Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Monday, July 30, 2018
Thursday, July 12, 2018
2018-07-11 - Service Authority Meeting Notes
by Neil Richard
The King George County Service Authority Board of Directors began their meeting at 2:00pm on July 11, 2018. Unlike normal meetings, this meeting stood out in several ways. The smallest difference was the new seating arrangement with Chris Werle, Chairman, sitting in the middle of the dais instead of his usual seat at the far left side. Larger differences were no Pledge of Allegiance, no invocation, and no Public Comment period. There was also no Consent Agenda, no report from the Board members, nor a report from the County Attorney. Instead, Werle opened the meeting, stated there should be no amendments, that the Agenda items listed were merely there for formatting purposes, and then promptly called for a motion to go into Closed Session.
Mike Bennett read the motion and invited Eric Gregory, County Attorney, and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, to the meeting. Ruby Brabo interrupted before there could be a second and asked if the motion could be amended to include the new Interim General Manager, Daniel Hingley. Bennett amended his motion and it was approved.
Within a minute of opening the meeting, the Board had moved to Closed Session.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 2:44pm.
A motion was made to approve of the consent order proposed with Werle signing on behalf of the Service Authority. It was approved.
Werle then gave a brief statement to the four members of the public in the audience. He said the public is aware of the negotiations with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and that the Service Authority has done so cooperatively. He said the proposed consent order would provide a resolution to the waste water issues as well as a way forward. Werle said the Service Authority was grateful for the DEQ support but cautioned that the state's Water Control Board still has to approve the consent order. Werle also added that the consent order will include a civil penalty. He said the original penalty proposed by DEQ was $204,000 but the Service Authority was able to successfully present a case for a reduced penalty of $82,250. Werle said there is funding available to pay this amount so there is no need to increase customer's rates. He also said he will keep everyone apprised of any updates.
Werle then introduced the new Interim General Manager, Dan Hingley, saying he would get a proper introduction at the next regular meeting. Werle said he had a lot of experience and staff that can support him.
Based on some early research and a few questions posed after the meeting, Mr. Hingley graduated from VMI and earned a Master's Degree from Virginia Tech in Environmental Engineering. He is currently the Director of Operations for the Fredericksburg region for AQUA Virginia.
The meeting adjourned at 2:45pm.
Meeting Attendees:
Dan Hingley (Interim General Manager of Service Authority)
Michael Bennett (Citizen)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Christopher Werle (Chairman, Board of Directors)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Absent:
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Meeting Agenda
[no Agenda was posted online, however one was available at the meeting]
Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Service Authority Meeting.
The King George County Service Authority Board of Directors began their meeting at 2:00pm on July 11, 2018. Unlike normal meetings, this meeting stood out in several ways. The smallest difference was the new seating arrangement with Chris Werle, Chairman, sitting in the middle of the dais instead of his usual seat at the far left side. Larger differences were no Pledge of Allegiance, no invocation, and no Public Comment period. There was also no Consent Agenda, no report from the Board members, nor a report from the County Attorney. Instead, Werle opened the meeting, stated there should be no amendments, that the Agenda items listed were merely there for formatting purposes, and then promptly called for a motion to go into Closed Session.
Mike Bennett read the motion and invited Eric Gregory, County Attorney, and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, to the meeting. Ruby Brabo interrupted before there could be a second and asked if the motion could be amended to include the new Interim General Manager, Daniel Hingley. Bennett amended his motion and it was approved.
Within a minute of opening the meeting, the Board had moved to Closed Session.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 2:44pm.
A motion was made to approve of the consent order proposed with Werle signing on behalf of the Service Authority. It was approved.
Werle then gave a brief statement to the four members of the public in the audience. He said the public is aware of the negotiations with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and that the Service Authority has done so cooperatively. He said the proposed consent order would provide a resolution to the waste water issues as well as a way forward. Werle said the Service Authority was grateful for the DEQ support but cautioned that the state's Water Control Board still has to approve the consent order. Werle also added that the consent order will include a civil penalty. He said the original penalty proposed by DEQ was $204,000 but the Service Authority was able to successfully present a case for a reduced penalty of $82,250. Werle said there is funding available to pay this amount so there is no need to increase customer's rates. He also said he will keep everyone apprised of any updates.
Werle then introduced the new Interim General Manager, Dan Hingley, saying he would get a proper introduction at the next regular meeting. Werle said he had a lot of experience and staff that can support him.
Based on some early research and a few questions posed after the meeting, Mr. Hingley graduated from VMI and earned a Master's Degree from Virginia Tech in Environmental Engineering. He is currently the Director of Operations for the Fredericksburg region for AQUA Virginia.
The meeting adjourned at 2:45pm.
Meeting Attendees:
Dan Hingley (Interim General Manager of Service Authority)
Michael Bennett (Citizen)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Christopher Werle (Chairman, Board of Directors)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
Absent:
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Meeting Agenda
[no Agenda was posted online, however one was available at the meeting]
Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Service Authority Meeting.
Friday, July 6, 2018
Monday, July 2, 2018
Modern History of the Service Authority - Fourth Quarter 2017
by Neil Richard
Because of the severity and complexity of the issues surrounding the King George County Service Authority (KGCSA) in recent months, we are "jumping the timeline" by giving you an inside look at the operations at five local Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs). These five WWTPs are Dahlgren District, Fairview Beach, Hopyard Farms, Oakland Park, and Purkins Corner. These WWTPs are operated and maintained by KGCSA and are under the enforcement authority of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Continuing our modern history coverage of the King George County Service Authority, you can also read about the First Quarter of 2017, Second Quarter of 2017, and Third Quarter of 2017.
CAUTION - Some of the links below may show images of human waste.
During the same meeting, Chris Werle, Chairman, gave an update on the pending application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to help stabilize the shoreline in Fairview Beach. According to his Facebook post, a little over a week later on October 14th, Werle also met with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in an effort to see how they could contribute to the stabilization project.
Two days later, on October 16th, representatives from DEQ agreed to meet with the Service Authority. The email referenced the Service Authority's invitation from June of 2017. Once again, DEQ showed it's willingness to work with the Service Authority by offering to drive to King George to meet versus making Service Authority representatives drive to Woodbridge, Virginia. Werle would update the Board of Directors on this same meeting as seen in the meeting minutes for October 17th.
On October 21st, Werle once again took to Facebook to "clarify a few things" that were reported in a Free Lance-Star article.
On October 24th, the Service Authority reported a sewage spill to DEQ. The spill, which occurred at the Purkins Corner WWTP, was caused by a "Sewer Force Main overflow/burst..." A maintenance crew was there to make repairs, suck up the raw sewage, and lime the area. It is unknown how much sewage spilled but was estimated to be less than 2,000 gallons. This would be the fifth spill of the year.
Closing out October is a string of emails between and within DEQ and the Service Authority trying to set a meeting date. Earlier in the month on October 16th, DEQ suggested two dates which Thomas rejected, thus pushing the potential meeting to November. At the same time, there were DEQ staff retiring or moving to other positions that would mean a loss of experience in dealing with the five WWTPs in King George. DEQ was anxious to meet with the Service Authority before these staffers left but was not able to make it happen. DEQ was finally able to pinpoint a date of November 13th for a meeting.
On November 6th and 7th, DEQ and Daniel Powell, a Service Authority employee, traded emails related to the lack of reporting of certain information via DEQ's e-DMR (electronic Discharge Monitoring Report). In summary, DEQ was looking for an explanation of the non-compliance at Fairview Beach WWTP related to Fecal Coliform, Ammonia, and Enterococci. Chris Thomas responded that the ammonia amounts were caused by "...insufficient air/dissolved oxygen delivery to the SBR [sequencing batch reactor] reactor tanks." and that settings were adjusted to correct it. Regarding the Fecal Coliform and Enterococci issues, Thomas said they were caused by the UV System. He said they had been trying to replace the ballast boxes and were working with the company they purchased them from, Suez, but had been unable to get a satisfactory response from them. Thomas attached an email chain between the Service Authority and Suez to show that attempts had been made.
On November 9th, DEQ issued two Notices of Violation (NOV). The first was for the Oakland Park WWTP. It noted that the DMRs showed reduced values of Dissolved Oxygen:
The minimum limit was 6.8 mg/L.
The second NOV was for Fairview Beach WWTP and noted the above issues with Ammonia, Fecal Coliform, and Enterococci. The September 2017 DMR had a value of 5.6 mg/L for Ammonia with a limit of 4.7 mg/l. The Fecal Coliform value was 19 n/100mls with a limit of 14 n/100mls. The Enterococci value was reported at 51 n/100mls with a limit of 35 n/100mls.
At the Board of Directors meeting on November 14th, there was a lengthy public comment by Elizabeth Strenk regarding the water quality issues in Fairview Beach. It can be read in full in the meeting minutes. Additionally, Rich Hale and Cynthia Lawson of Fairview Beach and Charlie Monroe of Canterbury complained about water issues. During the same meeting, Chris Werle and Chris Thomas gave a lengthy update and response on the water concerns in Fairview Beach raised during public comment.
On November 20th, Chris Werle posted a Facebook update on the liner repair at Dahlgren.
November ended with a joint meeting between DEQ and the Service Authority on the 29th at the Smoot Library. In the email dated November 21st, DEQ told Thomas and Werle that DEQ was looking "...forward to a productive meeting and open exchange of information." In my opinion, DEQ's cooperation was promising.
December opened with another Facebook update from Werle clarifying information reported in a Free Lance-Star article. In his lengthy December 10th post, Werle gave numerous rebuttals to points from the article about the conflicts at the Rosedale Drive property in Dahlgren.
Five days later, DEQ issued an NOV for the Purkins Corner WWTP. In the NOV, DEQ cites the June 2017 DMR report that was due on July 10, 2017 but wasn't received until August 9th. The NOV also cited the August 2017 DMR that reported Dissolved Oxygen values at 3.2 mg/L when the minimum is 5.0 mg/L.
On December 18th, DEQ sent an internal email that referenced all five WWTPs and how they were out of compliance as of the end of November. As the email states, the highlighted amounts are the ones out of compliance.
The December 19th meeting of the Board of Directors saw an update by Eric Gregory about the finances of the Service Authority.
Just before Christmas, on December 23rd, Chris Werle gave a more positive update on Facebook where he recognized the service of former Service Authority Chris Cox. Cox, a native of King George, had worked for the Service Authority for nearly ten years before retiring due to a disability. Cox was the winner of the inaugural Making A Difference Award for the Service Authority because of his contributions to the community.
In another internal DEQ email on December 28th, the majority of the content was related to ensuring the Hopyard WWTP had a qualified operator on duty when the plant discharged. However, at the end of the email, a comment was made that "Sounds to me like NRO [Northern Regional Office] is preparing to put the screws to King George again, just when we’ve got things to a somewhat cooperative level." This appears to confirm my theory that DEQ has largely been more than willing to bend over backwards to bring the Service Authority into compliance.
Another DEQ employee responds back with "It does not help their case that they’ve had consistent compliance concerns dating back to the 90s." The same employee continued by saying that DEQ was "...concerned with addressing the culture (of non-compliance) as well as the most current compliance issues and I understand their position." This gives the impression that even though DEQ is more than willing to help the Service Authority come into compliance, there may be some enforcement actions required to ensure it happens.
Because of the severity and complexity of the issues surrounding the King George County Service Authority (KGCSA) in recent months, we are "jumping the timeline" by giving you an inside look at the operations at five local Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs). These five WWTPs are Dahlgren District, Fairview Beach, Hopyard Farms, Oakland Park, and Purkins Corner. These WWTPs are operated and maintained by KGCSA and are under the enforcement authority of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Continuing our modern history coverage of the King George County Service Authority, you can also read about the First Quarter of 2017, Second Quarter of 2017, and Third Quarter of 2017.
CAUTION - Some of the links below may show images of human waste.
October 2017
October of 2017 was a relatively quiet month for the Service Authority. It began with the first Board of Directors meeting of the month on October 3, 2017. Chris Thomas, General Manager, gave a report that updated the Board on the liner repairs at the Dahlgren WWTP. According to the meeting minutes, Thomas said the previously estimated cost of $80,000 was lower than the actual cost Draper Aden, the contractor doing the work, had estimated of $125,000. Thomas said with some negotiation with Draper Aden, the final cost should not exceed $94,000.During the same meeting, Chris Werle, Chairman, gave an update on the pending application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to help stabilize the shoreline in Fairview Beach. According to his Facebook post, a little over a week later on October 14th, Werle also met with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in an effort to see how they could contribute to the stabilization project.
Two days later, on October 16th, representatives from DEQ agreed to meet with the Service Authority. The email referenced the Service Authority's invitation from June of 2017. Once again, DEQ showed it's willingness to work with the Service Authority by offering to drive to King George to meet versus making Service Authority representatives drive to Woodbridge, Virginia. Werle would update the Board of Directors on this same meeting as seen in the meeting minutes for October 17th.
On October 21st, Werle once again took to Facebook to "clarify a few things" that were reported in a Free Lance-Star article.
On October 24th, the Service Authority reported a sewage spill to DEQ. The spill, which occurred at the Purkins Corner WWTP, was caused by a "Sewer Force Main overflow/burst..." A maintenance crew was there to make repairs, suck up the raw sewage, and lime the area. It is unknown how much sewage spilled but was estimated to be less than 2,000 gallons. This would be the fifth spill of the year.
Closing out October is a string of emails between and within DEQ and the Service Authority trying to set a meeting date. Earlier in the month on October 16th, DEQ suggested two dates which Thomas rejected, thus pushing the potential meeting to November. At the same time, there were DEQ staff retiring or moving to other positions that would mean a loss of experience in dealing with the five WWTPs in King George. DEQ was anxious to meet with the Service Authority before these staffers left but was not able to make it happen. DEQ was finally able to pinpoint a date of November 13th for a meeting.
November 2017
November begins with more bad news for the potential meeting between DEQ and the Service Authority. According to an internal email from November 1st, DEQ's choice of November 13th didn't work for Chris Thomas, so DEQ pushed it back to later in November.On November 6th and 7th, DEQ and Daniel Powell, a Service Authority employee, traded emails related to the lack of reporting of certain information via DEQ's e-DMR (electronic Discharge Monitoring Report). In summary, DEQ was looking for an explanation of the non-compliance at Fairview Beach WWTP related to Fecal Coliform, Ammonia, and Enterococci. Chris Thomas responded that the ammonia amounts were caused by "...insufficient air/dissolved oxygen delivery to the SBR [sequencing batch reactor] reactor tanks." and that settings were adjusted to correct it. Regarding the Fecal Coliform and Enterococci issues, Thomas said they were caused by the UV System. He said they had been trying to replace the ballast boxes and were working with the company they purchased them from, Suez, but had been unable to get a satisfactory response from them. Thomas attached an email chain between the Service Authority and Suez to show that attempts had been made.
On November 9th, DEQ issued two Notices of Violation (NOV). The first was for the Oakland Park WWTP. It noted that the DMRs showed reduced values of Dissolved Oxygen:
- June 2017 - 2.9 mg/L
- July 2017 - 4.5 mg/L
- August 2017 - 5.7 mg/L
- September 2017 - 5.2 mg/L
The minimum limit was 6.8 mg/L.
The second NOV was for Fairview Beach WWTP and noted the above issues with Ammonia, Fecal Coliform, and Enterococci. The September 2017 DMR had a value of 5.6 mg/L for Ammonia with a limit of 4.7 mg/l. The Fecal Coliform value was 19 n/100mls with a limit of 14 n/100mls. The Enterococci value was reported at 51 n/100mls with a limit of 35 n/100mls.
At the Board of Directors meeting on November 14th, there was a lengthy public comment by Elizabeth Strenk regarding the water quality issues in Fairview Beach. It can be read in full in the meeting minutes. Additionally, Rich Hale and Cynthia Lawson of Fairview Beach and Charlie Monroe of Canterbury complained about water issues. During the same meeting, Chris Werle and Chris Thomas gave a lengthy update and response on the water concerns in Fairview Beach raised during public comment.
On November 20th, Chris Werle posted a Facebook update on the liner repair at Dahlgren.
November ended with a joint meeting between DEQ and the Service Authority on the 29th at the Smoot Library. In the email dated November 21st, DEQ told Thomas and Werle that DEQ was looking "...forward to a productive meeting and open exchange of information." In my opinion, DEQ's cooperation was promising.
December 2017
The December 5th meeting of the Board of Directors was fairly uneventful with only a short update on the liner repair in Dahlgren.December opened with another Facebook update from Werle clarifying information reported in a Free Lance-Star article. In his lengthy December 10th post, Werle gave numerous rebuttals to points from the article about the conflicts at the Rosedale Drive property in Dahlgren.
Five days later, DEQ issued an NOV for the Purkins Corner WWTP. In the NOV, DEQ cites the June 2017 DMR report that was due on July 10, 2017 but wasn't received until August 9th. The NOV also cited the August 2017 DMR that reported Dissolved Oxygen values at 3.2 mg/L when the minimum is 5.0 mg/L.
On December 18th, DEQ sent an internal email that referenced all five WWTPs and how they were out of compliance as of the end of November. As the email states, the highlighted amounts are the ones out of compliance.
The December 19th meeting of the Board of Directors saw an update by Eric Gregory about the finances of the Service Authority.
Just before Christmas, on December 23rd, Chris Werle gave a more positive update on Facebook where he recognized the service of former Service Authority Chris Cox. Cox, a native of King George, had worked for the Service Authority for nearly ten years before retiring due to a disability. Cox was the winner of the inaugural Making A Difference Award for the Service Authority because of his contributions to the community.
In another internal DEQ email on December 28th, the majority of the content was related to ensuring the Hopyard WWTP had a qualified operator on duty when the plant discharged. However, at the end of the email, a comment was made that "Sounds to me like NRO [Northern Regional Office] is preparing to put the screws to King George again, just when we’ve got things to a somewhat cooperative level." This appears to confirm my theory that DEQ has largely been more than willing to bend over backwards to bring the Service Authority into compliance.
Another DEQ employee responds back with "It does not help their case that they’ve had consistent compliance concerns dating back to the 90s." The same employee continued by saying that DEQ was "...concerned with addressing the culture (of non-compliance) as well as the most current compliance issues and I understand their position." This gives the impression that even though DEQ is more than willing to help the Service Authority come into compliance, there may be some enforcement actions required to ensure it happens.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Modern History of the Service Authority - Third Quarter 2017
by Neil Richard
Because of the severity and complexity of the issues surrounding the King George County Service Authority (KGCSA) in recent months, we are "jumping the timeline" by giving you an inside look at the operations at five local Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs). These five WWTPs are Dahlgren District, Fairview Beach, Hopyard Farms, Oakland Park, and Purkins Corner. These WWTPs are operated and maintained by KGCSA and are under the enforcement authority of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Continuing our modern history coverage of the King George County Service Authority, you can also read about the First Quarter of 2017 and the Second Quarter of 2017.
CAUTION - Some of the links below may show images of human waste.
On July 6th there was a pump station overflow in Fairview Beach. According to emails between DEQ and Daniel Powell of the Service Authority, it occurred between 8th Street and 10th Street. Although Fairview Beach is never mentioned by name, it was the only logical location in King George County. The amount of the spill was undetermined and the area was appropriately limed.
Chris Thomas, General Manager, was working to remedy his past silence by continuing to provide DEQ with their required information. On July 7th, Thomas sent an email to DEQ to address the issues found during previous inspections at the Fairview Beach WWTP. Because these inspections occurred well in the past, December of 2015 and April of 2016, the Service Authority had long ago corrected many of the issues. Present in Thomas' report, and many other reports, violations, and inspections, was reference to the UV System. This disinfection system, present at multiple WWTPs, appears to be a common weak point in the treatment system and, in the case of the Fairview Beach WWTP, the likely cause of excessive amounts of Fecal Coliform and Enterococci being released.
Thomas again responded to DEQ notices on July 11th, this time regarding the Purkins Corner WWTP. Again, the response was to older inspections from December 2015 and April 2016 and again, many of the issues had already been corrected. That same day, DEQ visited King George and created an Diagnostic Report for Hopyard Farms and Purkins Corner WWTPs. As with previous visits, DEQ noted a lack of maintenance and repairs. The staff at Hopyard even stated the grinder broke "many years ago" and had yet to be repaired. DEQ went on to note "The grinder/macerator is missing from the facility. The unit was removed from its place at the influent to the plant headworks and was allowed to sit next to the headworks structure until the operators were told to move it out of sight, after which the unit disappeared. This unit needs to be located, repaired and returned to service."
Days later on July 13th, Thomas responded to DEQ with actions taken based on Oakland Park's previous violations. As with his response for Fairview Beach, the UV System was once again a primary source of many issues. Again, because these inspections and violations dated back to 2015, many of the problems had already been fixed.
On July 18, 2017, DEQ visited the Dahlgren WWTP and created a Diagnostic Inspection report. Once more, DEQ noted "...considerable evidence of maintenance issues at the facility." The equalization basin liner was the most notable issue, being in such disrepair that plants were growing through the holes in it. Despite such a major issue, DEQ did note that "Otherwise the overall appearance of the facility was very good." That evening, Chris Werle reported at the Board of Directors meeting that he had met with Chris Thomas, "the operations manager and a homeowner association manager" at Hopyard Farms to investigate the cause for higher than normal water consumption. During the same meeting, Thomas gave a short update on the Route 3 and Route 301 water expansion project.
July 20th saw DEQ issue three Notice of Violations documents for Purkins Corner, Oakland Park, and Fairview Beach WWTPs. Purkins Corner was cited for failing to submit a required response from January 2017. Oakland Park was cited for failing to submit required response from November 2015 through June 2017 as well as for a May 2017 measurement of TKN (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen) of 9.9 mg/L when the limit was 4.5 mg/L. Fairview Beach was cited for a May 2017 measurement of Fecal Coliform of 53 n/100mLs when the limit was 14 n/100mLs.
The next day, July 21st, Chris Thomas sent a message to DEQ in response to a more recent inspection at Oakland Park in June of 2017. In his response, Thomas notes that many of the issues were fixed immediately or shortly after the DEQ visit.
One key event that occurred at the meeting was approval by the Board of Directors to allow Chris Thomas to fund an emergency repair of the equalization basin liner at the Dahlgren WWTP. Ruby Brabo asked during the presentation if it was required to submit the repair for bids however because it was declared an emergency, the standard bid process was not required according to King George County Code. Chris Thomas also gave updates during the meeting covering the industrial park project and the Route 3 and Route 301 water expansion.
Two days after the meeting on August 3rd, Thomas sent a response to DEQ regarding recent inspections at Dahlgren and Hopyard Farms. While the response for Hopyard Farms was short, a replaced sampling tube, the Dahlgren response was longer. The first item listed was the repair of the equalization basin liner that Thomas stated was expected to be repaired by October 2017. However, in this response, Thomas refers DEQ to the June 29, 2017 response as well. In his response from June, Thomas tells DEQ that "KGCSA has employed the services of Draper Aden Associates and Land Savers, Inc. to investigate, design and repair the synthetic liner within the EQ Basin. We estimate a completed repair by October 1, 2017."
This statement makes it unclear how Thomas could know on June 29, 2017 that the Board of Directors would approve his repairs on August 1, 2017. To put this point into perspective, here is a timeline of events:
Moving forward, on August 6, 2017, Thomas responds to a DEQ inspection at Fairview Beach. Once again, the UV System appears to be the cause behind the high levels of Fecal Coliform. In the same email, Thomas also responded to inspections of Oakland Park and Purkins Corner, where again the UV System was a weak point.
On August 15th, DEQ issued a Notice of Violation for Fairview Beach, citing several issues. First, the June 2017 DMR (Discharge Monitoring Report) was due on July 10th and wasn't received until August 9th. Second, the June 2017 DMR reported a value of 67 n/100mLs of Fecal Coliform when the limit was 14 n/100mLs. Third, the June 2017 DMR reported a value of 5.2 mg/L of Dissolved Oxygen when the minimum was 6.0 mg/L.
That same evening, Chris Werle reported in the Board of Directors meeting that he had reviewed the draft changes to the Service Authority Regulations as well as the draft DEQ operating permits. There was a lengthy discussion and update on the Shymansky family's Rosedale Drive property, however no mention of any other outstanding issues with DEQ. On August 17th, Chris Werle issued clarifications on Facebook regarding the recent article in the Free Lance-Star.
In internal DEQ emails in mid-September, staff and management are remaining positive that an amicable solution can be found to bring the Service Authority into compliance. One email from Jerome Brooks of DEQ, includes a great summary of recent events. Brooks states "I think things have gone very well in terms of our visits to each of the plants." After going over various details and future plans, he concludes his email with "One consistent observation by my staff at all the facilities was the lack of communication between the plant operators and management (disconnection), questionable staff, in terms of experience and knowledge, running a plant [several of the primary plant operators were unlicensed but allegedly received instructions from a licensed operator], and lots of broken equipment. The external appearance of the plants (ground maintenance) and attitudes of the staff working with my guys were good."
In an ongoing string of emails that lasted much of the summer of 2017, Chris Thomas was working diligently to acquire the necessary parts to repair the UV System.
On September 21st, Chris Werle stated on Facebook that he met with numerous local leaders and staff from the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Fairview Beach erosion project.
DEQ closed out the quarter by issuing another NOV for Fairview Beach. This one cited an excess amount of Ammonia at 10.8 mg/L when the limit is 4.7 mg/L.
Because of the severity and complexity of the issues surrounding the King George County Service Authority (KGCSA) in recent months, we are "jumping the timeline" by giving you an inside look at the operations at five local Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs). These five WWTPs are Dahlgren District, Fairview Beach, Hopyard Farms, Oakland Park, and Purkins Corner. These WWTPs are operated and maintained by KGCSA and are under the enforcement authority of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Continuing our modern history coverage of the King George County Service Authority, you can also read about the First Quarter of 2017 and the Second Quarter of 2017.
CAUTION - Some of the links below may show images of human waste.
July 2017
Based on an internal DEQ email dated July 5, 2017, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was holding back a little on pushing enforcement through the Service Authority. In short, DEQ was still trying to be cooperative with the Service Authority, especially with the recent developments of the last two weeks and the radically improved communication. As DEQ was preparing to meet with the Service Authority, they were hammering out a few details so that "...in that discussion, outlining all that has been done as we move into, hopefully, a collaborative resolution phase."On July 6th there was a pump station overflow in Fairview Beach. According to emails between DEQ and Daniel Powell of the Service Authority, it occurred between 8th Street and 10th Street. Although Fairview Beach is never mentioned by name, it was the only logical location in King George County. The amount of the spill was undetermined and the area was appropriately limed.
Chris Thomas, General Manager, was working to remedy his past silence by continuing to provide DEQ with their required information. On July 7th, Thomas sent an email to DEQ to address the issues found during previous inspections at the Fairview Beach WWTP. Because these inspections occurred well in the past, December of 2015 and April of 2016, the Service Authority had long ago corrected many of the issues. Present in Thomas' report, and many other reports, violations, and inspections, was reference to the UV System. This disinfection system, present at multiple WWTPs, appears to be a common weak point in the treatment system and, in the case of the Fairview Beach WWTP, the likely cause of excessive amounts of Fecal Coliform and Enterococci being released.
Thomas again responded to DEQ notices on July 11th, this time regarding the Purkins Corner WWTP. Again, the response was to older inspections from December 2015 and April 2016 and again, many of the issues had already been corrected. That same day, DEQ visited King George and created an Diagnostic Report for Hopyard Farms and Purkins Corner WWTPs. As with previous visits, DEQ noted a lack of maintenance and repairs. The staff at Hopyard even stated the grinder broke "many years ago" and had yet to be repaired. DEQ went on to note "The grinder/macerator is missing from the facility. The unit was removed from its place at the influent to the plant headworks and was allowed to sit next to the headworks structure until the operators were told to move it out of sight, after which the unit disappeared. This unit needs to be located, repaired and returned to service."
Days later on July 13th, Thomas responded to DEQ with actions taken based on Oakland Park's previous violations. As with his response for Fairview Beach, the UV System was once again a primary source of many issues. Again, because these inspections and violations dated back to 2015, many of the problems had already been fixed.
On July 18, 2017, DEQ visited the Dahlgren WWTP and created a Diagnostic Inspection report. Once more, DEQ noted "...considerable evidence of maintenance issues at the facility." The equalization basin liner was the most notable issue, being in such disrepair that plants were growing through the holes in it. Despite such a major issue, DEQ did note that "Otherwise the overall appearance of the facility was very good." That evening, Chris Werle reported at the Board of Directors meeting that he had met with Chris Thomas, "the operations manager and a homeowner association manager" at Hopyard Farms to investigate the cause for higher than normal water consumption. During the same meeting, Thomas gave a short update on the Route 3 and Route 301 water expansion project.
July 20th saw DEQ issue three Notice of Violations documents for Purkins Corner, Oakland Park, and Fairview Beach WWTPs. Purkins Corner was cited for failing to submit a required response from January 2017. Oakland Park was cited for failing to submit required response from November 2015 through June 2017 as well as for a May 2017 measurement of TKN (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen) of 9.9 mg/L when the limit was 4.5 mg/L. Fairview Beach was cited for a May 2017 measurement of Fecal Coliform of 53 n/100mLs when the limit was 14 n/100mLs.
The next day, July 21st, Chris Thomas sent a message to DEQ in response to a more recent inspection at Oakland Park in June of 2017. In his response, Thomas notes that many of the issues were fixed immediately or shortly after the DEQ visit.
August 2017
August of 2017 began with a Board of Directors meeting on the 1st. According to the meeting minutes, there was also a large showing of the public at the meeting speaking in support of the Shymansky family who have been trying to resolve their conflict with the Service Authority. Chris Werle stated in his report that he had met with Chris Thomas, Ruby Brabo, and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, on July 31st to discuss the issues faced by swimmers at Fairview Beach. This meeting also included Virginia Department of Health, DEQ, and the Fairview Beach Homeowner's Association. Werle also gave an update on the sewage pump station upgrade project in the industrial park and that the Army Corps of Engineers was in the early stages of funding a study in Fairview Beach.One key event that occurred at the meeting was approval by the Board of Directors to allow Chris Thomas to fund an emergency repair of the equalization basin liner at the Dahlgren WWTP. Ruby Brabo asked during the presentation if it was required to submit the repair for bids however because it was declared an emergency, the standard bid process was not required according to King George County Code. Chris Thomas also gave updates during the meeting covering the industrial park project and the Route 3 and Route 301 water expansion.
Two days after the meeting on August 3rd, Thomas sent a response to DEQ regarding recent inspections at Dahlgren and Hopyard Farms. While the response for Hopyard Farms was short, a replaced sampling tube, the Dahlgren response was longer. The first item listed was the repair of the equalization basin liner that Thomas stated was expected to be repaired by October 2017. However, in this response, Thomas refers DEQ to the June 29, 2017 response as well. In his response from June, Thomas tells DEQ that "KGCSA has employed the services of Draper Aden Associates and Land Savers, Inc. to investigate, design and repair the synthetic liner within the EQ Basin. We estimate a completed repair by October 1, 2017."
This statement makes it unclear how Thomas could know on June 29, 2017 that the Board of Directors would approve his repairs on August 1, 2017. To put this point into perspective, here is a timeline of events:
- January 24, 2017 - DEQ states in an internal email "...I was unable to locate an operator at Hopyard even though the gate and facility building were open." This same email contains the Dahlgren inspection report that states "The water level in the lagoon had increased since previous inspection and the liner appeared to still be in need of repair."
- June 29, 2017 - Thomas tells DEQ that "KGCSA has employed the services of Draper Aden Associates and Land Savers, Inc. to investigate, design and repair the synthetic liner within the EQ Basin. We estimate a completed repair by October 1, 2017."
- July 18, 2017 - DEQ again inspects Dahlgren and states "The liner for the EQ basin has several holes and there was evidence of grassy vegetation growing through the holes. There was no indication of a timetable for repair of the EQ basin liner."
- August 1, 2017 - Board of Directors approves emergency repair of Dahlgren equalization basin liner and gives Thomas permission to proceed.
- August 3, 2017 - Thomas again notifies DEQ that "KGCSA has employed the services of Draper Aden Associates and Land Savers, Inc. to investigate, design and repair the synthetic liner within the EQ Basin. We estimate a completed repair by October 1, 2017."
Moving forward, on August 6, 2017, Thomas responds to a DEQ inspection at Fairview Beach. Once again, the UV System appears to be the cause behind the high levels of Fecal Coliform. In the same email, Thomas also responded to inspections of Oakland Park and Purkins Corner, where again the UV System was a weak point.
On August 15th, DEQ issued a Notice of Violation for Fairview Beach, citing several issues. First, the June 2017 DMR (Discharge Monitoring Report) was due on July 10th and wasn't received until August 9th. Second, the June 2017 DMR reported a value of 67 n/100mLs of Fecal Coliform when the limit was 14 n/100mLs. Third, the June 2017 DMR reported a value of 5.2 mg/L of Dissolved Oxygen when the minimum was 6.0 mg/L.
That same evening, Chris Werle reported in the Board of Directors meeting that he had reviewed the draft changes to the Service Authority Regulations as well as the draft DEQ operating permits. There was a lengthy discussion and update on the Shymansky family's Rosedale Drive property, however no mention of any other outstanding issues with DEQ. On August 17th, Chris Werle issued clarifications on Facebook regarding the recent article in the Free Lance-Star.
September 2017
In internal DEQ emails in mid-September, staff and management are remaining positive that an amicable solution can be found to bring the Service Authority into compliance. One email from Jerome Brooks of DEQ, includes a great summary of recent events. Brooks states "I think things have gone very well in terms of our visits to each of the plants." After going over various details and future plans, he concludes his email with "One consistent observation by my staff at all the facilities was the lack of communication between the plant operators and management (disconnection), questionable staff, in terms of experience and knowledge, running a plant [several of the primary plant operators were unlicensed but allegedly received instructions from a licensed operator], and lots of broken equipment. The external appearance of the plants (ground maintenance) and attitudes of the staff working with my guys were good."
In an ongoing string of emails that lasted much of the summer of 2017, Chris Thomas was working diligently to acquire the necessary parts to repair the UV System.
On September 21st, Chris Werle stated on Facebook that he met with numerous local leaders and staff from the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Fairview Beach erosion project.
DEQ closed out the quarter by issuing another NOV for Fairview Beach. This one cited an excess amount of Ammonia at 10.8 mg/L when the limit is 4.7 mg/L.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
2018-06-19 - Board of Supervisors Meeting Notes
by Neil Richard
The King George County Board of Supervisors began their last meeting of the month at 7:35pm. There was an amendment to the Agenda to include an update from the Landfill Advisory Committee.
Public Comment opened with an update from McKenna Mollner and her fellow 4-H members Erin Baker and Emily Burkholder. They wanted to let the Board know they were working on fundraisers so they could attend the National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) Competition. Ms. Mollner said their fundraisers included selling hand drawn wildflower greeting cards, baked goods, and a booth at the July 7th Farmers Market.
Ruby Brabo then began to read into the record a public comment then realized it was for the Public Hearing on the nuisance ordinance later in the evening.
Richard Granger then read into the record a public comment from Carole Werle. She said there was a "new vocabulary" of waivers, incentives, and grants and that there was a new bully in the neighborhood. She said the Economic Development Authority (EDA) was demanding grants or waivers and that the EDA was funded by bonds and the industrial park. She said the EDA was still one million dollars in debt. Mrs. Werle said there was so much misdirection and that all the trash that makes the newspapers hurts the County. Her comments continued with some apparent misdoings of the EDA, the Tourism Advisory Committee, and the County.
John Jenkins began the Board reports by thanking the young ladies from 4-H for coming out and congratulating them. He then seemed a bit bewildered and said he was still trying to digest the public comment that Granger had just read. Jenkins said he attended the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) dinner on the 11th and a GWRC meeting on the 18th. He said the meeting on the 18th resulted in the approval of the Smart Scale projects and a slate of officers that included Ruby Brabo as Vice President. He said Congressman Rob Wittman spoke at the end of the evening and that most of his comments centered on broadband access in rural areas. Jenkins said Wittman gave King George a shout-out for making things happen. Wittman also discussed public-private partnerships (P3) as a method of supplying broadband to rural areas and the need to update coverage maps.
Jeff Bueche began his report by congratulating the 4-H ladies and for bringing positive news to King George County. On June 7th, Bueche said he hosted a Town Hall where the small crowd allowed for a more intimate conversation. He said he also attended the GWRC dinner on the 11th and, as a new Board member, learned a lot. On the 12th, he attended the Budget Work Session. He said he expected a two year budget but instead saw a three year budget and was very thankful to Dr. Neiman Young and his staff for putting it together. He felt like the right team was in place to look at things going forward. On the 16th he attended the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) sign unveiling at the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT). He said this new designation makes King George a part of over 800 miles of trails and thanked the Friends of DRHT for maintaining the trail "at no cost to taxpayers" [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT.]. On the 18th Bueche said he attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting and that it was great to see all the small business owners and a very motivated Chamber President, Don Smith. On the 19th, he met with a committee working towards bringing a barbecue festival to the County for the Fall Festival. Bueche finished his report by stating that he was personally caught in traffic along Route 301 (James Madison Parkway) due to the tree trimming work. He sent an email to VDOT and received word back promptly that the contractor would limit their work between 9am and 3pm during the week and would be authorized to work on Saturdays as well.
Ruby Brabo read her report next. On June 8th she attended the Chesapeake Bay Local Government Advisory Committee where she participated in a round table discussion. She said the majority of elected officials were not in office when watershed plans were put into place. On the 11th she attended the same GWRC dinner as the others. On the 12th she attended the Budget Work Session and noted that it was the first time King George has ever had a multi-year budget. She also thanked Dr. Young and his staff for all their hard work and effort. She said that while the state does not allow a multi-year budget to be adopted, the work session did allow for better planning for the future. On the 16th she attended the DRHT sign unveiling. She said it was a wonderful day and thanked Jenkins and Granger who were part of passing the resolution in support of the trail becoming a part of the PHNST. Brabo said that prior to the resolution, King George County had been skipped. She also noted that the DRHT had the honor of becoming a National Recreation Trail and she had the honor of getting poison ivy while helping put up the new sign. On the 19th she attended the COMREL meeting and noted that Dr. Young was invited to participate in their upcoming exercises on base. She noted that while the Dahlgren base has back-up generators "to keep operations flowing, there are no accommodations for the families in the housing areas." She said that in the event of a power outage, the base would need to rely on the County for assistance.
Brabo then nominated Candice Phillips to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and it was approved. Brabo said she was excited to appoint young adults from the community to these advisory boards as it adds a unique perspective and input. Brabo then reminded the rest of the Board that the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Summit would be in Fredericksburg this year and recommended they choose a committee to serve on.
Cathy Binder was next to report and also congratulated the 4-H ladies. Binder said on the 11th she attended the GWRC dinner and it was great to hear the issues related to environmental impacts to localities. On June 12th she attended the Budget Work Session. On the 16th she also attended the DRHT presentation and noted that she took a tour the week prior with Jim Lynch. She said she didn't realize how much was there for everyone to use. Binder noted that as a member of the King George Historical Society as well as a member of the Smoot Library Board of Trustees, she has been trying to work with the Historical Society to have a larger footprint at the library. Her thought was to allow more people to see what the Historical Society has to offer and that it was important to understand our history. Binder then nominated Dylan Teaford to the Economic Development Authority. He was approved. Binder said she felt he was a good fit based on his previous involvement with the king George DECA group.
Richard Granger began his report by congratulating the 4-H ladies and wishing them luck at the national level. He said he attended the GWRC dinner on the 11th and the Budget Work Session on the 12th. Granger said he thought of the multi-year budget as more of a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in that it was a planning document that wasn't set in stone. On the 14th he attended the Military Affairs Council meeting where the Dahlgren representative noted that the runway on base had been declassified, or decommissioned, which opened up acreage for future development.
With Granger being done, Brabo added a point she had forgotten about in her report. She said she received word from a resident that had an issue with a neighbor that planted bamboo near the property line. Because bamboo is an invasive species, he was concerned that the County did not have an ordinance that covered this topic even though state law allows for one. Brabo recommended, and the rest of the Board agreed, to send the subject to the Planning Commission for consideration.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Tim Hatch, Vice Chair of the Landfill Advisory Committee, then updated the Supervisors on their quest to have a full, five member Committee. Hatch said the Chair resigned in April and that there has been a need for a representative from the Shiloh District since May of 2017. He also said he just learned that the representative from the James Madison District will resign in August. He said he knows of at least one citizen willing to serve that has yet to be appointed. Hatch said the Committee can't elect officers because the By-Laws require five officers. He asked the Supervisors to help in filling the vacancies. On a more positive note, Hatch said the Committee is making progress on the litter issues in the County by looking into the formation of a Keep America Beautiful chapter as well as a litter crew from the Rappahannock Regional Jail. Hatch mentioned a scholarship that was available to attend Virginia Tech for a week but while there was some interest online, nobody from King George applied. He finished his report by saying the Committee was looking into a location for a Dahlgren Convenience Center and hope to have a final recommendation in the future.
Brabo said that Westmoreland County has signs related to keeping the County beautiful and that something similar may benefit King George. She also suggested asking the Sheriff's Office if there was a way to assess fines for littering. Brabo said Cathy Binder, the Supervisor for Shiloh District, is actively looking for a citizen to serve on the Landfill Committee and had found one but they backed out. Brabo said that if Binder, or Granger, are unable to find a citizen that lives in their district to serve, they are allowed to appoint someone from outside of their district. Brabo finished her comment by saying that Binder could appoint someone tonight if she wished but it was up to her and that the Shiloh District appeared to be the most difficult district to fill vacancies for. Based on the vacancies listed in the Agenda, Shiloh, James Madison, and Dahlgren all have two vacancies while the At-Large District vacancy was filled earlier in the meeting.
The first of two Public Hearings then began. First on the docket was the proposed amendment to the open burning ordinance. Chief Moody gave a brief summary of the amendment that states open burning is not to be allowed within 1,000 feet of a school building during school hours as well as prohibits burning a structure without getting prior written approval.
Binder said she has been present at Potomac Elementary School when students have had to go inside due to asthma attacks. Jenkins said he supported the amendment because anytime a kid can't go outside for recess because of this type of issue is tragic. The amendment was approved without any public comment.
The next Public Hearing was regarding the amendment to County Code related to the issue of nuisance and unsafe buildings and structures. Gregory, the County Attorney, said the topic had been presented and discussed at earlier Board meetings and that the current amendment had minor revisions to include trailers and other structures.
Jenkins asked how a citizen would make a complaint, assuming the amendment passed. Gregory said there were a number of avenues for a complaint to be made from the fire department to the County Development Office to the County Administration Office. He said there was no official process once the complaint was made. He said the property would be inspected and, if necessary, the code would be enforced.
Brabo then read into the record a letter from Mary Ann Dawes who said she had lived and worked in King George County for several years and is proud to call it home. Dawes said she lives in the same neighborhood as a nuisance property near Potomac Elementary School and was highly in favor of the new changes as it would help local government solve these types of problems.
The amendment to the Code was approved without further public comment.
Next on the Agenda was the debt mitigation presentation by Kyle Laux of Davenport and Associates. Along with his associate Griffin Moore, Mr. Laux gave an updated plan that gave more finite amounts now that the budget has been adopted. Giving a brief review, he said that the County is currently in a good financial position with solid cash-flow, strong reserves, and good credit. He said a debt reduction or mitigation plan would make the County's financial standing stronger. He showed the Supervisors the payment sheet that showed the County's current debt and that it would take until 2038 to pay it off, assuming no new debt was incurred. Laux said that by pulling money from various sources to pay off debt in large increments early, the County could save a large amount of money by avoiding interest. He said the money that was saved could then be put back into the County coffers or rolled back into paying down the debt.
Moore presented the planned source of the funds to pay the debt with the first being roughly $1 million coming from the surplus in the General Fund and the second being roughly $2 million coming form the Capital Improvement Fund. He said the third source would be the additional revenue generated by the real estate assessments which was estimated to be about $760,000 over the next four years. In addition to that, over the next four years there was another roughly $1 million that was estimated to be available just from good financial management in various department budgets. In other words, operating surpluses.
Brabo interrupted at this point stating that in previous conversations about the year-end surplus, the County has planned to use that money to cash-fund any necessary projects instead of borrowing money. She said that if the County uses the surplus to pay the debt then they have to borrow money to do something, it defeats the purpose. Laux agreed and said that the plan was designed to be flexible. He said the intent was not to take money away from cash-funding projects and that the debt reduction would be a priority level below cash-funding.
Moore continued his presentation by saying that the various sources of funds would result in about $3 million by the end of this year and about $4.76 million by 2022. He said the funds would be used in multiple phases to then pay down the debt. He then presented two scenarios for the County to consider. Both scenarios were based on the assumption that the debt payments would be made in FY2019, FY2021, and FY2023. The first scenario was the County just made payments on the debt while the second scenario was the County made payments on the debt but rolled the money it saved back into future payments on the debt.
Laux also suggested that the Board update the County's Financial Policy Guidelines to include the Debt Mitigation and Reduction Plan. He said this would make it difficult for future Boards to change, but not impossible. He also suggested the Board consider putting 25% of the year-end surplus into the debt reduction fund. Laux said the debt reduction issue was similar to a budget or Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in that it can always be amended before being adopted.
Brabo had reservations about committing to 25% of the surplus funds going into the debt reduction fund. She said the County has relied on the surplus to cash-fund capital projects and didn't want to be locked into specific language. She would rather adopt something with looser terms to allow the Board to cash-fund projects as needed and then use the remaining surplus into the debt fund.
Laux said the intent wasn't to hamstring the County but rather to develop a framework for a plan. He thought the language could be worked out but that a specific percentage would give the plan more teeth.
There was some confusion on the two different scenarios and what money was being reinvested. After some clarity was added by Laux and Dr. Young, the Board seemed to agree that the first scenario was the better choice.
Bueche added that the Board needed flexibility in this and wanted something that makes us focus on addressing the debt. He said he wanted to set a precedent for future boards to move forward with this.
Next on the Agenda was an Action Item to approve the acceptance of the Fairview Beach Stabilization Project Phase I Award. It was approved as was the appropriation of the same funds. Lavita Cobb, Procurement Manager, noted that while the total amount to be paid to Schnabel Engineering for the project was not to exceed $300,000, the County would be reimbursed with grant funds monthly.
Chief Moody and Chief Lynd from the Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services Department and Sheriff Dempsey from the Sheriff's Office then gave a joint presentation. Chief Lynd stated that the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) was issuing the County just over $37,000 due to the January 2016 snowstorm. He was before the Board tonight to ask that $25,000 of that money be appropriated to a Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), also known as a drone program. He said about 1,000 agencies use drones, including the Stafford County Sheriff. He said many times they have called on Stafford to use their drone in King George. He also gave an example of a fire in the Dahlgren area where they were able to use Caroline County's drone to locate the source.
Granger asked if during those times of mutual aid if the agency also supplied the drone pilot. Lynd said yes, the pilot came with the drone. Granger asked how many times they've used drones from other agencies. Lynd said he's known of a couple in the last year. Granger asked about maintenance for the drone and Lynd said it was fairly simple. He said updates come via the app and the big issue was just keeping the batteries charged. Lynd said they have reached out to other localities to get their best practices. Granger asked about the cost for the pilot's license and Lynd said it was about $150.
Binder asked if enough staff would be available and Lynd said yes, they would have an operator available 24 hours a day. Later he would add that between the fire department and Sheriff's Office, they would have six to eight pilots. Brabo asked about the potential to use the drone to survey County property and wanted to clarify that it was only County owned property, not private property. Lynd said yes, that was keeping in line with the best practices from other agencies. Brabo asked about the base in Dahlgren and the potential for electromagnetic interference that could cause the drone to crash. She also asked if they were planning to buy just one drone. Lynd said there were two drones, one smaller one for training and daylight flights and a larger one with a FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) camera for night flights.
Brabo said she knew Stafford used them to clear traffic accidents faster but felt further research and partnership was needed with the base in Dahlgren. She said she felt it would be a waste of money if they flew too close to the base and crashed. Bueche asked about the $37,000 reimbursement and Lynd said the money was coming regardless of approval or lack of for the drone program.
Dr. Young said he understood the concerns about how expensive it is but reminded the Board that this is a commercial grade drone with night vision. He said he has been working with Chief Moody and Chief Lynd to get into the mindset of being more prepared for emergency responses and to be self-sustaining rather than relying on mutual aid so much.
Bueche asked if the $25,000 they were asking for could be better used elsewhere within their budget to buy other equipment. In other words, asking if there was something more essential than the drone program. Moody and Lynd didn't feel there was and Sheriff Dempsey cited the recent search for a missing girl in the Pumpkin Neck area. To address Brabo's concerns, he said the drone did fly over Navy property and they only lost the signal and it returned safely. Dempsey also noted that as other agencies use their drones more and more, it becomes less available to King George to borrow them.
Bueche said that there are amateur radio operators in the County that are sometimes used in emergencies and wondered if something similar could be done with local drone operators. Brabo said that was a good idea but those drones would not have a FLIR camera. She said she supported the drone program but cautioned that more work needed to be done to partner with the base.
Dempsey said during the search for the girl, they did send a Detective to the base and they helped but did not give away any secrets about their programs. In other words, they gave no secret information on how they were able to stop the drone flying over Pumpkin Neck. Brabo said the base should be aware that a drone is being used but understands they may not disclose government information. Binder asked if the drone had some sort of signature that could be given to the Navy to help with any potential issues. Bueche said it sounded like a team wasn't in place yet and asked if they were at a point in the project where it needed to be approved tonight or if it could be tabled until later.
Chief Moody said that the dialogue with the base is certainly something that can be worked on and that the money for the drone program doesn't have to be spent tonight. He also said the prices for drones are dropping and there is no contract for a purchase. Bueche said he would like to see more structure before a decision. Jenkins said their next meeting wouldn't be until August and asked if that was enough time.
Moody said they have a great dialogue with the base but doesn't expect them to give away secrets. He said the sooner the drone can get on board, the better. He said there is already a waiting period for mutual aid with some agencies.
Jenkins said he'd rather vote now and get it out there based on the response time of other jurisdictions. Brabo said she just remembered the snake bite incident at Caledon where a hiker was stranded in the woods at dusk and didn't know what trail they were on. A drone would have helped in that scenario. She again reiterated her request to have a conversation with Dahlgren and said Moody should be prepared to give more details at the August 7th meeting.
Bueche asked if they approved the drone program tonight if it would be ready to respond by Fourth of July. Lynd said the equipment would be ready but the FAA waivers take from 30 to 60 days. Bueche asked if they needed the drone before getting the waivers and Lynd said yes, they need to be able to demonstrate that they can fly at night before getting the waivers. He also said the aircraft they would purchase is also used to inspect radio towers and power lines so it is designed to withstand strong magnetic interference.
Binder asked how long it took to get a license and Lynd said about a month. A motion was made and approved to grant the request with the caveat of presenting additional information at the August 7th Board meeting.
Annie Cupka, Grant Writer, then presented an update on the Commonwealth of Virginia DCJS Resource Officer Grant Award. She thanked Sheriff Dempsey, Dr. Benson, King George County Schools Superintendent, and VDOT for all their help in writing the grant. She said the grant will cover two-thirds of the School Resource Officer's (SRO) salary and the position would begin this upcoming school year. She said that because of how only two schools were prioritized by the Board of Supervisors, only those two schools were eligible for the grant. And with only being awarded one grant, Potomac Elementary School would be the school getting an SRO this fall. Cupka said there is a potential to fund the position for up to four years but that the County would need to create a plan to sustain the staff after the grant ends.
Sheriff Dempsey said he was prepared to make a selection on the officer to serve as SRO at Potomac. He also said that in order to serve as an SRO, you needed to have at least three years experience.
Granger thanked them both for the clarifications and the thorough presentation. Jenkins said it was an incredible amount of work. Bueche said Cupka was a rock star and that because of her hard work, an SRO would be present in every elementary school. The Board then approved the grant.
Next to the podium was Saundra Pearson of the Tourism Advisory Committee. She presented the Committee's recommendations for funding the Farmers Market and Fall Festival. Beginning with the Farmers Market, which applied for $4,000. Celebrating the ten year anniversary of the market, they were looking for more advertising and signage. Brabo said she reviewed the documents in the application and the amounts given did not add up to $4,000 but instead added up to $2,900. Caroline Phelps, the Farmers Market Board of Directors President, apologized for the discrepancy. The Board approved funding of $3,000 for the Farmers Market. Brabo asked if DeLaura Padovan would be recognized for her past contributions. Phelps said there was nothing official yet but they would certainly look into it.
Pearson then presented the Fall Festival Committee's request for funding. She said their original request was for $14,000 but the Tourism Advisory Committee modified it to only $5,000. Brabo said she also went through their submitted figures and noted last year's marketing expenses were about $5,800 and suggested they award them $6,000. Brabo also noted that maybe there was a better way to get participation in their survey and that maybe they should purchase banners without a specific date on them so they could be reused. She said it didn't seem prudent to remake banners every year. Brabo also noted that the Fall Festival Committee apparently didn't get the message last year that inflatables, such as a rock wall or bounce house, were not qualified under the grant request. Binder said she asked them about the inflatables last year and it sounded like there was a promise made to not charge residents to enjoy them.
Brabo said that in the past, tourism funds were being illegally put into the General Fund. Once corrected, the Board has made it a point to follow the law regarding what the tourism funds are spent on. Pearson said there appeared to be an expectation to fully fund the Fall Festival but that the Tourism Advisory Committee felt it should be self sustaining.
Binder then asked why nobody was here from the Fall Festival. She noted that Phelps was present from the Farmers Market but nobody representing the Fall Festival was present. Brabo said they're not specifically invited but that the groups all know they're here. Annie Cupka added that earlier in the day Janine Paulsen asked about the status of the grant application and she said the Tourism Advisory Committee made a recommendation and would be at tonight's meeting. Brabo easily summarized the situation by saying they knew about the recommendation and knew that this was the time and place to argue their case. The Board then approved the grant to the Fall Festival in the amount of $6,000.
Dr. Neiman Young then gave his report by saying that the White Plains Plantation has been nominated to be put on the National Historic Register and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Brabo asked if the property owner was aware or involved and Young said they were involved in the application process. Brabo said she just wanted to make sure they knew about it. According to the application, the White Plains Plantation is located off Route 301, about 2 miles north of the Rappahannock River.
Dr. Young then said that the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion contacted him and would like to return to King George County in September of this year for another exercise. The Board had a consensus to welcome them again.
Young said the fire department was awarded a $24,000 grant for a capital improvement project and that, even though he didn't like to talk about himself, he was invited to sit on the Executive Committee for the Virginia Local Government Management Association.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 9:50pm and invited attorneys Ed Spivey and Kevin Sharp. There was some confusion about Mr. Sharp not being there and that another attorney was present in his place. The Board returned from Closed Session at 10:33pm and adjourned a 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 August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
The King George County Board of Supervisors began their last meeting of the month at 7:35pm. There was an amendment to the Agenda to include an update from the Landfill Advisory Committee.
Public Comment opened with an update from McKenna Mollner and her fellow 4-H members Erin Baker and Emily Burkholder. They wanted to let the Board know they were working on fundraisers so they could attend the National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) Competition. Ms. Mollner said their fundraisers included selling hand drawn wildflower greeting cards, baked goods, and a booth at the July 7th Farmers Market.
Ruby Brabo then began to read into the record a public comment then realized it was for the Public Hearing on the nuisance ordinance later in the evening.
Richard Granger then read into the record a public comment from Carole Werle. She said there was a "new vocabulary" of waivers, incentives, and grants and that there was a new bully in the neighborhood. She said the Economic Development Authority (EDA) was demanding grants or waivers and that the EDA was funded by bonds and the industrial park. She said the EDA was still one million dollars in debt. Mrs. Werle said there was so much misdirection and that all the trash that makes the newspapers hurts the County. Her comments continued with some apparent misdoings of the EDA, the Tourism Advisory Committee, and the County.
John Jenkins began the Board reports by thanking the young ladies from 4-H for coming out and congratulating them. He then seemed a bit bewildered and said he was still trying to digest the public comment that Granger had just read. Jenkins said he attended the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) dinner on the 11th and a GWRC meeting on the 18th. He said the meeting on the 18th resulted in the approval of the Smart Scale projects and a slate of officers that included Ruby Brabo as Vice President. He said Congressman Rob Wittman spoke at the end of the evening and that most of his comments centered on broadband access in rural areas. Jenkins said Wittman gave King George a shout-out for making things happen. Wittman also discussed public-private partnerships (P3) as a method of supplying broadband to rural areas and the need to update coverage maps.
Jeff Bueche began his report by congratulating the 4-H ladies and for bringing positive news to King George County. On June 7th, Bueche said he hosted a Town Hall where the small crowd allowed for a more intimate conversation. He said he also attended the GWRC dinner on the 11th and, as a new Board member, learned a lot. On the 12th, he attended the Budget Work Session. He said he expected a two year budget but instead saw a three year budget and was very thankful to Dr. Neiman Young and his staff for putting it together. He felt like the right team was in place to look at things going forward. On the 16th he attended the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) sign unveiling at the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT). He said this new designation makes King George a part of over 800 miles of trails and thanked the Friends of DRHT for maintaining the trail "at no cost to taxpayers" [EDITOR'S NOTE - Neil Richard, a co-founder of Project94, is the Treasurer of the Friends of DRHT.]. On the 18th Bueche said he attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting and that it was great to see all the small business owners and a very motivated Chamber President, Don Smith. On the 19th, he met with a committee working towards bringing a barbecue festival to the County for the Fall Festival. Bueche finished his report by stating that he was personally caught in traffic along Route 301 (James Madison Parkway) due to the tree trimming work. He sent an email to VDOT and received word back promptly that the contractor would limit their work between 9am and 3pm during the week and would be authorized to work on Saturdays as well.
Ruby Brabo read her report next. On June 8th she attended the Chesapeake Bay Local Government Advisory Committee where she participated in a round table discussion. She said the majority of elected officials were not in office when watershed plans were put into place. On the 11th she attended the same GWRC dinner as the others. On the 12th she attended the Budget Work Session and noted that it was the first time King George has ever had a multi-year budget. She also thanked Dr. Young and his staff for all their hard work and effort. She said that while the state does not allow a multi-year budget to be adopted, the work session did allow for better planning for the future. On the 16th she attended the DRHT sign unveiling. She said it was a wonderful day and thanked Jenkins and Granger who were part of passing the resolution in support of the trail becoming a part of the PHNST. Brabo said that prior to the resolution, King George County had been skipped. She also noted that the DRHT had the honor of becoming a National Recreation Trail and she had the honor of getting poison ivy while helping put up the new sign. On the 19th she attended the COMREL meeting and noted that Dr. Young was invited to participate in their upcoming exercises on base. She noted that while the Dahlgren base has back-up generators "to keep operations flowing, there are no accommodations for the families in the housing areas." She said that in the event of a power outage, the base would need to rely on the County for assistance.
Brabo then nominated Candice Phillips to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and it was approved. Brabo said she was excited to appoint young adults from the community to these advisory boards as it adds a unique perspective and input. Brabo then reminded the rest of the Board that the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Summit would be in Fredericksburg this year and recommended they choose a committee to serve on.
Cathy Binder was next to report and also congratulated the 4-H ladies. Binder said on the 11th she attended the GWRC dinner and it was great to hear the issues related to environmental impacts to localities. On June 12th she attended the Budget Work Session. On the 16th she also attended the DRHT presentation and noted that she took a tour the week prior with Jim Lynch. She said she didn't realize how much was there for everyone to use. Binder noted that as a member of the King George Historical Society as well as a member of the Smoot Library Board of Trustees, she has been trying to work with the Historical Society to have a larger footprint at the library. Her thought was to allow more people to see what the Historical Society has to offer and that it was important to understand our history. Binder then nominated Dylan Teaford to the Economic Development Authority. He was approved. Binder said she felt he was a good fit based on his previous involvement with the king George DECA group.
Richard Granger began his report by congratulating the 4-H ladies and wishing them luck at the national level. He said he attended the GWRC dinner on the 11th and the Budget Work Session on the 12th. Granger said he thought of the multi-year budget as more of a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in that it was a planning document that wasn't set in stone. On the 14th he attended the Military Affairs Council meeting where the Dahlgren representative noted that the runway on base had been declassified, or decommissioned, which opened up acreage for future development.
With Granger being done, Brabo added a point she had forgotten about in her report. She said she received word from a resident that had an issue with a neighbor that planted bamboo near the property line. Because bamboo is an invasive species, he was concerned that the County did not have an ordinance that covered this topic even though state law allows for one. Brabo recommended, and the rest of the Board agreed, to send the subject to the Planning Commission for consideration.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
Tim Hatch, Vice Chair of the Landfill Advisory Committee, then updated the Supervisors on their quest to have a full, five member Committee. Hatch said the Chair resigned in April and that there has been a need for a representative from the Shiloh District since May of 2017. He also said he just learned that the representative from the James Madison District will resign in August. He said he knows of at least one citizen willing to serve that has yet to be appointed. Hatch said the Committee can't elect officers because the By-Laws require five officers. He asked the Supervisors to help in filling the vacancies. On a more positive note, Hatch said the Committee is making progress on the litter issues in the County by looking into the formation of a Keep America Beautiful chapter as well as a litter crew from the Rappahannock Regional Jail. Hatch mentioned a scholarship that was available to attend Virginia Tech for a week but while there was some interest online, nobody from King George applied. He finished his report by saying the Committee was looking into a location for a Dahlgren Convenience Center and hope to have a final recommendation in the future.
Brabo said that Westmoreland County has signs related to keeping the County beautiful and that something similar may benefit King George. She also suggested asking the Sheriff's Office if there was a way to assess fines for littering. Brabo said Cathy Binder, the Supervisor for Shiloh District, is actively looking for a citizen to serve on the Landfill Committee and had found one but they backed out. Brabo said that if Binder, or Granger, are unable to find a citizen that lives in their district to serve, they are allowed to appoint someone from outside of their district. Brabo finished her comment by saying that Binder could appoint someone tonight if she wished but it was up to her and that the Shiloh District appeared to be the most difficult district to fill vacancies for. Based on the vacancies listed in the Agenda, Shiloh, James Madison, and Dahlgren all have two vacancies while the At-Large District vacancy was filled earlier in the meeting.
The first of two Public Hearings then began. First on the docket was the proposed amendment to the open burning ordinance. Chief Moody gave a brief summary of the amendment that states open burning is not to be allowed within 1,000 feet of a school building during school hours as well as prohibits burning a structure without getting prior written approval.
Binder said she has been present at Potomac Elementary School when students have had to go inside due to asthma attacks. Jenkins said he supported the amendment because anytime a kid can't go outside for recess because of this type of issue is tragic. The amendment was approved without any public comment.
The next Public Hearing was regarding the amendment to County Code related to the issue of nuisance and unsafe buildings and structures. Gregory, the County Attorney, said the topic had been presented and discussed at earlier Board meetings and that the current amendment had minor revisions to include trailers and other structures.
Jenkins asked how a citizen would make a complaint, assuming the amendment passed. Gregory said there were a number of avenues for a complaint to be made from the fire department to the County Development Office to the County Administration Office. He said there was no official process once the complaint was made. He said the property would be inspected and, if necessary, the code would be enforced.
Brabo then read into the record a letter from Mary Ann Dawes who said she had lived and worked in King George County for several years and is proud to call it home. Dawes said she lives in the same neighborhood as a nuisance property near Potomac Elementary School and was highly in favor of the new changes as it would help local government solve these types of problems.
The amendment to the Code was approved without further public comment.
Next on the Agenda was the debt mitigation presentation by Kyle Laux of Davenport and Associates. Along with his associate Griffin Moore, Mr. Laux gave an updated plan that gave more finite amounts now that the budget has been adopted. Giving a brief review, he said that the County is currently in a good financial position with solid cash-flow, strong reserves, and good credit. He said a debt reduction or mitigation plan would make the County's financial standing stronger. He showed the Supervisors the payment sheet that showed the County's current debt and that it would take until 2038 to pay it off, assuming no new debt was incurred. Laux said that by pulling money from various sources to pay off debt in large increments early, the County could save a large amount of money by avoiding interest. He said the money that was saved could then be put back into the County coffers or rolled back into paying down the debt.
Moore presented the planned source of the funds to pay the debt with the first being roughly $1 million coming from the surplus in the General Fund and the second being roughly $2 million coming form the Capital Improvement Fund. He said the third source would be the additional revenue generated by the real estate assessments which was estimated to be about $760,000 over the next four years. In addition to that, over the next four years there was another roughly $1 million that was estimated to be available just from good financial management in various department budgets. In other words, operating surpluses.
Brabo interrupted at this point stating that in previous conversations about the year-end surplus, the County has planned to use that money to cash-fund any necessary projects instead of borrowing money. She said that if the County uses the surplus to pay the debt then they have to borrow money to do something, it defeats the purpose. Laux agreed and said that the plan was designed to be flexible. He said the intent was not to take money away from cash-funding projects and that the debt reduction would be a priority level below cash-funding.
Moore continued his presentation by saying that the various sources of funds would result in about $3 million by the end of this year and about $4.76 million by 2022. He said the funds would be used in multiple phases to then pay down the debt. He then presented two scenarios for the County to consider. Both scenarios were based on the assumption that the debt payments would be made in FY2019, FY2021, and FY2023. The first scenario was the County just made payments on the debt while the second scenario was the County made payments on the debt but rolled the money it saved back into future payments on the debt.
Laux also suggested that the Board update the County's Financial Policy Guidelines to include the Debt Mitigation and Reduction Plan. He said this would make it difficult for future Boards to change, but not impossible. He also suggested the Board consider putting 25% of the year-end surplus into the debt reduction fund. Laux said the debt reduction issue was similar to a budget or Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in that it can always be amended before being adopted.
Brabo had reservations about committing to 25% of the surplus funds going into the debt reduction fund. She said the County has relied on the surplus to cash-fund capital projects and didn't want to be locked into specific language. She would rather adopt something with looser terms to allow the Board to cash-fund projects as needed and then use the remaining surplus into the debt fund.
Laux said the intent wasn't to hamstring the County but rather to develop a framework for a plan. He thought the language could be worked out but that a specific percentage would give the plan more teeth.
There was some confusion on the two different scenarios and what money was being reinvested. After some clarity was added by Laux and Dr. Young, the Board seemed to agree that the first scenario was the better choice.
Bueche added that the Board needed flexibility in this and wanted something that makes us focus on addressing the debt. He said he wanted to set a precedent for future boards to move forward with this.
Next on the Agenda was an Action Item to approve the acceptance of the Fairview Beach Stabilization Project Phase I Award. It was approved as was the appropriation of the same funds. Lavita Cobb, Procurement Manager, noted that while the total amount to be paid to Schnabel Engineering for the project was not to exceed $300,000, the County would be reimbursed with grant funds monthly.
Chief Moody and Chief Lynd from the Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services Department and Sheriff Dempsey from the Sheriff's Office then gave a joint presentation. Chief Lynd stated that the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) was issuing the County just over $37,000 due to the January 2016 snowstorm. He was before the Board tonight to ask that $25,000 of that money be appropriated to a Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), also known as a drone program. He said about 1,000 agencies use drones, including the Stafford County Sheriff. He said many times they have called on Stafford to use their drone in King George. He also gave an example of a fire in the Dahlgren area where they were able to use Caroline County's drone to locate the source.
Granger asked if during those times of mutual aid if the agency also supplied the drone pilot. Lynd said yes, the pilot came with the drone. Granger asked how many times they've used drones from other agencies. Lynd said he's known of a couple in the last year. Granger asked about maintenance for the drone and Lynd said it was fairly simple. He said updates come via the app and the big issue was just keeping the batteries charged. Lynd said they have reached out to other localities to get their best practices. Granger asked about the cost for the pilot's license and Lynd said it was about $150.
Binder asked if enough staff would be available and Lynd said yes, they would have an operator available 24 hours a day. Later he would add that between the fire department and Sheriff's Office, they would have six to eight pilots. Brabo asked about the potential to use the drone to survey County property and wanted to clarify that it was only County owned property, not private property. Lynd said yes, that was keeping in line with the best practices from other agencies. Brabo asked about the base in Dahlgren and the potential for electromagnetic interference that could cause the drone to crash. She also asked if they were planning to buy just one drone. Lynd said there were two drones, one smaller one for training and daylight flights and a larger one with a FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) camera for night flights.
Brabo said she knew Stafford used them to clear traffic accidents faster but felt further research and partnership was needed with the base in Dahlgren. She said she felt it would be a waste of money if they flew too close to the base and crashed. Bueche asked about the $37,000 reimbursement and Lynd said the money was coming regardless of approval or lack of for the drone program.
Dr. Young said he understood the concerns about how expensive it is but reminded the Board that this is a commercial grade drone with night vision. He said he has been working with Chief Moody and Chief Lynd to get into the mindset of being more prepared for emergency responses and to be self-sustaining rather than relying on mutual aid so much.
Bueche asked if the $25,000 they were asking for could be better used elsewhere within their budget to buy other equipment. In other words, asking if there was something more essential than the drone program. Moody and Lynd didn't feel there was and Sheriff Dempsey cited the recent search for a missing girl in the Pumpkin Neck area. To address Brabo's concerns, he said the drone did fly over Navy property and they only lost the signal and it returned safely. Dempsey also noted that as other agencies use their drones more and more, it becomes less available to King George to borrow them.
Bueche said that there are amateur radio operators in the County that are sometimes used in emergencies and wondered if something similar could be done with local drone operators. Brabo said that was a good idea but those drones would not have a FLIR camera. She said she supported the drone program but cautioned that more work needed to be done to partner with the base.
Dempsey said during the search for the girl, they did send a Detective to the base and they helped but did not give away any secrets about their programs. In other words, they gave no secret information on how they were able to stop the drone flying over Pumpkin Neck. Brabo said the base should be aware that a drone is being used but understands they may not disclose government information. Binder asked if the drone had some sort of signature that could be given to the Navy to help with any potential issues. Bueche said it sounded like a team wasn't in place yet and asked if they were at a point in the project where it needed to be approved tonight or if it could be tabled until later.
Chief Moody said that the dialogue with the base is certainly something that can be worked on and that the money for the drone program doesn't have to be spent tonight. He also said the prices for drones are dropping and there is no contract for a purchase. Bueche said he would like to see more structure before a decision. Jenkins said their next meeting wouldn't be until August and asked if that was enough time.
Moody said they have a great dialogue with the base but doesn't expect them to give away secrets. He said the sooner the drone can get on board, the better. He said there is already a waiting period for mutual aid with some agencies.
Jenkins said he'd rather vote now and get it out there based on the response time of other jurisdictions. Brabo said she just remembered the snake bite incident at Caledon where a hiker was stranded in the woods at dusk and didn't know what trail they were on. A drone would have helped in that scenario. She again reiterated her request to have a conversation with Dahlgren and said Moody should be prepared to give more details at the August 7th meeting.
Bueche asked if they approved the drone program tonight if it would be ready to respond by Fourth of July. Lynd said the equipment would be ready but the FAA waivers take from 30 to 60 days. Bueche asked if they needed the drone before getting the waivers and Lynd said yes, they need to be able to demonstrate that they can fly at night before getting the waivers. He also said the aircraft they would purchase is also used to inspect radio towers and power lines so it is designed to withstand strong magnetic interference.
Binder asked how long it took to get a license and Lynd said about a month. A motion was made and approved to grant the request with the caveat of presenting additional information at the August 7th Board meeting.
Annie Cupka, Grant Writer, then presented an update on the Commonwealth of Virginia DCJS Resource Officer Grant Award. She thanked Sheriff Dempsey, Dr. Benson, King George County Schools Superintendent, and VDOT for all their help in writing the grant. She said the grant will cover two-thirds of the School Resource Officer's (SRO) salary and the position would begin this upcoming school year. She said that because of how only two schools were prioritized by the Board of Supervisors, only those two schools were eligible for the grant. And with only being awarded one grant, Potomac Elementary School would be the school getting an SRO this fall. Cupka said there is a potential to fund the position for up to four years but that the County would need to create a plan to sustain the staff after the grant ends.
Sheriff Dempsey said he was prepared to make a selection on the officer to serve as SRO at Potomac. He also said that in order to serve as an SRO, you needed to have at least three years experience.
Granger thanked them both for the clarifications and the thorough presentation. Jenkins said it was an incredible amount of work. Bueche said Cupka was a rock star and that because of her hard work, an SRO would be present in every elementary school. The Board then approved the grant.
Next to the podium was Saundra Pearson of the Tourism Advisory Committee. She presented the Committee's recommendations for funding the Farmers Market and Fall Festival. Beginning with the Farmers Market, which applied for $4,000. Celebrating the ten year anniversary of the market, they were looking for more advertising and signage. Brabo said she reviewed the documents in the application and the amounts given did not add up to $4,000 but instead added up to $2,900. Caroline Phelps, the Farmers Market Board of Directors President, apologized for the discrepancy. The Board approved funding of $3,000 for the Farmers Market. Brabo asked if DeLaura Padovan would be recognized for her past contributions. Phelps said there was nothing official yet but they would certainly look into it.
Pearson then presented the Fall Festival Committee's request for funding. She said their original request was for $14,000 but the Tourism Advisory Committee modified it to only $5,000. Brabo said she also went through their submitted figures and noted last year's marketing expenses were about $5,800 and suggested they award them $6,000. Brabo also noted that maybe there was a better way to get participation in their survey and that maybe they should purchase banners without a specific date on them so they could be reused. She said it didn't seem prudent to remake banners every year. Brabo also noted that the Fall Festival Committee apparently didn't get the message last year that inflatables, such as a rock wall or bounce house, were not qualified under the grant request. Binder said she asked them about the inflatables last year and it sounded like there was a promise made to not charge residents to enjoy them.
Brabo said that in the past, tourism funds were being illegally put into the General Fund. Once corrected, the Board has made it a point to follow the law regarding what the tourism funds are spent on. Pearson said there appeared to be an expectation to fully fund the Fall Festival but that the Tourism Advisory Committee felt it should be self sustaining.
Binder then asked why nobody was here from the Fall Festival. She noted that Phelps was present from the Farmers Market but nobody representing the Fall Festival was present. Brabo said they're not specifically invited but that the groups all know they're here. Annie Cupka added that earlier in the day Janine Paulsen asked about the status of the grant application and she said the Tourism Advisory Committee made a recommendation and would be at tonight's meeting. Brabo easily summarized the situation by saying they knew about the recommendation and knew that this was the time and place to argue their case. The Board then approved the grant to the Fall Festival in the amount of $6,000.
Dr. Neiman Young then gave his report by saying that the White Plains Plantation has been nominated to be put on the National Historic Register and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Brabo asked if the property owner was aware or involved and Young said they were involved in the application process. Brabo said she just wanted to make sure they knew about it. According to the application, the White Plains Plantation is located off Route 301, about 2 miles north of the Rappahannock River.
Dr. Young then said that the 98th Civil Affairs Battalion contacted him and would like to return to King George County in September of this year for another exercise. The Board had a consensus to welcome them again.
Young said the fire department was awarded a $24,000 grant for a capital improvement project and that, even though he didn't like to talk about himself, he was invited to sit on the Executive Committee for the Virginia Local Government Management Association.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 9:50pm and invited attorneys Ed Spivey and Kevin Sharp. There was some confusion about Mr. Sharp not being there and that another attorney was present in his place. The Board returned from Closed Session at 10:33pm and adjourned a 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 August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Board of Supervisors Meeting.
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