added that previously the Arts and Humanities Center had letters of support from the Alumni Association. Bueche asked if Jordon could stand again and answer a question about their vote on Saturday. Jordon said the Executive Committee had met earlier and voted for no confidence and then the general membership voted for no confidence on Saturday. Bueche asked when the Executive Committee met and made that vote and Jordon said she didn't have the date on hand but they meet once a month.
Bueche said the plan looks good on paper and seems like a viable project. He asked Jordon what would the Alumni Association do if this project didn't go forward. Jordon said the Alumni Association's plan has never changed. She said the County spent $65,000 on the Wiley Wilson report and that it was to be an education project. She said that every time a developer gets involved, the plan morphs. She said there was nothing wrong with the original plan from Wiley Wilson and the Alumni Association recommends every developer look at it. Bueche said that the previous plan didn't come to fruition. Jordon said that was because the developer couldn't work with the County. She said that whoever comes next, they need to have the funding to hit the ground running with shovels in the ground and hammers on the wall. Jordon said the building is going down and so are the alumni. She said there was no conflict between the groups, it just fell apart when the funding wasn't there. She said again that she was a founding member of the Arts and Humanities Center's Board.
Binder asked how can we be promised that a new developer can offer anything. She felt the important part was to keep the story alive for the people here instead of arguing about it. Jordon said she was just saying that a neophyte group isn't the one to use but rather an established group is the way to go. Bueche said he thinks things may have changed when a developer showed interest and that it may be a single organization's project instead of a joint project. Brabo said that was what she mentioned earlier but that the general membership of the Alumni Association had already voted before that. Binder said that not all members knew about it beforehand. Brabo said there was no disclosure to them beforehand and that she spoke to Vakos and Jarrell only this morning. Granger interrupted and said he felt the meeting was getting out of order with the discussion.
Next on the Agenda was Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, who proposed a new tax rate be created for data centers. He said this would allow King George to be competitive with surrounding counties as current zoning does not address data centers and therefore a tax rate can't be adopted for them. A Public Hearing was approved.
Gandy then presented along with Pearson about the Civil War Trails Application for tourism funding for signage. There were four proposed signs to be installed in the County to mark significant events from the Civil War. The funding would not be a grant but rather straight funding to pay for five years of membership. The Board approved. Jenkins added that he was excited to finally see this happen. He said the Civil War industry was huge and he could see a lot of tourism in the area. He thanked Annie Cupka for putting in a lot of work prior to her leaving to make it happen. Binder added that Elizabeth Lee is also working on a new John Wilkes Booth book about his route through the County.
Gandy and Pearson were joined by Jordon to discuss the Fall Festival applications for tourism funding. Brabo said every year they go through the same thing and ask for explanations and consensus from the Board and recommended they give the Fall Festival Committee the same amount as they gave them last year. Pearson said the decision was tabled in order to get the after action report on the Fall Festival and that the report is in the Tourism Advisory Committee agenda where they talked about inflatables. Brabo said that wasn't the intent of the funding but rather it was for marketing. She said they've removed inflatables in the past and again recommended they do so this year and explain that the funds were for marketing. Pearson said that was why they tabled the decision and didn't know it would be on the Agenda for tonight.
Binder asked if she could get a copy of the state law because she continues to hear about inflatables but needs to know what the law says about funding. She said that in the minutes there was an obsession with attendance but felt it was hard to track. Pearson said Brabo suggested they try to capture demographics in an effort to improve attendance because that drives tourism funding.
Gregory offered to cite the law on tourism funding. After reading it, he said it authorizes the County to levy a transient occupancy tax and as long as the County consults with those tourism organizations, it can spend money on tourism. He added that the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) has that as part of their Charter. Binder joked that there was no mention of inflatables. Bueche said he had no problem moving forward with the staff recommendation. Gregory said the organizations only need to provide input and the Board doesn't have to agree. Granger said he felt the TAC needed to make a decision first before the Board did. Everyone voted in favor of a motion to table the decision except for Binder.
Brabo said it was enlightening. After misguidance six years ago she felt the need for clarity going forward. She asked if the TAC had a copy of what Gregory just read. Gregory repeated himself that the language is in their Charter. Gandy added that each jurisdiction does it different. Some hire employees while others spend tourism funds on events. Gregory agreed saying that some counties hire staff while others build ball fields.
Next on the Agenda was Chris Clarke, Director of Parks and Recreation. He began with a presentation on the proposed update to the Bylaws for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. Brabo said she had concerns about his staff putting up and taking down signage. Clarke said that was his next point and that he was talking about the Bylaws. Binder said she appreciated the update to the Bylaws because she used to serve on that Committee. Clarke said they had to make several updates because what the Committee was doing, such as meeting times, was different than the Bylaws. Additionally, some new changes needed to be made to address quorums and the student representative. The Bylaws were approved.
Clarke then presented his request for the creation of a policy regarding signs and banners for facilities. He said there is currently no policy on the construction of signs, size, or content on signs and banners that are displayed in parks. Brabo repeated her earlier concern about staff placing or removing signs. She said that was a concern to her because it seemed like additional work for staff. Clarke said that as the policy states, either County staff or the organization can put a sign up or take it down. He said right now it's just the King George Little League that has a lot of signs. Brabo again asked why staff would be involved. Clarke said the intent was to make the policy work for future plans of the Parks and Recreation Department installing sponsored signs. Clarke further explained that these would be affiliate signs that the County could earn revenue from. Brabo asked Gregory if the language needed to be clarified to address this. Gregory said he felt the language was clear enough. Bueche commented that it sounded like he was proposing what they suggested the schools do for their fields so seasonal signs could be installed. Dr. Young said the reason for the request was that the Little League was asked to install a sign for a political candidate. Because of the request, they realized there was no policy in place. Young said the policy would ensure there is a guideline, not just for political signs but also to prevent hate speech. The Board approved the policy.
Clarke then presented information on the Complete Census Count Committee. Brabo asked if the meetings would be in the evenings. Young said he wasn't sure since the Committee hasn't been established yet. Brabo asked if they would meet during business hours and Clarke said it wasn't clear yet. Young said it was best to assume they would meet in the evenings for now. Brabo asked if anyone was interested on the Board in serving since her plate was already full. Granger offered to serve as the representative. Bueche asked if he was sure since he had already taken one of his seats in a previous meeting. The Board approved Bueche serving as the representative as well as the rest of the individuals listed in the Agenda. Bueche thanked Granger for being willing to take on another duty.
Dr. Neiman Young then gave a brief report saying that all of the air conditioning units had been replaced at the Courthouse and the mold remediation had been completed. He said Mike Muncie, Director of General Properties, spent over 30 hours of his own time on weekends ensuring the project was completed. Young said the Deputy Treasurer, Camyell Pratt, completed the necessary training to participate in the Virginia Department of Taxation's Debt Set Off Collection Program, allowing the County to realize over $300,000 in revenue. He thanked Muncie and Pratt for their hard work and service to the community.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 9:20pm and invited Gregory and Young to attend. They returned from Closed Session at 9:50pm.
Once back in Open Session, the Board voted to remove Sandy Pearson from the Tourism Advisory Committee. All of the Supervisors approved with Brabo abstaining.
The meeting adjourned at 9:51pm.
Meeting Attendees:
John Jenkins (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Chairman, Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (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 May 21, 2019 at 7:00 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
Neil, Thank you again for all your hard work! This was a challenging meeting to cover, and you did an excellent job, as always!
ReplyDeleteThanks for continuing to read our articles and for the positive feedback!
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