by Neil Richard
The Board of Supervisors began their meeting at 8:12pm.
There were amendments to the Agenda to add an action item to approve the signing of the Deeds of Dedication for Sections 4 and 15 in Hopyard Farm. There was another addition to the Agenda, the Small Business Incentive Plan.
Public Comment began with Chairman Jeff Bueche invoking what he called a "point of Chairman's Privilege" to acknowledge Dr. Robert Benson, Superintendent of Schools, as the first speaker.
Dr. Benson thanked everyone for the opportunity to speak and said he has worked with Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, on finding a possible solution to fund the two main aspects of the school's budget; increasing employee compensation and hiring additional Special Education teachers. Benson said that the school division recently learned that 18 employees would be retiring, an unusually high number, and said it would be hard to replace the experience of these employees. Benson said the new replacements would be paid at a lower level and the salary savings between the retiring employees and the new hires would result in a reduction of roughly $300,000 in local funds from the County. He said the Board of Supervisors needs to meet all the needs of the community and that "we are neighbors and colleagues" that have different opinions but the same desires.
Kim Dodge was next to speak stating she has sat through many budget meetings and commended the Board on dealing with the many financial demands. She said she was again going to ask that they do not raise taxes. She said her taxes went up last year and that a majority of taxpayers don't want the rates to go up. She said that last year, even though there were no rate increases, he taxes went up because of the reassessments. Dodge said she wasn't sure how long Walmart has been here but they supposedly bring in a million dollars and the Sheetz brings in a lot too. She agreed with Bueche that rates shouldn't go up because the County is getting more and more money every year.
Karen Declute was next to speak saying she's been a resident for 16 years and a teacher for the last 14 years. She said it was important to state her support for the school budget, not only as an employee but also as a resident. Declute said that for King George to remain competitive and attract businesses, the County needed to provide a quality education for the workforce. She didn't envy the Supervisor's position and said a lot of factors went into the decision. She felt that some comments from the previous budget session needed to be addressed such as a teacher's raise being negated by a tax increase. She said it was important to point out that many teachers live outside of King George County and they drive by many other school systems on their way to work here. She said it was important to think about the learning curve and cost needed to replace personnel. She closed by saying that nobody wanted higher taxes if they could be avoided but the Supervisors needed to be forward thinking. She reminded them that earlier in the evening, the Service Authority clearly was not forward thinking enough. She said they had a thankless job sometimes but "we trust you to make the best decision possible" and pay attention to elections and election platforms.
Yvonne Richard was next to speak saying she was in favor of raising taxes if that's what is needed to fund fire, rescue, police, and schools. She also wanted to point out the poor behavior at the
last budget work session where teachers and parents shared their feedback. She said she was approached by many that they felt the Supervisors were not listening during Public Comment and instead chose to eat or send messages on their phones. She closed by saying that sometimes actions speak louder than words. [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the spouse of Yvonne Richard.]
Jennifer Truitt was the final speaker, briefly stating she supported raising taxes and that maybe a compromise could be reached.
John Jenkins began his report by saying, as usual, he appreciated the comments and the attendance. He especially wanted to thank Dr. Benson and Dr. Young for their hard work on the potential solution. He continued that he agreed there's a need to provide a quality education for the community and that it needed to be competitive. He said he had flashbacks to when he was in school and the whole counseling department left to work in another division. Jenkins said, "to loosely quote the Stones, 'we may not get everything we want but we will get everything we need.'" He finished his report by saying he attended the budget work session on March 25th and wanted to reappoint Stevie Gray to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. The Board approved.
Richard Granger was next to give his report and started by thanking everyone that came out to speak as well as those that came out for the previous budget work session. He said it's difficult to put together a budget and he had the opportunity to speak to many people over the weekend. He said the ideas were many and it would be difficult to come to a decision that will please everyone. Granger said the Board is trying to do the best for the County as a whole and appreciated Dr. Young and Dr. Benson for working together to find common ground.
Cathy Binder gave her report next. She thanked everyone for coming out as well as those that talked to her during the past week. She especially wanted to thank the teachers at Potomac Elementary School that talked to her and that she was able to see first hand instances of teachers going above and beyond the norm by working with students in the hallway one-on-one. She said she wanted to share a story she forgot to share during the budget work session. Binder said she used to work as a long term substitute and as an Standards Of Learning (SOL) testing coordinator. She said she dealt with many students that had Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and that one student in particular needed to pass three tests to get her diploma. Binder said she told the student to take her time and even went out to get her lunch. She said the student passed and she ran into her about a year ago. Binder said it was rewarding to hear the student not only thanked her for her help during the testing but that the student had since gone on to own and operate a catering company with her mother. Binder said one instance can make a difference and she wanted to thank those that make a difference every day. Binder said she also attended the track dedication and thanked everyone that attended. She said she still remembers the cinder track that was originally there. Binder also thanked Dr. Benson and Dr. Young for their hard work on the budget.
Ruby Brabo began her report by apologizing to Mrs. Richard and stating she meant no disrespect when she exchanged remarks with Binder during the meeting. Regarding the concept of looking forward, Brabo said she was so thankful that her new Board members have worked on a strategic plan for the County. She said that back in 2008 there were no substitutes for her oldest daughter in high school and she would constantly get messages from her daughter about no teacher being in the classroom. Brabo said that one day she got a call from the school saying her daughter needed stitches because other students were roughhousing. Brabo said things have changed since that lack of supervision and that her younger daughter was able to reap the benefits. She again said she was thankful for her colleagues and again said that the previous seven cent tax increase included six cents going towards schools. Brabo said she can personally see the positive changes that have been made over time.
Brabo continued her report, reading from prepared remarks. She repeated some of the same remarks she gave during the Service Authority meeting and added that during the Local Government Advisory Committee meeting she learned about the Defense Roads Access Act which included funding for road improvements for access to military bases. She said she sent this information to Dahlgren so they could look into it. She also asked that the recharge areas for the aquifer be added to the County's Comprehensive Plan so that they remain protected. On March 22nd she participated in a National Association of Counties (NACo) conference call and the previously mentioned budget work session on the 25th. On the 26th she took part in another NACo conference call where they discussed the
TestIT application being used to better document internet speeds in rural areas. Brabo said she also attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new track.
Jeff Bueche began his report by thanking everyone that came to the meeting and spoke. He also thanked Dr. Benson for his willingness to work with Dr. Young and thanked T. C. Collins and Gayle Hock, both members of the School Board, for being in the audience.
In reading from his prepared statement, Bueche said he was wearing a blue tie tonight in honor of his nephew JT and everyone else with autism. He thanked Caledon State Park Manager Nina Cox and Chief Moody for their quick response in needing to move his
most recent Town Hall at the last minute. He said this was his fifth Town Hall he would continue to host round table discussions in the future. Regarding the March 25th budget work session he attended, he felt there were a few things he needed to address. He said that many times it was said that the County needed to prioritize the schools. Bueche said the County has and that the schools are 56% of the County's budget and that 73% of the debt service is for school capital improvements. Regarding the references to Stafford County, he said King George does not have the economic footprint or the Cost Of Compete (COCA) funds that Stafford does. He said every time a developer comes to King George, citizens push back because they don't want to become another Stafford. Bueche said to pay like Stafford, we would need to be Stafford.
Continuing his report, Bueche said he attended the track dedication ceremony on the 27th and thanked Jim Howard, former Supervisor, for his advocacy for the project. He also thanked the previous Board of Supervisors for cash funding the project and congratulated the School Board and citizens on making it a reality. Bueche attended the King George Farm Bureau Legislative Appreciation Dinner on April 1st and shared that the typical farmer in Virginia is almost 60 years old. He said it was troubling that many in the next generation don't seem interested in taking over the family farm, especially considering the amount of farmland in the County. He said there is a vibrant Future Farmers of America group in King George as well as a thriving 4-H program.
Bueche also thanked the School Board for their hard work on behalf of students. He said that while there may be an impression the two groups are at odds with each other, that is not the case. Bueche said he is in constant communication with his School Board member. He said he didn't want a School Board that just "rolls over" and is willing to settle and the same went for his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors when they looked at the rest of the County departments. Bueche said both Boards have "the best interest of the citizens at heart" and will come to a conclusion on what works best for the County as a whole.
Bueche then responded to Mrs. Richard's comments, stating he was the guy eating during Public Comment at the last budget work session. He said he went straight from work to home so he could change and then straight to the meeting. He said he needed something to eat because he had an ulcer and low blood sugar. He apologized if he offended anyone and that it wasn't his intent to do so.
Judy Hart, Commissioner of the Revenue, then gave the Supervisors a "little smidgen" of an update on her department. She said state income taxes were due May 1st and that she is seeing less and less every year because more people are e-filing. She said business licenses were due March 1st but a few stragglers were still coming in. Hart said the DMV Connect that has been visiting monthly has been a real success with 57 people coming in one day. Hart shared a tidbit of knowledge she learned about earlier in the day about the County sticker and where it should be placed. She said they have been telling residents to place it next to the Virginia State inspection sticker in the bottom left (driver's side) of the front window. Hart said some residents had been told otherwise and some inspection companies have even moved them back to the middle. She said she spoke to the Virginia State Police and they confirmed the County sticker should be placed next to the State inspection sticker. Hart ended her comments by stating her daughter was a middle school math teacher and was always supportive of teachers being paid what professional athletes are paid.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Ryan Gandy, Director of Economic Development, then presented an update from the Economic Development Strategic Plan. Gandy gave another brief overview of the project so far and the end results. He said he hoped to gain the Board's approval to publish the end product online. During the presentation, Brabo said she thought the wording for affordable housing had been changed because it sometimes gave the wrong impression. Gandy and Dr. Young concurred and said it was housing accessibility now. The Board approved the plan with Bueche commenting after the vote saying he's happy to see it completed. Bueche said he felt like the County was behind the curve on having this done, especially with the landfill revenue having a specific lifetime. He thanked Gandy as well as Annie Cupka, who was in the audience, for their hard work.
Gandy then presented the Small Business Incentive Plan. He said the Economic Development Authority (EDA) unanimously approved the development program which had a goal of encouraging small business growth in the County by offsetting some of the high costs involved with starting a new business. Gandy said the program would be an incentive program where the small business could apply for funding from the EDA on a case-by-case basis with the funds being repaid over time via tax revenue. He said the general idea was to have the fees go towards offsetting the high Service Authority connection fees. He said there were certain rules to applying, such as the business must be in the County and must not relocate within five years. Gandy cited several similar programs in Virginia that used a variety of methods to promote small business growth. Gandy said he was asking the Supervisors to provide their thoughts.
Jenkins thanked him for putting the plan together and said the main motivator for him pushing for this program was some small businesses stopped coming to King George, or expanding their existing business, because of the water and sewer connection fees. He said it may not eliminate the problem but he felt that instead of discussing the issue forever he wanted to see progress.
Granger thanked Jenkins and Gandy for working on the idea and thought it would be a good tool to have available. He felt they should move forward on it. Brabo asked about what would happen if a business closed before the funds could be repaid. Gandy said the proposal was to make the business pay for it. Brabo asked what would happen if they went bankrupt and Gandy said it just may need to be considered a loss then. Brabo said maybe a cost share grant would be better as it would allow the EDA to make money. Jenkins said that wasn't a bad idea but felt that anything was better than nothing. Jenkins also said that the main idea behind this was to help a business offset the connection fees and taking a loan out didn't really help them. He said that many businesses are still intact after several years so it may not be as dire as once thought.
Bueche thanked Gandy and Jenkins for the idea and hard work. He said maybe instead of continuing discussions, a draft policy to review would be a better next step. He also wondered about setting a maximum on the amount of money a business could get. Bueche said he thinks the biggest killer to economic development in the County is the high connection fee but said the Service Authority relies on that money. Bueche said this means that when a business doesn't come to the County, the Service Authority loses a potential customer. Bueche said he wondered if it was legal to waive the connection fee.
Gandy said there would be a meeting with the Service Authority to discuss waivers and fee reductions. There was some confusion between Gandy, Granger, and Brabo as to what the Service Authority could do or was capable of doing regarding the fees. In the end, Jenkins said a cap on the grant should be up to the EDA to decide as it may limit what business comes to King George. Consensus was reached that they would create and review a draft policy.
Wilma Ward, Finance Department Director, then presented her request to upgrade the check writing machine software. It was approved. The Board also approved her request to transfer funds related to the
Middle School Expansion Project. Bueche asked Dr. Young if the project was nearing the budget limits. Dr. Young said there would likely be further change orders but the costs could be absorbed by the furniture line item.
Dr. Young then asked for authorization to advertise for a Public Hearing on the proposed No Wake Zone Ordinance. The Board approved. The Board also approved Dr. Young's request to hire an event planner for the coming 300th Anniversary celebration. The Board approved the Deeds of Dedication for Sections 4 and 15 in Hopyard Farm.
There was then some discussion about the Boards and Committees that each Supervisor had volunteered for. Brabo stepped down from her position on the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) and Jenkins became the primary representative. Granger said he would be the new alternate. Bueche asked if there was any interest in trading for his position on the Northern Neck Tourism Commission (NNTC). Granger said he would take it although there was some friendly bickering over Granger not giving Bueche anything in return. Granger reluctantly gave Bueche his alternate role on FAMPO. Bueche ended the discussion by asking for a listing of all the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) committees that each Supervisors participates in so the public can be aware.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Prior to the exchange, there were 24 seats, including alternates, available. Another five seats were held by various other County officials. Granger held three seats while three Supervisors, Binder, Brabo, and Bueche, held five seats each. Jenkins had the most with six seats.
Dr. Young then began his County Administrator's report by asking to reappoint David Garvin to Rappahannock Emergency Medical Service Council. The Board approved. Dr. Young then thanked Dr. Benson for working towards a viable way to get the School's and County's needs met. He asked the Board to consider and give consensus on $589,726 to be used as a number in planning the final stages of the budget. He also asked to know what their schedules could accommodate regarding public hearings and a budget approval prior to May 1st.
Bueche asked if the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee could be involved in the process. He also asked if Dr. Benson was confident that the figure will meet both the needs of the salary increase and the hiring of Special Education teachers. Dr. Young said yes, the citizens could be involved and yes, he was confident that was the right dollar amount. With that, consensus was reached.
Bueche said that he neglected to give a rebuttal to Mike Bennett's comments earlier in the evening at the Service Authority meeting. Bueche said he wasn't looking at just a private sale but other solutions as well. He said he stands by his comment that a sale may be needed but that other solutions should also be looked at, such as becoming a County department or refinancing. He said his take is that the current model isn't sustainable and that told him something isn't working. Bueche said his point was that something had to be done and that, as has been said before, it takes a long time to turn a big ship. He said they inherited something that wasn't structurally sound and the Service Authority wasn't set up for success. To the employees of the Service Authority, Bueche said his intent wasn't to say they needed to find work somewhere else but rather that a discussion needed to happen.
Brabo added that in April, there is a meeting about the Watershed Implementation Plan and how it impacts localities. She said it was critical that as many elected officials attend because it allows a dialogue with the state and advocacy on how costly the plan is to localities.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 9:30pm and invited Dr. Young, Eric Gregory, and Heather Hall to attend. Ms. Hall left the Closed Session at 9:56pm and the rest returned from Closed Session at 10:05pm.
The meeting adjourned at 10:05pm.
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 April 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the
previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
