[A. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE FEBRUARY 21ST WORK SESSION FOR THE BOARD TO ORDER, PLEASE.
MR. WEBB HERE, MR. BROWN HERE, MR. COX HERE, MR. PUGH HERE.
ALL RIGHT. MR. BROWN'S GOING TO DO THE INVOCATION, AND I'LL DO THE PLEDGE.
OKAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU THIS EVENING JUST TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SEE YET ANOTHER DAY.
AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK ALL OF THIS IN YOUR NAME THIS EVENING.
NEXT WE HAVE I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
SECOND. MRS. KNOTT CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.
[B. WORK SESSION]
WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO THE WORK SESSION.THE FIRST ONE IS DISCUSSION OF PROJECTED FY 25 REVENUES.
YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS, MR. STOKE AND MRS. ERARD.
TONIGHT'S WORK SESSION WILL BE CONTAINED IN ONE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT IT IS PRETTY LENGTHY.
AND BETWEEN MR. STOKE AND I, HOPEFULLY WE WILL KNOW THE ANSWER OR BE ABLE TO GET ONE TO YOU SHORTLY.
I'LL WAIT FOR THE POWERPOINT TO COME UP.
BUT TONIGHT WE ARE SIMPLY PROVIDING OVERVIEWS OF INFORMATION.
WE WANT YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS WHEN YOU HAVE THEM, BUT CERTAINLY NO DECISIONS WILL BE MADE TONIGHT.
AND REALLY NO RECOMMENDATIONS.
JUST JUST TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
OKAY. WE LIKE TO START OUR FIRST PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ENDED THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR IN FUND BALANCE, OUR FUND BALANCE AUDITED FUND BALANCE AT JUNE 30TH OF 23 WAS 41 POINT, NEARLY $41.2 MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTED 31.7% OF FY 23 EXPENDITURES.
AND IT REPRESENTS 28% OF THE CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURES.
SO THE BOARD OR THE COUNTY HAS A POLICY TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 12.5% OF OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES, WHICH INCLUDE GENERAL FUND, SCHOOL OPERATING FUNDS AND DEBT SERVICE EXPENDITURES IN FUND BALANCE, WE FAR EXCEED THAT.
AND WE WE ARE ACTUALLY IN 23 WE'RE $25 MILLION OVER THAT REQUIREMENT.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY $19.5 MILLION OVER 15% OF THAT.
BUT WE HAVE MADE SOME COMMITMENTS OF THE FUND BALANCE, NOT A VAST NUMBER, BUT THE USUAL SUSPECTS, SUCH AS PURCHASE ORDER RE APPROPRIATIONS AND GRANT AND DONATIONS THAT COME IN ONE YEAR BUT SPAN MULTIPLE FISCAL YEARS ARE RE APPROPRIATED ANNUALLY.
SO ABOUT $920,000 IS COMMITTED, WHICH LEAVES $20.25 MILLION REMAINING.
SO AGAIN, WE WE FAR EXCEED THE POLICY REQUIREMENT.
AND EVEN THE TARGET OF 15, EVEN THOUGH THE POLICY IS 12.5, WE DO TARGET MAINTAINING AT LEAST 15%.
AND HONESTLY, THE BOND RATING AGENCIES WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HAVE EVEN MORE THAN WE HAVE TODAY TO TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE POISED AND READY TO DEAL WITH ANY CATASTROPHIC EVENTS SUCH AS COVID OR ANY, ANY OPERATING HINDRANCES.
[00:05:06]
SO, YOU KNOW, FROM MR. GORDINIER'S PRESENTATION THAT THE REAL ESTATE ASSESSMENT FOR FY 25 IS COMPLETE.THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE APPLIES TO REVENUE STREAMS, REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO APPLIES TO MOBILE HOME TAXES AND PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION TAXES.
THIS IS THE PLATFORM WE USE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE WHAT THE ASSESSED VALUE INCREASES AND WHAT THE EQUALIZATION RATE IS.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT I'M SHOWING YOU THIS EVENING ARE ACTUALLY $20 MILLION HIGHER THAN WHAT MR. GORDINIER PRESENTED IN FEBRUARY EARLIER THIS MONTH, BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDED ESTIMATED VALUES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OF $20 MILLION.
AND YOU WILL SEE NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE SLIDE, WE ACTUALLY BACK THOSE OUT FROM A FROM DETERMINING WHAT THE INCREASE IS FROM REASSESSMENT. BECAUSE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS NOT A REASSESSMENT, IT'S NOT BASED ON AN INCREASE IN VALUE.
SO WE HAD A 3.9% INCREASE FROM REAL ESTATE REASSESSMENTS.
AND THE TAX RATE TODAY IS $0.82.
THE EQUALIZATION RATE WOULD BE $0.79 IF THE BOARD CHOSE TO EQUALIZE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT BEFORE I MOVE ON? ON THE $20 MILLION HIGHER ASSESSMENT ON THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS THAT PERMITS PULLED OR IS THAT SUBDIVISIONS COMING, OR IS THAT JUST BASING OFF OF THE PAST GROWTH OVER THE YEARS? IT'S AN ESTIMATE THAT MR. GORDINIER PROVIDED, AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
SO AGAIN, THE EQUALIZATION RATE WOULD BE $0.79 IF THE BOARD CHOSE TO EQUALIZE FULLY OR IN PART.
WE COMMITTED SOME MONIES FOR THE ROUNDABOUT.
JEFFERSON PARK, WASN'T THAT LIKE $2.4 OR $2.9? AND THAT WAS JUST A PLACEHOLDER.
SO THEY COULD GET STARTED ON THE CONSTRUCTION, ON THE DRAWINGS.
CORRECT? I'M NOT POSITIVE WHAT THE WHAT THE LOCAL PORTION OF THAT IS TO $2 MILLION.
$2 MILLION. [INAUDIBLE] BUT THAT WAS JUST A PLACEHOLDER.
JUST SO THEY COMMITMENT SO THEY COULD GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE DRAWINGS AND ALL.
AND I KNOW THEY WERE MAKING EVERY ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE THE THE RECOVERY STATE, STATE REVENUES, ETC.
AND OF COURSE FROM MPO AS WELL.
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW [INAUDIBLE] JUST SO THEY KNOW.
OKAY. SO WE WILL SEEK DIRECTION FROM YOU ABOUT WHETHER TO REDUCE THE REAL PROPERTY TAX RATE FULLY TO THE EQUALIZATION LEVEL OR IN PART.
AND WE WILL ASK YOU FOR AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE TAX RATE, INCLUDING ANY POSSIBLE EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE DUE TO THE GROWTH IN ASSESSED VALUES THE DAY AFTER MR. STOKE PRESENTS THE BUDGET ON MARCH 13TH, HE PRESENTS ON THE 12TH.
AND IF I COULD JUST REINFORCE I KNOW PROBABLY EVERYBODY'S HEARD IT.
WE WANT TO ADVERTISE A RATE THAT WE KNOW WE WOULD NOT NEED TO INCREASE.
YOU CAN ALWAYS LOWER THE RATE.
ONCE YOU ADVERTISE IT, YOU CANNOT MAKE IT GO BACK UP.
THANK YOU, MRS. ERARD. AND THAT IS TRUE.
BUT MRS. ERARD HAS INDICATED YOU CAN'T INCREASE IT, BUT YOU CAN LOWER IT AFTER IT'S ADVERTISED.
SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
[00:10:04]
AND THIS DISCUSSION IS IS LIMITED TO THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.AS I MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES, THE $0.82 RATE AFFECTS NOT ONLY REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUES, BUT IT ALSO IS THE RATE THAT WE TAX MOBILE HOMES AND PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS.
SO THIS SLIDE AND IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT IT IT SHOWS YOU THAT FOR EVERY PENNY OR ACTUALLY BEFORE I SAY THAT IF THE BOARD WERE TO KEEP THE TAX RATE AT $0.82 THE ESTIMATED REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE WOULD GROW TO $31,000,850, WHICH IS $1.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN TODAY'S ADOPTED BUDGET.
EVEN IF THE RATE STAYS AT $0.82 BASED ON PRIOR YEAR ACTUAL COLLECTIONS, WE NEED TO LOWER OUR REVENUE FORECAST BECAUSE WE DID NOT COLLECT AT 100%. PUBLIC SERVICE TAXES TENTATIVELY WE ARE LEAVING THOSE AT $2.696 MILLION.
THEY THEY DO THE ASSESSMENTS FOR VEHICLES AND BUSINESS LICENSES AND A VARIETY OF OTHER.
AND THE STATE ACTUALLY PROVIDES THE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION INFORMATION.
SO FOR EVERY PENNY THAT THE BOARD, IF THE BOARD CHOSE TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE, EVERY PENNY MEANS A DROP OF $388,000 IN REAL PROPERTY REVENUE, A DROP OF $1,246 IN MOBILE HOMES AND A DROP OF $22,107 FOR PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS.
AND I HAVE SHOWED THE IMPACT FOR EACH POTENTIAL RATE ON THIS SLIDE.
AND WE DO SHARE REAL PROPERTY REVENUE WITH THE SCHOOLS.
WE DO NOT SHARE MOBILE HOMES OR PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION TYPICALLY.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT SLIDE BEFORE I MOVE ON? WE'RE GOOD.
OKAY. SO THE BOARD HAS RECEIVED A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY ON DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, COMPENSATION OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION REQUESTS, DEBT SERVICE AND AND NEW POSITIONS. BUT JUST TO DO A HIGH LEVEL RECAP OF WHAT WE ARE FACING IN FY 25, WE HAVE RECEIVED COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATED INCREASES FOR RIVERSIDE REGIONAL JAIL VARIETY OF OUR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCREASES A PRETTY HEFTY ONE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED INCREASED ESTIMATES FOR SOFTWARE.
ELECTRICITY IS GOING UP VEHICLE FUEL AND THEN SOME MANDATES FROM THE VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT AN OPTION NOT TO FUND THAT.
AND THERE IS ALSO A HYBRID RATE SEPARATION IN PLACE, WHICH MEANS WE COULD PAY 1 TO 3.5% MORE FOR ALL OF OUR HYBRID PLAN EMPLOYEES THAN WE PAY FOR PLAN ONE AND TWO.
WE ALSO HAVE RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN OUR HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.
WE HAVE COMMUNICATED TO THE BOARD WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PROVIDE EACH COUNTY EMPLOYEE A STEP.
WE HAVE TALKED WITH THE BOARD ABOUT A STUDY THAT HR DID RELATED TO MARKET STUDY, AND THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOME REGRADES FOR 13 NON PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, SHERIFF DEPUTIES . DEPARTMENTS HAVE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AND HAVE ASKED FOR RECLASSIFICATIONS FOR FOUR EMPLOYEES.
LET'S DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO OUR REVENUES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR ADOPTED BUDGET FOR REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE IS $30.55 MILLION.
AND IF THE TAX RATE IS LEFT AT $0.82, WE WOULD SEE A GROWTH OF $1.3 MILLION TO $31,850,000.
DELINQUENCIES, I'M RECOMMENDING TO LEAVE AT THE HALF A MILLION MARK.
SO TOTAL CURRENT AND DELINQUENT WOULD BE 32 350.
AND AGAIN, THAT IS LEAVING THE TAX RATE AT $0.82 AND NOT EQUALIZING.
[00:15:06]
SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, TO DATE, OR AT LEAST ON 2/15 FEBRUARY 15TH, WE HAD COLLECTED $16.14 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 53% OF WHAT WE BUDGETED.SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD INDICATOR THAT WE WILL MEET OUR REVENUE PROJECTION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THE FIRST HALF IS DUE ON DECEMBER 5TH AND THE SECOND HALF IS DUE ON JUNE 5TH.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, MISS JERRY, JUST JUST TO BE CLEAR, JUST SO RIGHT NOW, IF WE LEFT IT AT THE $0.82, IT WOULD BE A $1.3 MILLION INCREASE OVER THIS CURRENT BUDGET YEAR? YES, SIR. IF WE EQUALIZE, YOU'D HAVE TO SUBTRACT $1.2 MILLION FROM THE $1.3, RIGHT? 388 TIMES THREE.
SO THAT WOULD REDUCE THAT COST DOWN TO PROBABLY $100 K OR LESS.
SO SO IF YOU EQUALIZED TO $0.79 FOR REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUES, YOU WOULD HAVE A $136,000 INCREASE.
YOUR MOBILE HOME WOULD BE A REDUCTION OF $16,738.
AND PUBLIC SERVICE TAXES WOULD GO DOWN BY $66.
SO YOU'D BE LOOKING AT ABOUT $53,000 IN THOSE THREE SOURCES.
RIGHT, RIGHT. I'M JUST CALLING IT OUT AGAIN OVER AND OVER SO WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT.
YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS ALL OF US WANT TO DO THIS, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE US FOR REAL DOLLARS TO TO WORK WITH? YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
SURE. OKAY, SO PERSONAL PROPERTY.
OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS ARE ALSO IN PROGRESS.
BUT WE ARE IN AN UNFORTUNATE POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE DATA FROM LAST SPRING TO TRY TO PROJECT WHAT TO BUDGET FOR FY 25.
SO THE TARGET DRAFT BOOK COMPLETION DATE IS TO BE DETERMINED.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THAT TAX RATE.
AND I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO REDUCE THAT BY A PENNY AT THIS POINT.
SO IN APRIL OF 2022, THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATE WAS LOWERED FROM $4.25 TO $3.90 AND THE MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE FEE WAS ELIMINATED.
AND IT IMPACTED THE BILLS THAT WERE DUE THAT JUNE.
IT'S IT'S A DIFFERENT TIMELINE THAN OUR REAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES.
SO JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD AN IDEA OF WHAT OUR COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN IN PAST YEARS GOING BACK ALL THE WAY TO 2020 WE WERE WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED OUR TARGETS IN DELINQUENT AND CURRENT REVENUES IN 21.
THAT WAS THE COVID IMPACT, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE FELL SHORT IN THAT REVENUE STREAM BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT AFFECTED THAT CURRENT YEAR REVENUE.
WE WERE FAR ABOVE OUR PROJECTIONS IN CURRENT COLLECTIONS, AND WE DID NOT MEET THE DELINQUENT COLLECTIONS THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
WE FELL SHORT IN THE CURRENT REVENUE BY ABOUT $480,000, AND WE EXCEEDED IN DELINQUENT $762.
THAT IS THE ONLY INSTANCE IN WHICH WE WOULD COLLECT THAT FEE NOW.
CHAIRMAN YES, SIR. CORRECT. WE WE HIRED A COMPANY TO COLLECT THOSE DELINQUENT FEES.
[00:20:07]
YES. SO. YES, SIR.WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY COLLECTION AGENT AND IT IS TACS TAX AND MISS VARGO ACTUALLY CONTRACTED WITH THEM TO ASSIST US IN COLLECTING DELINQUENT TAX REVENUES.
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL THAN COUNTY STAFF OR STAFF IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE HAVE AS FAR AS SKIP TRACING AND FINDING FOLKS WHO ARE WHO HAVE DELINQUENT TAXES OWED.
HOW LONG DO WE WAIT UNTIL WE SEND IF SOMEBODY HADN'T PAID THEIR TAXES, HOW LONG DO WE WAIT TILL WE SEND A NOTIFICATION TO THAT THIRD PARTY COMPANY? WELL, MISS VARGO HAS A PROCESS.
I BELIEVE WHEN THE TAXES ARE 30 DAYS DELINQUENT, SHE SENDS AN IN-HOUSE DELINQUENT NOTICE.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S ANYWHERE BETWEEN 90 DAYS AND SIX MONTHS DELINQUENT THAT SHE RELEASES THOSE TO TAX, TO COLLECT. SHE ALSO DOES SOME IN-HOUSE MEASURES SUCH AS DMV BLOCKS FOR DELINQUENT TAXES.
SHE ALSO PURSUES TAX DEBT SET OFF SO THAT FOLKS DON'T GET A TAX REFUND IF THEY'RE OWED ONE.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INTERNAL MEASURES.
BUT SHE DOES CON CONTRACT WITH THAT THIRD PARTY AGENCY AS WELL OKAY.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
OR ACTUALLY WE'LL BE SENDING SOME INFORMATION TO THE BOARD LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
BUT I WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON THE TIMELINE IF THEY HAVE ONE.
AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT CERTAIN WHEN THE WHEN THE BOOK WILL BE COMPLETE.
OKAY. MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX.
AND OUR ADOPTED CURRENT YEAR REVENUE IS $917,000.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY INDICATORS TO SUGGEST THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE.
THAT TAX IS THE TAX RETURN IS DUE ON FEBRUARY 5TH AND THE TAX IS DUE JUNE 5TH, SO. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WAS A SHARP DECLINE IN OUR MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX IN FY 22, AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF ROLLS ROYCE.
AND WE HAD SOME EXPANSION IN FY 23 THAT ALLOWED US TO RECOVER A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
WE'VE COVERED THIS A LITTLE BIT.
OUR CURRENT YEAR BUDGET IS $165,000.
WE ACTUALLY ONLY COLLECTED $138,000 LAST YEAR.
WE HAD ENJOYED SOME EXPANSION GOING GOING ON AT A NUMBER OF MOBILE HOME PARKS.
HOWEVER WE WE DID NOT COLLECT ALL THAT WAS TAXED IN FY 23 AND I'M SURE TACS IS PURSUING THAT AS WELL. BUT WE DO NOT WE RECOMMEND ACTUALLY A REDUCTION OF $13,000 AND THAT REVENUE STREAM, EVEN LEAVING THE TAX RATE AT $0.82. IF THE TAX RATE IS LOWERED, THE REDUCTION WOULD BE GREATER THAN THAT.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
THESE ARE TAXES PAID BY ELECTRIC, GAS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND WATER COMPANIES.
WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET AT $2.696 MILLION.
OUR COLLECTIONS LAST YEAR WERE $2,435,000.
TO DATE, WE HAVE COLLECTED $1.63 MILLION, ABOUT 60% OF OUR BUDGET.
BUT THE STATE PUBLIC DIVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICE TAXATION ACTUALLY PREPARES THOSE ESTIMATES OR THOSE VALUES. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? BUSINESS, PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE TAX, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS BPOL.
SO AVERAGING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS OF COLLECTIONS AND LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S ACTUAL COLLECTIONS INDICATE THAT WE CAN PROBABLY INCREASE THAT REVENUE STREAM BY ABOUT $40,000 $49,300.
HOWEVER, WE MAY FINE TUNE THIS AFTER MARCH 1ST.
[00:25:04]
SO WHEN THAT MARCH 1ST REVENUE IS POSTED ON MARCH 2ND, I'LL DO ANOTHER EXPORT AND MAYBE WE CAN INCREASE THAT.THE COMMISSIONER DOES TEND TO BE CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE THOSE VALUES CAN CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES FOR THAT.
THESE ARE TAXES PAID BY ELECTRIC COMPANIES PRINCE GEORGE CO-OP, DOMINION ENERGY AND SOUTHSIDE, AS WELL AS COLUMBIA GAS. NOT SEEING ANY OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THOSE REVENUES FOR FY 25, WE ARE ON TARGET TO COME CLOSE TO MEETING OUR CURRENT YEAR PROJECTION.
WE DO SHARE THAT REVENUE STREAM WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION AS WELL.
SALES TAX ALSO SHARED WITH SCHOOLS.
THIS PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF OUR SALES TAX COLLECTIONS, NOT ONLY CURRENT YEAR TO DATE, BUT FOR THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS, AND PROJECTIONS ARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT ABOUT $4.8 THIS YEAR.
BUT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE INCREASE BY $300,000 TO $4.6.
WE HAVE BUDGETED TODAY $4.3 MILLION.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF DISCUSSION SWIRLING ABOUT THE GROCERY TAX ELIMINATION AND THE IMPACT OF THAT.
BUT THIS IS THIS IS MY RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW.
WE ALSO SHARE THAT REVENUE WITH THE SCHOOLS.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES.
AND THESE RATES ARE LARGELY DEPENDENT ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ECONOMY.
HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH MR. STOKE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO INFLATE THIS AND COME TO RELY ON IT WHEN THE ECONOMY COULD CHANGE AND HAVE AN IMPACT.
JUST TO WALK THE BOARD THROUGH SOME PRIOR YEAR ACTUALS, WE ACTUALLY DID RECOGNIZE LOSSES IN TWO FISCAL YEARS. BECAUSE OF SOME INVESTMENTS THAT THE TREASURER HAS WITH THE VIP BOND FUND, WHICH WAS INCURRING LOSSES DURING THAT TIME.
SHE AND I WORKED WITH MISS VARGO.
WE ACTUALLY SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH THE VIRGINIA INVESTMENT POOL FOLKS, AND WE MOVED SOME MONEY FROM A LOW INTEREST YIELD ACCOUNT TO THE VIP LIQUIDITY POOL, AND IT HAS DONE VERY WELL.
OUR INTEREST REVENUE COLLECTIONS AT JANUARY 31ST ARE $1.6 MILLION, BUT WE DO NOT RECOMMEND INCREASING NEXT YEAR'S REVENUE BECAUSE IT IS SO DEPENDENT ON THE ECONOMY.
WE WE DO WANT TO INCREASE IT MAYBE TO COLLECTION AMOUNTS FROM 20 AND 19 PRE-COVID, IF YOU WILL, BUT NOT GO MUCH ABOVE THAT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY REVISIT THAT CLOSER TO BUDGET ADOPTION AND NEXT YEAR.
BUT BUT THAT'S THE CONSERVATIVE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE.
IF WE DO EXCEED OUR BUDGET TARGET THIS YEAR, THAT WOULD ADD TO OUR FUND BALANCE AND MAYBE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME CAPITAL ITEMS WITH AN APPROPRIATION FROM FUND BALANCE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO MA'AM.
SO PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN MADE WORKING WITH MR. HARRISON. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THREE YEAR AVERAGES.
BUT OUR CURRENT YEAR PERMIT FEES ARE DOWN.
THERE'S PRETTY SIZABLY LOWER THAN WHERE THEY WERE IN JANUARY OF 23.
IN JANUARY OF 23, PERMITS WERE OVER $400,000.
AND JANUARY 31ST OF THIS YEAR THEY'RE AT $242,000.
THIS THESE REVENUES ARE IMPACTED NOT ONLY BY THE VOLUME OF PERMITS ISSUED, BUT THE NATURE AND THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS FOR WHICH PERMITS ARE PULLED, MAJOR CORPORATE RENOVATIONS OR INDUSTRIAL RENOVATIONS.
SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN IMPACT OUR PERMIT REVENUES PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.
[00:30:02]
HARRISON, LOOKING AT SOME PRIOR YEAR ACTUALS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A REDUCTION IN PERMIT FEE REVENUES OF $103,600.RIGHT? ON THE REVENUE PAGE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT'S RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
BUT THOSE WOULD THOSE WOULD REQUIRE PERMITS.
YES, SIR. SO IT JUST SEEMS A LITTLE ODD THAT WE WOULD SAY AN INCREASE IN ONE, BUT A DECREASE IN THE.
SO SO BOTH THINGS EQUAL I GOT YOU.
SO IF IT WAS MORE AND WE STILL WERE DOWN ON THE PERMIT SIDE.
AND HONESTLY THE REASON WE'RE DOWN IS PROBABLY SOME INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION THAT'S ABSENT THIS YEAR THAT WE HAD IN LAST YEAR. AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
TODAY WE'RE RECOMMENDING A SLIGHT REDUCTION OF $9,750 IN PLANNING FEES.
NOT ONLY THE VOLUME OF THE PLANS THEY'RE REVIEWING, BUT THE SIZE AND MAGNITUDE OF THOSE PLANS, SO.
AND SOME OTHER SIGNIFICANT GENERAL FUND REVENUES.
I DIDN'T LIST EVERY SINGLE ACCOUNT NUMBER.
YOU WILL GET THAT INFORMATION.
BUT JUST JUST THIS MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN REVENUES.
WE THINK WE CAN INCREASE OUR TAXES ON RECORDATION AND WILLS BY $40,000.
LODGING TAX, WHICH IMPACTS THE GENERAL FUND AND THE TOURISM FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND COMPONENT WOULD INCREASE BY $20,000 BASED ON TREND ANALYSIS.
WE RECEIVE AN AMOUNT FROM DINWIDDIE COUNTY FOR MUTUAL AID.
THERE WILL BE A $54,000 INCREASE THERE IF REVENUES ARE AT THE FINAL CURRENT YEAR AWARD AMOUNT, AND THE STATE COMMUNICATION TAX REVENUE DECLINES YEAR OVER YEAR.
CAN'T QUITE PUT OUR FINGER ON WHY.
SO JUST TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW, THIS IS A BIT OF A BUSY SLIDE.
THIS TALKS ABOUT OUR GRANT FUNDS OR OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT GRANT FUNDS.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER GRANTS.
A SLIGHT INCREASE BASED ON OUR OUR CURRENT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER GRANTS THAT ARE IN PLACE TODAY.
ONE, WHICH IS A HARRISON'S SRO GRANT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A COMBINED SRO GRANT FOR BEASLEY MIDDLE ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SOUTH.
AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GET THOSE FOR FY 25.
MISS FIERO APPLIED FOR A COUPLE OF OPERATION CEASEFIRE GRANTS.
THE LARGEST, WHICH WAS AWARDED LAST FISCAL YEAR, ENDS MID-YEAR IN 2025.
SO WE NEED TO DECREASE BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
IT REALLY HAS A ZERO IMPACT ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE WILL REDUCE BOTH BY THE SAME AMOUNT.
AND THEN SHE GOT A NEW OPERATION CEASEFIRE GRANT NUMBER TWO THIS YEAR.
SO WE WILL BE BUDGETING THE IMPACT OF ONE YEAR OF THAT FOR FY 25.
WE ALSO GET A VICTIM WITNESS GRANT FROM DCJS.
[00:35:10]
AWARDS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THERE COULD BE A FEDERAL VOCA REDUCTION.THAT IS IN PART STATE FUNDED AND FEDERAL FUNDED.
THE DRUG COURT TREATMENT GRANT WE PLAN TO LEAVE IN PLACE AT $90,000 WITH NO CHANGE.
AND WE ALSO RECEIVE, THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, A LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING GRANT FOR $25,000 THAT ACTUALLY HELPS PAY A PORTION OF MR. [INAUDIBLE] SALARY AND BENEFITS, AND WE WILL LEAVE THAT IN PLACE WITH NO CHANGE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON GRANTS? ARE WE GOOD? YES. OKAY, GOOD.
ALL RIGHT. SO COMP BOARD REVENUES, WE WILL REALLY NOT HAVE A GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT OUR FY 25 COMP BOARD FUNDING WILL BE UNTIL MAY 1ST. AND THAT IS ONLY IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTUALLY APPROVES THE BUDGET ON TIME.
TRACK RECORD THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS NOT BEEN THE GREATEST.
NOPE. FINGERS CROSSED FOR THIS YEAR.
SO I HAVE MADE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES STRICTLY BASED ON WHAT WE'RE GETTING THIS YEAR WITH AN ANNUALIZED IMPACT OF THE 12 ONE DATA WE GOT THE STATE FUNDED A 5% RAISE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 23 AND ANOTHER 2% 12 ONE.
SO WE GOT UPDATED INFORMATION FOR 12 ONE I'VE ANNUALIZED THAT AND LEFT IT ALONE.
HOWEVER, FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AND I'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SEND IT TO ME, THE SENATE AND HOUSE ARE CONSIDERING INCREASES FOR FOR STATE EMPLOYEES AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL FOLKS AND TEACHERS, WHICH THE GOVERNOR DID NOT.
BUT WE CAN INCREASE OUR COMP BOARD FUNDING BY ABOUT $149,000 BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THAT.
WE PROVIDED THOSE INCREASES TO OUR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES.
WE RECOVER A PERCENT, WE RECOVER 85% UP TO A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS REACHED, IT'S ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE, 32%.
SO PRELIMINARILY, I HAVE PUT A $13,750 INCREASE IN WELFARE ADMINISTRATION REVENUES.
BASED ON THAT 12 ONE PAY RAISE.
BUT FOR EVERY EXPENDITURE ITEM THAT IS APPROVED, WE WILL ALSO GET MORE MONEY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO FOR [INAUDIBLE] WE WILL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE WE WILL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, ETCETERA.
CSA, THERE ARE NO PROJECTED CHANGES AT THIS POINT FOR CSA.
NON-EDUCATIONAL RELATED EXPENDITURES, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY FOSTER CARE SERVICES.
[INAUDIBLE] MISS JUDGE IS RECOMMENDING TO LEAVE THOSE AT ABOUT $705,000, AND THEN EDUCATION RELATED EXPENDITURES ARE JUST OVER $1.85 MILLION, AND THERE IS NO PROJECTED CHANGE BASED ON ACTIVITIES YEAR TO DATE.
SO OUR STATE REVENUES WILL STAY THE SAME WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE EXPENDITURES ARE STAYING THE SAME.
AND THE LOCAL MATCH COMPONENT OF THAT IS ABOUT $958,000.
THE SCHOOLS DO PROVIDE A TRANSFER BACK TO THE COUNTY OF $690,000 FOR EDUCATION RELATED CSA EXPENDITURES. WE USED TO TAKE THAT OFF THE TOP OF THE TRANSFER, BUT A PRIOR SCHOOL BOARD REQUESTED THAT WE PROVIDE THE FULL MOU AMOUNT AND THEN HAVE THEM TRANSFER THAT AMOUNT BACK.
SO THAT IS HOW WE WE HANDLE THAT NOW.
[00:40:02]
WE'LL MOVE INTO EXPENDITURES, THE BIG TICKET ITEMS AND THE THE NORMAL EXPENDITURE REQUESTS.ANY QUESTIONS ON REVENUES BEFORE WE GET INTO EXPENDITURES? NO, MA'AM. THIS IS WHERE THE FUN STARTS.
THIS IS THE FUN PART. SO SO AGAIN, THE THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THIS INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY IN DIFFERENT ON DIFFERENT DATES, IN DIFFERENT POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, PRESENTATIONS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM HUMAN RESOURCES AND MYSELF.
SO THE OUTSIDE AGENCY, OUTSIDE AGENCY REQUESTS RESULT IN A $379,000 INCREASE. THE LARGEST IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
ONE COMPONENT OF THAT IS REQUIRED.
THE SECOND COMPONENT OF THAT IS FOR A NEW POSITION DEVOTED TO PRINCE GEORGE PER REVIEWS.
RIVERSIDE REGIONAL JAIL AUTHORITY $109,000 INCREASE.
GREATER YOUTH CARE COMMISSION ABOUT A $60,000 INCREASE.
DISTRICT 19 COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD $36,000 INCREASE.
THE REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM $34,000 INCREASE.
SO. SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE PARTICULARLY THE JAIL ARE MUST DO'S.
CRATER YOUTH CARE COMMISSION IS A MUST DO.
DISTRICT 19 WE LEVEL FUNDED THEM THIS YEAR.
SO TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THEIR REQUEST IS $132,000 MORE THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED IN 24 WHEN WE ADOPTED OUR BUDGET.
THE OPERATING COMPONENT OF THAT IS $285,765.
AND THAT IS A CHOICE THAT THE BOARD COULD SAY YES OR NO TO.
WHEN MR. STOKE AND I DID HAVE A MEETING WITH DOCTOR HART AND HIS FINANCIAL PERSON, AS WELL AS STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PERSON ON FEBRUARY 2ND, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY ONLY HAD ONE VACANCY AT THAT POINT, THAT THEIR NURSE NURSES WERE FULLY STAFFED, AND IT WAS ONLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES POSITION, A FULL TIME THAT IS WAS VACANT.
AND THEY HAVE ASKED ASKED FOR A SECOND POSITION.
WHICH IS $44,000 OF THAT $132,000 INCREASE.
WE ACTUALLY DID A PRESENTATION AND PROVIDED THAT TO THE BOARD.
WE'RE TARGETING FROM INTERNAL CALCULATIONS THAT WE NEED TO BUDGET $109,000 MORE FROM WHAT WE'VE ADOPTED THIS YEAR, AND THIS IS REALLY A MUST DO. WE HAVE SEEN A RISE IN OUR CENSUS AT THE JAIL.
AND WE USE OUR INTERNAL ESTIMATES.
AND THE PER DIEM, FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS TO REMAIN AT $52.
I BELIEVE MR. STOKE HAS A MEETING AT THE JAIL TOMORROW WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO WRAP THE BUDGET UP.
SO IF WE HAVE ANY UPDATES, WE WILL CERTAINLY SHARE THOSE.
BUT THIS IS JUST A LOOK AT WHERE THE CENSUS IS.
AVERAGE DAYS PER MONTH HAVE RISEN TO $3,572 FROM WHERE THEY WERE LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS $3.367.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE BUDGET.
AN AVERAGE MONTHLY CENSUS OF $3,900 AT THE FULL $52 PER DIEM.
ADD AN AMOUNT FOR WEEKENDER AND WORK RELEASE BASED ON PRIOR YEAR ACTUALS AND CURRENT YEAR TREND TO COME UP WITH THE AMOUNT THAT WE RECOMMEND BUDGETING OF $2,449,002.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS JUST AGAIN TO SHARE WITH OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS THE WAY THIS WORKS.
THAT'S THE PER DIEM THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM TO BE AT RIVERSIDE REGIONAL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WE'VE HAD THOSE QUESTIONS.
[00:45:02]
THANK YOU. YES, SIR.SO TO MOVE ON TO SOME OF THE BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION ITEMS. AGAIN, WE DID A WE PROVIDED THE BOARD WITH SOME INFORMATION ON RETIREMENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE AS WELL AS WORKERS COMP VRS. THE RATE IS INCREASING FROM WHERE IT IS TODAY, 16.44% TO 17.56%.
THAT IS A BIENNIAL RATE, AND THE COST OF THAT IS $207,300 FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THAT COST IS BASED ON TODAY'S EMPLOYEES AT THEIR SALARY TODAY.
IT'S NOT WITH ANY RAISE, IT'S NOT WITH ANY NEW FOLKS.
THAT'S OUR COST WITH OUR CURRENT COMPLEMENT OF EMPLOYEES AT THEIR CURRENT SALARIES.
SO OF THAT $207,000, $23,000 OF THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND MY BEST GUESS OF AS TO WHAT THE STATE REVENUE WILL BE IS ABOUT $7,400 RECOVERY ON THAT.
VRS DID SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
THEY HAVE WE HAVE THREE VRS PLANS, AND THE PRIOR INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED COVERS.
THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE INTO IT.
WHAT'S OUR CURRENT MULTIPLIER RIGHT NOW? FOR. LIKE PUBLIC SERVICE, PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WOULD HAVE TO ASK MISS HURT THAT QUESTION.
NOT POSITIVE WHAT THE MULTIPLIER IS.
OKAY. SO BUT I CAN CERTAINLY ASK MISS HURT WHAT THE MULTIPLIER IS.
IN FACT, IF SHE'S WATCHING ON SWAGIT, SHE MIGHT TEXT.
SO VRS HYBRID SEPARATION AGAIN.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY AT 3.5.
WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE AT THE 1% MINIMUM.
AND THIS IS A MUST DO SOCIAL SERVICES PIECE OF THAT IS $21,000.
AND WE'LL GET ABOUT $7,000 IN ADDED REVENUE FROM THE STATE.
WE GOT OUR WE HAVE OUR FINAL RENEWAL ACTUALLY FROM ANTHEM.
WE'VE HAD SOME HIGH CLAIMS THIS YEAR.
WE ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE TO INCREASE OUR PREMIUMS IN FY 24.
AND THEN WE'RE DOING A DOUBLE THIS YEAR, 15.2% $456,000 INCREASE IS NEEDED AS A CONTRIBUTION OR INCREASED CONTRIBUTION TO THE HEALTH FUND.
AND IF THE COUNTY WERE TO ABSORB THAT AT 100%, THE GENERAL FUND IMPACT IS $389,000 AND RETIREES PAY THE ENTIRE PERCENT INCREASE.
SO THAT'S WHY THE $440 IS DIFFERENT THAN THE $456 SOCIAL SERVICES PIECE OF THAT IS ABOUT $45,000.
WE WOULD GET ABOUT $15,000 BACK FROM THE STATE.
THE EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY HAVE NOT SEEN AN INCREASE TO THE PIECE OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE THEY PAY SINCE THE COUNTY AND SCHOOL DIVISION TRANSITIONED BACK TO ANTHEM IN FY 15.
SO WE THE OPTIONS THAT MISS HURT AND I HAVE WORKED OUT WOULD REDUCE THE TOTAL COST OR PASS ALONG TO EMPLOYEES THE TOTAL COSTS, THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS WOULD BE BETWEEN $120 AND $151,000, AND I'M
[00:50:04]
DETERMINING THE GENERAL FUND COMPONENT OF THAT.ANY QUESTION ON THAT? NO, MA'AM. GOOD.
OKAY, SO WORKERS COMP, WE ARE EXPECTING A MINIMAL INCREASE, IF ANY, IN THE WORKERS COMP.
AND WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED SOME VERY GOOD NEWS THAT OUR EXPERIENCED MODIFICATION FELL.
SO WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO HAVE TO BUDGET ANY INCREASE IN OUR WORKERS COMP PREMIUMS FOR FY 25.
SO COMPENSATION IMPROVEMENTS WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PERSONNEL COMPLEMENT TODAY AND COMPARE IT TO THE COMPLEMENT WE HAD IN PLACE WHEN WE ADOPTED THE PRIOR YEAR BUDGET.
AND ACTUALLY, WITH SALARIES AND BENEFITS THAT ARE IN PLACE TODAY, WE WILL HAVE A $115,000 BASELINE REDUCTION, WHICH MEANS THE FOLKS IN PLACE TODAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EARNING A LITTLE BIT LESS OR HAVE OR PICKED A LESS EXPENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE OFFERING.
SO THAT'S OUR BASELINE ADJUSTMENT.
IF WE HIRE PEOPLE THAT HAD HIGHER SALARIES THAN THOSE THAT WERE IN PLACE WHEN WE ADOPTED.
SO THAT'S A SAVINGS RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT HELP US PAY FOR SOME OF THE VRS.
SO TO PROVIDE A STEP INCREASE TO ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, BOTH PUBLIC SAFETY AND NON PUBLIC SAFETY, TO BRING THE EXPERIENCE LEVELS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 24, THE COST OF THAT WOULD BE $344,000.
NEARLY $345,000 TO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SOCIAL SERVICES IS ONLY A VERY SMALL PIECE OF $18.34.
SO WHEN WE HAVE TO GIVE THOSE FOLKS A 7% RAISE AS OPPOSED TO PLACING THEM ON THEIR APPROPRIATE STEPS, IT MEANS THEY ARE HIGHER THAN THE STEP THAT THE NON STATE SUPPORTED FOLKS ARE ON.
WE ALSO WITH THE BOARD'S PERMISSION, GAVE FOLKS A FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO GET US ANY OR GET HR ANY PREVIOUS CREDIT TO HAVE A STEP INCREASE, IF YOU WILL, TO PROVIDE ALL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THEIR CURRENT JOB. AND THERE WERE TEN FOLKS THAT DID JUST THAT.
AND THE COST OF PROVIDING THOSE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO THOSE TEN FOLKS ARE JUST UNDER $27,000.
SO SO THOSE ARE THE THE REGULAR COMPENSATION RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THAT STAFF IS MAKING THAT WE PROVIDE, WE WE INCORPORATE THAT BASELINE SAVINGS.
NATURALLY, WE GIVE EVERYONE A STEP AND WE PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS TO THOSE TEN FOLKS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY HAD RELEVANT EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THEIR CURRENT JOB.
THERE IS NO FUTURE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES TO OFFER US ANY RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, AND THERE ARE NO ONE TIME BONUSES INCLUDED FOR FY 25.
AND JUST TO MENTION AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR DID NOT PROVIDE ANY PERMANENT PAY INCREASE FOR OUR COMP BOARD FOLKS OR SOCIAL SERVICES OR RIVERSIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY.
BUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS CONSIDERING INCREASES.
OKAY. WE ALSO MISS HURT DID A MARKET STUDY FOR REALLY ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND SOME WERE FOUND TO BE BELOW MARKET.
WE ARE MAKING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROVIDE MARKET INCREASES TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES, SERGEANT, LIEUTENANT AND CHIEF DEPUTY TO BRING THE DEPUTY TO THE COMP BOARD MINIMUM.
AND THAT'S AT A COST OF $71,000.
IT IS ALL GENERAL FUND, AND WE WILL NOT GET ANY MORE MONEY FROM THE COMP BOARD.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO BRING OUR DEPUTIES TO THE COMP BOARD MINIMUM.
ALL ARE CURRENTLY AT THE MINIMUM, BUT TO PLACE THEM FAIRLY ON THEIR STEP AT THAT MINIMUM AND DO THE HIGHER RANKING POSITIONS WITH THE WITH THE SCALE STRUCTURE, THE COST WOULD BE $71,000.
[00:55:01]
MARKET. AND THE BOARD DID RECEIVE SOME PREVIOUS INFORMATION THAT OUTLINES EXACTLY WHO THOSE POSITIONS ARE.BUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THEY DO INCLUDE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS.
THEY INCLUDE AN INSPECTOR AND A WATER WORKS OPERATOR IN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT POSITIONS AS WELL AS AS WELL AS SOME PERMIT TECHS AND PLANNING TECHNICIANS THAT ARE MADE FOR RECOMMEND THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR GRADE INCREASES.
THE COST TO DO ALL OF THOSE IS $135,598.
AND THE CIRCUIT COURT COMPONENT OF THAT IS REALLY A MUST DO.
THERE IS ALSO A RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE A 5% MARKET INCREASE TO POLICE OFFICERS.
THE COST OF DOING THAT IS $274,000.
AND THERE ARE SOME DETAILS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY.
QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO, MA'AM. OKAY.
SO THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT ARE MANDATED BY YOUR OWN COUNTY ORDINANCES WHEN THE VALUE OF A PENNY CHANGES AND AGAIN, IT'S PROJECTED TO INCREASE $18,000.
AND WE DO THAT IN COMBINATION FOR THINGS THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED AND BORROWED FOR.
SO OUR DEBT PAYMENT, PLUS A CONTRIBUTION TO A CAPITAL APPARATUS ACCOUNT EQUATES TO TWO PENNIES.
SAME THING FOR FIRE AND EMS EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE SOME DEBT FOR SOME SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS THAT WAS BOUGHT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
SO WHEN A PENNY GOES UP, THOSE THINGS GO UP.
OUR RIVERSIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY.
THEY ARE A REGIONAL AGENCY THAT RECEIVES FUNDING FROM A LARGE CRIMINAL DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES GRANT. THEY RECEIVE LOCAL FUNDING FROM PRINCE GEORGE, HOPEWELL AND SURREY.
AND OUR CONTRIBUTION COULD GO UP BY $30,044.
IT IS AT $202,295 TODAY AND WOULD INCREASE TO $232,339 IF IF WE SO SO THE MUST DO'S, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT AT LEAST A $21,000 INCREASE FOR RCJA FOR PRINCE GEORGE.
IF A STEP INCREASE IS PROVIDED, IT WOULD GO UP.
IF AN EXPERIENCE INCREASE IS PROVIDED TO TWO FOLKS WITHIN THE RCJA FAMILY WHO ASKED OR HAD MORE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] HAS ASKED FOR A RECLASSIFICATION FOR ONE OF HER FOLKS.
SO IF ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $30,044 INCREASE FOR RCJA.
SO AGAIN, IT IS PREDICATED IN PART ON SPENDING.
BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT THIS POINT.
SO WE DO GET MORE GRANT FUNDING IF A PAY RAISE IS PROVIDED.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IT DOES NOT COVER THE COST OF SALARY AND BENEFITS.
SO VEHICLES AND SCHOOL BUSSES.
THIS YEAR WE ARE CASH FUNDING THE PURCHASE OF 450,000 IN COUNTY VEHICLES AND 543,000 IN SCHOOL BUSSES. A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER IS MADE TO THE CIP FUND TO PURCHASE VEHICLES AND BUSSES.
WE ARE REQUESTING A LEVEL $450,000 FOR FY 25, AND TO CONTINUE TO CASH FUND THOSE INSTEAD OF BORROWING FOR VEHICLES, AND THE SCHOOL DIVISION HAS MADE A REQUEST FOR ABOUT 98,000 MORE.
[01:00:03]
AND THIS WOULD PURCHASE FOR SCHOOL BUSSES.I BELIEVE THE COST OF BUSSES AND PURCHASING BUSSES THAT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.
THAT THAT IS THE COST TO REPLACE FOR SCHOOL BUSSES IN FY 25.
SO THAT IS ON TOP OF THE TRANSFER FOR OPERATIONS AND THE TRANSFER TO MEET THE DEBT OBLIGATIONS.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED A BREAK.
SO ON TOP OF WHAT'S MANDATED AND WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A MUST DO, WE'RE GOING TO SEE ABOUT A $145,000 INCREASE IN ELECTRICAL SERVICES.
AND A BIG PART OF THAT IS THE GARAGE EXPANSION AND CONDITIONING OF THE BAYS.
THERE ARE ALSO EXPANDED TOWER SITES FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVICE RADIO.
WE DO BUDGET THAT IN DETAIL BY LINE ITEM.
WE LOOK AT KILOWATTS AND A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS.
AND IT IS JUST IT HAS INCREASED.
SO BY LINE ITEM, YOU WE DON'T HAVE ANY OUTLIERS BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
IT'S AN INCREASE, BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT IS ONE PARTICULAR BUILDING IS OUT OF WHACK.
THAT'S A LOT MORE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
YES, MA'AM. AND THE TOWER SITE EXPANSION ALSO HAS HIT US THIS YEAR.
VEHICLE FUEL IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT 22,000.
WE ARE CURRENTLY USING THE STATE CONTRACT, BUT THEY HAVE ADDED A FREIGHT CHARGE TO THE DELIVERIES.
THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY COSTLY FOR US IF WE DON'T MAKE A CHANGE.
BUT EVEN WITH MAKING THAT CHANGE, WE WE WILL SEE A $22,000 INCREASE.
HEATING ABOUT 9700 AND SOFTWARE IS ABOUT 25,000.
AND JUST THE INCREASE IN ANNUAL SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS.
SO THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT WE CAN NOT DO.
MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACTS.
WE'RE PROJECTED TO SEE ABOUT A $90,000 INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACTS, AND ONLY 20 OR 20,000 OF THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ONE TIME IN THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
HE HAS ASKED FOR SOME NEW SOFTWARE FOR PUBLISHING ASSESSED VALUES ONLINE.
AND 30 30,000 IS THE TOTAL COST.
20,000 IS A ONE TIME IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THE TEN WILL BE ONGOING.
THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER IS SEEING ABOUT A $40,000 INCREASE.
AND OUR CAD CENTRAL SQUARE AND MFR CONTRACT POLICE WILL HAVE AN INCREASE FOR LEADS ONLINE, BUT IN PARTICULAR FOR THE FLOCK CAMERAS AND POWER DMS. FIRE AND EMS ACTUALLY SUBMITTED REQUESTS FOR $29,000 LESS DUE TO THE TRANSITION TO THE ISO SOFTWARE FROM WHAT THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY.
SO THEY'RE NOT ALL INCREASES, BUT.
NET, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT ABOUT 90 GRAND TO MEET THOSE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
LEASE AND RENT OF EQUIPMENT IS INCREASING BY ABOUT 20,000.
AND THE PROPONENT OR THE PREPONDERANCE OF THAT IS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR TASERS.
I WANTED TO SHOW THAT THEY ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED A REDUCTION.
YOU KNOW, THEY THEY ARE VERY FISCALLY MINDED WHEN THEY HAVE INCREASES IN CERTAIN AREAS, THEY REALLY DO LOOK AT ACTUALS AND AREAS WHERE THEY CAN TRIM, NOT JUST SUBMIT AN OVERALL INCREASE.
TO MENTION A FEW THINGS THAT ARE SUBMITTED FOR LIFE SAFETY TURNOUT GEAR ARE $37,100.
[01:05:04]
REDISTRIBUTING INVENTORY TO REPLACE UNSAFE AND EXPIRED GEAR.AND THAT IS WHAT IS NEEDED TO REPLACE THE GEAR THAT WILL EXPIRE IN FY 25.
MEDICAL SERVICES FOR FIRE AND EMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT 38,000.
AND THAT IS NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF DOING PHYSICALS, IT IS ACTUALLY BECAUSE OF DOING PHYSICALS FOR BOTH PAID STAFF, AND VOLUNTEER PHYSICALS ARE NOW REQUIRED. AMBULANCE SUPPLIES 52,000 30,000 OF THAT IS ONE TIME.
AND YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN ON A SLIDE THAT'S COMING UP.
$52,000 INCREASE IS RELATED TO SOME MEDICAL OR MEDICINE DISTRIBUTION BOXES, BUT 22,000 IS ACTUALLY RELATED TO AN END TO HOSPITALS REPLENISHING THE MEDICATIONS AND AMBULANCES.
THAT PROGRAM IS COMING TO AN END, AND IT'S GOING TO COST US 22 GRAND NEXT YEAR.
YEAH, I READ THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE OF THOSE REPORTS.
YEAH. SO SO DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANS MR. STOKE AND I AND THE BOARD APPROVED TO HAVE $100,000 IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUDGET TO DO DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRST PHASE OF DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANS.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO LEAVE THAT SAME $100,000 IN PLACE FOR FY 25.
BUT MISS JUDGE HAS ACTUALLY ALSO BUDGETED.
60,000 TO DO A SOCIAL SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE WOULD RECOVER SOME OF THAT FROM THE STATE.
BUT THAT IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN OVERALL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF 77.
MR. SIMMONS HAS ASKED FOR $23,000 INCREASE IN HIS REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE LINE.
MOSTLY TO DO REQUESTED IMPROVEMENTS AT SOME OF THE FIRE STATIONS.
OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $36,000 INCREASE COUNTYWIDE.
SO WE MENTIONED OR DID THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME LARGE ITEMS OR SOME LARGE REQUESTS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HEARD, IF THEY'VE REVIEWED THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED FIRE AND RESCUE EQUIPMENT AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 119,000 ABOUT 124,000 OF THAT WAS CAPTURED AS A ONE TIME EXPENSE.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TO PREPARE FOR L3 HARRIS, A BIG BILL THAT'S COMING NEXT YEAR ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, PARKS AND REC HAS REQUESTED ABOUT 64,000 TO DO SOME FACILITY AND PARK UPGRADES.
IT EQUIPMENT, $46,000 INCREASE.
50,000 OF THAT IS CAPTURED ON THE UPCOMING SLIDE TO PREPARE FOR A BIG BILL THAT'S COMING IN 26.
SO, SO JUST TO LET THE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS KNOW THAT THE TWO RETURNING BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT ARE NO WHAT WE RECOMMENDED AND WHAT WAS ULTIMATELY APPROVED FOR FY 24.
WE KNOW THAT IN FY 26, WE'RE GOING TO GET ABOUT A $600,000 PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM MAINTENANCE CONTRACT INVOICE 600,000.
SO WE DEVOTED SOME ONE TIME ITEMS THIS YEAR TO MAKE A PLACEHOLDER FOR THOSE THINGS.
WE HAD THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THEM WAS THE PLANNING OR COMP PLAN UPDATE 115,000.
100,000 WAS THE FIRST PHASE OF COUNTY DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANS.
AND THEN WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO ADOPT A $314,000 FUEL FOCUS PURCHASE. WE DID A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER TO THE CIP FUND, AND WE ARE PURCHASING A FUEL FOCUS THAT WILL HELP US MANAGE VEHICLE FUEL.
SO WE ALSO PURCHASED SOME LAPTOPS FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS AS WE WERE NAVIGATING TO BOARD DOCS.
[01:10:02]
SO THAT WAS A ONE TIME $7,500 COST.SO WE SET ASIDE 537,001 TIME OR 537 AND ONE TIME INITIATIVES AS A PLACEHOLDER, SO THAT WE, AGAIN, WOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK THE PUBLIC FOR A TWO PENNY TAX INCREASE TO COVER THAT $600,000 BILL.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING DOING THE SAME THING THIS YEAR.
DO PHASE TWO OF THE COMP PLAN UPDATE WITH THE BERKELEY GROUP AND MR. BALDWIN'S OFFICE, AND THEN PHASE TWO OF COUNTY DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANS.
SO THOSE THOSE ARE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN FOR FY 25 IF THE BOARD APPROVES THOSE.
PLAYGROUND UPGRADE AND UPGRADE TO THE TURKEY TROT TRAIL BEHIND THE CENTRAL WELLNESS CENTER.
SOME PHONE EQUIPMENT FOR THE VOICE OVER IP UPGRADE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE ASSESSOR'S COMPONENT OF HIS CIVIC VANGUARD SOFTWARE.
THE ONE TIME PIECE OF THAT 30,000 IS THE 20.
PRESSURE WASHING OF THE BUILDINGS.
THIS WAS NOT A REQUEST THAT MR. SIMMONS MADE.
HOWEVER, OUR RECENT COMMUNICATIONS INDICATED THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO RESERVE SOME FUNDING TO PRESSURE WASH SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS AND FY 25. THEN FIRE AND EMS REQUESTED TWO PIXELS MEDICATION DISPENSING MACHINES, BUT NEEDS FOUR.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO PURCHASE FOUR AND USE THE PLACEHOLDER FUNDS TO DO THAT.
THEN SOME TURNOUT GEAR DRYERS AND WASHING MACHINES ARE NEEDED.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO DO THOSE.
THEN A A A COMMAND BOX IS NEEDED FOR A COMPANY.
TWO VEHICLE AND EXTRICATION TOOL SET WAS REQUESTED FOR 40,000 COMMAND UNIT ACCESSORIES FOR AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT VEHICLE THAT WILL VERY LIKELY BE ON OUR FY 25 REPLACEMENT CYCLE FOR THE 450 WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, AND THEN SOME PARATECH STRUTS FOR RESCUE TO AT COMPANY TWO.
THEN MR. BEYER REQUESTED IN HIS BUDGET AND UPGRADE AT THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
SO THE ITEMS THAT ARE SHADED IN PEACH AMOUNT TO 386.
WE WOULD SWAP OUT THE 314 AND THE 7500 AND LAPTOPS THAT WE PURCHASED THIS YEAR.
TO DO THOSE THINGS, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD 64,000 TO REACH THAT SIX $600,000 MARK.
SO AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE 600,000 AVAILABLE TO DO THE L3 HARRIS OR TO PAY THE L3 HARRIS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT.
AND FY 26, EXCEPT FOR THE 100,000, WHICH WILL LIKELY OCCUR AGAIN IN 26.
RIGHT. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT ARE NOT THAT WERE REQUESTED THAT ARE NOT ON THE LIST AT ALL, AND THOSE WERE SOME LIFTS FOR THE GARAGE.
AND THE GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED A BUCKET TRUCK, A USED BUCKET TRUCK.
AND WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE TAKE LEFTOVER FUNDS FROM THE GARAGE RENOVATION PROJECT.
THAT PROJECT DID COME IN UNDER BUDGET.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING YOU A REQUEST, PROBABLY IN MARCH, TO GO AHEAD AND BUY THOSE TWO ITEMS THIS YEAR, AND THEY WILL NOT BE IN THE FY 25 BUDGET. WITH THAT PROJECT SAVINGS.
OUR ACTUAL DEBT OBLIGATIONS ARE DROPPING IN FY 25, 481,000 FOR COUNTY DEBT AND ABOUT 68,000 FOR SCHOOL DEBT.
SO THERE IS NO GENERAL FUND INCREASE NEEDED TO MEET DEBT SERVICE OBLIGATIONS.
[01:15:08]
BUT WE DEVELOPED A MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DAVENPORT FINANCIAL, WHO IS OUR CONTRACTED FINANCIAL ADVISOR, THAT WE WOULD KEEP OUR DEBT SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS LEVEL TO RESERVE FUNDS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS, AND TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON THOSE FUTURE BORROWINGS.THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE NECESSITY TO ASK FOR A TAX INCREASE, OR AS LARGE A TAX INCREASE, TO DO FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE SCHOOL FACILITIES OR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE BOARD MAY WANT TO ENGAGE IN.
SO ON JUNE 30TH OF 23, WE HAD BUILT A DEBT RESERVE OF 3.6 MILLION.
THIS YEAR, WE ARE BUDGETED TO CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER 841,000 TO THAT DEBT RESERVE.
AND IF WE LEAVE OUR DEBT SERVICE CONTRIBUTION THE SAME AS IT IS TODAY, WE WOULD BUDGET IN FY 25 ABOUT 1.4 MILLION MORE FOR RESERVES, AND IF THAT IS APPROVED.
OUR DEBT RESERVE AT THE END OF 25 FISCAL YEAR 25 WOULD BE JUST OVER 5.8 MILLION.
I KNOW THAT'S ALSO A CONFUSING CONCEPT, BUT BUT BASICALLY WE ARE SAVING AWAY, SAVING, PUTTING FUNDS AWAY FOR THE NEXT LARGE CAPITAL PROJECT WHICH SAVES US MONEY, WHICH WHICH WE ARE TARGETING FY 27 TO DO THE NEXT CAPITAL PROJECT.
AND THERE DOES THERE DOES NEED TO BE SOME COMMITTEE WORK.
WE WOULD HAVE TO REENGAGE THE CIP COMMITTEE AND INVOLVE A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS, TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THIS BOARD ON WHAT THOSE PROJECTS WOULD BE.
SO CONTINGENCY WE TYPICALLY HAVE A GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY.
AND THE ADOPTED CONTINGENCY FOR 24 WAS 144,000.
WE KEEP THOSE FUNDS HELD IN A CONTINGENCY ACCOUNT IN THE EVENT THAT UNFORESEEN EVENTS CROP UP.
SO WE DID PURCHASE SOME SOCIAL SERVICES CAMERAS.
AND AUGUST WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE CONTINGENCY WHEN THE DECEMBER 1ST PAY RAISE, THE STATE SUPPORTED PAY RAISE WAS PROVIDED.
AND WE HAD ALREADY EXCEEDED WHAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO DO IN MANY OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES.
AND THEN THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED IN JANUARY REDUCTION TO THE CONTINGENCY SO THAT WE COULD PAY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LOCAL MATCH, WHICH WAS HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
SO ALL TOLD, CUMULATIVELY, WE'VE USED 43,000 OF OUR CONTINGENCY AND THE BALANCE IS 101.
SO WE WILL BASE OUR FY 25 CONTINGENCY ON HOW MUCH MORE RESOURCES WE HAVE THAN WHAT WE WILL SPEND.
BUT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS DELAYED IN THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR BUDGET ACTIONS, OF HAVING A CONTINGENCY IN ABOUT THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE HAVE TODAY, TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE LOCAL PIECE OF ANY STATE REQUIRED INCREASES.
THERE YOU IF YOU LOOKED AT THE LIST, IT'S IT'S A TON OF THEM.
36 NEW FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR 38 OR 38.
NO. I'M SORRY. I GUESS IT'S 3738 BODIES, TWO PART TIME REGULARS AND 35 FULL TIME THE GENERAL FUND PIECE OF THAT WITH OUR CURRENT GRADES IS ABOUT 2.9 MILLION.
AND THAT DOES NET OUT ANY INCREASED REVENUE THAT WE WOULD GET FROM SOCIAL SERVICES.
THERE WERE ALSO THREE GENERAL FUND POSITION RECLASSIFICATIONS REQUESTED WITH A PRICE TAG OF 31,003 33 AT CURRENT GRADE STRUCTURE, AND IF THE MARKET GRADES WERE APPROVED, IT WOULD BE 37,386.
[01:20:10]
THESE ARE NOT IN ANY ORDER AT ALL EXCEPT DEPARTMENT NUMBER ORDER.THEY'RE NOT IN OUR RANKED ORDER IN ANY FORM OR FASHION.
SHERIFF HAS ASKED FOR TWO AND A HALF DEPUTIES.
PLANNING HAS ASKED FOR A PLANNING AND ZONING TECHNICIAN TWO.
THE ASSESSOR HAS ASKED FOR A MANAGER FIVE.
I HAVE ASKED FOR A BUDGET MANAGER SIX.
IT HAS ASKED FOR A TECHNICAL SUPPORT MANAGER SIX.
THE GARAGE HAS ASKED FOR AN INSTALLATION TECHNICIAN.
RECREATION HAS ASKED FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW FOR A SENIOR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE WORKER AND A PART TIME REGULAR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR ONE.
CHIEF EARLEY HAS ASKED FOR SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS AND ONE CIVILIAN RECORDS CLERK.
FIRING. MS HAS ASKED FOR NINE FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER MEDICS AND ONE FIRE MARSHAL.
POLICE CHIEF EARLEY HAS ALSO ASKED FOR THREE ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS.
MISS JUDGE HAS ASKED FOR THREE BENEFIT PROGRAM SPECIALISTS.
ONE BENEFIT PROGRAMS MANAGER, A BENEFIT PROGRAMS SUPERVISOR, AND ONE ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
SO AGAIN, MORE DETAILS WERE PROVIDED ON FEBRUARY 9TH.
AND OF COURSE, EACH DEPARTMENT HAD HAD INFORMATION IN THEIR BUDGET SUBMISSIONS ABOUT WHY HE OR SHE FELT THAT THESE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WERE VITAL TO THEIR OPERATIONS.
TECH ONE TO A PERMIT TECH TWO.
THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THAT OFFICE THAT HAS MET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
AND FIRE AND EMS HAS ASKED TO RECLASS AN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
NOW TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCHOOL REQUEST.
LEVEL FUNDING WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S AMENDED BUDGET OF 18,009 49, 165, AND THAT WOULD PROVIDE A TRANSFER TO BOTH THE SCHOOL OPERATING FUND AND THE TEXTBOOK FUND.
AND AGAIN, THAT AMOUNT EXCLUDES WHAT THE COUNTY PAYS AND DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL DIVISION AND THE REQUESTED TRANSFER FOR SCHOOL BUSSES. AGAIN, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET IS WAS IS AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON SWAGIT.
AND THEY ALSO HELD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING THAT EVENING.
AND THIS IS BASED ON GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN'S BUDGET.
AND THE LEVEL FUNDING REQUEST IS IF THAT BUDGET HOLDS AND OR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROVIDES SIMILAR RESOURCES TO SCHOOLS. SO SO JUST TO I, I CAPTURED A SLIDE FROM FROM ONE OF THE SLIDES OF THE SCHOOL PRESENTATION.
THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WHAT WAS IN THE REVISED BUDGET.
AND THEN THEY RECONCILED, REMOVED THE ONE TIME FUNDING THAT IS INCLUDED FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT THEY ARE LOOKING AT A NET INCREASE IN STATE RESOURCES OF OVER 5.5 MILLION.
NET OF THE ONE TIME MONEY THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S MONEY.
SO JUST TO GIVE THE TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
AND MR. COX, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, THE SCHOOL REVENUE SHARING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AN MOU WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2007. IT OUTLINED THAT THE COUNTY WOULD SHARE FIVE TAX STREAMS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY, WHICH INCLUDES THE STATE PCRA SUPPLEMENT, LOCAL SALES TAX, CONSUMER UTILITIES TAXES, AND THEN MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE FEES, WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN
[01:25:06]
ELIMINATED.THE BASELINE PERCENTAGE WAS 43.07%.
AND IT WAS ESTABLISHED TO MAKE FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS A LITTLE BIT LESS ARBITRARY.
SO THE BASELINE WAS ESTABLISHED AT 43.07, AND IT IS ADJUSTED ANNUALLY BY A ROLLING AVERAGE OF SCHOOL ENROLLMENT COMPARED TO THE COUNTY POPULATION.
IT WAS LIKE A BUILT IN ADJUSTER WAS INCLUDED IN THAT MOU.
AND THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE COUNTY POPULATION HAS INCREASED BY JUST UNDER 5400 AND SCHOOL FALL ENROLLMENT HAS DROPPED BY 213. SO THAT ROLLING AVERAGE HAS DROPPED.
SO. SO THE PERCENT OF SCHOOL POPULATION TO COUNTY POPULATION HAS DECLINED OVER TIME.
AND DOCTOR PENTICOFF DID BASE HER PROPOSED FY 25 BUDGET ON 5009 45 K-12 STUDENTS, AND THIS YEAR'S FALL ENROLLMENT WAS SIX 6015 STUDENTS.
AND JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, BACK WHEN THE MOU WAS ESTABLISHED SCHOOL KIDS REPRESENTED 17.1% OF THE COUNTY POPULATION.
AND WITH THE ESTIMATE FOR FY 25, THEY REPRESENT 14.78%.
AND THAT'S WHY THE PERCENT OF THE SHARING HAS GRADUALLY DECLINED.
OVER TIME. COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH AND FLAT OR LOWER SCHOOL POPULATION.
SO I JUST SET ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT BUT THE CALCULATED TRANSFER OR THE, THE CALCULATION OR THE SHARING CALCULATION IS 37.23% FOR FY 25.
AND IN THIS CURRENT YEAR THE COUNTY PROVIDED 18,000,009 49 165 FOR SCHOOL OPERATIONS AND TEXTBOOKS.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT 428,000 MORE THAN THE CALCULATION CALLED FOR.
WE ADDED 32,000 TO KEEP THEM AT LEVEL FUNDING, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 396,000 WAS FURNISHED WHEN WE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS ON OUR PUBLIC SERVICE TAX REVENUE, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT A REVENUE THAT WE TYPICALLY SHARE WITH SCHOOLS.
SO THEY DID USE THIS THREE 428,000 FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS.
SO IF IT ISN'T CONTINUED, THEY WOULD CONSIDER THAT A CUT IN FUNDING.
THEY PROVIDED LESS FUNDING THAN WHAT THE CALCULATION CALLED FOR.
AND IN RECENT YEARS EITHER THE CALCULATED AMOUNT OR A LITTLE BIT MORE HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
SO USING THE REVENUE ESTIMATES THAT I PROVIDED YOU THIS EVENING.
WE ADJUST THE AMOUNT THAT WE DEVOTE TO FIRE APPARATUS AND FIRE EQUIPMENT.
SO THE GROWTH AND THE REVENUES WE SHARE IS 1,000,005 46,000.
THE PERCENTAGE DROPPED FROM 38.55 TO 37.23, SO THE CALCULATED TRANSFER IS ACTUALLY 18,462,000 $587,000, WHICH IS A REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR'S CALCULATED TRANSFER OF 58,000.
BUT IT'S IT'S LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE GIVING THEM THIS YEAR BY $486,578. SO AGAIN, IF WE DON'T PROVIDE THEM THE SAME EXTRA AND A LITTLE BIT MORE TO KEEP THEM AT LEVEL FUNDING THEY WOULD SEE A REDUCTION.
[01:30:09]
SO WE PROVIDED THEM 428,000 EXTRA.SO SO BASICALLY THE BOARD HAS OPTIONS.
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE CALCULATION.
AND THAT WOULD MEAN ABOUT A $500,000 REDUCTION TO SCHOOLS.
YOU CAN KEEP THEM LEVEL WHICH IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS REQUEST.
OR YOU COULD ADD AND FUND THEM ANY AMOUNT ABOVE LEVEL FUNDING.
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REQUEST AGAIN IS FOR LEVEL FUNDING, BUT THE SCHOOL BOARD COULD REVISE THAT.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTIONS COULD REVISE THAT.
AND IF THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE IS REDUCED BELOW $0.82, ALL OF THESE NUMBERS CHANGE.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS A LOT, MR. CHAIR. YES.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF FOR SOME REASON WE CHANGED THE TAX RATE AND WE STILL WANTED TO LEVEL FUND, THAT JUST MEANS WE'D HAVE TO COME UP WITH MORE THAN THE 486,000. CORRECT? RIGHT. CORRECT.
AND YOU'RE FUNDING THEM AT THE 18.9.
CORRECT. SO YOU REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME UP WITH MORE.
CORRECT. ABOVE THE CALCULATED RIGHT ABOVE THE CALCULATED NUMBER.
YES, SIR. GOT YOU. YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE MOU CALCULATIONAL NUMBER ONE.
THAT'S THE APPARATUS IS TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL BUSSES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU DEVOTE OR THE ORDINANCE DEVOTES $0.02 TO APPARATUS.
RIGHT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRE APPARATUS.
FIRE APPARATUS. SO THAT SLIDE, YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULDN'T PUT THAT MONEY IN FIRE APPARATUS? WE WOULD IN TURN, I'VE NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT WE HAVE TO UNADULTERATED THAT STAY THAT SIDE, THAT SET ASIDE THE TWO CENT TO $0.01 IS UNADULTERATED.
IT'S AN ORDINANCE. SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT RIGHT TO DO THAT.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? NO. THE 486,000 LESS MEANS THAT THAT'S THE THAT'S $486,000 LESS THAN WHAT WE'RE GIVING, THAN WHAT WE WOULD IF WE WERE GIVING THEM JUST STRAIGHT BASED ON THE MOU, BASED ON WHAT WE LEVEL, WHAT WE GAVE THEM LAST YEAR.
SO IF WE WANTED TO MATCH WHAT WE GAVE THEM OF THE 18.9 MILLION, WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE THEM 468.
OKAY. SO SO WHAT THIS MEANS IS WE CARVE OUT WHAT'S NECESSARY TO DEVOTE THE TWO PENNIES TO APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT BY ORDINANCE BEFORE WE CALCULATE WHAT WE'RE GIVING THEM.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE REDUCE THOSE INCREASE REVENUES BEFORE THE CALCULATION IS DONE.
BECAUSE YOU'RE REDUCING THE TAX RATE, THE VALUE OF THE PENNY WILL REMAIN AT 388.
BUT IF IF THE TAX RATE IS REDUCED, WHAT THE CALCULATION WILL CALL FOR WILL BE LESS THAN WHERE IT SITS AT AT AT $0.82.
OKAY. AND IT WILL BASICALLY BE 388 TIMES THE PERCENT SHARED WITH SCHOOLS.
THAT'S HOW MUCH IT WOULD FALL.
PERSON. THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION, MR. BROWN. AND I CAN DO A SCENARIO ON ALL.
YOU'VE DONE THAT FOR US IN THE PAST, I HAVE.
YES, MA'AM. THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO 82.
SO WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END.
[01:35:02]
SO SO BASICALLY, WHAT ARE THE BUDGET PRINCIPLES GOING TO BE AND WHAT ARE YOUR PRINCIPLES GOING TO BE? WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM YOU.WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO MEET OUR MANDATES AND OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR YOUR INPUT ON NOT ONLY ON THE RESOURCES, THE TAX REVENUE, OR WHETHER OR NOT TO REDUCE THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
AND WHETHER TO FUND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CHOICES, THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT MANDATED.
SO, SO BASICALLY TAX RATES OUTSIDE AGENCY REQUESTS WHERE WE HAVE A CHOICE.
HOW MUCH OF THE INCREASE TO PASS ON TO EMPLOYEES, IF ANY, WHETHER TO DO THE STEP INCREASE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE BELOW THE MARKET AND WHETHER TO FUND PERSONNEL, WHICH WHICH POSITIONS TO FUND.
AND AGAIN, THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TO BASE YOUR DECISIONS ON SCIENCE IF THE SCIENCE ISN'T PROVIDED TO YOU. SO SO AGAIN, IT CAN BE A HUNCH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION MAKING HAS BEEN A BIT ARBITRARY IN PAST YEARS.
BUT BUT BASICALLY, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN CALLS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT DEVELOPING ITS OWN STRATEGIC PLAN AND ARTICULATING TO YOU HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE AN IMPACT WITH WHAT THEY ASK FOR.
SO I WILL BE GIVING YOU A HANDOUT TO PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FINAL FINE TUNE TO ANY REVENUES THAT I CAN, WHETHER IT BE POLL IS GOING UP, WHETHER THE PUBLIC SERVICE TAX REVENUE IS GOING UP. SO SO AGAIN, I WILL BE SENDING, SENDING YOU A SPREADSHEET LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR YOU TO CONTEMPLATE. I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU NEXT WEEK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
JUST LET ME KNOW AND AND WE'LL PICK A TIME.
I'M HAPPY TO STAY AFTER HOURS IF IF THAT'S WHAT IS MOST CONVENIENT FOR YOU.
BUT WE WILL BE ASKING YOU AT YOUR NEXT WORK SESSION ON MARCH 5TH TO PROVIDE YOUR DIRECTION TO US, BECAUSE MR. STOKE WILL BE PRESENTING THE INTRODUCED BUDGET ON MARCH 12TH, AND THAT GIVES US A VERY TIGHT WINDOW TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THOSE THOSE THOSE THINGS INTO, INTO THAT PRESENTATION.
AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF MAINLY FOR SHE'LL SEND US A SPREADSHEET.
THERE'LL BE A TAB THAT WILL SHOW THE EXPECTED REVENUES.
THEN THERE WILL BE A TAB THAT WILL SHOW THE EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN YOU START RANKING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT REQUESTS IN YOUR MIND.
BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SPEND MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE TO SPEND.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND SHE'LL ALSO PROBABLY HAVE ON THERE THE NET EFFECT OF IF WE REDUCE THE RATE BY ONE PENNY, TWO PENNIES OR THREE PENNIES, BECAUSE THAT WILL LESSEN THE AMOUNT THAT WE'LL HAVE TO TO WORK WITH.
SO JUST KIND OF SETTING A LITTLE WE'RE WE'RE USED TO IT.
WE'VE SEEN IT FOR THE LAST 4 OR 5 YEARS OR LONGER.
BUT I KNOW THAT WAS A WHILE AGO.
IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT. IT'S NOT A FIVE MINUTE EXERCISE.
NO, NO. AND AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU.
I'M HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND DO IT WITH YOU OR TAKE A PHONE CALL.
YOU SEND ME YOUR THOUGHTS, SEND AN EMAIL, AND I'M HAPPY TO INCORPORATE IT.
SO, SO JUST TO IN CONCLUSION, THIS IS THIS IS THE BUDGET WORK SESSION DATES AND OTHER KEY DATES RELATED TO YOUR FY 25 BUDGET. TONIGHT'S MEETING, OF COURSE, IS HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE UP THERE.
YOU DO HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET WORK SESSION ON MARCH 5TH.
MR. STOKE WILL PRESENT THE INTRODUCED BUDGET ON MARCH 12TH.
AND ON MARCH 13TH, WE WILL BE ASKING YOU TO GRANT AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE TAX RATE AND ANY POSSIBLE EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE FROM THE GROWTH AND ASSESSED VALUES.
IF YOU DO NOT EQUALIZE, IT IS CONSIDERED AN EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE.
CORRECT. SO MARCH 28TH IS ANOTHER BUDGET WORK SESSION, AS IS APRIL 18TH IF NEEDED.
[01:40:02]
AND THEN MAY 7TH WE WILL.WE HAVE ANOTHER SCHEDULED BUDGET WORK SESSION TO MAKE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS.
BUT OTHER IMPORTANT DATES OF COURSE.
MARCH 12TH IS THE BUDGET PRESENTATION.
APRIL 23RD WILL BE THE TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE IS A 40 PRETTY MUCH A 45 DAY WINDOW TO GET ANY EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE.
ADD TO THE PAPER IT HAS TO RUN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
MAY 14TH WILL BE THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING.
IF ALL GOES WELL ON MAY 14TH, WE ALSO TRY TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ON WHAT THAT LOCAL TRANSFER TO SCHOOLS WILL BE SO THAT THEY CAN GET TEACHER CONTRACTS OUT THE DOOR.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THEM AS TWO.
NO YOU'RE GOOD. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
VERY GOOD. YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
WE CANNOT ADOPT OUR BUDGET THE SAME NIGHT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE. UNLESS YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
AND THIS POWERPOINT HAS BEEN POSTED TO BOARD DOCS.
SO. ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS? FOLLOW UP. BOBBY? YES, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. JERRY.
ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT FINISHES US UP.
I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN TO FEBRUARY 29TH.
SO MOVED, MR. CHAIRMAN. SECOND.
I'M SORRY. I WAS SITTING HERE READING IT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.