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11-11-81 MinutesBOARD OF SUPERVISORS MINUTES November 11, 1981 S~pervi~ers in Attendance~ ~r. Har~y ~. Daniel, Chairman ~r. C. L. Bookman Mrs, Joan Qirone Mr~ E. Merlin O~Neill, Sr. Mr~ Richard L. Hedrick County A~ministrator Mr. R. Garland Dodd, Vice Chairman ~taff in Attendance: Mr. Stanley Baldsrson, ~ir. of ~lanninq Attorney Fhf. Jeffrey Muzzy, Dir. Cox~unity Development Mr. Lane Ramsey, Directo~ of Budget ~ Accounting Mir. Daniel called the meeting to order at the Courthouse at 2=10 p,m. (~$T). It was nota~ that Mr. Dodd was absent to attend the funeral un IIbehalf of the Boa.rd, of Mr. ~atrick G. Mason, Benaley-Be~muda Rescue squad ~ember who was killed on November ~, 1981. Mr. Daniel stated that prior to the agend~ beginning he would like to make a few statements regarding an urticle written by the Editor cf the Richmond News Leader. He state~ from ti~e to time he has commented on articles written in the newspapers and that he was particularly concerned about the article written on November 4, 1981, which referred to "banana throwing by the monkeys on the Chesterfield county Board Of Supervisors." ~e ~tated that he did not mind political satire made by the news media as it ~s healthy. He stated that he felt thim article was not proper nor written in good taste and that a response was necessary. He stated that he did not know the edi[or, had never meeu him and had never known him to Attend any public meetings of the Beard since he had been a member an~ he could not unde~tand why s~¢h an analop5, was used. ~e stated that the ~oard doe~ work tow&~d co--on goals which are in the bemt interest of the County even though the paths towards these goalm ~0metimes differ. He stated that the Board does have the courage to identify problems and the courage to work for what each individual feels proper. ~e stated that sometimes a little "spirit" is injected but that is better than having all Board membaru agree to everything ali the time. He s=a~sd that the CO~y iS a model for other jurisdictions which was demonstrated at the Virginia Ammociation of Counties Annual Meetin~ this week ~e stated that other jurisdictions were envious of the County and its ability to maintain a low tax rate and still operate an efficient government, just to mention a single factor. He stated that he fel~ this article was improper and did not relate the true story of the Board's discussions and dec,siena, Be ~tated that the public does not f~el this way about its elmctmd officialm. Me s%a~ed that commercial development continues in the County because of its resources and the reputation which the County maintains. Ee stated that this ia his personal opinion and statmment and that he feet~ ~he County is working ~cr the future and has demonstrated it~ desire to receive more public input regarding the affairs of gevernment~ for e~ample, the three v~ar financial planning for the County and the long-range ~mplicatiuDs that decisions made this year will have On cur 81-500 financial future. He stated that he felt thi~ ~%a%emeDt kad to be made and that a copy would be sent to t~e Editor of the Richmond News Leader. for the record that the News Department and the Editorial Maek~nzie, the Editor. Mr. Daniel stated that he felt political satire was fine but that the format used in %his article wa~ entirely unoalled fOU. Mr. Ramsay stated that the Board had held two work sessionn reqerdi~g the broad ovsruiew of the three year projections and the growth trends and their impact on governmental Services. He stated this session would address the 1982-83 budget and that staff would like to obtain some adminisbrative guidelines in Zr. Hedrick stated that this ~ession was Very important because staff had made some assumDtions and it was nccessar~ for the Board to indicate whether or not these as~umptlens ware correct in order tha~ the budget process would proceed with the objectives, goals and policie~ of the Boar~ of Supervisors. ~r. Jay Stegmaier, Senior Budget and Management officer, made a presentation to the So~r~ using a ~eries of charts. The first chart listed the budget objectives of the Board of Supervisors a~ ~erc~ived by staff. The~e cbjective~ were: Maintaining a 9S~ tax rate~ 2. ~aintaining current fund balance (between : $2,500,080-$3,000,000) as a minimum; 3. ~alntain~nq current service levels; 4. Increasing productivity (more work, at same cost}; and 5, Providing needed ~ala~y adjustments {either increase er decrease). Mr. S%egmaier stated that the projected ~hortfall in rev~nuen and e~pen~es for 198~-~B would be approximately $2,500,Q~0 bat that there were contingencies whloh sa~m~d fairly likely to affect that shortfall which are an increase in frinqe benufits, increase in utilities costs and reduction in rev~nUs sharing feeds. He stated %here items should ho considered in the planning process and e mo~e realistic shortfall would be apprexlmat~ly $3,500,000. Hs stated other such things a~ an increase in salaries for certain employee groups, reduction in other federal funding and reduction in rate of r~al ~tate revenue growth could also have an impact but these things are ~ncertaiu at this time. He gave individual ~trategies which could be used to decrease the shortfall as well as several combinations. He Stated staff was not Suggusting ~ny b~t indicating various ways in which reductions could be made. ~[r. Hedriok stated that an administrator needs to make assumptions on management d~cisions as to how the budcet is put together and then the budget proces~ s~arts. He stated he felt it important that the Soard be involved from the beginning. ~rs. Girone requested that staff further investigate strategy ~ involving revenne~ and tO look into aha land use tax program. She stated she was not in favor of a utility tax. Tho Board stated that priority nu~er i ~hould he for the County Administrator to investigate further changes in the pay plan to replace ~erit and cO~t of living increases with a sinqle variable, a performance based ~alary increment. The ~eard indieat~ their desire not to increase the busines~ license 81-501 razes, not to increase machinery and tools tsx and not to eliminate the land use ~{r. ~edrick stated that there had been a training ~e$~ion on qoals and obj~ctivez az part of thm budget preparation and that he has asked the departments to look at their work plan, what they are doing, what they are supposed to be doing, how they are to do i% and the cost involved. He stated that th~$ would forecast for the future, the services needed and ~hould he ~ore cost effective. Mrs. Girone stated sh~ would like to see a proposal for Ionq term borrowing for capital projects for approval by the public. stated that a plan $houI~ be worked out fur tho~e mounting need~. Mr. Stegmai~r stated that the 9rojeotad fund balances for the next three years would be as follows: 1982-83 Deficit of $3,500,000 19~3-84 Surplus of S765,000 L984-85 Surplus Qf $6,000,000 The BOard thanked staff £u~ the presentation. {A cody of which is filed with the papers of this Board.) on motion of ~r. Da~iel~ seconded by ~rs, Girou~, the Beard went into ~xecutiv* S*~ion tQ ~iscuss legal matte~ as permitted by section 2.1-344(6) of the Code of Vi~glnia, 1950, as amende~. Ayes: M~. Daniel, Mr. Bookman, ~rs. Girone and Mr. O'Neill. Absent: Mr. Dodd. Raconvening= On motion o~ Mr. Bookman, seconded by Krs. Girene, the Board adjourned at 4:3~ p.m. until ~:00 a.~. on November 2S, 19~1. Ayes: ~r. Daniel, Mr. Bookman, Mrs. Giron~ and Mr+ O'~ei!!. ~sent: Mr. Dodd. Richard L. ~edrick County Administrator ~arry G./Daniel ~ Chairmar~