2020-02-18 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

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.

2020-02-18 - Service Authority Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Service Authority began their regular meeting at 5:32pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

There was no Public Comment.

Jim Morris and Allen Parker had no report.

Annie Cupka said the only thing she had to report was that she attended the budget work session on the 13th and thanked Jonathon Weakley, General Manager, and his staff for the work in putting everything together.

OPINION - It's More Than Just A Building

by Neil Richard
Photos by Rebecca Gamble

As a fan of history, I find hearing the stories more compelling than memorizing the dates. As a young child, my father dragged me through countless battlefields and historic towns where I did my best to occupy myself in a time without cell phones. Sometimes this meant taking photos of statues. Or sleeping. Or reading a book. But when I could participate in the Boston Tea Party by throwing a bundle of "tea" overboard in Boston, I found history a little more interesting.

Since then, my love of history has grown. Mrs. Ashton and Mr. Picariello, high school teachers, and my college professor Dr. Joseph Laythe, helped feed that love. But there were stumbling blocks along the way. Mr. Pekarek in high school and Professor Hickey in college gave me a tough time. I didn't know it then but it was for my own good. After all these years, my love of history has become even stronger. But more focused. I don't care that much about the dates. Or the buildings. Or the cities and countries. It's the people. The people that make the history. The people that lived the history. The people that told the stories we know and love today.

Or in the case of the Smoot Library, the stories we didn't know.

The Lewis Egerton Smoot Memorial Library has been a cornerstone of King George County for the past 50 years. But it's more than just a building. It's more than just the books that sit on the shelves inside. This Library has a history that goes beyond the past 50 years. It has connections to Presidents, famous buildings, and, in some cases, it's tied to some not so pleasant points in history.

OPINION - New My Place Hotel Opening Soon

by Neil Richard
Photos by Rebecca Gamble

David Zabelsky, General Manager at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, was kind enough to allow us a preview tour of the My Place Hotel that's being built next to the Goodwill store in Dahlgren. With crews working on both Christmas Day and New Years Day, the project is currently ahead of schedule and is expected to open in mid-April 2020.

David Zabelsky stands in front of the soon-to-open My Place Hotel.

2020-02-04 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 6:57pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

There was no Public Comment.

Jeff Stonehill began his report by saying he had a little bit of a busy week. On the 22nd he spent some time with Dominion Power and they spoke about a lot of things. He said they were working on keeping a good relationship with the County. On the 23rd, he attended the first quarterly networking breakfast where local businesses come together to meet. Stonehill said he met the new Senior Account Manager for Atlantic Broadband who was new to the area but eager to bring more broadband to the region. On the 24th he met with the base liaison and they talked a lot about traffic and how to resolve it, including ideas like carpooling, buses, and off site parking. Stonehill attended the Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services awards dinner and said they were a great, professional group of men and women. He was astounded by the call volume and said it was increasing each year. Stonehill also thanked Mission BBQ for the great food. On the 25th, Stonehill attended the High School's production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He said the cast and crew crushed it and gave a shout out to the two student directors, Abigail Elia and Jason Knott. On the 28th, he attended the budget work session and thanked Dr. Young, County Administrator, for a great State of the County address. On the 3rd, Stonehill attended the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance meeting. With that, he asked to appoint Joe Dequarter to the Planning Commission. The rest of the Board approved.

2020-01-21 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 6:34pm.

There were amendments to the Agenda to add Closed Session.

Kim Dodge was the only speaker for Public Comment. Dodge said she wanted to speak on the part of the taxpayers and said she knew budget season was coming up. She wanted to thank everyone for their work in getting the County out of debt and keeping taxes low and hoped the Board could continue to do that. She said that when the Board increases property taxes, it takes money from each household and many families do not get pay increases. Dodge said she was proud to see a chart of the 2018 budget and that property tax revenue wasn't being used to pay for everything. Dodge said that the schools seemed like an endless money pit and that they'll ask for money and say it's for the children but there needed to be something else that paid for teacher salaries. She said that when she asks the Board to not increase taxes, she's asking on behalf of the poor, the single family households, and those that don't have dual incomes. Dodge said she gets that a lot of citizens in the County would support a tax increase but said it was because they thought it would increase their salary. She said she saw something on Facebook about the Sheriff's Department hiring and the salary was low but people said they would be willing to pay more in taxes if that meant the Deputy's salary would go up. Dodge said that she would rather see more grants used to pay for salary increases. She said we only hear from the people being paid from taxpayers and not the rest of the population and they would like to keep their taxes low.

2020-01-21 - Service Authority Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Service Authority began their first full meeting of the year at 5:31pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Kim Dodge was the only person to speak during Public Comment. She said she has spoken before about the paying the water and sewer bills and just wanted the Service Authority to know that customers that do have to pay both, it's high for them. Dodge said it was a hardship on families with a lot of children, stay at home moms, and those with only one source of income. She knew they were getting into budget season and that there are infrastructure problems that cost money but she wanted to speak up for all customers.

OPINION - King George Gets Waylaid Over Wayside

by Neil Richard

Cathy Binder hosted another Town Hall meeting on December 10, 2019. She and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, were on hand to discuss infrastructure issues and potential solutions. Binder began the Town Hall with a newer, shorter iteration of her previous presentation on infrastructure. She again went through the slides quickly and gave a high-level view of some of the issues faced by current County-owned properties and potential ways to fix them. With a lot of vacant buildings and unaddressed maintenance needs, the solutions ranged from restoration to demolition to selling. Binder again reiterated that this was simply her vision and any future action would need to be taken up by the Board of Supervisors as a whole.

Wayside Park is highlighted in green.

After Binder answered a few questions, Dr. Young then gave a short presentation on the replacement of the Wayside Park. This would end up dominating the discussion for the next 90 minutes with a lot of questions, concerns, and emotions. Even though the crowd was small, roughly 20 to 30 people, there were plenty of questions to be answered. One gentleman at the end asked if somebody would publish a story that gave the true story of how the land swap took place. He felt there was a lot of misinformation out there but was worried about some of the larger, Federal agencies would be upset if they were called out for their actions.

OPINION - 2019-10-29 - Ruby Brabo Town Hall Notes

by Neil Richard

Supervisor Ruby Brabo hosted a Town Hall focused on military veterans at the Dahlgren campus of the University of Mary Washington. The main topics presented during the event were updates from Mary Washington Hospital, updates from the Navy's base in Dahlgren, and Virginia's role in helping veterans.

Jason Hamilton and Phil Brown both spoke about the pending opening of the Urgent Care center in the building behind the old Journal office. Mary Washington Hospital will open this new facility in early November and will be able to handle urgent care, blood testing, and medical imaging. Although some in the audience needed a little clarification, Brown and Hamilton explained that the facility could handle urgent care needs, but not life-threatening scenarios that would require an emergency room. They also said the center would not address long term care issues that a primary care doctor would treat. In other words, it's just like any other urgent care in the area that can handle minor emergencies like a cold or sinus infection but nothing serious like a severed leg and nothing a regular doctor would take care of over time like high cholesterol. Hamilton also said the medical imaging would include mammography, x-rays, and ultrasounds. Hours of operation would be 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday and 8am to 4pm on weekends and Federal holidays.

2019-09-17 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting later than normal, at 8:38pm, as the Service Authority held a longer than average meeting. Despite it being the longest combined set of meetings in the last year, it was not the longest Supervisors meeting. But it was close.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Vera Means kicked off Public Comment by once again voicing her concerns over the proposed campground and gun range at the former Cameron Hills golf course. Her first concern was the impression that the hunt club would skip the meeting with the Planning Commission and go straight to the Board of Supervisors. She said she was against that. She also said that, in regards to the gun range, "no means no." Means said the gun range shouldn't be hidden behind a description of a campground and said she doubted the Supervisors told their kids to break the rules but only under the disguise of something else.

Linda Peterson also returned to speak out against the proposed campground and gun range. She thanked the Board for serving and said that those individuals who chose to live in the Shiloh District did so to get away from the city life. They chose to be near rural areas with wildlife and quiet. Peterson said that as far as she could see, there was no benefit to a gun range in the Shiloh District. She said that once the quiet was lost, it can't be regained.

Rob Neal was also a returning citizen with concerns over the proposed gun range. He said that every first and third Tuesday he drives by the Revercomb Building and wants to stop and talk about his opposition but didn't. He felt bad for the Supervisors sitting here all night. Neal said he has a lot invested in his home and life here. He said the Supervisors are here to plan for the future and to protect the County and it's residents. He again said that he can't believe anyone would welcome a gun range as a neighbor. Neal said he also has a lot of heartburn over the special exception part of the process. He said the company's website has images of gun ranges and shooting but not camping. Neal said a neighbor of his went to a gun show in Fredericksburg and they got a flyer about the project and it was billed as an outdoor shooting facility with shotgun, rifle, and pistol ranges but again, no mention of camping. Neal said he felt that everyone knows this isn't about camping, it's about a gun range. He said if the Planning Commission was circumvented and the Supervisors say no, then he was okay with that as it "get there fast." He said he and his wife have put their lives on hold until they got to the conclusion of this issue.

Rob Neal speaks against the proposed campground and gun range.

Billy Clift was back again to speak out against the gun range. He said he appreciated everything the Supervisors do and the time they spend doing it. He said he agreed with his neighbors and said there was a lot of passion from the people involved. Clift said if a project like this was approved, how could the Board say no to the next one? He hoped they would preserve the rural nature of the County and that a large number of citizens, though not social media gurus, were concerned about losing those rural aspects. Clift asked what reason the project could have for not going to the Planning Commission first but also agreed that if the Supervisors voted against it now, he would be okay getting it over with sooner. He asked if the project benefited County residents or people from outside the County and also asked about the zoning permit not having a specific line item for gun ranges.

Greg Peterson was next to speak and re-read his comments from September of last year. He said his comments were against a variance for a shooting area in an area that was not designated for it. He said he doubted anyone would invite a shooting range to infringe on their lifestyle and that the project needed to be directed to a larger piece of property without homes nearby. Peterson said the issue was with noise pollution that would be on a consistent basis and it wasn't just about decibels but rather the ongoing gunfire that is unpleasant and disturbing. He said he attended the first Town Hall on the issue and one of the Ognek brothers said he knew about noise pollution because his neighbor's dog barked. Peterson said that doesn't compare to range fire.

Bob Baird was next to speak and said he was in favor of one issue later in the Agenda, the rezoning for the Hertenstein project. He said he and his wife were recently on vacation and he had to take his wife to a hospital because of a stroke. Thankfully there was a medical facility near them and she's okay because of that. Baird said that here in King George, there is no medical facility like that and it's needed. He also urged the Supervisors to consider the second part of the project, housing for older residents. As a real estate agent, Baird said he sees the need and we need to accommodate them. He also added that because of the late evening he may not be able to stay for the tourism funding decision but also wanted to voice his support for that.

John Wheeler then gave a brief comment, saying he had spoken earlier against the proposed gun range. He said since then a neighbor discovered he could have a firing range on his property and has taken advantage of that. Wheeler said he has found it to be a disconcerting sound. He said that even though he doesn't live in the Shiloh District, he does live in this community and felt his fellow residents would be negatively impacted by it.

Ruby Brabo, Supervisor, began to read a submitted comment then realized she should save it for the appropriate Public Hearing.

John Jenkins then started off the Board reports by thanking everyone for their comments. He said that as the Board gets to the campground issue, the Board will discuss it more and then move forward. On September 10th he attended the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) work session and looked forward to continuing the discussion. On the 16th he attended the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) meeting.

Richard Granger also thanked everyone for coming out to speak and also thanked them for coming out early in the process. He encouraged everyone to speak at the Planning Commission meetings as well. He then clarified for Clift that he made a mistake early in the discussion about the list of uses for special exceptions but said he wouldn't conjecture on the reasons why the application changed since then. To Baird, Granger said he was glad to hear his wife was doing better and thanked him for speaking on the issues. Granger also attended the CIP meeting as well as a Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA) meeting on the 16th where they approved their strategic plan for the coming years.

Cathy Binder thanked everyone for speaking, especially those that live in her district. To Baird she wished his wife well and thanked him for everything he does in the community. Binder then gave an uncharacteristically long report. On the 4th she met with Vic Mason, Clerk of the Court, to discuss the needs of the new Courthouse. She said she would be touring the Hanover County Courthouse to get ideas for future incorporation. On the 7th she attended Jean Graham's crab fest and, although she attended it socially, she did discuss the future 301 bridge expansion with many of the residents there as they live off the impacted Roseland Drive. On the 9th she attended a 300th Anniversary meeting and reminded everyone that Founder's Day would be the kick-off event on November 15th. On the 10th she held her Coffee with Shiloh and even though nobody attended, she was able to talk to the staff at Smoot Library. Later that day she also attended the CIP meeting. On the 11th she attended the Dahlgren Heritage Museum meeting and reminded everyone of the upcoming Ira and Gladys West Scholarship Dinner on October 4th. On the 12th she attended an Agenda meeting for the Service Authority and later in the evening attended the Sports Hall of Fame ceremony. She said that it was great to recognize teams and individuals from Ralph Bunche even though records and trophies have been lost over the years.

Binder continued her board report by saying that on the 13th, Binder helped with the Sports Hall of Fame tournament and that evening went to the football game. Binder said that by being part of the Hall of Fame Committee she volunteers her services to preserve the "history, artifacts, and stories" of sports history in King George. She said that even though she doesn't travel the country absorbing information, she does feel it's important to listen to the people of King George County. Binder said that even though what she does may not be considered a full time job, much of her time is taken by doing it. She said there are many challenges that the County faces but feels that with hard work, capable staff, and helpful volunteers, the challenges can be conquered. Earlier in the day, Binder held another Coffee with Shiloh where she was able to meet a new resident, Kathie Ramey, and spoke with her for an hour. Binder said Ramey gave her a fresh perspective on the challenges and attractions of the County. Binder said the new Director of Economic Development, Nick Minor, will have a youthful vision that will help the County evolve and attract new business. She said that the rural nature of King George is what attracts many people to the area and that it's not a bad word. She said development can still occur, just in their designated areas. Binder listed four different volunteer projects being coordinated by the King George Garden Club and King George Extension Office; the Revercomb Building on the 20th, two projects in Cedell Brooks Park on the 24th, and the Citizens Center on the 25th. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation.]

Ruby Brabo said on the 6th she was reappointed by the Governor to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed committee. On the 10th she attended a Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) conference call and the CIP meeting. On the 16th she attended the GWRC meeting where they sent a similar letter to the state regarding Phase III of the Watershed Improvement Plan (WIP). She said there was also some discussion about terminating legislative services and that Spotsylvania County asked to have a future discussion about localities paying the same rate or implementing a weighted vote. She then moved to reappoint Billy Clift to the Wetlands Board. The appointment was approved. To Baird, Brabo said that his suggestion to have a Service Authority meeting on a different night would be up to the Board when they set their calendar in January. She said that it would be asking a lot of the staff since they don't get paid overtime. She said it would also be a burden on those serving on both boards since they technically only get paid for their Supervisor work. Regarding the proposed gun range, Brabo said she appreciated the comments. She said Stafford has a gun range at their landfill and that when she visits her boyfriend, who lives near there, it gives her a sense of appreciation for what people would be experiencing.

Jeff Bueche said that on the 7th he attended the Belle Grove Spirits Festival and a Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting on the 10th, as well as the CIP meeting. Earlier in the day, he attended the Career and Technical Education (CTE) expansion meeting and was impressed by how many people showed up. He said that things were moving forward and everyone was taking it seriously. To everyone that spoke during Public Comment, Bueche thanked them and said that the Supervisors ran for office and were expected to give up their time but it was nice to see residents give up their time to speak. Regarding Freedom Hunt Club, he clarified that the Board also has the capability or option to review it before or instead of the Planning Commission but agreed that it should go before them first. He said the Board relies on the Community Development staff to give perspective on things as well as the Planning Commission. To Neal, he said the decision needs to be made on the merits of the project. To Baird, he said he was glad his wife was doing well and appreciated everything he did for the community. He agreed that the Supervisors and Service Authority should hold meetings at different times.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

The first Public Hearing was on an amendment to the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance to comply with changes made to the Code of Virginia. Louis Pancotti, County Planner, gave an overview and with no Public Comment, it was approved.

The next Public Hearing was on the amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow keeping of chickens in R-1, Single Family Dwelling District, and R-2, General Dwelling District. Pancotti again gave the presentation, this one a little longer, and said that about 87% of the County was zoned agricultural. Of the lots that would be impacted by this new rule, only 4% of the County were zoned R-1 or R-2. Pancotti gave details on the conditions required for keeping chickens, such as no roosters, a maximum of 6 chickens, and not being allowed to sell byproducts commercially. Pancotti then displayed the neighborhoods that were zoned appropriately and had lots large enough, at least 25,000 square feet, to allow chickens. Major neighborhoods included were Presidential Lakes, Oakland Park, Cleydael, and Bayberry. Hopyard was not included and Pancotti said that this was a general listing and that not all lots in the neighborhoods were large enough.

Louis Pancotti shares the major neighborhoods impacted by the proposed chicken ordinance amendment.

Granger asked if other localities in the state allowed chickens in a residential area like this. Pancotti said they looked at Caroline, Spotsylvania, and Fredericksburg as well as other areas like James City. Jenkins asked what some of the differences were between their ordinances and this one and Pancotti said that in some areas, like Caroline and Spotsylvania, the maximum number of chickens goes up proportional to the lot size where the proposed ordinance in King George was a flat number. Jenkins asked how they came up with the 25,000 square feet, or roughly half an acre. Pancotti said the original amendment that was sent to the Planning Commission was smaller but they decided to change the minimum size to match public water requirements.

Public Comment then opened up and Brabo read a statement from Jermiah Hansen who was unable to attend the hearing. Hansen said he was in favor of allowing chickens and that several aspects were not addressed. He said the limit of six chickens has unintended consequences such as raising chickens. He said that a property owner would be limited to six fertilized eggs regardless of how many hatched and it would also require the County verify the count. He said there was no reason for a property owner to own more chickens that was needed because they can't sell the extras. He suggested removing the arbitrary limit. Hansen also said that the ten foot offset to the property line would require owners to have a second fence ten feet from their existing fence. Hansen then gave several reasons why chickens were beneficial, including pest control and education opportunities.

Reverend James Shaw was next to speak, also in favor of the amendment. He said members of his congregation have had chickens in the past and many of the previous comments had a lot of things that made sense. He said the general rule of thumb was three chickens per person. Changing the maximum to 20 or 25 would mean not discriminating against larger families.

Bueche then read a letter from Carol Werle who said the County has gone mad trying to force people back a century with zoning. She said King George can only count about five real farms within its borders, not counting the farmers who live outside of the County. She said the state defines a small county as one with a population of 25,000 or less and King George is no longer a small county.

Bob Baird then spoke saying that he has neighbors with chickens who live in an agriculturally zoned property and felt it was necessary to have a graduated scale for large lots. He said a two acre lot had a lot more room for chickens to roam.

The amendment was approved.

Dr. Linda Millsaps from GWRC then gave a presentation. She said she appreciated them allowing her to speak tonight and promised to keep it brief. With her presentation already part of the Agenda, she hit the highlights. She said that an annual presentation is required under their charter and wasn't sure if that was done in the past but she was working to correct that. She said she wanted to quantify the return on the investment and said that for every dollar King George contributes to GWRC, they can leverage roughly four to nine dollars in return. Millsaps said GWRC has programs in economic development (GO Virginia grants), environmental services, human services, and transportation (GWRideConnect). She said their budget is about $4.7 million and the number one expense is personnel with about $1.8 million for salary and benefits.

Next to present was Joan Waters who gave an update on the Jazz In the Country event. She said about 45% of the attendees were from King George and about 60% were from Virginia. Ten hotel rooms were used by performers and workers and the event generated $31,000 in revenue although no proceeds were realized. Waters said that over 80% of the attendees said the event was well organized and several sponsors were from King George. She said it was good to know people wanted to support not only the Mt. Bethel Retreat Center but also tourism in King George. She said she was excited for the support given this year and was looking forward to next year's event.

Brabo said she was glad to hear they were doing it again next year because she was unable to attend this year. She said something to keep in mind was that King George is a member of the Northern Neck Tourism Commission and the Rappahannock Council and they may be able to help advertise. Waters said the Rappahannock Council did share the event. Bueche said he saw a lot of percentages in the presentation but wanted to know how many people were there. Waters said that 160 tickets were sold and about 15 or 20 tickets were comped to artists and sponsors. She said she would love to grow the event to 500 to 1,000 people but felt about 200 people wasn't bad for the first year. Bueche said he was glad to hear and said events like this take a lot of commitment.

Kyle Laux of Davenport and Associates gave a very brief overview of the Debt Refinancing options the County had before them. He said that even though the market has been volatile lately, it is largely in favor of refinancing the County's debt. He said that, similar to a home mortgage, refinancing will save money in the long run. He said the two resolutions before the Board were necessary for the process and that if there was no savings within the next 45 days, the refinancing wouldn't happen, thus making this a no risk scenario. Laux said the bottom line savings was roughly $2.3 million if the County refinanced the $29.9 million that was eligible. He said the School Board would also need to take some action as the debt was tied to some of their loans for buildings. Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, recommended the Board adopt the resolutions to authorize himself and the County Attorney, Eric Gregory, to act as needed to take further action. The Board approved.

Next was the Special Exception Permit request from Freedom Hunt Club. Brad Hudson, Director of Community Development, gave his summary of information then asked the Board for action. Brabo said Public Comment was needed first. Hudson said this was an Action Item, not a Public Hearing and Public Comment wasn't necessary. Brabo asked what percentage of the property would be used for camping versus gun activities and Hudson said he would need to research that and answer later. The Board then approved sending the request to the Planning Commission.

Hudson stayed at the podium to present the next item, a rezoning request by Darrell Hertenstein. Hudson said Hertenstein has asked for a joint meeting between the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors where his project could be presented. Brabo asked for clarity about the proffer statement and changes that could be made to the plan. Hudson said once it's rezoned, then the plan can be changed. Brabo asked if anything could be changed and Hudson said yes. Brabo asked if that was typical and Hudson said yes, this is a conceptual plan and those have been presented before. Brabo asked if drastic changes could be made to a proposed plan and Hudson said those would need to go through an approval process. Bueche said they were being asked to hold a special meeting and wondered if there was a reason. Hudson said he assumed it was because of a pressing timeline. A member of the audience asked to be recognized and said the reason was because the land was under contract until the end of October so a delay would be detrimental to the project. Brabo asked if October 8th at 7:00pm was okay for everyone else. Binder said she had some heartburn about this project not going before the Planning Commission before the Supervisors look at it. She said she was trying to treat everyone the same even though this has been done before. Bueche said that was why he asked if there was a time crunch. Brabo asked if the discussions at the joint meeting would be separate. Gregory said that it would be a joint Public Hearing and, although not often held, the conversation would be joint but the decisions and votes would be separate to each body, meaning the Planning Commission would vote then the Supervisors would vote. Brabo said that would be good since the Supervisors could reap the benefit of hearing the Planning Commission's discussion. Bueche said the Planning Commission could vote then the Supervisors could ask questions and then vote but Gregory said with a Public Hearing staff would present, there would public comment, and then the Planning Commission would vote and the Supervisors would vote. He said there could be discussion between the two bodies, meaning the Planning Commission and the Supervisors, but the decision would be separate. The Board approved advertising for a special meeting.

Hudson again remained at the podium to present a special exception permit request by Rodney Rollins to amend his existing Special Exception Permit. Hudson gave a summary that stated the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was requesting that Rollins install a cover on his sludge storage facility and Rollins was asking for one requirement, to only spread the sludge on his farm, be removed from his permit. Brabo asked if DEQ was "requesting" or "requiring" the cover. Hudson said they were "requesting." Brabo said she wasn't sure how this played into Rollins' negotiations with DEQ. Gregory said he couldn't speak for DEQ but said they were in favor of the change requested by Rollins. Gregory said the bio-solids need a place to go and Rollins provides that. Gregory said this would allow Rollins more flexibility and DEQ felt that was a good thing. The cover would also allow Rollins to run the facility more efficiently. Gregory said he couldn't speak for Rollins either but felt Rollins was willing to make the investment but wanted to spread the bio-solids elsewhere. Brabo said she didn't see why this needed to skip the Planning Commission and Gregory said they were just trying to streamline the process but had no issues going before the Planning Commission. Brabo said her concern was if the Planning Commission was left out, it was one less opportunity to hear from neighbors. The Board approved sending the request to the Planning Commission.

The new Director of Economic Development, Nick Minor, and Bob Baird then presented an application for tourism funding from Parks and Recreation to help pay for updated guide books for the Plant Central Rappahannock Natives publication. Baird said the request was for $1,200 and would include the new native plant garden in Cedell Brooks Park. Brabo asked when the last edition was published and Minor said two years ago. Brabo asked how it was funded previously and Baird said a grant from GWRC covered the $30,000 expense to develop and publish the original booklet. Brabo asked what the cost was this year and Baird said he didn't know but the $1,200 was a cost share portion they were asked to provide. Binder said she found the publication useful as she's found it difficult to grow plants in her yard. Brabo said she wasn't opposed to it but was wondering if it should use tourism funds or general funds. Binder said she felt tourism funds were appropriate as she has seen people visiting Cedell Brooks Park from outside of the area. The fund request was approved.

Next to present was David Howard from Waste Management. He came before the Board to request an amendment to allow for additional waste tonnage at the landfill. Howard said there's an opportunity this year to accept more due to a closure in Fairfax. He said there would be no change to the hours of operation and that the waste would arrive by truck and rail just like the rest.

Granger thanked Dr. Young for providing the historical numbers and limits and said that the past few years the County has been able to increase the amounts and get more funds for capital projects. He said it makes sense to move forward but felt it was something the Board shouldn't get in the habit of doing. Granger said that he didn't want to get addicted to the extra money. The Board approved the additional tonnage. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Secretary of the Landfill Advisory Committee.]

Bueche then began reading the wrong item on the Agenda, caught himself, then apologized. He said he had "no idea what I was reading" but mentioned Project94 recommended bringing extra coffee for tonight's meeting and he regretting not bringing a backup thermos.

Dr. Young then presented a resolution for Potomac Landing to allow golf carts. Young said that in discussions with Gregory, they discovered that there also needs to be a Public Hearing before the resolution. Gregory said because it requires an ordinance amendment, there needs to be a Public Hearing first. The Board approved advertising a hearing.

Next was a discussion of the noise ordinance. Granger said he asked to add this to the Agenda because he was approached by a resident who had a neighbor that has been firing guns through the night. Granger said it wasn't a one-off situation but instead has been a regular occurrence. He said the resident complained to the Sheriff's Office but they said the firing of the gun was lawful and exempt from the noise ordinance. Granger said the neighbor was "disinclined to stop" so he felt it was something that should be addressed and had Gregory look into the issue. He said he was bringing it to the Board to see if anyone had any interest in amending the noise ordinance to prohibit firing guns at night in non-hunting situations.

Brabo said she was okay sending the issue to the Planning Commission but Gregory said it wasn't a zoning issue and therefore wouldn't go before the Planning Commission. Gregory said he did some analysis and it was a thorny issue but he was able to come up with a drafted amendment. He said that because noise was a subject issue, ordinances needed to have an objective measurement, as the County discovered when it originally implemented the noise ordinance. He said that because of firearm restrictions and state laws, there were certain limits they had to abide by. He said the current noise ordinance had an exemption for firearms. Gregory said that unfortunately they can't just make up a law that says knock it off so his suggestion was to restrict the exemption to prohibit non-hunting firearm use between 10:00pm and 6:00am and to not be above 65 decibels. He said he ran the proposal by the Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney and the Sheriff and both thought it would work. Gregory said he wasn't sure how well the measuring equipment would do.

Bueche appreciated his work but thought that by the time a deputy showed up, the firing may be over with. He also said it may be a landowner shooting at nuisances like foxes or coyotes. He was also not a fan of times that were outside of the typical sunup to sundown for hunting. Gregory said his proposal was 10:00pm to 6:00am. to which Bueche apologized saying he heard it wrong. Gregory added that they can't restrict firearms more than any other activity so that's why they used those hours. Granger added that the Sheriff has received multiple complaints and the neighbor has still been "disinclined" to stop. Jenkins said that going for a nuisance animal may fall under hunting and felt, as a member of law enforcement, this proposal gives the officers the tools to do their job. Bueche added that "sometimes you can't legislate common sense." Brabo agreed that it was another tool in the tool box. Gregory closed out the discussion by saying the next steps would be to prepare a draft ordinance amendment, give a Board report, authorize a Public Hearing, and then approve or deny.

The County Administrator, Dr. Neiman Young, had no report.

The Closed Session began at 10:56pm and Dr. Young, Eric Gregory, Jonathon Weakley (Service Authority General Manager), Brad Hudson, Heather Hall, and Mike Bennett (Service Authority Board of Directors) were all invited to attend. Hudson and Weakley left at 11:13pm and the Board returned from Closed Session at 11:27pm. They adjourned their meeting one minute later, making this the longest recorded pair of meetings in all of 2018 and 2019. The previous record was 10:22pm this year and 11:06pm in 2018.

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 September 18, 2019 at 5:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.

Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.

SUBSCRIBE OR DONATE
You can subscribe via email here. You can make a charitable donation here.

2019-09-03 - Service Authority Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

SUBSCRIBE OR DONATE
You can subscribe via email here. You can make a charitable donation here.

The Board of Directors of the Service Authority began their meeting at 6:31 pm.

It was noted that Ruby Brabo could not attend physically but was participating remotely. Eric Gregory, County Attorney, reminded Mike Bennett, Chairman, that the Board needed to make a motion to approve and recognize Brabo before she could officially participate. The Board did so.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

There was no Public Comment.

2019-06-18 - Service Authority Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The King George County Service Authority Board of Directors opened their meeting at 6:31pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Mike Bennett, Chair, opened the meeting by informing everyone that this would be the third meeting in a row with a Public Hearing. He said the first hearing was regarding the 10% increase in rates for the coming year but because it wasn't sufficiently advertised, another hearing had to be held at the last meeting. Bennett said tonight's hearing was for the overall five year rate plan which included additional rate increases. He said the previously published newspaper article was incorrect in stating that the ten percent increase would be every year for the next five years. Instead, he said, next year's rate was already approved to go up 10%. The following years would increase 4%, 4%, 4%, then finally 3%. Bennett said the five year rate plan was required by Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) as a part of the Service Authority's plan to restructure their debt. He said the restructuring would allow for lower debt payments in the short term to allow for needed repairs and maintenance to be paid for. He reminded the audience that they would have two opportunities to speak, first at the beginning of the meeting, then again during the Public Hearing portion. He said because of the full Agenda and the Board of Supervisors meeting that followed, he would be strictly enforcing the three minute limit. He then opened the floor for comment.

There was no Public Comment.

Chris Werle gave a brief report that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) approved and issued the permit for the Fairview Beach riverbank stabilization project. Werle said he thought that should be the last permit needed but Bennett added that the Army Corps of Engineers should still have a final say. Bennett jokingly chided Werle for forgetting them, especially since he was a former member of the group, and Werle chuckled and said "shame on me."

Richard Granger and Cathy Binder had no report.

Ruby Brabo said that she learned about a joint agency initiative between Federal and local governments at a recent meeting at Fort A. P. Hill. She said a workshop would be held in August.

Mike Bennett said that for years he has been involved in finding the contamination problem in Fairview Beach. He said that he had two points to clarify. First, he said the water that is contaminated in the Potomac River is not the drinking water from the Service Authority. Second, the funds being used by Tri-County/City Soil and Water to track the source was actually money paid to them by the Service Authority as a penalty in years past. He said that it wasn't a good thing that the Service Authority had to pay a penalty but it was good that the money ended up coming back to help them.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had an update on the lease agreement with KGI Communications. He said once the Public Hearing was held by the Board of Supervisors, the terms will be finalized. Bennett added that the contract had pretty much been approved a year ago but KGI had to wait on the FCC to get approval for their specific frequencies. There were also some minor changes to be made in the contract as well as adjusting for KGI not being able to provide free internet at the Dahlgren Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) because of the proximity to the Navy base in Dahlgren.

The Public Hearing for the five year rate structure was next on the agenda. The only person to speak during Public Comment was Miriam Niemi who asked if the Board had thought about a monthly payment cycle for Service Authority bills instead of the once every two-month cycle currently in use. She said the current method doesn't really work for budgeting.

With no other comments, Bennett said that the Board has considered it and discussed it in the past. He said they have tried to make it clear what the monthly changes would be for the new rate increases and that generally speaking, all of them were in favor of a monthly bill. Bennett said it's not as easy as it sounds though "since we're the government" but the Board was thinking about it. Brabo added that the current accounting software used for billing can't do monthly bills.

Jonathon Weakley, General Manager, then gave a brief overview of the five year rate plan. He thanked the Board, the citizens that volunteered for the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee, and Davenport and Associates for their help. Weakley said that the plan helps free free up funds in the near term as well as restructures the debt over time. He said that the rates would still be reviewed every year to make sure the proper thresholds are met. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, was a member of the Service Authority Citizen Budget Advisory Committee.]

Bennett added that everyone on the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee was a Service Authority customer and all were in favor of the planned increases. He said the Service Authority needed to get their financial house in order as well as get facilities into compliance. He said part of that would be rate increases, but part would also be restructuring or refinancing the debt. He added that the rates can be changed annually but the VRA requires the plan to be in place before restructuring can occur. Weakley added that the VRA resolution would be later in the evening. The five year rate plan was approved.

Next was the Debt Restructuring presentation by Sands Anderson and Davenport and Associates. Due to technical issues, the presentation was not visible on the projector however it mirrored much of what was presented in previous budget meetings. The biggest change was the inclusion of more precise dollar amounts. With the Board already approving the five year rate plan, the two items left that Davenport asked the Board to act on were the approval of the resolutions later in the meeting and the approval to participate in the Summer 2019 VRA Pool.

Going into more detail about the debt restructuring, not all of the debt would be refinanced. Of the roughly $25 million in total debt, the Service Authority would refinance about $16 million. This would free up about $1 million per year in cash for the Service Authority to use for necessary repairs and maintenance. Bennett asked where grant money would fit into the process and Davenport said it would only make things better. Grant money was not factored into the plan as it wasn't a definite but it would certainly help. Bennett also asked about the Debt Service Coverage ratio, which is the cash to debt ratio. VRA only requires a ratio of 1.0, or $1 dollar of revenue for every $1 dollar of debt, but the plan from Davenport put the ratio at 1.22 or higher, meaning there was a plan to have more revenue than debt.

Bennett commended Davenport for their hard work and timely responses. He said he was really impressed by how fast things were turned around. Bennett said he wasn't impressed by how many problems the Service Authority has but was impressed by how many solutions Davenport was able to come up with.

In addition to the debt restructuring and long term rate plan, the Service Authority will also seek a line of credit. The idea is to have the flexibility to draw money to pay for projects that currently have an unknown cost. While grants may cover these costs, known issues don't have an assigned cost yet and new problems may arise. The final task for the Service Authority is to adopt updated financial policies.

Weakley asked about the line of credit and what the draw down schedule would look like and if there would be a fee for taking no money out or less than the minimum. Because every bank has different rules, Davenport said it was an unknown right now but as proposals came in for the line of credit, those questions could be answered.

Moving on with the Agenda, Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, asked for the adoption of the FY2019-2020 Operating and Capital Budgets. It was approved.

Next, Werle gave a brief update on the Fairview Beach riverbank stabilization project. He said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the project in their hands going on six months and will require an environmental assessment to be done. Werle said FEMA told him that process could take another six months and that, because the area was already at risk, he suggested paying Schnabel Engineering to conduct the study since they would be able to accomplish it faster. Werle said that some grant money is available to pay for it and that it would only take one big storm to wash things away and that the sewer line would be the first thing to go. The Board approved.

Next was the approval of the VRA Resolution. As requested, there was a roll call vote, an odd procedure where every member casts their vote individually.

Weakley then presented his request to enter into a contract for water tank maintenance. He said there was one in the past but it lapsed at some point and was never renewed or replaced. Weakley said that adding the required chlorine to the water has an adverse impact on the tanks if they are not properly maintained. He said the proposed contract was for nine years with the ability to expand out to 15 years. His objective was to approve the contract as soon as possible in order to get the company started on the Purkins Corner tank so there was enough time to finish before school started in the fall. The Board approved spending $67,450 for the first year of the contract.

Weakley then presented his General Manager's report. He thanked Eric Gregory and Lavita Cobb for their help in getting the water tank maintenance contract completed.Weakley continued by saying he's had some developers knocking on the door asking about the the capacity of the Courthouse water system and he wanted to make sure that the Service Authority stayed within the daily, monthly, and yearly withdrawal limits on the permit. Brabo asked Werle if there were negotiations or future planning done for the Courthouse permits to allow for future development in the area. Werle said he had not been involved with the process. Brabo said that it may be safe to assume that taking future development into consideration wasn't done and it may cause future growth to be restricted. Werle said that modifications to the existing permit can be applied for and that development would be a valid reason to do so.

Weakley continued his report saying that the annual Consumer Confidence Reports had been mailed and notification was sent to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) as required. Lead and copper sampling plans were also sent to VDH for approval. He said the Courthouse water system would be flushed in the near future and alerts would be sent via the KGAlert system.

On the waste water side of the Service Authority, Weakley gave updated numbers for the Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) for all five waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). Dahlgren WWTP was over the permitted TN limit of 3.0 mg/L with 4.7 mg/L for the year. He did say that the preliminary numbers for the last few weeks looked much better and that the improvements to the "recipe for success" would be put into writing so that current and future staff would know what needed to be done. Purkins Corner WWTP was the only other facility to be over their allowed amounts. With a permitted level of 10.0 mg/L TN, the year to date amount was 10.7 mg/L. Weakley said that this was largely due to mechanical issues earlier in the year and that new mixers had been installed and more were on the way. Weakley also noted that the Oakland Park WWTP was still seeing darker effluent and that it was still being investigated to find the source. He also said that the new employee at the facility was doing a phenomenal job and noted that Mr. Turner was excited and absorbed everything he learned. Weakley thanked Tim Maciejewski for helping train the new employee. Weakley said that the Purkins Corner WWTP was also being evaluated by Wiley Wilson to determine if it would be best to decommission the plant or build a new one. Bennett added that some of the analysis was already done on decommissioning Oakland Park and Purkins Corner WWTPs, but because of potential development in the Purkins Corner area, and the amount of land available for use, there were more options available to the Service Authority. Bennett said that there's a potential for 1,400 units in the area and that the silver lining was that the Service Authority would get a connection fee for every home built.

Weakley ended his report saying he worked with the Arlington Catholic Diocese for their upcoming work camp being based at the high school.

Bennett was getting ready to close the meeting and asked if anyone had anything else to bring before the Board when Brabo mentioned the proposed meeting for July. Bennett said he would get to that in a minute then jokingly said "unless Mr. Bueche wanted to take up some of their time." After a few chuckles, Bennett went on to explain that the Board doesn't normally meet in July but that he and Werle talk nearly every day and he felt like there was enough going on with the Service Authority that it warranted a special meeting in July to stay on top of things. With that, he said the Board would meet on July 16.

There was no Closed Session.

The meeting adjourned at 8:09pm.

Meeting Attendees:
Christopher Werle (Board of Directors)
Jonathon Weakley (General Manager of Service Authority)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Michael Bennett (Chairman, Citizen)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)

Meeting Agenda

Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on June 20, 2019 at 5:00 pm at Company 1.

Previous Meeting:
The previous Service Authority Meeting was not covered by Project94.

2019-05-07 - Service Authority Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Service Authority Board of Directors opened their meeting promptly at 6:30pm as a few audience members took their seats.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Mike Bennett, Chairman, gave the audience a brief reminder that there would be two Public Comment sections tonight. The first was for general comments to the Service Authority Board while the second comment period would be for the Public Hearing on the new rates later in the evening. With that, he opened the floor for comment.

There was no Public Comment.

Christopher Werle began his report with an update on the April 26 meeting he attended with Bennett, Jonathan Weakley, General Manager, and Dan Sweeney, Vice President of Hazel Land Company [Editor's Note: Dan Sweeney is not related to former Service Authority employee Scott Sweeney]. Werle said the meeting was to get information on the Hopyard Farm water and sewer needs for the planned residential and commercial developments. Werle said the current permitted capacity of Hopyard Farm Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is 375,000 gallons per day but could be increased to 500,000 gallons without any plant modifications. He said the plant could handle 1 million gallons per day but would need a physical expansion to do so. Werle ended his report by saying he attended the April 30 budget work session.

Cathy Binder opened her report stating she had also attended the budget work session as well as numerous other agenda meetings. Binder said she had also met with several citizens about their concerns with the Service Authority. She also thanked County employees Kim and LaWanda who found several scrap books that documented much of the history of the Service Authority from the mid 1970s to the 1990s. She aid they were really big books so they can't be scanned easily but was surprised to see that many of the same problems we have now were present back then. Binder said the Board wants to fix the problems as best as they can but it's hard to right a ship that's been tilting for awhile.

Ruby Brabo echoed Binder's comments and said that a lot of people expect the Board to fix things overnight. She said the problems happened over several decades of mismanagement. Brabo said she also spoke on April 18 at the Hopyard Farm Homeowners Association and attended the same April 30 budget work session.

Mike Bennett reported that he attended the April 26 meeting as Werle had already stated and felt it was a productive discussion on current and future needs. He also echoed Binder in attending several other agenda meetings. Bennett said that the scrapbooks Binder mentioned were a great find but he couldn't decide "if it's comforting or horrifying that we face the same issues." Bennett ended his report saying he also attended the April 30 budget work session and again wanted to thank the citizens for all their help.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

The Public Hearing on the proposed rates was next. Weakley gave a solid overview of the changes prior to the floor opening for Public Comment. Weakley said his presentation was similar to the April 30 budget work session but included a few extra details for the public. He said the total expenses would be $6,528,884 which was a $632,944 increase over last year. He said the increase was larger due to water and sewer maintenance needs. Water maintenance increases $175,728 and sewer maintenance increased $356,142. Out of $6.5 million in expenses, $2,270,851 was just for debt payments. With debt fees for water and sewer totaling $1,863,980 in revenue, there is a shortfall of over $400,000.

Weakley said the proposed ten percent increase would be across the board except for bulk water charges, unusual waste water charge, and septic disposal fees. He also said that deposits and tampering fees would remain the same. When Weakley said that the unmetered customers would also see a ten percent increase, Bennett asked about a letter that was sent to all unmetered customers. Weakley said the Service Authority was unable to locate any records of a letter being sent but the Finance Department may have done so. Either way, he said they'll work with the roughly 75 unmetered customers to develop plans to install meters.

Weakley continued his presentation by saying the minimum bill, based on 3,000 gallons per month, would increase by $6.67 per month or $13.33 per bill. He said the average rate increase, based on the average bill of 10,000 gallons per month, would go up by $11.95 per month or $23.90 per bill. Weakley said the rate increase would address the water and sewer maintenance backlog as well as the current Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Consent Order. Additionally, he said it should reduce or remove the need for payouts, or fees, for under-performing WWTPs. He said lyear, the Service Authority paid over $140,000 in these payouts. Weakley said the rate increase "won't fix everything at once but would give us solid footing moving forward."

The floor then opened for Public Comment. There was none.

Bennett said the plan was to vote on the budget and the rate increase at the next meeting so their was no vote tonight.

Weakley then gave a brief General Manager's report. He said they were working to update the lead and copper sampling plans and since the issues in Flint, Michigan, everyone was more concerned about them. He praised Kyle Conboy, GIS Manager, for making his life easier in using the GIS system for their plans. Weakley said that if the Service Authority calls citizens about this sampling, it's not because they feel there is any danger but rather because they need to take samples and send them to the Virginia Department of Health. He said regardless of the test results, they are shared with the residents. As it was explained to me when I volunteered to participate, residents will be given instructions on how to collect samples from inside their home later in the summer, usually August. Once the samples are collected, they're sent to a lab for testing and then the results are sent to VDH, the Service Authority, and the resident. The purpose of the test is to ensure the water supplied by the Service Authority isn't causing a homeowner's pipes to leach lead into their drinking water.

Weakley continued his report saying they did a pre-inspection of the School Board Office building and the old King George Middle School prior to VDH inspecting them. Additionally, they met with Potomac Landing Developers to discuss the utility infrastructure and sent several alerts regarding the upcoming hydrant flushing in Fairview Beach on May 9th. Bennett interrupted and said that if anyone is a Service Authority customer, he recommended signing up for KGALERTS. Bennett said you could sign up just for those alerts related to the Service Authority so you don't necessarily need to be flooded with school or gym class cancellations.

Weakley said they will meet with Wiley Wilson regarding the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for the pump stations and met with DEQ regarding Purkins Corner WWTP improvements. He said he met with a developer to discuss an upcoming rezoning request in the Dahlgren Gateway Plaza and continued to hold weekly management meetings.

Brabo said she wanted to remind everyone that round table discussions regarding developments in Dahlgren should include representatives from the Dahlgren Navy base. She said the base has concerns about rezoning in Dahlgren which is why the Board of Supervisors voted to "undesignate Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement Zone." She said she wanted to make sure a base representative was present. While it remains unclear if the Supervisors did indeed make this vote, it is clear that the Navy supports keeping Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement Area.

Weakley said there was somebody there from the base but he forgot her name. He said there was also representation from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and other parties. Bennett thanked him for all of his hard work, especially considering this was his first budget cycle.

The meeting adjourned at 7:03pm.

Meeting Attendees:
Christopher Werle (Board of Directors)
Jonathon Weakley (General Manager of Service Authority)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Michael Bennett (Chairman, Citizen)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)

Meeting Agenda

Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on May 21, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.

Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Service Authority Meeting.

2019-03-12 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 8:15pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Jim Lynch began Public Comment by saying he wanted to report on the 10th Annual Half Marathon that was held on the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail. He said it was quite a success on the cold and rainy morning with over 100 runners and over 20 volunteers. Lynch said the comments from the runners were very positive about the day and the course. Lynch said he wanted to express appreciation to the County for the helpers they had on hand, including personnel from the Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services Department as well as the King George Amateur Radio Operators and the Fredericksburg Railroad Museum for providing two train cars. He said the kids in particular enjoy the train cars. Lynch said the overall winner was Matt Boyd and Lynch wanted to mention him specifically because he is a native of King George. Lynch said Boyd has also won the race in the past. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT.]

Next to speak was Kim Dodge who wanted to thank Richard Granger for following up with her on the flashing left turn arrows at Port Conway and Kings Highway (Route 3). Dodge said that Granger contacted the right people but their comment was that the project was state wide and the intersection met the criteria for that type of light. She also said that the bottom line from the traffic engineers was that people just needed to learn how to drive. She again thanked Granger for following through even though their hands were tied.

Cathy Binder then read a letter from Kelly Lewis. Lewis said she was a recent patient at the CVS Minute Clinic and noted that when she arrived, the wait time was over four hours. Lewis said she didn't have to wait that long because she scheduled an appointment online ahead of her trip but in talking to the medical professional there, the long wait times were a regular occurrence. Lewis said she was told all the patients would likely not be seen that day, even if the employee worked through their lunch break. Lewis said she supported the proposed medical venue prior to this but her experience was the catalyst to write a letter urging the Supervisors to support the project as well. She said long wait times like this are unacceptable and that even though the rural integrity of King George will always be cherished and valued, the County needs these things.

Jeff Bueche then read a letter from Renee Parker. Parker said that one of the topics at an upcoming work session would be the library and wondered about the previous discussions to merge with Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL). Parker said she saw no value in the library merging with CRRL however saw a cost savings of $14,000 per month by the library becoming a County department. In addition to the claimed cost savings, Parker said it would allow the County to provide oversight and transparency that the community deserves. She said that it takes about half a million dollars a year to fund the library and thought the County's oversight and guidance was the only way to provide proper stewardship of the library.

John Jenkins began his report by thanking everyone for their comments. He especially wanted to thank Lynch for his comments on the trail saying it was another reason it is the crown jewel in the County. Jenkins then quipped that he was going to run the race but "twisted his ankle or something." Jenkins continued that he couldn't agree more about the need for medical facilities. He said you can't have enough stuff like that and that the Board has been vocal about the issue as well as citizens. Jenkins said the Board has not seen any official plan yet but would look at it when it arrives. Jenkins attended the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) meeting on February 25th and the budget work session on the 26th. He said he also attended the Home Show on March 2nd and the YMCA Casino Night on the 9th.

Richard Granger started his report by thanking everyone that came out to comment as well. He said he appreciated Parker's comments on the library and Lewis' comments as well. Granger said he attended the budget work session on February 26th then made a motion to appoint Thomas Kramer to the Wetlands Board. The motion was approved. Granger then said at an earlier meeting it was questioned if Gina Panciera could serve on the Building Code Board of Appeals while also serving as an elected official on the School Board. Granger said that County Attorney Eric Gregory found no conflict and that Panciera is an engineer, a certification that is required for the Board. Finding nobody else qualified and willing to serve, Granger made a motion to reappoint Panciera to the Board. The motion was approved.

Cathy Binder's report began with her thanking Dodge for coming out to speak and for understanding that sometimes the Supervisors can't fix everything. To Lynch, Binder said that as the former Cross Country Coach at King George High School, she remembered seeing Matt Boyd's name many times on the list of records. On February 25th and March 7th, Binder attended Service Authority meetings. On February 26th, she attended the budget work session. Binder said she also attended the Home Show and was able to talk to a lot of residents about a lot of topics. On the 6th she attended the Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging meeting and took a tour of the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office and Courthouse on the 12th.

Before Ruby Brabo began her report, Jeff Bueche said she had previous approval to attend the meeting remotely via video conference. Brabo then reported on her participation in a National Association of Counties (NACo) conference call on February 22nd and again on the 25th. Also on the 25th she attended the GWRC meeting. On the 26th she took part in another NACo conference call related to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and attended the budget work session. On March 1st, she went to a WOTUS meeting with NACo, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers. From the 1st through the 6th she attended the NACo legislative conference during which she met with the Rural Affairs Committee to discuss the burden of a 2020 census being done only online. Brabo said this online-only format would result in skewed numbers in rural areas with limited or no internet access, thus impacting their ability to get Federal funding that is based on census data. Brabo said she was awarded with the Chairman's John Deere award during the conference because of her advocacy for a higher population cap for Rural Broadband. During the conference she also attended Capitol Hill briefings related to surface transportation and medical access for veterans after arrest but prior to conviction. On March 6th Brabo attended the Spotsylvania Hospital Board meeting. On the 7th she attended the Service Authority budget work session. On the 9th she participated in the Sheetz to Sheetz Run to support Ainsley's Angels.

Jeff Bueche then read his report and apologized that it was so long-winded. He said he attended the budget work session on February 26th. Bueche said after many drafts and conversations, the Board approved a Travel Policy Amendment for transparency and accountability. He said he has been asked since then about the language concerning the appointment of a Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) and NACo representative. Bueche said that VACo and NACo lobby for things he supports and doesn't support and would rather have a seat at the table to guide that process than be left in the dark. ON March 2nd he attended the Fairview Beach Polar Plunge and the Home Show. On March 9th Bueche attended the Casino Night at the YMCA. He said the upcoming meeting with the School Board would be delayed but that he felt the reported amount of $1.8 million the schools would ask for was unrealistic. He said he would be holding a Round Table discussion on March 22nd at Caledon State Park to discuss the County's infrastructure needs. From fire and rescue needs to the Service Authority to empty buildings, he asked that everyone come with ideas on how to solve the issues. Bueche finished his prepared remarks by reminding everyone that he can be reached via email (Monroe@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us).

Adding to his report, Bueche thanked Dodge and Lynch for speaking. To Lynch he said the only way he was running was if somebody was chasing him but congratulated him on a successful event. To Lewis, he thanked her for her letter and agreed that reliable medical care was needed and is outlined in the Economic Development Strategic Plan. To Parker's comments on the library, he said it caused him to reflect on the previous discussions held last year. Bueche said that from what he's seen, the Supervisors don't have the authority to bring Smoot under the purview of the County as a department. He said that authority lies with the library's Board of Trustees. Eric Gregory, County Attorney, agreed, stating that the Supervisors can't make a unilateral decision and that it has to be a mutual decision between both groups. Bueche added that his second point was that while he had an open mind during those earlier discussions on joining CRRL, he didn't think her quoted cost savings of $14,000 per month was accurate. Bueche said he believes the overall savings was $10,000 to $20,000 per year, not $14,000 per month. Bueche ended his report stating he also visited the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office and Courthouse and felt a design like that could meet King George's needs.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

Marta Perry of the Tri-County/City Soil and Water Conservation District then gave a presentation. She gave a brief overview of the history of the group, some of the efforts that they undertake, and some of the roles that they play in the area. Perry said they were not a regulatory agency but rather focused more on helping farmers and residents reduce pollution runoff into the water system as well as to help reduce soil erosion. She said they administer grant programs and offer free site visits to property owners and even work to reduce the caseload of local governments. She finished her presentation by announcing that Cloverfield Enterprises, a farm managed by the Hunley family, once again earned the Clean Water Farm Award. Bueche then read the proclamation to that effect.

Tim Hatch, Chairman of the Landfill Advisory Committee, then presented the draft Purkins Corner Convenience Center Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Hatch said the Supervisors had directed the Landfill Committee to create a policy for both Sealston and Purkins Corner and this was their version for Purkins Corner. He said the draft had gone through many edits, including from Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, and Eric Gregory, County Attorney. Hatch said the Committee looked at surrounding counties and used that as a basis. Brabo asked about two errors on the SOP, including the incorrect header for "5 Rules" when there were more than five rules and the duplicate entry for florescent bulbs. Because of the lag in her being able to communicate remotely, the rest of the Board had already made a motion to approve and voted to approve it as she was talking. Bueche then consulted with Gregory who said they could step back and address Brabo's concerns and then vote again. With discussion reopened, Brabo again stated her concerns as well as that residents were not given direction on where to dispose of prohibited items. Hatch said that the prohibited items wouldn't be allowed anywhere and Brabo argued that some items could be taken to Sealston. After more discussion among the Supervisors and Hatch, the Board approved the SOP with the two modifications Brabo noted and gave the Committee the direction to further amend the SOP to address Brabo's request for where to dispose of prohibited items. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Secretary of the Landfill Advisory Committee.]

Next was Dr. Young's request for the Board to approve a contract for mold remediation at the Courthouse. Granger asked how soon the process would start and Young said within 30 days. Binder asked if employees would be forced to move and Young said no, the work would take place at night. The Board approved the contract.

Dr. Young then asked for approval for an amendment to the Personnel Policy related to the declaration of an emergency. The Board approved after Brabo thanked him for helping train staff for these scenarios and updating the policies.

Next was a request from the King George Art Guild to display a painting in the Board Room. Binder said she was excited to see this happen and felt it would be a great addition to the room. The Board approved.

Dr. Young then asked to amend the budget regarding the Supervisor's travel spending. The Board approved.

Dr. Young then said he had contact from the Planning Commission. Brabo said she found it disturbing that the Planning Commission chose to present maps that showed Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement District at their Open Houses when the Supervisors had voted to remove it from the list. Brabo said that if the Supervisors voted to remove Dahlgren as a settlement zone, they should have shown that on the maps to get better feedback from residents regarding the updated Comprehensive Plan. Dr. Young said Brabo was correct in that was how the Planning Commission presented the maps to the public and that the Planning Commission felt that the arbitrary three mile radius was a practical solution. Young said they were aware of the Supervisor's recommendation. Bueche added that he was at the first Open House and he discussed the issue with Brabo but didn't recall a vote, but rather a consensus. Brabo said there was indeed a vote at the work session and that the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) recommends a three to five mile military overlay district to act as a buffer for military installations. Nobody mentioned that the Dahlgren Naval liaison previously informed the Planning Commission that the Navy did not want to remove Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement District.

Editor's Note: In doing research to see if the Board of Supervisors voted to remove Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement Area, the results are inconclusive. There are no Meeting Minutes from the Supervisors and the Planning Commission Meeting Minutes from the joint meeting simply state:

"Mr. Jenkins, KGCBOS stated due to infrastructure, he would like to see Dahlgren removed from the comprehensive plan as the primary and/or designated settlement for the proposed Mixed Use Development (MUD). Ms. Brabo, KGCBOS seconded Mr. Jenkins proposal and Chairman Granger, KGCBOS third the proposal."

Additionally, my own notes from the evening simply state "GRANGER, BRABO, and JENKINS: remove dahlgren [sic] as primary settlment [sic] area or district to reduce impact on NSWC, CAPT Netta asked for this in the past and was refused by previous BOS"

It should also be noted that later in 2018 at the October 23rd meeting, the Planning Commission altered the Military Installation Area (MIA) around Dahlgren to meet the Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) guidelines. Additionally, at the October 9, 2018 Planning Commission meeting, the Navy spoke out against the removal of Dahlgren as a Primary Settlement Area stating:

"Ms. Keenan discussed the Dahlgren Primary Settlement Area. Ms. Keenan stated there was discussion about removing the Dahlgren Primary Settlement Area from the KGC Comprehensive Plan to provide a larger buffer around the Naval Surface Warfare Center Division Dahlgren (NSWCDD) base. [Ms. Lynne Keenan is the Community Planning Liaison Officer for Naval Support Activity South Potomac, Dahlgren.]

Ms. Keenan stated while unchecked growth is a concern to the mission of Dahlgren, we feel compatible development in this area has been much needed for amenities and services for personnel and their families. It is the official position of the (US Naval Support Activity South Potomac) base Commanding Officer, Captain Michael O’Leary that removing the Dahlgren Primary Settlement Area would be a greater harm than good for growing personnel and the ability to meet the demands of the nearly 12,000 persons that work and live on the base. Some people have complained the Navy’s position on this matter has not been vocalized clearly enough, therefore, there is an issued apology for same. The Navy supports compatibility with businesses and business development (as part of the JLUS) in the Dahlgren Primary Settlement Area and it is the hope of the Navy to continue to use these services and amenities in the future."

Dr. Young then informed the Board that the School Board would not be coming to the work session on the 14th and instead intended to come on the 19th. Bueche asked if the citizens on the Budget Advisory Committee would be invited. Young said they would be. Although Brabo was upset the School Board delayed the meeting, she wanted to make sure the citizens would be able to participate in the discussion. Bueche reiterated that concern saying the school system was a major part of the budget and wanted the citizens to actively participate. The rest of the Board was amenable to that. Because of the concern over the amount of time involved, Young said he would prepare a bare bones agenda for the evening.

The meeting adjourned at 9:39pm.

Meeting Attendees:
John Jenkins (Board of Supervisors)
Jeff Bueche (Chairman, Board of Supervisors)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)

Absent:
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors) - Not present in person but attending remotely via video conference.

Meeting Agenda

Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on March 14, 2019 at 6:30 pm at Company 1.

Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.

2019-01-22 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The King George County Board of Supervisors opened their meeting at 7:06pm on January 22, 2019.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Public Comment was opened by Michele Darnell of The Belle Grove Plantation. She said she has faced issues with signage on the property since 2013 noting that for their bed and breakfast business it is limited to one sign. She said during the winter months it's easy to see but not so for the other three months. Darnell said they have installed banners and other signs as allowed but they had to be removed due to a recent complaint. She felt that there was a double standard where other businesses, especially those outside of King George, are allowed multiple signs, while they are not. She said she had permission from the land owner and the farmer leasing the cropland to place additional signs there. Darnell said she wasn't there to make it harder for others but rather easier for everyone. She noted that their success at Belle Grove is the success of others. Their business employs many local residents and vendors and their signs from the holidays brought in 360 tour guests, which was enough to employ four people for the entire month of December and earn nearly $1,000 in tax revenue for the County. Darnell continued by noting that the way complaints about signs are handled needs to be changed. She said that at this time, anyone can complain about a sign without giving their name. She felt this was an opportunity for people to harass business owners. She asked that the Board change this policy to collect the name of the complainant. Darnell noted that the name doesn't need to be shared with the other parties, but rather kept by the County as a safeguard against potential harassment.

Next to speak was Rob Neal who came to speak against the proposed shooting facility at the former Cameron Hills Golf Course. He thanked Cathy Binder for her service and support. He said he was there not to offend or insult but was passionate about this. He said many years ago there was a Board of Supervisors meeting where there was a vote to allow the property to be used as a golf course. He said this vote had no impact on the neighbors but the same couldn't be said for the proposal of a gun range. He said around Christmas time he was outside decorating and heard a steady stream of gunfire from the golf course property. He said the high powered rifle would fire every thirty seconds or so. Neal said he became agitated and went inside to calm down and think about how to deal with the noise. He said he could still hear the gunfire inside and the idea of hearing that multiplied by multiple guns on multiple ranges was overwhelming. He said he couldn't live the rest of his life there unhappy. Neal continued by saying he had heard a Supervisor say in the past that the decision would be based on facts. He asked whose facts would be used in this decision. He said no one on the Board, County employees, or the Ognek brothers would be living in the area and said that they wouldn't be subjected to the noise like he would be. Neal said that the decision the Board makes would impact him and the rest of the community. He said his neighbor has over 2,000 acres and all of their future choices on how to use their property would be based on how the Board votes.

John Jenkins was first to give a Board report. He thanked everyone for their comments and for attending the meeting. To Mrs. Darnell he said he appreciated her comments and that she raised valid points about the signs, not just for her business but others too. He said he has heard similar complaints but has also heard complaints about too many signs. To Mr. Neal, Jenkins said he appreciated his comments as well and was confident that the Board would make the right decision "for you and the rest of the community." Jenkins concluded by saying he attended the Economic Development work session on January 16 noting that there was a lot of good discussion. He was excited that they're close to being done. Jenkins then appointed Ross Devries to the Planning Commission and Jeff Stonehill to the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee.

Richard Granger began his report by thanking Mrs. Darnell for coming out. He said they had talked about this before and felt it might be a good idea to have Community Development prepare some information for the next meeting to look at the specific points in her complaint as well as determining how the County ordinances compare to other nearby localities.

Ruby Brabo interrupted and said she was going to recommend sending it to the Planning Commission as she noticed a lot of contradictions and sections that needed updates. She also asked the Board to consider how much they were willing to invest in policing signs in the County. Jeff Bueche asked for a consensus from the Board and they agreed to send the matter to the Planning Commission.

Granger continued his report by thanking Mr. Neal and repeating earlier statements that the current zoning ordinances do not specify gun ranges. Granger said he appreciated the concern and getting out early. He continued by adding he also attended the work session on the 16th and that it was good to see citizen feedback.

Granger then commented on the recent alerts from Fredericksburg City about the odor issues in the Ferry Farm area being caused by the King George Landfill. He appreciated Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, Fire and Rescue Chief Moody, Jeff Bueche, and others for their work in determining that the claims were inaccurate and unfounded. He said Fredericksburg later rescinded the alert. Granger also noted that Waste Management has moved up their timeline to install gas wells at the landfill to further assist in reducing odor complaints.

Cathy Binder opened her report by thanking everyone for coming out. She thanked Mrs. Darnell for her input on the signs and told Mr. Neal that she was currently reading the gun range proposal and had concerns. Binder said she attended the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation Board of Directors meeting on January 16 and noted they were working to finalize programs to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Dahlgren [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Museum.]. She also attended the work session on the 16th and appreciated the citizens who came out. On January 17, Binder attended the Smoot Library Board of Trustees meeting where she learned a lot about the paintings that a local artist painted and installed in the Courthouse.

Ruby Brabo started her report by thanking Mrs. Darnell for speaking. She said that the current ordinance allows for an additional, temporary banner to be used for an event for 30 days. She said her understanding from Community Development was that the farm area next to the Bed and Breakfast wasn't included in the allowed area which made no sense to her.

Dr. Young interjected that there are two different parcels with one owner. With the Belle Grove house on one parcel, that was the only parcel that could be used for advertising while the second parcel was for agricultural use. Brabo said she didn't see that stipulation in the ordinances so maybe she didn't understand. Granger added that he read it to mean that it was only the business property that could be used for signs. Brabo said it sounded like there needed to be something to clarify that point going forward.

Brabo then thanked Mr. Neal for coming out and said this was a serious issue. She said a lot of times in the past she was the odd man out on votes because she always thought about how it would impact her if the project in question were in her back yard.

Brabo continued her report saying she participated in a National Association of Counties (NACo) conference call on January 11. She said she also participated in a White House conference call on border security and was surprised to hear the President on the call. She quoted the President as saying the "first duty of government is to protect the nation and its borders." She also added the President said the shutdown would continue as long as necessary. Brabo said she also attended the work session on the 16th and the Planning Commission Open House on January 17. She said it was great for them to do this and said it was probably the first time the County has done this.

Brabo also participated in another NACo conference call on January 22 where the upcoming 2020 census was discussed. It was noted that it was aiming to do the majority of the data collection online, leading to a high potential for under reporting in rural counties where internet isn't present. She said this would create inaccurate data. Also discussed was the current Federal Communication Commission (FCC) process where internet service providers self-report their coverage. She said this data is used by Congress to determine funding for broadband but is also not accurate for many rural areas. Brabo said NACo is working to develop an app that can measure internet speeds to give a better picture of any gaps between what is reported and what actually exists.

Brabo continued her report by noting several proposed bills in the Virginia Senate and House. She noted Senator Hanger's proposed bill, SB 1328, would allow more counties to use Stormwater Local Assistance Funds. She asked for a letter of support to be sent and the Board agreed. Brabo also noted HB 2222 which would allow for a School Board to collect revenue from advertisements on a school bus. She asked if the Board would like to send a letter of support and the general consensus was to do so. Brabo also brought everyone's attention to proposed bills SB 1430 and SB 1431 that would require Conflict of Interest and Freedom of Information Act training for elected officials but would also prohibit a Commonwealth Attorney from concurrently serving as a County Attorney. She ended her report by saying Congressman Wittman was named the Co-Chair of the Rural Broadband Caucus.

Jeff Bueche started his report by thanking Mrs. Darnell for coming out. He said he always enjoys going to Belle Grove and noted that his in-laws like tea there, but not so much himself. Bueche said he has enjoyed several events there in the past and thanked Darnell for bringing the issues to their attention. He felt confident the Planning Commission would do their part. Bueche then thanked Mr. Neal for his comments and said they added a personal touch to the issue instead of just looking at things on paper. He appreciated that and encouraged Neal to have his neighbors come out and speak about the potential impacts to them.

Bueche then thanked the Service Authority Board of Directors for what they did earlier in the evening, offering a way to provide assistance to those impacted by the government shutdown. He said he is affected by the closure as a Coastie, a member of the Coast Guard, but was not a Service Authority customer. Regardless, he said, he appreciated that they are doing something for those are are affected.

Bueche said he also attended the work session on the 16th as well as the Open House on the 17th. He thanked Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, Annie Cupka, Economic Development Coordinator, and Dr. Young for all of their hard work and long hours in producing the Economic Development Plan. He also noted that the Open House was highly attended and was surprised at how much interest there was. On January 20, Bueche joined Dr. Young to visit the Route 205 and Sealston Convenience Centers. He said he's been using the Route 205 Center since 2005 and noted the change since then. Gone was the white sludge leaking from the containers and instead he noticed it was clean and the County employees were polite and busy working. He said he could understand how some residents may not always get the help unloading trash like in the past but noted that the employees do have other duties to attend to. Bueche said he spoke to one employee who recently dealt with an individual that came in without a County sticker, a requirement to use any convenience center. Bueche said the employee approached the individual, told them they wouldn't be allowed to dump trash, and was told "you can't stop me." Bueche said the persons information was collected and reported to the appropriate authorities and cautioned everyone that "manhandling our employees" can't happen here. Bueche closed his comments by thanking Delegate Ransone for her comments on the floor of the House of Delegates.

Bueche then opened the floor for the other Supervisors to make nominations for the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee. Granger nominated Jillian Wittering. Binder nominated Joseph Gaveraux. Brabo nominated Harry Pendleton. Bueche nominated Carrie Cleveland. Binder also nominated Ted Klopsis to the Building Code of Appeals.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

Lavita Cobb, Payroll Specialist, and Travis Self, Building Inspector, then gave the Board a presentation on their recent attendance of the NACo Leadership Course. They took turns during the presentation and started by thanking the Board, Dr. Young, Brad Hudson, Director of Community Development, Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, and Amanda Sumiel, Director of Human Resources for allowing them to attend. They said the twelve week class taught people how to better handle situations and manage teams while adapting to change. Brabo asked if they were put into the same group for their exercises and they said no, they were split up. They said the course leaders wanted each group to have a mix of every region as well as different levels of leaders. Cobb and Self continued that the main pillars or concepts for the course were based on General Colin Powell's 13 Rules of Leadership. The first rule that repeatedly applied to their course, they said, was that "it ain't as bad as you think, it'll look better in the morning."  They also said the principle of "it can be done" applied many times as well as the idea of perpetual optimism. Cobb and Self said this optimism, or "bringing your own weather," really could impact the people around you in a positive way. Self specifically said that the value he gained from the leadership course was that it taught him to develop leadership tendencies and processes that were more positive, even though he wasn't in a position of leadership. They ended their presentation by again thanking them for sending them to the leadership course and hoped two more people would be able to go to the next one. Brabo said that the Board had already approved two more employees to attend and was excited that Cobb and Self got to attend.

Next on the Agenda was an update to the Personnel Policy to add a section on Sexual Harassment and Workplace Violence. Granger said he had already sent some corrections that were reflected in the printed copy they had before them. Brabo said the policy mentions "staff" but does not mention elected officials and felt that they, meaning the Board, should also be included. The general consensus of the Board was to agree. Bueche also noted a minor spelling correction was needed in one section. The Board approved the new policy with the noted corrections.

A discussion of a Cigarette Tax was next with Eric Gregory, County Attorney, starting things off with an overview of the current status. He said that in the State of Virginia, the taxing authority is divided between counties on one side and cities and towns on the other. He said for counties to tax cigarettes, there needs to be a specific statutory authorization and that King George is not one that is currently authorized to levy such a tax. Gregory said the rationale was that cities and towns would need to use such a tax to pay for various services, such as schools, roads, and emergency services. He said bills have been proposed in the past, including two this year, but have been killed. He noted that two more bills are still alive and that a letter of support has been prepared and ready for submission to show the Supervisors' support for the tax. He did caution the Board that a letter of support was not a guarantee that the bills would pass. Gregory did say that if a bill passed, it would not go into effect until 2020 and would need to be studied before then to ensure they didn't conflict with existing laws.

Brabo said her only suggestion was to include an addendum to the letter to add that the Board supported the tax based on what the Sheriff had to say. Bueche said that was part of why he invited Sheriff Dempsey to come out and speak.

With that, Sheriff Dempsey came forward and gave a brief overview of the involvement of the Sheriff's Department in the cigarette industry. He said historically, they've worked to fight cigarette smuggling and have worked with both Federal and New York authorities in the past to solve major cases. Dempsey said King George is one of two counties in the state that is known as a cigarette capital and that 1,714 cartons are sold per day. He said this amounts to over 600,000 cartons sold per year and that doesn't account for what is sold out the back door. Dempsey also said that while Missouri has the lowest tax rate for cigarettes at 17 cents ($0.17) per pack, Virginia is second with 30 cents ($0.30) per pack. Meanwhile, Maryland charges two dollars ($2.00) per pack, DC is a little more at two and a half dollars ($2.50), and New York is over six dollars ($6.16) per pack. He said Virginia is providing a great deal of cigarettes to the East Coast because of how we're geographically located.

Brabo asked Sheriff Dempsey if he felt this was a burden on his resources, especially with the smuggling. Dempsey said it was. He said the large smuggling ring a few years ago as well as multiple break-ins every year at cigarette stores resulted in investigations.

Granger said he felt they should move forward with the letter. Bueche asked Gregory if he could add what the Sheriff contributed, noting that King George is being exploited and that the new bridge would result in even more traffic and more smuggling. Granger said the letter should also make it clear that this isn't just a money grab but that there was a clear negative impact on things from a law enforcement perspective. Brabo also added that safety is paramount and said the big ring that was investigated a few years ago netted nearly 30 arrests with some having ties to terrorist organizations in the Middle East. She said that did not combine well with the proximity to the Navy's premier research and development station in Dahlgren.

Dr. Young then gave a report on the recent complaints about trailers at the Convenience Centers. He noted that on three recent occasions he was told that the Purkins Corner (Route 205) Convenience Center was near or at capacity and would need to close. As a result, he said he and County staff worked to find creative solutions to keep the Convenience Center open for the hours posted. Young said he met with Jeff Jenkins, Director of Landfill Operations and no relation to Supervisor John Jenkins, and discovered that the Convenience Center reached capacity quickly because it was not being used as originally designed. Young said the Purkins Corner Convenience Center was designed for smaller loads and that bulk and oversize loads should be going to the Sealston Convenience Center next to the landfill. Young said this information was posted at the Convenience Center as well as online and that the original intent of the phrases "bulk waste" and "oversized loads" was to include trailers, box trucks, sofas, and more. He said it was impossible to list everything that was prohibited, be that what the garbage consisted of or how it was transported to the Convenience Center.

Young said he later spoke with the County Engineer who confirmed the original intent of the rules, specifically the prohibition of trailers. As it was explained to Young, the Purkins Corner Convenience Center was designed to handle only minor waste that could be carried in a household garbage can, not a bulk load. It was further explained that bulk loads could be inspected at the Sealston Convenience Center before they were dumped to insure any commercial waste was rerouted to the landfill itself.

Young said he also spoke with Waste Management who provided additional confirmation that during their management of the Purkins Corner Convenience Center, bulk waste was not allowed. Waste Management contracted out the management of the facility in 2013 and the enforcement of the policies became lax.

Young continued by saying the restriction against bulk waste at the Purkins Corner Convenience Center was a standing policy historically and was included on signs at the site itself as well as online. He conceded that there was no policy in the County's Code or ordinances and said that the operation of the Convenience Center is hardly mentioned. Young said the Board is allowed to adopt ordinances and operating procedures for the Convenience Centers. He said this was never done in the past because the County was never directly in charge of the facilities. Because of a lack of existing and clearly defined codes and ordinances, Young said he felt obligated to enforce the existing policies but would defer to the Board's judgement if they felt inclined to have him modify or rescind them. Young also added that it wasn't just a capacity issue at the Purkins Corner Convenience Center, noting that the extra length of the trailer could cause a traffic hazard on Henry Griffin Road or Route 205 (Ridge Road).

Granger said that until such time as the Board codifies a policy, he felt the subject fell under the day-to-day operations and that Dr. Young was well within his purview. He said the Board can look at it when it comes before them as a policy to adopt but until then it fell to Dr. Young to enforce the rules.

Brabo said she concurred and that, as already discussed, there will be extenuating circumstances for some residents and that they can call the Director, Jeff Jenkins, to ask for a one-time exemption. She also said she wanted to make sure the Landfill Advisory Committee was being tasked with creating a Standard Operating Procedure [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Landfill Advisory Committee.].

Young said that Jeff Jenkins had already spoken to the Chair of the Landfill Advisory Committee and they expected to have something before the Board by February.

Brabo said she appreciated the clarifications.

Next on the Agenda was a discussion about a good date and time for a joint meeting with the Tourism Advisory Committee and a leadership summit. There was a general consensus among the Board to invite the chair and vice-chair of the various committees to the leadership summit. The Board also agreed to meet with the Tourism Advisory Committee on February 4 at 6:30pm.

Dr. Young then commended Annie Cupka, Economic Development Coordinator, for her hard work on the SmartScale project submissions. Young said the University Drive Double R-Cut project earned the highest score in the Fredericksburg District and the Route 301 and Route 3 Median U-Turn project ranked fourth out of ten. Brabo added that if the University Drive project had any sort of beneficial impact on the Navy base, she recommended asking Captain O'Leary for a letter of support.

The Board then went into Closed Session at 8:26pm and invited Dr. Young and Eric Gregory to attend.

The Board returned from Closed Session at 8:39pm.

Granger then attempted to appoint Gina Panciera to the Building Code of Appeals but Brabo noted that she was an elected official, she serves on the King George County School Board, and thus may not be eligible. Gregory said he would look into it.

The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm.

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 January 24, 2019 at 6:30 pm at Company 1 Headquarters.

Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.