2020-03-03 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 6:30pm.

There was an amendment to the Agenda to add a Closed Session.

Mike Maldonado was the only speaker during Public Comment. He wanted to tell the Board about two things. First, he attended the Father and Daughter Princess Ball with his daughter. He said the dance, hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department, was fantastic. Second, his daughter attends Potomac Elementary School and she asked him who the Mayor of King George was. He thought this meeting was the perfect place to ask.

In breaking from the usual process of being a one-way comment period, Cathy Binder addressed Maldonado's daughter who was in the audience. Binder said there were five people up here and four represent a specific voting district and one represents the whole County. She added that there's no one person that's the head but that every year they elect a Chairperson. Binder said she would love to come to Potomac and talk to the kids there and asked the young Maxie Maldonado what grade she was in. The young lady said "my grade is Kindergarten" and her teacher was Mrs. Brinkman. Binder said her daughter goes to Potomac too but she had Mrs. Shaw for Kindergarten.

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 - Smoot Libary and Predicted Travel Expenses

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors convened yet another budget work session on March 14, 2019. With the School Board backing out of the meeting earlier in the week to revisit their request for additional funding, the meeting refocused on the Smoot Library needs and the Supervisors' predicted travel expenses.

Once again, the tension between some Supervisors and the Smoot Library arose during the meeting. While Mrs. Carol Sparbel and Mrs. Dixie Lee Washington were representing the Smoot Library Board of Trustees, what wasn't seen by many present was their incredible history with King George County. Mrs. Sparbel has spent decades of her life here in King George giving back to the community, including the Smoot Library. Mrs. Washington has also served the community over the years but she never mentioned that it was her father that built the original library. I think those credentials may have added some weight to their plea for more funding for the library.

Thankfully, Sparbel and Washington presented enough evidence to prove that funding was needed for an Adult Services Librarian at the library. They said the position was created in 2014 but due to the Supervisors level funding the library they have had to leave that position unfilled. In an attempt to fill the gap of the necessary position, three part time workers were hired. When Jeff Bueche asked if Robin Tenney was able to attend the meeting, the Trustees said she was busy hosting a library function. A function that the Adult Services Librarian could have taken charge of had there been funding to hire one.

John Jenkins asked about the security and safety issue that was raised but I felt the intent of the question was lost in the muddle. Having served as a Trustee in the past, I wanted to butt in and answer that without more money to hire more people, the library would have to reduce hours. Staffing the building with one person just isn't safe.

One frightening tidbit of information that arose was that the library is dependent upon multiple sources of revenue. If the County reduces how much it spends on the library, or level funds it again this year, the state will also reduce the amount of aid it gives to Smoot. State aid accounts for roughly 18% of the library's revenue so it would have a big impact.

Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, used some drink containers to explain the question of level funding and staff raises. He said that by level funding the library last year, there was an unintended consequence. Young said that because raises were put into place for the employees, the overall pot of money the library had to spend was actually reduced. Ruby Brabo said they were never made aware of those consequences last year when they decided to level fund their budget.

Jeff Bueche asked if the library had taken on any fund raising efforts since last year. Sparbel said they had and have always done fundraising through various events. Sparbel said that a common point of misunderstanding was that some Supervisors believed the Trustees were specifically charged with fundraising for the library to the point of it being self-sufficient. She said the Trustees had scoured their documents and policies but had not found anything that said that. She asked that if any of the Supervisors could prove that and show it to them, the Trustees would be happy to take that direction from the Supervisors and proceed forward.

In having done research on the issue of merging with Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) last year, I knew I had accumulated several references and massive amounts of data on the Lewis Egerton Smoot Memorial Library. One of those resources was the original County Ordinance from October 1973 that states nothing about the Trustees being required to raise funds for the library. Additionally, the current County Code regarding the library says much the same thing. I am sure it could be argued by an attorney in either direction, but the fact that the County Code states the "trustees may receive assistance in operating the library from the state library system." It further states "All funds to be used by the trustees shall be appropriated by the board of supervisors prior to expenditure." As I see it, this means the Smoot Trustees need the Supervisors and the County for funding.

After more discussion, Sparbel said the Trustees were more than willing to continue to work providing services to the citizens of the County. The Supervisors gave their general consensus to fund the position for the library.

The Supervisors then reviewed the expenditures by category, and called attention to only a few departments that had large increases caused by vehicle or personnel requests. With the librarian position added in, and an unexpected increase in health insurance costs, the proposed increase in expenses was just over $839,000. Dr. Young cautioned that this did not include the School budget. When some of the Supervisors got a little anxious about the increase, Dr. Young assured them that the revenue side, which would be presented at a later work session, looked promising enough to have another year of a low or no tax increase.

With their minds at ease, the Supervisors then presented each of their own proposed travel expenses for the coming budget year. Below are their predicted travel expenses:

• Cathy Binder - $3,550
• Ruby Brabo - $11,775
• Jeff Bueche - $2,750
• Richard Granger - $1,800
• John Jenkins  - $2,750
• Miscellaneous - $2,000

This totaled to $24,625 so they agreed to make the maximum an even $25,000. Brabo did note that the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) would reimburse King George for some of her travel. She also said that she had been asked by both groups to run for office again and asked her peers for their approval to do so. The Supervisors approved. In closing, John Jenkins asked that the Travel Policy and additional information be added to the County's website. While the policy is present, none of the exact figures have appeared yet.

Ruby Brabo's Projected Travel Spending.

Jeff Bueche's Projected Travel Spending (he would later add $250 for a registration fee he forgot about).

Richard Granger's Projected Travel Spending (he would forget to add the same $250 fee as Bueche).

John Jenkins' Projected Travel Spending.

Cathy Binder's Projected Travel Spending.

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.

2019-03-11 - Smoot Library Notice

2019-02-19 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

by Neil Richard

The Board of Supervisors started their meeting at 7:44pm.

There were no amendments to the Agenda.

Public Comment opened with Renee Parker voicing her thanks and a reminder. She said she has watched meetings of late and the actions of the Board appeared to be antagonistic at times. She said their duties may result in stress but the bond they shared in their first year working together, and the respect they had for each other, was obvious. Parker said each member brings their own strengths and that in the past they reached out to others for help and that set a wonderful example for the young in the community. She thanked the Board for their hard work and reminded them that they have achieved a lot. She said people probably aren't beating down the door to thank them. Parker closed by urging the Board to keep the competitiveness out of their meetings.

Next to speak was Vera Means who wanted to voice her deep concern over the proposed gun range at the former Cameron Hills Golf Course, specifically citing that the application appeared to be a work around for the developers by making it a campground. She then went on to note specific issues with the application, as well as the interviews in a recent newspaper article, including a lack of a signature block, discrepancies in the number of ranges desired, and the confusion of the associated uses. She said an application like this would open the door to allow campgrounds to be developed on farm land and then gun ranges allowed as part of those campgrounds. Means also cited issues where the developer noted that neighboring properties already have a high usage of firearms and said she would like to see that evidence because she doesn't hear it. She also asked to see the evidence that the developer talked to neighboring property owners because they never talked to her.

Jeff Bueche reminded Mrs. Means during a pause that she had exceeded her allotted three minutes. Means apologized and wrapped up her statements saying she also had concerns about the developers claim that they could recycle lead, would perform sound testing, and promote small business. She said this was not an issue of gun rights but rather an issue of wants versus needs.

Next to speak was Kim Dodge. She said that on Thursday she left King George and saw a Sheriff's unit at Port Conway and Route 3 and noted that the traffic on Route 3, Kings Highway, has increased massively. Dodge said that many people complain that they have to stop at the stoplight at Hopyard, Port Conway Road and Kings Highway, but she's thankful for it. She said she noticed the recent installation of the blinking yellow turn signal and felt it was a danger as she was almost hit at the intersection. She warned the Board that Hopyard wasn't even half full yet and that traffic is continuing to get worse in the neighborhood with people speeding and not stopping at stop signs. Dodge said she would like the flashing yellow turn signal to be removed and said they were dangerous.

Linda Petersen then spoke about her opposition to the proposed gun range near her. She thanked the Board for their service, time, and energy. She said they have to take into consideration a lot of issues and it takes them away from their families. Petersen said she grew up in a small town in rural Iowa with a lot of hogs and farms. She said when she first drove into King George, she was reminded of her home town with all of the farmland on both sides of Route 3. She said the rural quality is what makes King George special. As Board members, Peterson said they have seen the growth, the financial responsibilities, and specific concerns of residents. She said when considering the special exception permit for the gun range, she felt it had a new name but was the same business. She said as with any business venture, the most profitable will likely be built first, meaning the gun range. Petersen closed by saying the new application was like a father telling a kid no and then the kid going to their mother to see if they can get what they want.

Billy Clift was the last to speak during Public Comment. He said he has spoken many times before the Board and didn't want to take up too much of their time tonight. Clift said when he saw the application that had campground on it, it felt like a poor attempt to slide one in on the County, maybe even a bold attempt. Clift said there were vague comments and inconsistencies in the application and that residents still don't know what the plan is other than they know it's a gun range.

John Jenkins began his report by thanking everyone for coming out to speak. He said he always appreciates them. Regarding the campground and shooting range, he said the Board would cross that bridge when it came to it. As for the application, Jenkins said the associated uses seem vague and it might be best to forward those concerns to the Community Planning Department. Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, said that Community Development is tracking the concerns and that detailed discussions are taking place.

Jenkins continued that the stoplight at Hopyard was in Granger's district so he wouldn't comment too much on the issue but said Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) would be the one to talk to about the issue. Continuing, Jenkins attended the budget work session on the 13th. He said on the 17th, the King George High School Wrestling Team had the highest placement in the State Tournament in school history taking 8th place. Murrill took 6th place, Murgas took 4th place, and Indseth took 1st place. Jenkins said that Indseth was only the second State Champion in wresting from King George and that it was pretty amazing. Jenkins said they did better than he did but he's not bitter or jealous. He added that sadly, he was informed of the passing of Brian Albertson. Jenkins said he either wrestled or coached somebody in the Albertson family and that Brian had a positive influence on the community. Jenkins said that in talking to the family, they have asked that, in lieu of flowers, for donations to be made to a memorial fund set up by Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, and Chris Clarke, Director of Parks and Recreation. Jenkins said donations can be mailed to the Parks and Recreation Department at PO Box 71, King George, VA and to include Brian Albertson Memorial on the memo line.

Richard Granger opened his report by thanking Mrs. Parker for her comments on civility. He said that things can get heated but thanked her for her comments. Regarding the proposed gun range, Granger said that he apologized for his comments at earlier meetings that the project would require a special exception. He said he had no malicious intent and no intent to mislead anyone. He said the project would need a special exception permit to be approved by the Planning Commission. Regarding the traffic light, he said he would reach out to VDOT. Granger continued by saying he also attended the budget meeting on the 13th. He then clarified that at the last meeting there was a briefing by Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, about the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA). He said there was a misunderstanding in reading the information presented and that the budget amounts listed were set by the localities, not the FRA. In other words, Granger said, the return on investment wasn't quite the same as they originally thought.

Cathy Binder was next to report. She also thanked everyone for their comments and appreciated Mrs. Parker's comments on civility. She said Parker is usually right on when looking at everything. Regarding the gun range, Binder said she understands everyone's feelings. To Dodge, Binder said she was also amazed at how much traffic has increased. Binder continued, saying she was at the Service Authority budget meeting on the 11th and the County budget meeting on the 13th. She said it was wonderful to hear about the good work and education that the Social Services Department contributes to the community. Binder also thanked the Finance staff and other employees for helping the Supervisors make better decisions. Binder said she regretfully had to inform the Board that Nancy Haenlein was resigning from the L. E. Smoot Library Board of Trustees but wanted to nominate Joseph Gaborow to take her place. The Board approved.

Ruby Brabo was next with her report, noting that on the 7th she met with the President of Atlantic Builders, Chip Taylor, and others to discuss affordable housing. On the 8th she met with the Pitts family to discuss Medicaid Waivers. On the 12th, Brabo met with the Annie Cupka, Economic Development Specialist, and Dr. Young at the Total Machine business in the Industrial Park. Brabo said that between King George and Richmond there are 15 shops like this that could hire about ten people right away to work Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machines. She said that Rappahannock Community College (RCC) is already working to train students in this field. Brabo attended the budget meeting on the 13th and participated in a National Association of Counties (NACo) conference call on the 14th. She joined the Friends of Caledon on the 18th to tour the Lake Caledon area to learn more about the property and potential fundraising efforts to aid in Caledon State Park annexing the site. To Mrs. Dodge, Brabo thanked her for the information on the blinking yellow light. Brabo said the Board has no say over that but will allow Granger to look into since he's already doing so. Regarding the proposed gun range, Brabo said she appreciated the diligence of Mrs. Means in looking at the application and noting the discrepancies. Brabo said it was unfortunate that she had to do all of that documentation but complimented her for her dedication. She said that for everyone else that comes to speak before the Board, their feedback is important but many people don't realize it. Brabo said that citizens notice things they are passionate about. She said she herself had raised a concern over the campground area and how much acreage was going to be used for camping compared to the gun range and it didn't measure up. She then moved to appoint Daniel Hughes to the Landfill Advisory Committee and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. The Board approved. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Neil Richard, co-founder of Project94, is also a member of the Landfill Advisory Committee.]

Jeff Bueche was next to give a report. He started by thanking everyone for speaking and taking time away from their evening to do so. He told Mrs. Parker that her words didn't fall on deaf ears. Regarding the gun range, Bueche said people often wait too long to comment and appreciated them for coming out early in the process. To Mrs. Dodge, he thanked her for her comments and had faith that Granger was on top of it. On the 11th, Bueche said he attended the joint meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, the King George Builders Association, and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Board. He said the presentation about the apprenticeship program was enlightening and could be beneficial to various stakeholders in the community. He recommended any business that needed a skilled workforce to look into the program at www.doli.virginia.gov or to reach out to the King George County School system.

Bueche continued, saying he attended the Social Services meeting on the 12th, the budget work session on the 13th, and enjoyed a great breakfast at the high school on the 18th to benefit the Student Lunch Fund. Bueche said he will be hosting a Round Table Discussion at Caledon State Park on March 22nd at 6pm. Expected to attend are Mike Bennett from the Service Authority Board of Directors and T. C. Collins from the School Board. Bueche then moved to appoint Shellie Renz to the Smoot Library Board of Trustees. The Board approved. Bueche also asked that if anyone was willing to serve on the Planning Commission, to please email him at Monroe@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us.

The Consent Agenda was approved.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

Next on the Agenda was a request from the Department of Community Development to accept Willow Hill Road into the VDOT Secondary Road system. The Board approved.

Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, then asked for the Board to approve the updated Credit Card Policy. Brabo asked for some clarity around the purchase of gift cards. Ward said that generally only Parks and Recreation and the Sheriff's Department use the County credit card to purchase gift cards. The Board approved the updated policy.

Ward stayed at the podium and asked for the FY19 Budget to be amended to appropriate the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund (RASF) grant for the Emergency Services Department. The Board approved.

There was then some discussion about removing the preliminary plat review process from the Supervisors. Dr. Young said that the Board had already removed the final plat reviews from their work load and was seeking guidance on if the preliminary plat review should also be removed. Early consensus seemed to be that the Board was okay with that but after some discussion the Board decided they would like to keep the process in place. Bueche noted that he didn't want to impede on property rights but summed up the concern of others and himself by saying that he preferred to have the preliminary plats come before the Supervisors even though they can't necessary deny a by-right use. He said he would rather know about a project coming in than be kept in the dark. Brabo agreed and added that the Oakwood Estates development was a prime example where the Planning Commission approved the development but that the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) said septic systems needed at least an acre. She said past Supervisors chose to ignore that and felt that a second set of eyes was beneficial.

Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, had a short report, noting that he would like the Board to consider reappointing Robb Harling to the Economic Development Authority. The Board approved. Young also said that Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) would be hosting a public meeting on March 14th in the Board Room regarding the CROPS, Inc. permit request. Young said he also had a last minute addition to his report with the request from Section Three of Potomac Landing to include their newly completed roads in the VDOT system. Young said they wanted to add Section Three to the golf cart community and that VDOT would need an application for the land use on behalf of the Homeowner's Association. Brabo asked if this would cost any money aside from staff time. Young said no, the application fees are waived. The Board gave consensus to proceed.

The Supervisors then went into Closed Session at 8:44pm and invited Annie Cupka, Ryan Gandy, Dr. Young, and Eric Gregory to attend. Cupka left the meeting at 9:03pm and Gandy left at 9:12pm. The Board returned from Closed Session at 9:38pm.

The meeting adjourned at 9:38pm.

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 February 26, 2019 at 6:30 pm at Company 1.

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

OPINION - Putting Details, Magic, and Drama Into A Budget Session

by Neil Richard

Having just left the second Open House hosted by the Planning Commission, which was more heavily attended than the first one, I once again entered the realm of the budget work sessions held by the King George County Board of Supervisors. I noticed three main topics rise to the surface in this meeting. I'll try to cover each.

Details

Dr. Neiman Young began the meeting by asking the Supervisors for information on how they wanted to proceed with two items. The first was the cost allocation for the Service Authority. He said in past years it was about $60,000 and this year it was dropped further but he felt it would be better suited to drop it even more to $1,000. Based on this meeting, the previous Service Authority Budget Work Session, and prior year discussions, the Service Authority was a wholly independent entity. However, because the Service Authority and the County shared many services, it was felt that there needed to be a line item to charge the Service Authority a fee for the services the County provided. Dr. Young noted that in the past, this amount was never paid by the Service Authority and caused some accounting issues. Ruby Brabo clarified that the Service Authority never paid because the Board of Supervisors voted to not bill them for it. The Supervisors agreed with Dr. Young to drop the amount to $1,000 to serve as a smaller placeholder in the books.

Next, Dr. Young asked for guidance on the Smoot Library's request for additional funding to staff their Adult Services Librarian position. Young said this was an existing position, not a new one, and that the Library opted to remove funding for the job because it was level funded last year. Both Brabo and Bueche asked if the Library had done any fundraisers to help increase their revenue as the Supervisors had asked them last year. Cathy Binder, who is also a member of the L. E. Smoot Memorial Library Board of Trustees, said the Library has events planned for this spring and summer. Bueche said he was disappointed that they hadn't followed through with the fundraising and Brabo suggested that maybe it would serve the County better to join the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) system to save $200,000 a year. Being painfully familiar with the proposal of CRRL taking over the Smoot Library, I knew this savings only looked true on paper. King George County contributed $384,858 to the Smoot Library in 2017 according to the library's 2017 Annual Report. This is very close to the drafted proposal from CRRL last year of an annual fee of $374,490. As I learned last year, joining CRRL isn't as beneficial as it may seem. In looking strictly at the potential savings to the budget, it would be just over $10,000, not $200,000.

Jane Yuan, Executive Director of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB), gave a presentation to the Supervisors and the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee. She detailed the services offered to residents, both those in need and those in the community. Of note was the REVIVE! Training they offered (which I wrote about here) and that they treated 1,628 King George County residents in need. Yuan did caution the Supervisors that due to law changes, there would be expected shortfalls in their budget of about $200,000 next year and potentially $600,000 the following year.

Dave Coman, Director of Social Services, also gave some further details on his use of the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter. By referring single individuals there, Coman said he saves the County money. He said the Thurman Brisben Shelter can house a person for 90 days as well as feed them and offer them access to public transit at no cost. Otherwise he would have to pay $250 to $300 per week for just a hotel room. Because of his financial responsibility and tenacity, the Supervisors agreed to fully fund the request from Thurman Brisben.

Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, gave a shortened version of his previous presentation on the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA). While there were no new details, it was explained that the budget amounts cited in the original presentation were not clarified enough. As we previously reported, each locality contributes one dollar ($1) per capita. However, the spending budget cited was not the budget of the FRA but rather the budget of the locality. Therefore, our previous return on investment calculations were flawed. Instead, the spending budget for each locality is simply a representation of what each locality is willing to spend on economic development. To put it simply, Fredericksburg spends $971,249 while King George spends $164,081. With this clarity in mind, the Supervisors felt a need to look at the overall percentage of the Economic Development budget compared to the entire County budget when doing future comparison. They felt this would be a better measure of efficiency. During the conversation about bringing businesses to King George County, it was noted that some parcels in the Industrial Park do not have three phase power or broadband internet, both of which are frequently necessary for a manufacturer to do business.

Magic

Dave Coman stayed at the table to then go over his budget in the Department of Social Services (DSS). Much like the school budget, there is money from Federal, State, and local agencies involved, making things complex. To help simplify things, Coman said for every $100 he spends, he gets roughly $85 back from the state. Because of his good working relationship with Wilma Ward, Director of Finance, he's able to get those reimbursement payments processed quickly and easily.

Additionally, Coman said that his DSS team is the only one to partner with the Commonwealth Attorney to use those requiring community service hours as their judicial payment to society. Coman said these individuals are used to make repairs to the elderly residents in the County that are in need. He was careful to note that these were repairs and not improvements. He also said this process, and many others that he has used over his lengthy tenure, have earned our DSS team many awards.

Jeff Bueche said that he was appointed to the Social Services Board last year and fully expected to dig into their budget to root out waste and excess. He said that instead he found a group of hard working people that are very frugal with their money. Although I am not personally familiar with Coman or Social Services, it was very clear that his employees worked hard for very little money because it was the right thing to do. Brabo questioned if they were part of the compensation study done by the County and Wilma Ward and Dr. Young said they were not because they were not technically County employees.

Drama

The meeting ended with a bit of drama. The Supervisors began to review their own department, line by line, and when they got to the topic of giving themselves a raise, Richard Granger said he was okay with taking the raise but if future meetings showed a need to raise tax rates, he felt any raise for the Supervisors should be the first thing to go. The rest of the Supervisors seemed to agree. When they got to the line item for travel expenses, the drama began. Recent social media posts drew attention to Ruby Brabo's travel expenses and when Granger noted overspending in the past and suggested a new method of giving each Supervisor their own travel allowance in addition to another central pot of money, Brabo seemed to take offense. She reminded her peers that they supported her running for office in the National Association of Counties (NACo) two years ago and that she told them then that it would require additional costs.

When Brabo said no reports are given to Supervisors on their travel expenses and that no staff had told her in the past three years that she had overspent, Granger agreed and said that was a great reason for a new policy on how Supervisors handle their travel expenses. He said that because there has been overspending, it needs to be addressed and that a new policy seemed like the best option. According to materials handed out during the meeting, the travel expense budget was exceeded in FY16, FY17, and FY18. FY18 was the worst year with a budget of $7,500 and actual expenses of $18,924.90. No clarity was given on how much of that was reimbursed to the County from other entities such as NACo.

Granger continued with his reasoning behind a new policy by stating that any other department isn't allowed to just "blow past" their budgeted amounts and that it wasn't right that the Supervisors aren't held accountable. Brabo began to say that her involvement in various committees and boards has been a good return on investment when John Jenkins interrupted and said it felt like this was turning into more personal attacks on either a specific Supervisor for their travel or for their ideas. Cutting to the quick, Jenkins cited the recent questions raised on social media about Supervisor travel and said that transparency seemed to be the key to addressing both Brabo's and Granger's concerns and ideas. Jenkins said that he looked at the Essex County policy and liked the idea that they publish their information on their website. Jenkins said he was comfortable with each Supervisor coming to the table with their expected travel needs and was fine if each Supervisor had different amounts.

Jenkins then questioned existing policy by saying it would put Dr. Young in an uncomfortable position if he had to tell his boss, the Board of Supervisors, that they were over budget. Cathy Binder agreed that it would put staff in an awkward position. Jenkins said they also need to keep future Boards in mind. Jeff Bueche suggested that everyone should come with a spending plan that shows a forecast for expected travel and then the Supervisors can vote on it at the beginning of the year. Bueche said that if anything unexpected comes up, it can be addressed during the year by the Board but that the plan up front would be transparent. He also said it would put the burden of following the budget on the Supervisor to ensure they don't overspend.

Brabo did ask the citizens present if they had an opinion on the topic. One citizen noted that she was fine with the travel as long as it benefited King George County. Any travel that was to further an individual's political aspirations beyond their current role wasn't right. Bueche further explained that by putting a plan out there for the public would help Supervisors be held accountable to their constituents. Brabo again reminded everyone that the expenses shown don't factor in the revenue received from reimbursement. She said her expenses for the annual NACo conference in July were covered by NACo. Granger again said that because of overspending, he felt a need to create a fiscally responsible policy for travel expenses. Binder asked where money came from to cover any overspending and Brabo and Dr. Young said it came from savings in other departments.

Brabo again said that no staff member had come to her and told her she overspent. Binder said it didn't seem like a fair argument that an employee would go to their boss to say something like that. Bueche again said it puts Dr. Young in an awkward position.

Brabo made one final parting comment before the meeting ended, saying that none of her peers on the Board had the courtesy or respect to bring the social media posts on her travel to her attention. Jenkins said that was a fair point but that during the conversation this evening, he never mentioned anyone by name. Brabo said she hasn't had that kind of disrespect in four years.

OPINION - Citizen Budget Advisory Committee - The End

by Neil Richard

While I had assumed the previous meeting of the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee was the last one, I apparently proved the adage correct about what making assumptions does to "u and me." So when I went to the June 12, 2018 Board of Supervisors budget work session meeting, I was not prepared to join the Board at the grown-up table and was rather content to sit in the audience.

Instead, as the Board settled in, somebody asked where the rest of the citizens were. Within seconds, I was directed to step up and participate in the discussions on a two-year budget.

It quickly became apparent that it was a three-year budget and that it was not set in stone. In fact, if I could reach through whatever screen you're reading this on and make this so painfully clear, I would. The budget Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, presented was a draft, expenditure-based budget that could almost be called a wish-list. While that phrase, "wish-list," was used a few times, I'm hesitant to use that label as it feels a little unprofessional. And based on the numbers discussed and the department leaders that presented them, I didn't think it was quite the right phrase to use.

Dr. Young was quick to dive into the FY2020 and FY2021 projections by saying they were based largely on the formats used by Fairfax and Fluvanna. He said he originally planned to develop a two-year budget but staff recommended a three-year budget due to the financial demands that would be coming in the future. Again, Dr. Young said the budget he was showing was for planning purposes only, not set in stone, and not adopted. He also cautioned the public to not use it as a gauge for what future tax increases would look like since the County's revenue was also due to increase. In other words, Dr. Young did his best to make it clear that this was simply a draft budget.

For FY2020, Dr. Young said some of the key factors in the roughly two percent increase included the beginning of digital archives, new County employees, and IT upgrades. Most interesting to me was the plan to digitize the County's documents. While the initial process would take a few years to complete, Young said the general idea was to make over 300 years of material available to the public. He said his fear was that a single natural disaster could erase the history of the County as well as impact present-day operations. By having a digital archive stored outside of the County, the records would be preserved and easily accessible to the staff and general public.

I remained quiet as Smoot Library was once again discussed. As in previous sessions, I stayed quiet on the sensitive topic. While I didn't agree with the stance of the Board, I feel like I did, finally, get a better understanding of where they stand on things. Because the Library is not a County department, the Board feels they are not as obligated to fund them in ever-increasing amounts. And not that the Board doesn't want to fund the Schools, they too are in a similar boat as they get funding from multiple sources. In the end, the Board appeared to be intent on level-funding the Library going forward. While I wholeheartedly disagree with that stance, I at least have a better understanding of where the Board is coming from.

For FY2021, Dr. Young said the three percent budget increase was largely due to the increased cost of firefighters. He said the grant that currently covers their pay will expire and the County will be required to pick up the tab going forward. He also cited other reasons such as potential retirements of County employees, increased staffing at the Sheriff's Office, and other needs.

Also discussed was the desire to have the County School system partner with the County itself on sharing resources. There was also a desire to start the next budget cycle earlier and suggestions were given on other ways to save County money.

With the budget presentations over, Dr. Young and Annie Cupka, Grant Writer, then presented the Economic Development Strategic Plan. The presentation was essentially a final draft of what will become the Strategic Plan going forward. It's the end result of the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) Analysis done by Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, over the past few months. By engaging various individuals and groups across the County, the idea was to gather information and develop a plan to improve economic development.

The presentation included a lot of the same information from previous meetings but in a more refined and polished format. There was discussion about various points in the presentation but a few stood out in my mind as important. As a fan of history, and as an employee of the Dahlgren Heritage Museum, I took note of the section about historical assets. My previous theory on where the Board stood with the library was emphasized again when the Board didn't want language that said the County would provide a location for a historical museum. Instead, it was changed to language more along the lines of fostering growth of a museum and providing an amenable environment for one. In other words, the Board was not willing to completely fund a museum or to just give them a location to operate out of, but rather they were more inclined to help the museums become self-sufficient.

Another interesting point for me was the idea behind a lack of entertainment in the County. Having been recently fascinated with the concept of the "Third Place," I've begun to wonder what was missing in King George. For me, it really is that third place behind home and work that you go to for socializing, community building, food, drinks, and everything else. Hopefully this plan will help address that community need for a place to gather.

One final topic that was interesting for me was the discussion of leveraging Mixed Use Development (MUD) to help meet the need of affordable housing. The Planning Commission was holding a Public Hearing at the same time elsewhere and unbeknownst to the Board, had voted against adding the new MUD amendment to the zoning ordinances. But during the Board's discussion of MUD in the County, there was concern over too much development and how it could trigger a scenario where an MS4 Permit would be required. The MS4, or Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, Permit is how the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) monitors and controls storm water runoff. The consensus among the Board was that in order to avoid the MS4 Permit, solid planning would need to be in place for any MUD development, private or public.

Ryan Gandy, having arrived partway through the previous presentation, delivered the next presentation on the Broadband Planning Grant Decision Points. He had previously been at the Planning Commission meeting to present the MUD amendment.

Gandy's Broadband presentation got off to a bumpy start as some of the Board seemed surprised that the end result of the grant application would be a Request For Proposal (RFP). After clarifying that point and that it would not create a monopoly or exclusive contract for a broadband provider in the County, and that any decision would be dependent upon the County's budget, the Board was ready to press on. They did so quickly with only a few clarifying questions related to various specific points. In the end, the Board agreed that a hybrid approach was best in that it gave the most flexibility. By sharing some assets and investing some capital, as the budget allows, the County would provide a reasonable and positive environment for companies to provide broadband to the citizens and businesses within its borders.

In closing, it should be noted that John Jenkins was absent from the meeting as was every other member of the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee. In fact, aside from myself, the four Board of Supervisor members, Dr. Young, and County staff, there were only two members of the public present. Compared to the 20 to 30 citizens that attended the Planning Commission meeting in the Board Room, I'm left to wonder if there was some confusion among the public about who was meeting where or if the Mixed Use Development topic was more important than I thought. Regardless of the reasons for my fellow Committee members being absent, I was, am, and will be happy that the public was involved at such a level in creating the County's budget. It may not be perfection, but it is progress.

2018-04-17 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes

The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 9:11 pm after a long Closed Session of the Service Authority finally ended.

Opening up public comment was Jim Lynch who was there as a representative of the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Friends of DRHT]. He stated that the National Trails Systems Act of 1968 was amended in the 1980s to provide for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) to run from the headwaters of the Potomac River to the Chesapeake Bay. He said a couple of years ago the Board of Supervisors supported PHNST routes through the County and that DRHT is considered the "spine" of these inter-woven routes. He said the National Park Service recently delivered two signs to be installed on the DRHT to show it's location on the PHNST. The sign was in the front of the room and he offered to stick around and answer any questions they may have.

Kim Dodge was next to speak at the podium. She said she was disheartened to hear that lowering the tax rate wasn't considered at all. She said she heard it would be kept at 70 cents per $100 and that next year it would be increased. She said that even if property taxes went down to 6.7%, she still wouldn't see any benefit. She said she wanted to know what the amount of taxes collected last year was and that the Supervisors should know this number "off the top of their head without looking it up." Dodge said that equalization is to protect taxpayers when there is going to be a big windfall for the County and wants to know the bottom-line figures. She said the County, statistically, is a group of people that have a political viewpoint of budgetary restraint. She said the majority of taxpayers follow this point of view and that she knows the County is in tons of debt but there's nothing to show for it. She said there was nothing wrong with paying off the debt early to save interest. Dodge also said the public hearing is a procedure and that the decision is already made. She said she wants to keep her money. Dodge closed by saying she wanted to know what the figures were for the real estate property taxes from last year, what's being brought in this year with the 70 cent rate, and what the windfall difference is between them.

Joe Frank was next to speak. He introduced himself as the King George County representative with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). He handed the Board fact sheets showing the various programs offered by the USDA. He said one issue that has come up recently among local farmers is the closure of the fertilizer plant in Sealston. He said the concern wasn't that the plant is gone, it was that the site is contaminated. He said with it not being in use, there is nobody there to monitor the water which means it will eventually leach into the local water supply. He said the local farmers wanted County residents to know that if they test their water, the contamination isn't coming from them, it's the fertilizer plant that's the problem.

Representatives from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) then stepped forward to speak. They handed out a draft of their current plan showing projects and funding for the coming years. They began summarizing the projects, including Chatterton Lane, the replacement of the Pine Hill bridge, and countywide traffic services. Dr. Young, County Administrator, interrupted their presentation by saying this wasn't appropriate to use up public comment time nor to have a back-and-forth discussion. He said he wasn't being rude but suggested setting a date for a work session in the future to allow more time. Ruby Brabo suggested adding it to the already scheduled work session on April 24th and the rest of the Board concurred.

John Jenkins began his report by thanking all of those speaking for their comments. He attended the Farm Bureau dinner on April 9th and a GWRC and FAMPO meeting on the 23rd. He commented that there should be an update on the Route 301/Route 207 Study coming soon.

Jeff Bueche began his report by also thanking those who spoke during Public Comment. He then addressed Mrs. Dodge's comments by saying that a real estate tax rate of 70 cents on every $100 is low by comparison. He said comparing it to Westmoreland County isn't quite fair because of the different population sizes. He said home values went up, including his, and that was a good thing. Bueche said this was a sign that the economy was good and that the value of our largest investment went up. He said as the population grows, so does the need for personnel to provide services to the citizens. While he understood Dodge's point of view, he wanted to have an "intellectual discussion." He said she could afford the changes by buying two fewer cups of coffee per month and that if she was concerned about taxes going up, she should look at how the debt pertains to this. Bueche said he campaigned on reducing the debt and that for the first time, local leaders are finally addressing the debt instead of making promises. He said many things are required by Federal or State law but are not funded by those government entities. He said all five Supervisors and all of the citizen advisors [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is a member of the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee] wanted the same thing and he never had anyone say the rate should be lower. He said building a budget "was no easy task" and that it was hard and that you can't fund everything. Bueche continued by saying you need to assess the needs of the whole County and that they're elected to make the best but hard decision. He closed by saying he also wanted to address the constant reference to "Ruby taking your money" on social media. He said he took offense to this and that, even though he may not always agree with Ruby, they do the best they can and the Supervisors all have ownership and accountability to their constituents. Bueche then made a motion to appoint Jeremy Crowley to the Landfill Advisory Committee. Brabo commented that he attended the last meeting and was very engaged. The appointment was approved. Bueche said he attended the Senior Officials Workshop for All-Hazards Preparedness on April 9th, a Social Services meeting on the 10th, and the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion jump into Fort A. P. Hill on the 13th. He also asked for an update on the blighted property ordinances and Eric Gregory, County Attorney, said he should have a draft ready by the end of the week.

Ruby Brabo began her report by saying she attended a National Association of Counties (NACo) summit from the 4th to the 7th and learned a lot about sugar cane and rice products and crops as well as the proposed Farm Bill, SNAP program, and work force training. She attended the All-Hazards Preparedness Workshop on the 9th and the main question asked was "are you ready?" She said everyone needs to be ready and understand their role in a disaster and that local government is a key or main player. She said she would like to have the Sheriff's Public Affairs Office be the single voice during a disaster and all seemed to concur. She said she would also like to appoint a single Supervisor to act as a liaison with the Emergency Operations Center and volunteered herself with Cathy Binder as an alternate. Again, everyone seemed to agree. She also asked that the building codes be reviewed to make sure they were up to date for any local weather events. She said she also attended the Farm Bureau dinner on the 9th and the Landfill Advisory Committee meeting on the 10th. She said the Landfill Committee was excited to move forward and was already looking into finding a location for a Dahlgren convenience center and scheduling clean-up events. She said it was a very good meeting. Brabo said she attended a GWRC meeting, the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion jump on the 13th, and a lunch with 98th Civil Affairs Battalion leaders on the 16th. She said she learned of an upcoming FRED Transit pricing offset that started in 2019 and supposedly would make the cost cheaper to localities and wanted Dr. Young and others to meet with FRED.

Dr. Young said that he has already met with FRED three times and they still are not willing to listen to the needs of the County. He said FRED worked with FAMPO to get a consultant and presented the findings of their study but didn't talk to anyone in the County. He also said FRED offered to provide a shuttle from Dahlgren to Fredericksburg but the cost was too high and the bus would only drop passengers off at the gate and not drive on base.

Brabo summarized things succinctly by saying " I guess we're back to working without FRED."

Brabo continued her report by saying composting was still a topic of interest and wanted to have Jeff Jenkins, Director of Landfill Operations, and David Howard, Waste Management Landfill Manager, to attend a meeting to learn more. She had an update regarding the chem/bio department move from Dahlgren to Indian Head, Maryland and said the move still continues to progress and Congressman Wittman and Senator Warner were given a tour of the new facility despite local officials being excluded. She also reminded everyone that there were numerous vacancies on various Boards and Committees and that anyone interested should see the Agenda for a complete list. Brabo thanked Jim Lynch for speaking and sharing the new sign. She also thanked Joe Frank for sharing details regarding the plant situation. She then addressed Kim Dodge by saying "everyone up here is a taxpayer" and that if Dodge would like to give her questions to either of the employees in the room, Dr. Young could address them later. Brabo said that the Federal and State mandates have requirements and to maybe contact those entities to discuss why they aren't funded. She said most residents are happy in the direction of the County and that three years ago, the Board didn't support the Sheriff's need for more staffing but the current Board has.

Cathy Binder began her report by saying she attended the All-Hazards Preparedness Workshop on the 9th, the Smoot Library Board of Trustees meeting on the 10th, and the lunch with 98th Civil Affairs Battalion leaders on the 16th. Regarding the Library meeting, she said her goal is to provide dialog between the Board of Supervisors and the Trustees by sharing concerns and successes and to make everyone aware of the topics.

Richard Granger began his report by saying he attended the Farm Bureau dinner on the 9th and the lunch with 98th Civil Affairs Battalion leaders on the 16th. He then tried to appoint Dixie Lee Washington to the Smoot Library Board of Trustees and Brabo said he couldn't because Bueche already did it at the last meeting. Granger then gave an update on the last meeting's topic of appointing Beth Elkins to the RACSB. He said he spoke to both Elkins and leaders at RACSB and it was clear that Elkins had a passion for serving those with special needs. He also said she has served in the past but due to term limits had to rotate off the Board. He said Elkins is now serving again and this would be her second term. He also said there is still a vacancy on the Board. Her appointment was approved and Brabo suggested reaching out to former Supervisor Jim Howard to see if he would fill the vacancy.

The Consent Agenda was approved without comment.

The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.

The Board them listened to KGI Telecommunications repeat their request from the previous Service Authority meeting. Steve and Michele Wido, asked the County to waive lease fees for tower space for 18 months and to waive other fees involved in setting up. They also asked the County to expedite permits. Dr. Young asked Brad Hudson, Director of Community Development, to give his recommendations. Brabo said only waiver of fees, permits, and speeding up the permit process was under the purview of the Supervisors. She asked Hudson if he could expedite permits with the staff he has and he responded that he can't give a specific date due to staffing. He said he works through permits as fast as he can. Brabo asked about waiving fees and Hudson said he was afraid it would set a precedent and that it's never been done before to his knowledge. Jenkins said they needed to support them and Bueche said it provides critical infrastructure to the entire County. Brabo said she doesn't think anyone disagrees but staffing is an issue. Mr. Wido added that due to the local topography, there are dead zones where people want service and that small towers or tall poles could do this. Mrs. Wido, the company's President, said that points two, three, and four on their slide showing their request came straight from the County.

Hudson said that expediting things may not necessarily work. Brabo said she felt that point was already addressed, that there was not enough staff to move permits through faster. Hudson said a new cell tower would cost less than $400 in fees. Brabo suggested that a joint public hearing with the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors could help save time. Hudson said the time to review a new tower would take longer than just adding an antenna to an existing structure. Dr. Young said his advice is that broadband is a priority in the County right now and that he knows there's a concern over setting a precedent. But he felt that there's only one internet company right now and he highly advises the Board to consider waiving fees. Jenkins agreed and Brabo made a motion to that effect that was approved.

Dr. Young began his comments by addressing Mrs. Dodge's comments. He said the prior year's tax resulted in roughly $18 million and the current tax would result in roughly $19 million with a "windfall" of just over $1 million. He said the tax increase based on the average value of a home in King George would be $88 per year. He said the information has been "exhaustively" given to the public then began to list some of the many dates where the topic was discussed at public meetings. He also said there is information on the County's website available for all citizens to view regarding the matter. He then began to address Mrs. Elkins' appointment to RACSB then realized it was already taken care of. He also said the liaison Supervisor for the Emergency Operations Center was addressed and moved on to the issue of Binder's place on the Smoot Library Board of Trustees. He said she was previously appointed to serve under the Shiloh District however after review, that seat was already filled. He then suggested Binder serve under the At-Large District. Brabo said she would like to defer until the next meeting making it sound like she already had somebody in mind to serve in that role.

The Board then went into Closed Session at 10:22 pm regarding the acquisition or sale of property, prospective businesses, and consultation with legal counsel. Tim Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation attended the first portion of Closed Session and was replaced by Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development about fifteen minutes later. The Board returned from Closed Session at 11 pm and adjourned one minute later.

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

Meeting Agenda

Next Meeting:
The Board of Supervisors will next meet on May 1, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.

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

OPINION - Citizen Budget Advisory Committee - Part 6

Our second consecutive evening of meeting as the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee opened with a joint meeting between the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission. This March 27, 2018 meeting between the two groups was to discuss the Mixed Use Development (MUD) areas in King George County and the ordinances and rules that would govern them. The Planning Commission has been working with the Berkley Group for several months to hash out a draft ordinance and this draft is what they brought to the Board of Supervisors. Overall, both groups felt like there was a solid start but there were still some minor details to work out and some feedback to gather from other groups in the County. After an hour or so of discussion, the Planning Commission adjourned and we took a short break.

After our break, we the citizens were able to get off the bench and join the Board at the table for a continuation of our budget work session. We dove headlong into the School Resource Officer (SRO) discussion from the previous meeting by hearing from Sheriff Dempsey and his opinions on the topic. He started by saying he was already looking to fill two vacancies for Deputies and that since the school shooting a month and a half ago in Florida, he has stepped up patrols at the elementary schools. He said when Deputies are not responding to a call, he has instructed them to patrol each elementary school four times a day, inside and out. In addition to this, he said he has instructed Deputies to do their paperwork in the school parking lot when possible just to have a visible presence.

Most interesting though was the time involved in actually getting an SRO position filled at an elementary school. He said it generally takes a year or two to hire a Deputy and train them to the point of operating on their own. He said once this happens, then a veteran Deputy would be take a two week training course to become an SRO. In other words, he said it would be Fall of 2019 at the earliest before an SRO could function at the elementary school.

There was also some discussion about the current SROs at King George Middle School (KGMS) and King George High School (KGHS). The Sheriff said those two positions were paid for out of his budget, not the School Board budget. This was brought up again because Ruby Brabo and Jeff Bueche both said that the School Board never mentioned SROs as a priority the previous night, even when asked. While Brabo and Bueche clearly had no hard feelings from their heated discussion from the previous evening, I personally had to call them out on their questions from that night. While they, and others, asked Dr. Benson, Superintendent of Schools, and the School Board if the budget presented was their priority and if they had any other priorities they needed, there was no mention of SROs. What I had to point out was that while questions were asked about priorities, at no time did anyone specifically ask the School Board or Dr. Benson if they wanted an SRO at the elementary schools. I tied this point to the fact that the school system doesn't pay for the SRO so asking for it in their budget wouldn't be correct. Brabo however did make a valid point that the previous SROs were asked for by the school system. I felt confident that we could have spent an entire evening talking about what the School Board cut from their budget and what they would want versus what they would need and all the money involved. Thankfully we all moved beyond that sticking point and continued the SRO discussion.

The Board also asked Sheriff Dempsey his opinion on using contracted or private security to provide armed resource officers at the elementary schools and he advised against this. He said it would be better to use a veteran officer from the existing staff of Deputies in the County as they would have a better opportunity to build a working relationship with students and staff and would be allowed to carry weapons on campus. According to Virginia State Law, Title 18.2, Chapter 7, only active and retired law enforcement are allowed to carry a gun on school grounds out in the open. There are exceptions for unloaded weapons in a vehicle and those with a concealed weapons permit in a vehicle, but otherwise, no guns are allowed. A bill was proposed last year to allow for armed security guards but it was never passed.

Dempsey also said that the two current SROs are frequently as busy as a regular patrol officer working cases in the schools. He also added that in the summer months and when school is out, they conduct patrols just like any other officer. As an example, he said that during the frequent storms, the SROs were responding to emergencies while school was not in session.

In the end, the Board advised the Sheriff to plan on having two SROs at Sealston Elementary School (SES) and Potomac Elementary School (PES) to fill with the new budget. While all parties involved agreed that a third SRO at King George Elementary School (KGES) would be ideal, the general feeling was that it was close enough to the Sheriff's Office to make it easier to have an increased presence. There was also some hope that a grant would help pay for one or more of the SROs, making it easier to add a third in the future.

Next to be discussed was the proposed zoning and building fee increases. After tabling the decision multiple times to gather more information, Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, reported that he felt that the increased fees would not pose any undue burden on small businesses as they would likely not be looking to develop large parcels or multiple lots. He also said that a separate category could not be created for small businesses however a reimbursement or waiving of fees was always available on a case by case basis. Neiman Young, County Administrator, added that Orange County was looking at increasing their fees in the near future. With all of the new information and old data, the Board was comfortable moving forward with the increased rates.

With the two new SROs being added to the budget, the school getting the money they asked for, and the County added three new positions, the County's financial planner, Davenport & Company, had a smaller number to work with for debt mitigation and debt reduction. Even though the SROs were added just moments before he gave his presentation, he still had smaller numbers than before. As a whole though, we all agreed that any debt reduction payments made, regardless of how large or small, would be better than nothing. The previous presentation was in the range of a $9 million lump sum payment while the current figure was $7 million. On top of this, there was the a more refined timeline of making the payments in three batches. So instead of a big payment in four or five years, it would instead be three smaller payments made in 2019, 2021, and 2023. By making a smaller payment, it would free up cash and allow the County to have a surplus.

To bring back my previous home mortgage analogy, I saw this as a much better idea. So instead of paying everything available in the bank to pay down the debt and leaving us with very little money, we could still pay down the debt in large chunks but still keep money on hand in case a big bill came due unexpectedly. For example, if you make a large payment to pay off your credit card debt but then don't have money to pay for a new roof that was damaged in a storm, you end up back in debt by borrowing money. By paying smaller amounts when it's safer to do so allows you to have money to pay for that new roof but still leaves you a little bit extra to pay off some of your credit card debt.

At the end of the evening, I felt like we had made some serious progress in the budget process. While I still feel that the Smoot Library should have been fully funded instead of level funded, I think that so far the budget is fairly sound and that everyone else has gotten a fair shake. Our next meeting should be our last and hopefully I'll be able to give a concise summary of where we stand as a County.