by Neil Richard
The Supervisors began their regular meeting at 6:32pm.
There was an amendment to the Agenda to add a Closed Session.
The sole speaker for Public Comment was Don Shelton. Shelton said he's been traveling through the intersection at Indiantown Road and Dahlgren Road since 2001 and it's an extremely dangerous one. He said he was almost involved in an accident there a few weeks ago. He said he did some research on the turn-about [meaning the proposed round-about] and felt the intersection could use it. He also asked if local law enforcement could slow drivers down in the meantime, perhaps by sitting in the American Legion parking lot running radar.
Jeff Stonehill began his report by thanking Shelton for coming out and he said they would pass along the information to Sheriff Giles to see what could be done. Stonehill said he attended the local government legislative day on the 6th and met with local government officials from across the state and compared notes. On the 7th and 8th he attended the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) training session with fellow Board member Annie Cupka. He said it was very interesting to see so many counties with the same issues and how they're handling them. On the 10th, Stonehill attended the 300th Anniversary event to celebrate the County's Commitment to Education where the keynote speaker was King George alumni Jermon Bushrod. On the 11th he attended the budget work session and he said he finally got a second person to sit on the Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The Board approved of Brett Moffit's appointment. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Infrastructure Advisory Committee.]
Jeff Bueche said he attended the joint meeting of the Republican Party and the Tea Party on the 6th and the Commitment to Education event on the 10th. He noted that Bushrod gave a very inspirational address and he was happy to have the opportunity to meet and talk with him. Bueche said he also spoke with Captain Plew from Dahlgren that night and looked forward to working with the base to make Dahlgren a better fit for the County. Bueche also attended the budget work session and said there would be some serious decisions to make. Bueche then addressed Shelton's comments about the round-about saying he's heard from a lot of constituents on both sides and said his decision is based on the the simple fact that Dahlgren Road (Route 206) is a residential road. With two lanes, no shoulder, and a lot of houses lining it, Bueche said a round-about may not eliminate trucks traveling the road but may be a good deterrent. He hoped the project would go through. Bueche then asked to appoint Carrie Cleveland to the Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Before the Board voted, Bueche said he wanted them to know that she has also served on the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee for two years now. The Board approved of the appointment.
Annie Cupka thanked Shelton for coming out and giving comments and said she couldn't agree more. Cupka felt that if the Smart Scale application was done properly, the project may score the highest out of all of the other County projects. On the 6th she attended the Local Government Day in Richmond with Stonehill. She said lobbying state representatives was important to localities, especially with House Bill 785 which would give Counties the authority to tax cigarette sales. On the 7th and 8th, Cupka attended the VACo Chairman's Institute and thanked Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, for teaching a session on Saturday. On the 10th, Cupka attended the Commitment to Education event and thanked everyone, especially County staff, for their efforts in contributing to the program. Cupka met with Andrea Hornung, the Community Planning Liaison Officer for Dahlgren and toured the Buckler House, the house that was acquired by King George as part of the Wayside Park land swap. Cupka said she hoped an Open House could be held there to give residents a chance to see the property before a Town Hall is held to get input on the property's future. She felt that if citizens could look at the property first, they might better understand the limitations and possibilities going forward. Cupka participated in the budget work session on the 11th as well as the final interviews for the County Attorney on the 14th. She thanked Director of Human Resources Amanda Sumiel for her help in the process. On the 15th, Cupka held office hours at the Smoot Library, and on the 18th she met with Dr. Rob Gates, who serves on the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) Citizen Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC), and Nick Minor, Director of Economic Development and Tourism. Cupka said the discussion with Gates and Minor was to discuss the role of CTAC. She said there was a vacancy on the CTAC and it wasn't bound by what district a citizen lived in. Cupka said the Smoot Library would be celebrating it's 50th Anniversary on Saturday the 29th and, for those that can't attend, there will also be an Open House on Sunday the 1st from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Cupka also said that a Community Cleanup Day was tentatively planned for March 28th. She said her next office hours would be on March 14th at the Smoot Library from 10:00am to noon. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Sean Gates, a co-founder of Project94, is the son of Rob Gates.]
Richard Granger thanked Shelton for coming out and sharing his concerns. Granger said he thinks everyone can agree that it's a significant intersection and ranked at the state level as one needing attention. Granger said he attended the Commitment to Education and thanked the staff for making it happen. He also thanked Bushrod for being the speaker and congratulated the students who were inducted into King George's first ever National Technical Honor Society earlier in the evening. On the 11th, Granger attended the budget work session and said Smart Scale was discussed at length and felt that, at the end of the day, the Board may not all agree on everything but will do what is best for the County. Granger also participated in the interviews for the new County Attorney on the 14th and attended the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA) meeting on the 17th. Granger closed by saying he still has an opening on Infrastructure Advisory Committee and if anyone would like to serve to please reach out to him.
Cathy Binder attended the budget work session on the 11th and also toured the Buckler House. She suggested having a survey prepared for the Open House in case people are unable to attend the Town Hall on the future of the property. Binder also participated in the interviews on the 14th and the Commitment to Education event on the 10th. She said it was nice to see the rooms at the high school again and thanked the teachers for their hard work along with those that spoke during the evening. She said students don't always have to go to college and the Career Technical Education (CTE) program is a great opportunity for students. Binder also mentioned the upcoming celebration of the Smoot Library's 50th Anniversary. She said she wanted to share two tidbits of history because she wouldn't be able to attend in person but did help write and voice a short video for the event. For her first tidbit, Binder shared that the bond to build Ralph Bunche High School was purchased by Lewis Egerton Smoot, the namesake of the library. Her second tidbit was that Mrs. Smoot, who donated the library to the County, was a bit eccentric and had a dress made from the same material as the expensive curtains that once hung in the Memorial Room. She said it reminded her of the Carol Burnett skit "Went With The Wind." Binder also thanked Shelton for coming out and said she voiced her concerns with the improvements suggested for James Madison Parkway (Highway 301) and said it felt like Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) was pressuring the County to make it a thoroughfare. Binder ended her report by reminding citizens that she does not use social media but does encourage residents to contact her via email or phone and that her contact information can be found on the County's website.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney pro tempore, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Next was a Public Hearing regarding Case Number 19-11-Z04: Amendment to the King George County Zoning Ordinance to replace “Courthouse Primary Settlement Area” with “Courthouse West” and “Route 3/301” Primary Settlement Areas to the applicability of the Mixed-Use Development District. Lois Pancotti, County Planner, gave a brief summary of the reasoning for the change. In short, Pancotti said when the new Comprehensive Plan was approved, the Courthouse Primary Settlement Area was split into two separate pieces called Courthouse West and Route 3/301. Because of this change, the Mixed Use Development (MUD) ordinances need to be updated to reflect the new terms. There was no Public Comment and the Board approved.
Next on the Agenda was a funding request for the landscaping along Kings Highway (Route 3) through central King George. As part of the Land Use Permit, Dr. Young asked the Board to approve funding to renew the maintenance contract. The Board approved.
An amendment to the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) Charter was next. Dr. Young said the amendment would allow remote participation during meetings. Binder asked if the new TAC rules followed the same guidelines, including only using the remote option twice in a single year, as the Board of Supervisors and Young said they did. Gregory added that there are certain Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) provisions which don't apply to advisory committees but felt the amendment would work fine. Cupka asked about the TAC struggling to get a quorum and Young clarified that they typically can get a quorum but hoped the remote participation amendment would encourage more attendance and participation. Cupka asked if there was a mechanism in place for staff to track who participates remotely and how often and Young said yes, staff would have a process to track that. The Board approved.
Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, then presented a request for funds to allow for computer and camera upgrades in cars for Sheriff Deputies. Young said the request is actually from the Commonwealth's Attorney to allow for faster and easier access to camera footage for cases. The Board approved.
Next on the Agenda was a request to approve appointments and reappointments for the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Dr. Young said this item really should have been a part of the County Administrator's Report instead of an Action Item on the Agenda. The Board approved the names listed in the Agenda.
Dr. Young then asked the Board to approve changes to the Financial Policies, specifically those related to the use of credit cards by County staff. Young said the request was driven by a lack of supporting documentation, itemized receipts, and paying sales tax. He said the new policy would make it clearer for credit card users and provide more teeth to enforcing the rules by suspending an offender's credit card. Bueche said that two years ago he said there were over 70 credit cards issued to County staff and he felt that number was very high. Young said yes, that's true, and since then that number has been reduced by about 20 cards. Young said that the cards being used today are in the hands of those that need them. Additionally, he said that he was confident in the oversight in place on purchases because at least three sets of eyes look at each one. Stonehill asked if tax exempt numbers are issued with each credit card and Young said they are. He said the problem arises when staff goes to the store to make a purchase and instead of stepping out of line to explain why sales tax shouldn't be paid, the employee will instead try to fight it out with the Finance Department later. Cupka asked Ward to thank Lavita Cobb for supplying the tax exempt cards she handed out to her peers on the Board. Cupka said she agrees that it's not acceptable for employees to fight it out with the Finance Department instead of dealing with it at the store. She added that the recent audit mentioned this particular issue as a deficiency and hopes that next year it won't be in there. Cupka also asked Young to ensure that existing card holders are aware of the new policy and Young said he would ensure they sign the new agreement. Binder and Granger added that there were some spelling and grammar issues to fix in the proposed amendments. With that, the Board approved.
Dr. Young then presented the last item on the Agenda related to VDOT's updated footprint of Indiantown Road (but not in reference to the proposed round-about at Dahlgren Road). The Board approved.
The Board went into Closed Session at 7:20pm and invited Dr. Young and Eric Gregory to attend. They returned from Closed Session at 7:57pm.
After returning from Closed Session, Eric Gregory advised the Board that, as part of the agreement to exchange property for Wayside Park, VDOT would begin constructing the required parking lot on Roseland Road. Gregory said the new lot would contain 20 parking spaces and be constructed with an aggregate material. It's location will be across the street from the newly acquired Buckler House on the new section of Barnesfield Park. Gregory said that VDOT will begin work soon, including removing trees and grading the land.
The meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
Meeting Attendees:
Cathy Binder (Chair, Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Board of Supervisors)
Annie Cupka (Vice Chair, Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Stonehill (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Meeting Agenda
Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on February 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm at Company 1.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
The Supervisors began their regular meeting at 6:32pm.
There was an amendment to the Agenda to add a Closed Session.
The sole speaker for Public Comment was Don Shelton. Shelton said he's been traveling through the intersection at Indiantown Road and Dahlgren Road since 2001 and it's an extremely dangerous one. He said he was almost involved in an accident there a few weeks ago. He said he did some research on the turn-about [meaning the proposed round-about] and felt the intersection could use it. He also asked if local law enforcement could slow drivers down in the meantime, perhaps by sitting in the American Legion parking lot running radar.
Jeff Stonehill began his report by thanking Shelton for coming out and he said they would pass along the information to Sheriff Giles to see what could be done. Stonehill said he attended the local government legislative day on the 6th and met with local government officials from across the state and compared notes. On the 7th and 8th he attended the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) training session with fellow Board member Annie Cupka. He said it was very interesting to see so many counties with the same issues and how they're handling them. On the 10th, Stonehill attended the 300th Anniversary event to celebrate the County's Commitment to Education where the keynote speaker was King George alumni Jermon Bushrod. On the 11th he attended the budget work session and he said he finally got a second person to sit on the Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The Board approved of Brett Moffit's appointment. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Infrastructure Advisory Committee.]
Jeff Bueche said he attended the joint meeting of the Republican Party and the Tea Party on the 6th and the Commitment to Education event on the 10th. He noted that Bushrod gave a very inspirational address and he was happy to have the opportunity to meet and talk with him. Bueche said he also spoke with Captain Plew from Dahlgren that night and looked forward to working with the base to make Dahlgren a better fit for the County. Bueche also attended the budget work session and said there would be some serious decisions to make. Bueche then addressed Shelton's comments about the round-about saying he's heard from a lot of constituents on both sides and said his decision is based on the the simple fact that Dahlgren Road (Route 206) is a residential road. With two lanes, no shoulder, and a lot of houses lining it, Bueche said a round-about may not eliminate trucks traveling the road but may be a good deterrent. He hoped the project would go through. Bueche then asked to appoint Carrie Cleveland to the Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Before the Board voted, Bueche said he wanted them to know that she has also served on the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee for two years now. The Board approved of the appointment.
Annie Cupka thanked Shelton for coming out and giving comments and said she couldn't agree more. Cupka felt that if the Smart Scale application was done properly, the project may score the highest out of all of the other County projects. On the 6th she attended the Local Government Day in Richmond with Stonehill. She said lobbying state representatives was important to localities, especially with House Bill 785 which would give Counties the authority to tax cigarette sales. On the 7th and 8th, Cupka attended the VACo Chairman's Institute and thanked Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, for teaching a session on Saturday. On the 10th, Cupka attended the Commitment to Education event and thanked everyone, especially County staff, for their efforts in contributing to the program. Cupka met with Andrea Hornung, the Community Planning Liaison Officer for Dahlgren and toured the Buckler House, the house that was acquired by King George as part of the Wayside Park land swap. Cupka said she hoped an Open House could be held there to give residents a chance to see the property before a Town Hall is held to get input on the property's future. She felt that if citizens could look at the property first, they might better understand the limitations and possibilities going forward. Cupka participated in the budget work session on the 11th as well as the final interviews for the County Attorney on the 14th. She thanked Director of Human Resources Amanda Sumiel for her help in the process. On the 15th, Cupka held office hours at the Smoot Library, and on the 18th she met with Dr. Rob Gates, who serves on the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) Citizen Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC), and Nick Minor, Director of Economic Development and Tourism. Cupka said the discussion with Gates and Minor was to discuss the role of CTAC. She said there was a vacancy on the CTAC and it wasn't bound by what district a citizen lived in. Cupka said the Smoot Library would be celebrating it's 50th Anniversary on Saturday the 29th and, for those that can't attend, there will also be an Open House on Sunday the 1st from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. Cupka also said that a Community Cleanup Day was tentatively planned for March 28th. She said her next office hours would be on March 14th at the Smoot Library from 10:00am to noon. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Sean Gates, a co-founder of Project94, is the son of Rob Gates.]
Richard Granger thanked Shelton for coming out and sharing his concerns. Granger said he thinks everyone can agree that it's a significant intersection and ranked at the state level as one needing attention. Granger said he attended the Commitment to Education and thanked the staff for making it happen. He also thanked Bushrod for being the speaker and congratulated the students who were inducted into King George's first ever National Technical Honor Society earlier in the evening. On the 11th, Granger attended the budget work session and said Smart Scale was discussed at length and felt that, at the end of the day, the Board may not all agree on everything but will do what is best for the County. Granger also participated in the interviews for the new County Attorney on the 14th and attended the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA) meeting on the 17th. Granger closed by saying he still has an opening on Infrastructure Advisory Committee and if anyone would like to serve to please reach out to him.
Cathy Binder attended the budget work session on the 11th and also toured the Buckler House. She suggested having a survey prepared for the Open House in case people are unable to attend the Town Hall on the future of the property. Binder also participated in the interviews on the 14th and the Commitment to Education event on the 10th. She said it was nice to see the rooms at the high school again and thanked the teachers for their hard work along with those that spoke during the evening. She said students don't always have to go to college and the Career Technical Education (CTE) program is a great opportunity for students. Binder also mentioned the upcoming celebration of the Smoot Library's 50th Anniversary. She said she wanted to share two tidbits of history because she wouldn't be able to attend in person but did help write and voice a short video for the event. For her first tidbit, Binder shared that the bond to build Ralph Bunche High School was purchased by Lewis Egerton Smoot, the namesake of the library. Her second tidbit was that Mrs. Smoot, who donated the library to the County, was a bit eccentric and had a dress made from the same material as the expensive curtains that once hung in the Memorial Room. She said it reminded her of the Carol Burnett skit "Went With The Wind." Binder also thanked Shelton for coming out and said she voiced her concerns with the improvements suggested for James Madison Parkway (Highway 301) and said it felt like Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) was pressuring the County to make it a thoroughfare. Binder ended her report by reminding citizens that she does not use social media but does encourage residents to contact her via email or phone and that her contact information can be found on the County's website.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney pro tempore, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Next was a Public Hearing regarding Case Number 19-11-Z04: Amendment to the King George County Zoning Ordinance to replace “Courthouse Primary Settlement Area” with “Courthouse West” and “Route 3/301” Primary Settlement Areas to the applicability of the Mixed-Use Development District. Lois Pancotti, County Planner, gave a brief summary of the reasoning for the change. In short, Pancotti said when the new Comprehensive Plan was approved, the Courthouse Primary Settlement Area was split into two separate pieces called Courthouse West and Route 3/301. Because of this change, the Mixed Use Development (MUD) ordinances need to be updated to reflect the new terms. There was no Public Comment and the Board approved.
 |
| Lois Pancotti shows the Board the old Courthouse Primary Settlement Area. |
Next on the Agenda was a funding request for the landscaping along Kings Highway (Route 3) through central King George. As part of the Land Use Permit, Dr. Young asked the Board to approve funding to renew the maintenance contract. The Board approved.
An amendment to the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) Charter was next. Dr. Young said the amendment would allow remote participation during meetings. Binder asked if the new TAC rules followed the same guidelines, including only using the remote option twice in a single year, as the Board of Supervisors and Young said they did. Gregory added that there are certain Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) provisions which don't apply to advisory committees but felt the amendment would work fine. Cupka asked about the TAC struggling to get a quorum and Young clarified that they typically can get a quorum but hoped the remote participation amendment would encourage more attendance and participation. Cupka asked if there was a mechanism in place for staff to track who participates remotely and how often and Young said yes, staff would have a process to track that. The Board approved.
Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, then presented a request for funds to allow for computer and camera upgrades in cars for Sheriff Deputies. Young said the request is actually from the Commonwealth's Attorney to allow for faster and easier access to camera footage for cases. The Board approved.
Next on the Agenda was a request to approve appointments and reappointments for the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Dr. Young said this item really should have been a part of the County Administrator's Report instead of an Action Item on the Agenda. The Board approved the names listed in the Agenda.
Dr. Young then asked the Board to approve changes to the Financial Policies, specifically those related to the use of credit cards by County staff. Young said the request was driven by a lack of supporting documentation, itemized receipts, and paying sales tax. He said the new policy would make it clearer for credit card users and provide more teeth to enforcing the rules by suspending an offender's credit card. Bueche said that two years ago he said there were over 70 credit cards issued to County staff and he felt that number was very high. Young said yes, that's true, and since then that number has been reduced by about 20 cards. Young said that the cards being used today are in the hands of those that need them. Additionally, he said that he was confident in the oversight in place on purchases because at least three sets of eyes look at each one. Stonehill asked if tax exempt numbers are issued with each credit card and Young said they are. He said the problem arises when staff goes to the store to make a purchase and instead of stepping out of line to explain why sales tax shouldn't be paid, the employee will instead try to fight it out with the Finance Department later. Cupka asked Ward to thank Lavita Cobb for supplying the tax exempt cards she handed out to her peers on the Board. Cupka said she agrees that it's not acceptable for employees to fight it out with the Finance Department instead of dealing with it at the store. She added that the recent audit mentioned this particular issue as a deficiency and hopes that next year it won't be in there. Cupka also asked Young to ensure that existing card holders are aware of the new policy and Young said he would ensure they sign the new agreement. Binder and Granger added that there were some spelling and grammar issues to fix in the proposed amendments. With that, the Board approved.
Dr. Young then presented the last item on the Agenda related to VDOT's updated footprint of Indiantown Road (but not in reference to the proposed round-about at Dahlgren Road). The Board approved.
The Board went into Closed Session at 7:20pm and invited Dr. Young and Eric Gregory to attend. They returned from Closed Session at 7:57pm.
After returning from Closed Session, Eric Gregory advised the Board that, as part of the agreement to exchange property for Wayside Park, VDOT would begin constructing the required parking lot on Roseland Road. Gregory said the new lot would contain 20 parking spaces and be constructed with an aggregate material. It's location will be across the street from the newly acquired Buckler House on the new section of Barnesfield Park. Gregory said that VDOT will begin work soon, including removing trees and grading the land.
The meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
Meeting Attendees:
Cathy Binder (Chair, Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Board of Supervisors)
Annie Cupka (Vice Chair, Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Stonehill (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Meeting Agenda
Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on February 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm at Company 1.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
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