05-10-2012 Special MeetingBook 28, Page 260
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS HELD THE TENTH DAY OF MAY IN THE YEAR TWO
THOUSAND AND TWELVE
PRESENT: Alan E. Casteen, Chairman
JoAnn W. Hall, Vice - Chairman
Rex W. Alphin
Byron B. Bailey
Delores M. Darden
Also Attending: Mark C. Popovich, County Attorney
W. Douglas Caskey, County Administrator
Carey Mills Storm, Clerk
Chairman Casteen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. for the
purpose of conducting a public hearing on the proposed FY2012 -13 School
Budget and proposed FY2012 -13 Isle of Wight County Operating
Budget.
//
Supervisor Bailey delivered the invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was conducted.
Chairman Casteen called for Approval of the Agenda.
Supervisor Alphin moved that the agenda be approved as presented.
The motion was adopted by a vote of (5 -0) with Supervisors Bailey, Darden,
Hall, Alphin and Casteen voting in favor of the motion and no Supervisors
voting against the motion.
//
Chairman Casteen advised that pursuant to the Code of Virginia, the
Board is required to wait a period of seven (7) days after conducting a public
hearing on the budgets before it can take action on theirs.
Chairman Casteen called for a public hearing on the following:
FY2012 -13 School Budget
Book 29, Page 261
County Attorney Popovich certified that the Budget has been
properly advertised.
Chairman Casteen called for persons to speak in favor or in
opposition to the proposed Budget.
Robert Eley, School Board Chairman, Isle of Wight County
Public Schools, stated economic growth in the County is dependent
upon quality education. He stated residents from other areas are
paying tuition for their children to attend County schools and in order
to continue to offer quality education, funding from the County is
critical.
Katrise Perera, Superintendent of Isle of Wight County Schools,
stated that the School's vision has remained committed to education
as evidence by the process made, but State and Federal mandates
have continued to increase. She shared SOL information with the
Board, commenting that education is the number one (1) marketing
tool.
Sydney Register, six grader at Westside Elementary School,
shared her feelings about the inadequate heating and cooling of that
school building.
Theodore Hardison of Garrison Drive recommended the Board
fund the School's budget in the amount of $59.8 million to support a
progressive educational standard even if it means taxes need to be
raised accordingly.
Shannon Hardison of Garrison Drive and Lead Teacher at
Carrsville Elementary School stated better results cannot be expected
with less funding and that she is in support of the proposed School
Board's budget in its entirety.
Celeste Knowles of Carrollton spoke in support of the School
budget being fully funded as requested.
Mike Newman, Principal, Windsor High School, requested the
Board to fully fund the School's budget as requested.
Judith Hastie, Carrsville Elementary School Teacher, stated the
quality education provided by the County is priceless and sought by
Book 29, Page 262
many. She stated the County's schools have superior rankings in the
western tidewater area and the State.
Debbie Story, Carrsville Highway, asked the Board to examine
the proposed budget carefully and use wisdom when voting on it.
Jaclyn Carr, Principal, Carrsville Elementary School, requested
the Board to financially support the school system and make it a top
priority when planning the budget.
Kent Hildebrand, School Board member, requested the Board
members to financially support the schools as best they can.
Ed Easter, 12224 Hideaway Lane, spoke in support of the Board
raising the tax rate accordingly to fund the School system to the level
needed.
Aruza Copeland commented that her son received a quality
education while attending County schools and she requested the
Board to support the School's requested budget.
Judith Post, Teacher at Windsor Elementary School, spoke in full
support of the School's proposed budget.
Stennett Byrd, Principal, Westside Elementary School, spoke in
favor of the School's budget being fully funded.
Stephanie Bailey, President of the Isle of Wight Education
Association, requested full funding of the School's proposed budget.
Amy Jones spoke in support of raising taxes to fully fund the
school's proposed budget.
Donna Spivey, Carrsville District, requested support of the
school's proposed budget.
Herb DeGroft, School Board member, spoke in favor of
additional shared and consolidated services to help maximize scarce
County revenue resources.
Votive Boykin's of Walters spoke in favor of the schools being
adequately funding and recommended that the Board approve the
3
Book 29, Page 263
budget categorically so that large raises cannot be provided to top
administrators who are already overpaid.
Chairman Casteen closed the public hearing and declared a
recess.
//
The Board returned to open session.
Chairman Casteen called for a public hearing on the following:
FY2012 -13 Isle of Wight County Operating Budget
County Attorney Popovich certified that the Budget has been
properly advertised.
Chairman Casteen called for persons to speak in favor or in
opposition to the proposed Budget.
Janelle, a six -year old, spoke in favor of funding for the
Smithfield Branch of the Isle of Wight County Library.
Jennifer McQuillen, who currently home schools her children,
spoke in favor of funding for the Smithfield Branch of the Isle of
Wight County Library, noting that it is her greatest resource.
Votie Boykins of Walters spoke in favor of funding for the
Sheriff's Office. He stated he is in favor of the two -cent tax increase
for fire and rescue.
Bill Chapman, Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department, stated that
the Board in 2006 had advised that it did not want those organizations
conducting fund raisers in order to operate their organizations and
that the Board wanted to fund their operational budget completely so
that they can spend time responding to calls. He stated the idea of
funding emergency services was the Board's idea and he expects this
Board to fulfill that idea.
Pinky Hipp of the Hardy District stated that a budget should be
developed on funds available, not on possibilities. She stated the
2
Book 29, Page 264
Board will have to make some tough choices which may mean to cut
services, laying off some employees, higher taxes or some other
approach.
Yvonne Hilliard - Bradley, Director of the Blackwater Regional
Library, distributed a chart developed by the State Library of Virginia
reflecting that the Blackwater Regional Library system is second to the
bottom in terms of staffing levels and local income and third from the
top with respect to program attendance. She advised that for the last
two (2) years, the Blackwater Regional Library Board of Trustees has
elected to reduce the Library budget in order to accommodate funding
received from localities. She advised that positions were eliminated;
full -time positions reduced to part -time; and, programming expenses,
travel and training and library administrative expenses cut. She
advised that good use is made of grant funding and donations from
Library friends and the Library's budget is shared by five (5) localities
according to an agreed -upon formula based on the local population
and library usage. She advised that the Library's contract with the
localities is very clear in that any cut to its budget as presented must
be taken from that locality's library services. She stated that Isle of
Wight's share of the budget increased from 45% to 46% this year due
to increases in the County's population and increased usage of the
three (3) County branches. She stated the funding currently proposed
is a loss of $53,000 from the County's 46% share of the Library's
budget and will require laying off four (4) to six (6) staff members and
a loss of two (2) or more days in the County's library service. She
stated if the Library's budget is cut from a locality, the Library also
stands to lose its State aid, which are funds used to purchase
materials.
Connie Henderson, 13185 Doggett Lane, advised that the
libraries are used by many patrons and a reduction in its budget
would cause a reduction in hours and staff levels. She stated that the
libraries are also an important factor in bringing people into the
County and she requested the Board not decrease the Library's
budget.
Rebecca Lewis spoke on behalf of teenagers who utilize County
libraries.
Jim Phillips, President of the Friends of the Smithfield Library,
advised that citizens have agreed to fund over $30,000 in renovations
11
Book 29, Page 265
to the Smithfield Library through fund - raising efforts. He stated they
are trying to do their part and they hope the Board does its part too.
Kent Hildebrand, 22209 Haynes Lane, spoke in favor of funding
for the Sheriff's Department and fire and rescue. He stated he further
supports the tax under consideration for those departments as long as
it does not go in the General Fund and it goes into the districts for
which they are servicing.
Sharon Hart, Newport District, spoke in favor of funding
economic development and bringing in new business revenue. She
stated the Board adopted a resolution creating an economic
development zone on Route 460 and the Governor presented an
economic impact study estimating that by 2020 construction of the
Route 460 improvement project would have an economic impact of
$7.3 billion sustaining 14,120 jobs in the Corridor. She stated with
respect to the Board's $5.4 million for a new Isle of Wight Volunteer
Rescue Squad facility, she is in favor of building the facility at this
time but not in favor of using the design plan previously used for the
Smithfield Volunteer Fire Department. She stated that she is not in
favor of the County selling County -owned properties at half the
assessed value to avoid raising taxes. She stated that she does not
support charging a fee for fire and rescue.
Cheryl Lynn Hayes of Carrollton spoke in favor of funding for
the libraries.
Rudolph Jefferson, Smithfield, Rushmere Volunteer Fire
Department member, asked the Board to consider that Department's
request and fund the many projects that have been put up on the
shelf.
Marian Neighbors, President of the Friends of the Windsor
Library and Chairman of the Board for the Blackwater Regional
Library, requested the Board to fully fund the Blackwater Regional
Library's request.
Pat Clark, Twin Hill Lane, spoke in support of the request for
new cars for the Sheriff's Department.
Herb DeGroft, 15401 Mill Swamp Road, requested the Board to
keep senior citizens who are on a fixed income on their minds.
6
Book 29, Page 266
Jean Doughten spoke in favor of the libraries being fully funded.
Chairman Casteen closed the public hearing.
Supervisor Hall requested Ms. Hillard - Bradby to provide the
Board with information related to the County's usage compared to
other localities and what those other localities are paying.
//
Chairman Casteen invited the Board to attend a meeting with
Congressman Forbes on Monday regarding defense of our defenses at the
Chesapeake Conference Center.
Mr. Clark advised that the Commission on Aging is sponsoring a fish
fry on May 18`x' at The Smithfield Center, which will start around 9:00 a.m.
and lunch served at around and he invited the Board to attend.
Mr. Terry presented an updated and revised budget responsive to
comments received reflecting no tax increase and keeping the services in tact
as much as possible.
Mr. Robertson notified the Board that responsive to the Board's
challenge to staff to find $1 million in additional savings, there are specific
recommendations identified by staff, for a total of $825,000 in cost
reductions for the Board's consideration. He advised that staff will provide
the Board with additional information highlighting what is being proposed in
the way of a final budget document.
Chairman Casteen requested that additional information pertaining to
the VRS issue be provided to the individual Board members.
At 9:25 p.m., Chairman Casteen declared the special meeting
adjourned.
Alan E. Casteen, Chairman
0 "a UM �-Vk
Carey NYills Storm, Clerk
7