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04-06-1988 MinutesMIBo'£~S Mr. G. H. Applegate, Chairalan Mr. M. B. S~llivan~ Vise Chairman Mr. C. F. Ceftin, Jr. Mr. Harry G. Daniel Mr. Jesse J. Mayes Staff in Attendance= Mrs, Doris De,art, Legislative Coord. RS. Joan Dolezal, Clerk to th~ Bo~rO chief Robert Eane~, Fir~ Depa~tmen~ ~r. ~radfcrd S. Hammer, D~puty Co. Admin. for Building Official ~r. William 5owell, Mental Health/Retard. Mr, Richard McElfish, Dir. of ~nv. Eng. Dir. o~ News/Info. Deputy Co, k~min, for Development MS. Jean emi=h, vir. of Mr. Jay Ste~maier, Dir. Mr. M. D. Stith, Jr., Mr, Frederick Willie, Mr. AFplega~e ea~led the msetlng to order at th~ Courthouse at 5:10 p.m. {ESDT). The Board recessed to travel to Italia Restaurant ~or dinner and returned to ~he Courthouse its regularly scheduled meeting. {It is note~ waivers were signed calling the meeting to order at 5~00 p.m. rather then 7:60 p.m. as advertised.) Mr, Appl~gate calle~ the r~gu!arly scheduled meeting to order et the Con~thouse at 7~10 p.m. (ESDT). He welcomed citi~eDS tO 88-199 the meeting and expressed the Board*s appreciation for their intereut in local government, He stated thi~ date end time had been advertised for a publis hearing on an ordinance to establish the annual tax levy on various classes of property for the County and the proposed 1988-~9 Financial ~lan. He ~tated citizens could address either of these issues and would be called according to the order of the sign-up sheets and in sequence with the agenda. Be stated the Board was present to hear publi~ concerns and comments and did not intend to t~ke any formal action on these i~sues at this time. Mr. Stugmuicr stated the proposed budget is the first to be prepared under g~idelines of the County Charter, is balanced within the existing tax structure, has been p~epared~ es submitted, with resources allocated judiciously among competing priorities with education and all other programu receivin~ relative shares of available funds comparable to prier years' allocations, and has bs~n prepared in accordance with state~ objectives of the ~oard of Supervisors, which are: 1.) maintain the current tax rate structure; 2.) maintain service levels which ~nsurs a high quality of life for Cheu%erfieId residents; 3.) provide compensation t~ County e~ployems at market rates~ 4.) prome=e ChesterfielO as a regional 9artne=; ~.) ~entinue to negetiate sharing of exp~nses r~lat~d to growth between the County and development community; 6.) fairly a!lo=a~e resou=ces among competing demands; 7.) maintain a balance cf 5% of the General Fund expenditures; 8.) establish education and public safety au priorities in the delivery of ~rumete =conomic develepment to maintain, improve the current residential/ business tax ratio; and 11.) continue policy on a case by ease basis whereby the County will not assume reupon~ibility for reductions in Fed=tel and State funding. He stated many Qeneral Fund depurtm®nts will hav~ approximately departments will struggle to meet increasing demands for services; some departments, including public safety, health and welfare programs, have received new f~ndg which will partially offset growth demands~ and development related activities, which benefit from fee revenues directly proportional to workloads, will be able to meet demands for mo~t of its ~rvic~n. ~ $~a~e~ however, a~ in previous years, there will be tradeoffs between maintaining the current revenue structure and service !svels and the County is again confronted with difficult decisions regarding reductions in State funding for programs in Mental ~ealth, Social Services and Education. ~e presented an overview of the 1989 0petering ~udgst and explained revenue items. ~e stated the proposed budget represents the staff's effort to m~iDtain a ~alaneed work program and level cf service within the support and in,ut o~ the members of the Board an~ those residents of the County who have been involved in and their views on the budget. Mr. Applegate expressed appreciation for the diligent e~forts of the staff, administration and Budget Conh~itt~e in bringing forth the submitte~ ~u~et for consideration. 2. PUBLIC ~ING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO EStAbLISH =~u~ ANNUAL T3%X ~:;v~ ON VARIOUS CLASSES OF PROPERTX FOR X~ COUNTY Off CHES'r~u~!ELD Mr. Applsqate stated this date and time had been advertised for e public hearing to consider an ordinance to establish the annual tax levy on various classes of property for the County of Chesterfield. There was no one to speak in ~avor Of or against the proposed On motion of Mr. Currin, s~conded by Mr_ ~ul.llvan, the Board closed the public hearing on the annual tax levy on variou~ classes o~ property for the County. Mr. Applegate stated this date and time had been advertise~ for a public hearing to consider tho proposed 1989 budget. Mr. H. W. Wori~y voiced Opposition to ~-ke proposed fine of $75 for the second, or more~ of false alarmm within a year as he felt ~u~h aetlou punitive and should not be enforced. He stated howaver~ if the charge were to be approved, he felt it should be only $10 per false alarm. ~s. Carol Boisineaa, Chairman of the Youth Servioe~ Commission, expressed concerns relative to th~ lack of funding for agenci~m that serve the youth po~u!ation of the Connty and urged ~he Board to take a lOng-range view of these services and connider adequate funding for ~he needs of th~se programs. Ms. Mary Carroll Jordan, a resident o~ Chester; Mr. Theodore Strasburg, a resident o~ Surreywood; Ms. Mary Ann Harmon, representing Friends of the Library; and M~, Yvette B. Eidley, representing ~he Matoaca/~ttrlck Drench Library, ax~resse~ concerns regarding improvement~ to the existinq library facilitie~ a~ there are iDadequste quiet areas fur those who wish ~o study, inadequate q~antitias of re~ou~ee material, insufficient shelving and/or aisle space, ssatlng capacity, books, etc., and asked the Boa~d's consideration for adequate funding to make the libraries mor~ b~neficlal an~ accommodating =c the needs of the citizens of the County. Ms. Jennifer Hcstetlar, a ~tudent at Monacan High ~chool, expressed concern~ r~lative ~o the County library eye=em as experlenc~d by high school students regarding the hours of operation a~ail~bi!ity, !ack of reference ma=crisis, lack of current beok~, extension of the call-in renewal book service, 9to. She stated many students have nu choice but to u~ilize the Virginia Comr~onwealth University, University of Richmond and Richmond Public Library facilities as these facilities ara more convenient to their schedules and need~. When aske~, approximatel~ fifteen (15) persons stood to indicate their euppor~ o~ improved services for County library facilities. Mr. Paul Baisey, President of the ~alem Church Athletic kssociatlon; Nr. James "Pnnky" Lumpki~,. President of the Chesterfield Basketball League; Mr. David Saner, representing Mr. Frank Bryan~ o~ ~non; ~s. Kim Aldo~s~ r~presenting the Southside Churches Recreation Association; MS. ~o~a J. Hofheimer, ~ resident o~ Richmond; MS. L. A. Shspherd~ a resident of Richmond; Ms. Jnanita Ueath, a County.r~ident; Mr. Michael Mellon, representing the Chesterfield Soccer Association, voiced support for th~ ~arks and R~creatlen Department's activities~programs, stated the~ felt these services are most beneficial, enrich the quality Qf li~e and are very ~mportant to the citizan~ Of the County, indicated they would not llke tQ lo~e them~ expressed concerns for providing funding ~nd facilitie~ for adult sport activities, and urged the Board to continue to maintain an~ improve the level of services provided b~ tho deportment. Mr. David Phillip~ a member of th~ Chesterfield/Colonial Height~ Board o~ Social Services, expressed aDDre0iation te the Boa~d for not raising taxes while striving to meet the service demands and rotaln the quality of life to which the citi=ens of 88-201 the County have become accustomed. He e×pre~s~d c0noornt however, that reductions in funding levels will impact these service levels, adversely impact the quality of life for many residents, and urged the Board give serious consideration to the necessary funding to focus on and provide the essential social services needed by the residents of the County. Nr. Thomas Philion~ representin~ the Richmond Symphony~ requested the Board's financial assistance and suppor~ of organization. He stated the Symphony provides special and direct services to chesterfield County i residents through educational programs~ younq performers programs, concerts and other cultural, entertaining activities. Mr. Daniel disclosed for the record that he is a m~ber of the Board of Directors for the Richmond Symphony but did not feel ~his presented a conflict of interest. Ms. Mary Jo 5~x, Chairman of the Community Services Board, addressed the needs of the various Human Services Divisions and requested the Board giv~ s~riou~ consideration to funding the $1.2 million necessary to ~ocus on and provide t~e essential mental health/mental retardatien/~ub~tanc~ abu~ ~ervices for residents of the Cnunt~. Mr. Vincent Burges~ President of the Chesterfield Citizens the Mentally Retarded! Mrs. Yve~te ~. Ridley, ~ member of the Community Services Board~ MS. Kathy Grant, $pmaking on behalf cf the Infant Stimul~tioD ~rogram~ Mr. Jam~m "~unky" L~pkln, p~rant of a severely retarded child; Mb, Helen Kane, a member of the Chesterfield County Citizens for the Men~ally Retarded: Mr. Robert ~euthin~, a m=n~er of the Chesterfield Ci%i~en~ for Chesterfield County Citizen~ for the Mentally Retarded~ · xpress~ concerns relative to staff/operating costs for additional group homes, short-te~ and long-term problem~ ~ncounte:e~ in provi~ing mental health/merits! retardation/sub~ stance abuse services, reduction of the length of time for reductions in State iunding progr~s, inadequat~ funding and levels 0f ~er=ice in all ar~a~ ~neluded within the proqrams, etc., and r~qu~ted ~h~ Board giv~ ~riou~ considera- tion to providing the funding necessary to focu~ on and provide Ms, G~ant ~ubmitted a letter for the record from Mr. and Mrs. aober~ W. Ha~aker expremsing suppor~ of ~he H~an necessary to maintain ~ese program~, when a~ked, approximately tun (10) persons stood to indicate their support of improved services for ~he various M~an services Divisions. of the Ric~ond Metropolitan Area, expressed appreciation for ~he opportunity ~o revi~w/discusm =h~ financial plan, the preparers of the plan for a well-developed, welt-written, ~Or~ aqgre$~ve ~%rategy for lonq-t~ planning to avoid uncontrolled growth and its accompanying problems, necessar~ to meet the needs of the County's expanding popula- ~iOD, and voiced support for ~he maintenance and upgrading It was generally agreed the ~oard would recess for five minu~es. Reconvening: Nr. Jim E~nricks, a County resident; ~s. carolyn Gwaltney~ President of the Chesterfield Education ~ssociation~ Mr, Wilson McMicha~l, a resident of the ~non oommunity; Mr. Raymond Ceeb, a member of the Salem Church P.T.A.; Mr. Charlss representing the Greenfield ~tsmen=ary School P.T.A.; Mr. Phil cunningham~ a Bermuda District reeident; Ms. Phylli~ ~ussey, a Midlothian DisCrict ras£dan=; Ms. Nanuy Hudmon, a County resident; Ms. Nancy Pinch, a member of the Monacan High School ~.T.A.; Ms. Fra~ Givens, a County residsnt~ and Mr, Roy Fauber, President of the MOnacan ~igh School P~rent-Teaoher-Studen= A~sociation, expressed concerns relativ~ to the overcrowding, the u~e Of relocatable units (trailers}; the impact of growth management in the County as it affects the school capacities; teacher/pupil ratioS; the Ghange in the State funding formula for education which resulted in a $5.1 million shortfall that is necessitating drastic redEction~ in s~rvice levels; tha needs of burgeoning schools; maintaining the quality of education for which the County i~ known; the gradual, overall adverse impact of ~ducational budget cuts on all County for the school systen (meals tax, County Operated concessions, ~tc.)~ voiced support for adequate landing to ma£n=ain the current leve~ of service for the school system and urged Board to consider approval of the proposed school h~dget as necessary tO retain ~he quality standards o~ th~ educational BoarO, requested continued support of Camp Baker at an increased level of $15,000 rathe~ than th~ pr~vlens levei of $10,000, and outline~ th~ organization's accomplishments for on-going basis, and the County's fundinq is indicative ho other Ms. Carolyn Gwaltney preeented an overview of teacher~' ealary for Chesterfield County as compared tO ~hos~ of Fairfax, Henrico and Prlno~ william Co~nties as well as the Cities of There being no one else to addre~ the 195S-$9 Finanulal Plan, Mr. Applegate expressed appreciation for aha participation of outstanding quality. ~e stat=d the Board is confronted with difficult decisions regardinq Ted~ctions in the budget prior Co April 11, 1988 meeting regarding the Five (5) Year Capi=al On motion of Mr. ~djourned at 10~00 p.m, Ldna ~. ~amea~~ County Ad~ini~trator~ Daniel, seconded by Mr. Mayas, the ~oard (E~DT) until 7:0~ p.m. (ESDT) on April 88-203