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03-31-1982 MinutesBOARD OF SUPERVISOR2 MINUTES March 31, L982 Supervisors in Attendance: Mr. E. ~lerlin O'Neill, Sr.~ Chairman Mrs. Joan Girone, Vice Chairman Mr. C. L. Bookman M~. Harry G. Daniel Hr, R. Garland Dodd Mr. Richard L. Hedriok County Adm±nistrato~ Staff in Attendanee: Attorney The Board met a% bieadowbrOok Country Club for dinner at (EST) . The Board re~e~sed to travel to the Cearthouse. Mr. O'H~ill oalled the meeting to order at 7~05 p.m. et fha C~urthouse, H~ state4 the puzpo~e of the meeting ~am to ho~d three public hearings ~n Y~elve input from citizens regarding !982-~3 whicA had been advertised. Mr. Hedrick gave a summary of ~he bud~st prepartion and plans se for the County during the coming year. |A copy of which i~ fi~ed with the paper~ of thi~ Board,) Ms. Trudy Cox, President of the Friendm of the Public Libra~¢, wu~ present. ~he stated opposition to the reduction in staffing and hour~ of operation for the Library System. Ske stated that th~ library wa~ not a frill but someahing ~bat was essential for the children in the County. She stated 6hat the reduction in staff would mean that librarian~ would be made to do menial would not ba inventoried as nesded~ etc. She state~ the usage o th~ library is increasing, not d~oreasing, and to make cuts woul mean that the County would fall ~eckwards five ysa~m. She state tha~ $130,000 more than whmt is proposed in the budget is needgd She r~quested that %k~ Doard reinstate the funds pro~omsd tn bm cut er restudy the entire matter. She requested tha~ ~ke Board nob allow a geed system %0 fail. Mr. B. D. Gregory stated that unemployment i~ bad at ~he current time, He stated that people are lucky to have jobs, Be stated tka~ ~he Board wa~ net proposing a rate inorease but yet ~uggested khak if assessments rise, that the rate be reduced. H population being 155,000 there is utmost $!,OOO being ~Dant ~r capita. R~ stated this is entirely too much in th~ ec0monically depressed times. ~a ~ta~ed revenue sharing fund~ ar~ a gift to the Co~ty from the federal government and should be used to help the public. ~te ~tate~ that a reduction in the be happy t~ have a job an~ no~ request raises. 52-119 budgeted for civil defense which includs~ t~tephoue, ~dditiunal help sn~ foals. ~e stated he felt there should be some provision for stroh things as nuclear disasters, spillage Qf nuclear waste, military disaster, etc. Ee suggested such things as training seminars for citizens in order that thai, sill know what action to take in emergency situation~. ~. ~ohn Scherer sts~ad that this area ~pends approximately $978.72 per capi[a but larger areas suet ms ~{illsbero, Flo~ids spends.only $40~.25. Mr. O'Neill ~tated that the Large military base in that area and the mainly retired people attribute to the reasoning behind the rats. ~r. Hedrick added he was not ~ure the school co~ts were inclu~ed in this ra~e and felt they ~e~e not. ~r. Danis! sta=ed that there are a lot of County-City overlaps in oth~r states and that it is almost impossible to do exact extrapolations. Mrs. %re~e L~s, a volunteer in the library system, state~ her concern for the reductLon in library hours and staffin¢. She sta~ed that the County needs a ~oed public relations department and the librarie~ act as that in some cases. She stated that the County had a v~ahle and sophiet£oated information center and recue~ted that the Board not cripple the services offered. ~rs. Dottle krmstong s~ated that in 1954 the County did nut have a llhra~y syste~, not even in the schools, and she-a~d others helped initiate on~, She stated st= realized the burden on the budget for the system but stated it would h~ wrong to go backward. She stated tko library is a "Decp!e thing." Sh~ indicated her concern for the Cuts in st~ffing in the Community Development Department. She stated that with a County qrowiug as fast as Chesterfield, could this be afforded. She state~ such things a~ r~vie~ing the General Plan 2OO0r long fangs planning, etc. were neceSSary. Sh~ stated good plannlng is necessary to ~nhanee the quality of life in the County. Mr. O'Neill state~ that the Board was planning to streamline the staff. He stated this ~epartment has been e catch-all for othe~ 6epartments add it would put it into its proper perspectiue ~n~ it will net detract fro~ staff or input. HO stated that there had been major reductions in davelopn~nt in the County. Mr. ~ilbert Elliott, member of the Beusley-Bermuda Rescue Squad was present. ~e stated in reviewing the budget $48,006 was designated for emergency ~dicel sea;ice. He stated 0sly $40,000 is design&sod to the rescue squads~ $10,000 to each of the four. He ~tae~d the other $~,000 ie for the Fire Department end he felt i= should not. Ke stated the Fire Department ha~ ~ budget cf $4,500~000 and inquired about the $$,00D. Mr. Hedrick stated this was for emergency medical ~quipment w~en ~h~ Fire Department responds to emergency situations ~r Elllott ~tated he {~as not opposed to the Fire Departmen~ reSpOnding to accidents, etc. as long as the ~en were well trained. He ~tated it ~semed the $~,0OO would bs batter spent by the rescue squads. ~e s%ated that tbs co~unication¥ system which was recks'tlr installed ~otually reduces their response time to e~ergencv si~ue%ions for which they ar~ being requested to pay for phones; that the ~ire stations which are also volunteer solicit door ~o door and they are competing for the same ~unds~ that they are leery of too much financial aesiutunc~ as strings would he ~%tachsd, but that to s~pport tbs rescue squad with $1O,QOD a year is ridiculous. Mrs. Gfrene inquired if these wer~ the opinions of the Benslov-Bermud~ Squad er all squads. Mr. Elliot stated that of BensIey~ermuda but all sguadu were meeting thi~ sa~e evening t~ discuss the matter. Ee s~ated the Board will probably r~ce~ve a request Cur additional financial assistance. Mr. O'Neill stated that when the squads recuested help three years ago, $10,000 we~ budgeted, and if more f~nanciel aid was needed, it should have been brought to the attention ef the Beard. ~a atste~ that the Board has always enjoyed a good relationship with tlc rescue squads and would Ret have turned a dsa£ ear to their requests. Mr. Eltictt stated he was not ageinet the Fire Department, but against ~h~ir receivln~ S~,000 for emergency medical equipment. Mrs. Girone stated that tko Board had always supported the rescue squads and when they came reluGtant!y several year~ eqc, the Bnard designated $1o,0OQ ~ach. She ~tated that if they oam~ again, the Board would be very receptive to their needs. Mr. Ji~y Stalwart, Commissioner of the Chesterfield Quarterback League, presented a letter indicating tha~ with the inclusion of the Robious Athletic Association, officials fees will be approximately $11,Q00. He ~tated ~he County'~ contribution was $3,000 and without additional finanic~l ~$siscance from th~ County, playing fee~ would have to be increased. He requested that the same level of s~rviee be provided this year es was last year. budget, the public healing w~s closed. or if they were, the tax rate shnul~ he reduced. He Stated that W~th people losing th~i~ jobs, they cannot afford te pay basically financed through =avings ~n~ loan agencies and {hat tau ~r. J. E. Martin, representing the Richmond ~-lunlcipal Area tax is S3~60/$100 when manufacturers only pay $1.00/S100, ~e approximately 60 business people in Che~t~rfleld as well as Mrs, Elsie Elmore stated her support of the retention of the $.9~ tax rate. She indicated the County is in good finanei&l condition at this time and that any reduction in the rate could 82-121 Mr~ H~drick stated the ne~t public h~aring sche~ule~ was to discuss the use of Revenue Sharing funds. Mr. Gregor? inquired how revenue sharing funds were fie be ~p~nt. Mr. Ramsev stata~ and $1,570,000 was designated for schools. Mz. Gregory suggeghec rei$ing the sales tax on [oo~ in tAe Co~ntv~ Mr. O~Neill stated thi~ was one tax that counties could nob i~p0se and indicated that a bill to have ~his as a local option was not approved by There beln~ no one ~l~e to speak Mr. ©'~eill close~ the hearing. Mr. He~rlck thanked those present ~or their inuut and stated =heir co~ent~ would b~ taken into consideration before uctual O~ motion of Mr bodd, seconded by Mr. Bookman, the B~ard adjourned at 8:45 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. on April 7, 1982. Ric{l&rd L. HedFick County Administrator ~. ~rl~ O'Neill, Sr. ! Chairman $2-122