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GOOD EVENING. TODAY IS APRIL THE 15TH, 2025. IT IS NOW 6 P.M..
IT'S TIME FOR OUR BUDGET WORK SESSION FOR TONIGHT AND WE WILL START WITH MRS. KNOTT WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. BROWN.
HERE. MRS. WAYMACK. HERE. MR. COX. HERE. MR. PUGH.
HERE. MR. WEBB. HERE. NEXT, I WILL DO THE BOARD'S INVOCATION, AND THEN WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY MR. WEBB, WHO WILL DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU THIS EVENING JUST TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO YET SEE ANOTHER DAY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK YOU THIS EVENING TO WRAP YOUR LOVING ARMS OF PROTECTION AROUND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HEAVENLY FATHER, AS YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT EACH OF US ARE GOING THROUGH.
HEAVENLY FATHER, I ASK THAT TONIGHT YOU WOULD ALLOW THIS BOARD TO TO WORK TOGETHER TO LISTEN TO THIS PRESENTATION AND TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATIONS IF NECESSARY, AS WE MOVE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK YOU THAT YOU WOULD WATCH OVER OUR FIRE, OUR POLICE, OUR EMS, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR CITIZENS AND ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, AND MORE ESPECIALLY OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
WE ASK ALL THIS IN YOUR NAME THIS EVENING. AMEN.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU, MR. WEBB. NEXT BOARD MEMBERS IS THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. WEBB AND SECOND, BY MR. PUGH THAT WE WOULD ADOPT THE AGENDA AS SO STATED IN BOARD DOCS.
YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MRS. KNOTT WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MRS. WAYMACK. YES. MR. COX. YES. MR. PUGH. YES. MR. WEBB. YES. MR. BROWN. YES. WE'RE NOW AT THE WORK SESSION PART OF OUR AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
[B. WORK SESSION]
AND WE WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO MISS BETSY DREWRY, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AND AND DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN.
BOARD MEMBERS, MR. STOKE AND MISS ERARD. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BRING SOME LIMITED UPDATES TO YOU THIS EVENING REGARDING THE FY 2026 BUDGET. THE FIRST ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA IS TO DISCUSS REVISIONS TO THE SCHOOL FY 2026 BUDGET.
ON MARCH THE 24TH, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THEIR FY 2026 BUDGET.
IT DID DIFFER FROM THE BUDGET, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REQUEST THAT WAS FORWARDED TO US FOR INCLUSION IN OUR INTRODUCED BUDGET. THE AMOUNT THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR INTRODUCED 2026 BUDGET.
ALL SCHOOL FUNDS OPERATING GRANTS, SCHOOL NUTRITION AND TEXTBOOK WAS $97.3 MILLION, AND THAT BUDGET WAS $3.27 MILLION MORE THAN THEIR CURRENT YEAR ADOPTED BUDGET.
THEY DID RECEIVE STATE UPDATES AND AN UPDATED CALCULATION TOOL FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ED.
IN BETWEEN THE TIME WE INTRODUCED OUR BUDGET AND THE TIME THEY APPROVED THEIR BUDGET ON MARCH 24TH, THE STATE REVENUES FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION DID INCREASE.
SO THE BUDGET THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED ON MARCH 24TH WAS $99.278 MILLION, WHICH IS $5.2 MILLION MORE THAN THEIR CURRENT YEAR ADOPTED BUDGET. AND THE CHANGE BETWEEN WHAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR INTRODUCED AND WHAT THEY APPROVED WAS JUST OVER $1.97 MILLION MORE. AND IT IS ENTIRELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO STATE REVENUE INCREASES THAT WERE APPROVED IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S STATE BUDGET. THE LOCAL TRANSFER WAS CAPPED AT THE AMOUNT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE INTRODUCED BUDGET, WHICH WAS $19.27 MILLION, $1.2 MILLION MORE THAN THE CURRENT YEAR TRANSFER TRANSFER FROM THE COUNTY FOR BOTH OPERATIONS AND TEXTBOOK LOCAL MATCH. SO WE DO RECOMMEND BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT STATE INCREASE, THAT WE INCLUDE THEIR REVISED OR APPROVED BUDGET IN THE BUDGET THAT WE ADVERTISE, BECAUSE THAT WOULD REPRESENT MORE THAN A 1% CHANGE IN WHAT
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WAS THAN WHAT WAS INTRODUCED. SO THIS IS A VISUAL THAT I DID EMAIL TO THE BOARD A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THEIR MARCH 24TH MEETING.THE THE BLUE SHADED AMOUNTS ARE WHAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR INTRODUCED BUDGET.
AND THE GREEN SHADED AMOUNTS ARE WHAT THEY APPROVED.
THIS IS THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. AND THE REVENUE SIDE OF COURSE IS SIMILAR.
AND AGAIN, IT IS $1.97 MORE, WHICH IS ENTIRELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE STATE INCREASE.
DO BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OR ANY DISCUSSION? BUT WE DO WE DO RECOMMEND INCLUDING THAT AT LEAST IN THE BUDGET, THAT WE ARE ADVERTISING.
SO WE'RE NOT FACED WITH ADOPTING AN AMOUNT THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS ADVERTISED.
DOES ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
HOW MUCH IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR WAS NOT EXPENDED IN THE SCHOOL BOARDS BUDGET, DO YOU KNOW? YOU MEAN IN FY 2024? I GUESS IT'D BE 20 24. YES, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, RIGHT.
ACTUAL REVENUES EXCEEDED ACTUAL EXPENDITURES BY, I BELIEVE, ABOUT $3 MILLION.
AND THEN THEY ALSO WE WE APPROPRIATED SOME OF THAT AMOUNT TO SETTLE UP THE HEALTH FUND.
SO IT WAS RIGHT ABOUT RIGHT AT ABOUT $3 MILLION.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ON TRACK THIS YEAR TO EXPEND, OR IS THAT STILL.
BUT THERE WEREN'T A GREAT DEAL OF CHANGES DISCUSSED TO WHAT MR. SORENSEN HAD PROVIDED THEM AT A PRIOR MEETING.
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A NEW CFO THAT IS STARTING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THEY'RE STILL DETERMINING THAT.
THANK YOU. I GOT IT THIS TIME. ANYONE ELSE WITH ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU, MRS. DREWRY. SURE.
THE THE NEXT TOPICS I'M GOING TO HANDLE KIND OF IN TANDEM.
KNOWN REVENUE UPDATES AND EXPENDITURE UPDATES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY DOCUMENT. GENERAL FUND BUDGET AS IT WAS INTRODUCED WAS $80,141,093.
AND WE ARE STILL WAITING REAL ESTATE VALUE UPDATES, WHICH WE HOPE TO GET FROM VISION AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY SO THAT WE CAN UPDATE YOU AT YOUR MAY BUDGET WORK SESSION.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUES WERE NOT ANTICIPATING A CHANGE.
AND NOW I HAVE A DETAILED SLIDE WHERE I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE ALSO NOT ANTICIPATING A CHANGE.
THAT IS RELATED TO ONE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION WHO HAD TEMPORARY ASSETS ON THE PROPERTY THAT ARE NOW GONE. THE VALUE HAS DROPPED.
MACHINERY AND TOOLS TAX WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT REVENUE BY ABOUT $140.
AND COMPENSATION BOARD PRELIMINARY ADJUSTED FINAL REVENUES WE'RE THINKING JUST AT ABOUT $6,190 MORE, MOSTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO TURNOVER WITHIN THE CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT'S OFFICE AND SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAD TO BE MADE THERE.
WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON HOUSE BILL 599 REVENUES NOR SOCIAL SERVICE REVENUES.
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WE WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE OUR CURRENT YEAR TREND WITH OTHER LOCAL REVENUE SOURCES TO BRING REVISIONS BACK TO YOU AT THE MAY WORK SESSION BEFORE WE FORMALLY RECOMMEND MAKING THESE CHANGES TO YOU.SO THAT'S A SUMMARY OF REVENUE, AND I'LL GET INTO SOME MORE DETAILS.
EXPENDITURES, THE CHANGES ARE VERY INSIGNIFICANT AT THIS POINT.
WE DID RECEIVE UPDATES FROM THE CRATER YOUTH CARE COMMISSION.
WE THINK WE CAN DROP WHAT WE HAVE ESTIMATED FOR THEM BY JUST OVER $5,000.
AND IT'S $672 FOR POLICE AND $131 FOR SHERIFF.
TO CORRESPOND TO THAT COMP BOARD INCREASE FOR THE CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT, THERE ARE HIGHER EXPENDITURES THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BUDGET FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS. IF THINGS ARE RESTED, AS THEY DID RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT US ADJUSTING ANY OTHER REVENUES, WE WOULD HAVE TO TRIM ABOUT $205,000 FROM GENERAL FUND SPENDING BARRING ANY ABILITY TO INCREASE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES TO BALANCE. YOU DO HAVE GENERAL FUND CONTINGENCY THAT SITS AT JUST UNDER $197,000, WHICH IS $97,000 MORE THAN WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS CURRENT YEAR ADOPTED BUDGET.
SO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, THE PRELIMINARY PROOF BOOK IS STILL IN PROGRESS WITH MINOR ADJUSTMENTS BEING MADE, BUT IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE. AND BASED ON THAT PROOF BOOK, THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE BUDGETED REVENUES FOR FY 2026. OUR VALUES THE GREEN SHADED ITEMS ARE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX ITEMS, NET OF MACHINERY AND TOOLS AND MANUFACTURED HOMES. OUR VALUES ARE ACTUALLY ABOUT $5.3 MILLION LOWER THAN THAN THEY WERE LAST SPRING.
SO THIS IS THE TAX ON THOSE ASSESSED VALUES. SO AGAIN PRELIMINARILY TAX BILLS THAT WILL BE SENT OUT THIS SPRING WILL BE ABOUT $213,000 LOWER THAN THE PERSONAL PROPERTY BILLS SENT OUT LAST SPRING.
SO SO AGAIN, NO OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE AND STAYING THE COURSE AT $12.5.
BARRING A NEW BUSINESS, WE WILL IN ALL LIKELIHOOD HAVE TO REDUCE THIS REVENUE STREAM IN 27 UNLESS THE TAX RATE IS ADJUSTED. IT WAS DROPPED WHEN VALUES SPIKED DURING THE PANDEMIC FROM $4.25 TO $3.90.
SO. SO THOSE WILL BE THE CHOICES EITHER INCREASING THE RATE HAVING A NEW BUSINESS THAT COULD HAVE SOME INCREASE IN THOSE ASSESSED VALUES AND TAX REVENUES OR REDUCING REVENUE.
BPOL WE ARE STILL SHORT OF COLLECTING WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
BUT IN TALKING WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN LEAVE REVENUES AS WE, INTRODUCED THEM AT AND HOPE TO MAKE UP SOME REVENUE IN BPOL IN FY 2026.
WE ARE NOT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO ADJUST THAT FOR FY 2026.
PUBLIC SERVICE. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BIT OF A HIT.
AGAIN, THERE WAS ONE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION THAT HAD TEMPORARY ACTIVITY DIRTY WORD THERE.
[00:15:04]
SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD. BUT THE ASSESSED VALUE FOR THAT PARTICULAR CORPORATION DID FALL, BECAUSE THOSE TEMPORARY ACTIVITIES AND THE RELATED EQUIPMENT ARE NO LONGER ON THAT PROPERTY.SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOWER THE PUBLIC SERVICE TAX REVENUES FROM WHAT WE HAD INCLUDED IN THE INTRODUCED BUDGET $350,000 LESS. AND THOSE VALUES ARE ASSESSED BY THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION, THOSE ARE NOT LOCALLY ASSESSED. SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT WE ARE GOING TO FALL SHORT THIS YEAR IN WHAT WE BUDGETED BY ABOUT $407,000.
BUT WE HAVE MADE UP FOR THAT AND OTHER OTHER AREAS, IN PARTICULAR INTEREST REVENUE.
SO QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE BEFORE I MOVE AWAY. ANY QUESTIONS.
SO THE SLIDE, I THINK IT WAS TWO BEFORE THIS I THINK IT WAS 12 ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY.
IS THE REASON THE DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T ARE SELLING THINGS AND NOT HAVING PERSONAL PROPERTY ON CERTAIN THINGS, OR IS IT BECAUSE THE VALUE GOT INFLATED AND IT'S COMING BACK TO REALITY? I THINK VALUES ARE NORMALIZING WITH MOTOR VEHICLES IN PARTICULAR.
OKAY. THE ASSESSMENTS HAVE DROPPED BUSINESS FURNITURE AND FIXTURE IS DEPRECIATING SO AND WITHOUT NEW BUSINESSES WITH MORE EXPENSIVE ASSETS OR PURCHASE OF NEW ASSETS, THOSE VALUES DO DROP WITH DEPRECIATION.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE VALUES.
THANK YOU. SURE. WE'RE GOOD NOW. OKAY. SO SALES TAX, AGAIN, MARCH REVENUES HAVE COME IN SINCE THE LAST UPDATE I PROVIDED TO YOU, BUT THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THOSE SALES TAX REVENUES.
EVEN THOUGH THE STATE PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT SUGGESTED WE SHOULD INCREASE OUR REVENUES.
WE ARE MORE COMFORTABLE USING OUR LOCALLY CALCULATED ESTIMATES.
BECAUSE ACTUAL COLLECTIONS DO VARY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WHAT THE STATE PROVIDES US.
THIS YEAR, CUMULATIVELY, WE HAVE COLLECTED AS OF MARCH 31ST, JUST UNDER $2.6 MILLION.
THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR, WE HAD COLLECTED $2.764 MILLION.
SO WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE COLLECTED IN FY 2023, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE LEAVE REVENUES AT $4.6 MILLION, WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
SO STATE REVENUES ON THE COUNTY SIDE NO REAL UPDATES HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED, COMMUNICATED OFFICIALLY EXCEPT FROM THE COMP BOARD. THEY SENT A PRELIMINARY REVENUE ESTIMATES AND AN INVITATION TO THEIR BOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET.
SO THAT IS REALLY THE ONLY DATA THAT I HAVE RECEIVED THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO UPDATE.
AND THAT WAS A VERY MINOR UPDATE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU IN A PREVIOUS SLIDE.
SOCIAL SERVICES I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH MISS JUDGE, BUT SHE HAS GOTTEN NO CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE STATE RELATED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTIONS AND THE GOVERNOR'S VETO ACTIONS.
WE ARE JUST WAITING WE'RE IN A WAITING PATTERN RIGHT NOW, OUR HOLDING PATTERN.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR POLICE HOUSE BILL 599 REVENUES.
WE TYPICALLY GET THOSE IN LATE MAY AND SOMETIMES JUNE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IT IS AFTER YOU'VE ADOPTED YOUR BUDGET, UNFORTUNATELY.
WE'RE HOPING MAYBE THIS YEAR IT'LL BE A LITTLE SOONER, BUT THAT IS NOT LIKELY.
COMP BOARD USUALLY COMMUNICATES THEIR FINAL NUMBERS AROUND MAY 1ST AND THEN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, WHICH IS GRANT REVENUE FROM DCJS. THOSE TYPICALLY ARE NOT COMMUNICATED UNTIL JULY 1ST OR LATER.
WE DID PROVIDE YOU WITH WHAT THE SCHOOL UPDATES WERE, THEY'RE $1.97 MILLION.
SO. SO WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING THIS EVENING IS THAT WE DO FOLD IN THE SCHOOL INCREASE, ESTIMATED INCREASE INTO THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE ADVERTISING FOR YOUR PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 13TH.
AND NOT MAKING ANY GENERAL FUND ADJUSTMENTS TO ALLOW US A LITTLE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT CURRENT YEAR TRENDS AND ALL GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCES. AND ALSO GET REAL ESTATE TAX ESTIMATES FROM VISION GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.
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WE DO HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH THEM FOR THE 1ST OF MAY IN ADVANCE OF THE MAY WORK SESSION THAT YOU HAVE ON THE BUDGET.ALSO TO POSSIBLY GET UPDATES FROM THE STATE AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSE BILL 599.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE INTRODUCED TOTAL BUDGET, NET OF INTERFUND TRANSFERS WAS $170,750,000.
THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE ADVERTISE IS $172,721,237, WHICH IS ENTIRELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THAT STATE INCREASE FOR SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE ON FY 2026. YOU DO HAVE A SCHEDULED WORK SESSION ON MAY 6TH. NEXT WEEK, A WEEK FROM TONIGHT OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE FROM HIGHER REAL PROPERTY ASSESSED VALUES AND THE TAX RATE.
PUBLIC HEARING ON SETTING THE TAX RATES. YOUR BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING IS MAY 13TH, AND I DO HAVE TO ADVERTISE THAT TWICE NOW. THE CODE WAS CHANGED. IT WAS FORMERLY ONE ADVERTISEMENT.
BUT NOW IT HAS TO BE ADVERTISED TWICE. SO I WOULD LIKE, IF POSSIBLE, TO GET CONSENSUS ON ADVERTISING THAT BUDGET THAT IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER OR $1.97 MILLION HIGHER BECAUSE OF SCHOOL STATE REVENUE INCREASES. OKAY. SO, BOARD MEMBERS, WE NEED TO GIVE HER A CONSENSUS ABOUT ADVERTISING THE BUDGET TO INCLUDE THAT ADDITIONAL $1.9 MILLION THAT THE SCHOOL IS, IS GETTING.
SO I'LL START TO MY FAR LEFT. MR. COX, YOUR THOUGHTS.
OKAY, MR. WEBB, I'M GOOD. MISS WAYMACK. YES. MISS.
YOU'RE GOOD. MR. PUGH, I JUST GOT A QUESTION.
IS THAT $1.9 EARMARKED FOR ANYTHING? I, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY, MR. PUGH. I KNOW THAT THEY DID PROVIDE INFORMATION BY CATEGORY.
I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS ON ON WHAT THEY ARE, INCLUDING IN THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET.
RIGHT. OTHER THAN THE CATEGORICAL TOTALS, SO.
MY ONLY CONCERN AND I'LL SAY THIS, YOU KNOW, 23- 24, THEY TURNED IN $3 MILLION AND REALLOCATED IT.
WE'RE GIVING THEM MORE MONEY, AND THEY'RE GETTING A $1.9 MILLION INCREASE FROM THAT.
I MEAN, WE YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO CUT SOMEWHERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'LL AGREE TO ADVERTISE IT, SO.
OKAY. AND I'LL AGREE TO ADVERTISE THE BUDGET WITH THE ADDITIONAL NUMBERS IN IT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND THANK YOU, BOARD FOR THAT CONSENSUS.
I'LL BE PREPARING THAT AD TO SEND TO THE PROGRESS TOMORROW AND IT WILL BE ADVERTISED TWICE AS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW PRIOR TO YOUR MAY 13TH PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET. WE ARE SCHEDULED IF ALL IF THE STARS ALIGNED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ON MAY 27TH.
AND AGAIN, WE ARE HOPING FOR STATE ESTIMATES OR UPDATED STATE ESTIMATES BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 6TH, FINGERS CROSSED. WE THINK WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE ON COMP BOARD.
IT IS REALLY JUST SOCIAL SERVICES, AND WE ARE STILL AWAITING INFORMATION ON THE BONUS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY INCLUDED IN ITS APPROVED STATE BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, THEY THEY HAVE APPROVED A 1.5% BONUS ON CURRENT SALARY, AS BEST WE KNOW, FOR THOSE STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES. AND THOSE WOULD BE THE EMPLOYEES IN SOCIAL SERVICES, RIVERSIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY, OUR REGISTRAR AND THREE ELECTORAL BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THE FUNDED CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE POSITIONS. SO THERE WAS CONFUSING LANGUAGE IN THE APPROPRIATIONS ACT RELATED TO THAT BONUS. IT MENTIONS THAT IT IS AN FY 25 BONUS TO BE PAID ON JUNE 16TH, BUT THERE WAS CONFLICTING LANGUAGE THAT
[00:25:04]
SAYS IT'S TO BE PAID JULY 1ST. THERE WAS NO REAL DETAIL IN THE BUDGET BILL AS WHAT SALARY THAT BONUS IS BASED ON THE CURRENT SALARY, OR THE SALARY WITH THE 3% INCREASE THAT THEY'RE MANDATING ON JULY 1ST.SO WE ARE SEEKING CLARIFICATION FROM ALL OF THE FUNDING AGENCIES.
THE COMP BOARD IS THE ONLY AGENCY THAT HAS PROVIDED SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.
THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT IS 1.5% ON THIS YEAR'S SALARY BEFORE THE 3% INCREASE GOES IN, AND THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING THE MONEY UNTIL FY 2026. AND STATE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY IT IN JULY OR ON JULY 1ST.
BUT NOBODY'S RUNNING A PAYROLL ON JULY 1ST. IT WOULD BE A REGULAR PAYDAY FOR US, AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY ACCRUE IT BACK TO FY 25. SO IT'S IT'S KIND OF A MESS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR WHAT SOCIAL SERVICES AND RIVERSIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY WILL REQUIRE, AND WE HOPE THAT IT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMP BOARD.
SO SO WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
AND AS FAR AS CURRENT YEAR GOES FOR SCHOOLS, THE STATE HAS ALSO APPROVED A ONE TIME BONUS OF A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR FUNDED SOQ FUNDED SCHOOL POSITIONS.
WE THINK THAT THEY WILL BE BRINGING A REQUEST TO YOU TO APPROPRIATE HIGHER STATE MONIES TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO PAY THAT BONUS, AS REQUIRED BY JUNE 15TH. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MAY BE BRINGING TO YOU A REQUEST TO TRANSFER SOME MONEY BETWEEN CATEGORIES. THAT IS PENDING THE TWO BULLET POINTS NEXT TO THE BOTTOM, THE SCHOOL CARRYOVER REQUEST. THEY DID BRING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE PUBLIC HEARING, THEY ADJUSTED THE AMOUNT, AND YOU DID APPROVE THAT ON APRIL THE 8TH. THAT PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROPRIATION IF YOU APPROVE, IT WILL BE DONE ON MAY 13TH. AND THEN YOU DID APPROVE A TRANSFER BETWEEN SOME SCHOOL CIP LINE ITEMS ON APRIL 8TH.
SO. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR 2025 UNLESS YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS.
OKAY. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD MR. WEBB. I'LL SAY WHAT I WANT TO AFTER THIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION STILL PENDING OUT HERE THAT COULD CHANGE A LOT OF STUFF.
YES, SIR IT IS. THE THESE FOR FY 26 IN PARTICULAR FOR THE COUNTY.
TYPICALLY OUR STATE REVENUE STREAMS ARE MINOR IN COMPARISON TO YOUR LOCAL TAX REVENUES.
YOUR LARGEST NUMBER IS YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE.
AND UNTIL YOU HAVE BETTER ESTIMATES UNTIL WE ALL HAVE BETTER ESTIMATES, WE WON'T BE READY TO ADOPT USING A POTENTIALLY INFLATED OR INCORRECT REVENUE NUMBER FOR REAL ESTATE TAX, THAT IS YOUR LARGEST SINGLE GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCE. SO THAT'S REALLY THE BIGGEST MR. WEBB IS THE REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE NUMBER, RIGHT? WELL, THAT I WAS TYING THAT TO THE SCHOOLS AS WELL.
WELL, THE SCHOOLS, THEY I THINK THEY'RE FAIRLY WELL SET FOR FY 2026.
AND THEN WHATEVER TRANSFERS THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE BETWEEN CATEGORIES.
I BELIEVE THEY ARE ADDRESSING OR WILL NEED TO ADDRESS SOME SHORTFALLS WITH UTILITIES AND FUEL IN PARTICULAR. GOOD SIR. THAT'S ALL I GOT. YEAH.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT IN REFERENCE TO MR. PUGH, TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. MOST OF THE TIME WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION, WHEN AND MR. COX IS PROBABLY MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THIS THAN I AM FROM HAVING SERVED ON THERE FOR YEARS.
[00:30:08]
TO TAKE THOSE MONIES AWAY FROM THEM. IT COULD BE AROUND THE THE SOQS OR IT COULD BE AROUND A MAJORITY OF THINGS.THEY'RE REALLOCATING THOSE MONIES TO SIP LINES TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH ROOFS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T TAKE THOSE MONIES, WHETHER IT'S IMPACT AID OR FEDERAL IMPACT AID. WE CAN'T TOUCH THOSE THINGS.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN TOUCH IS REALLY WHAT IS GOING TO BE OUR LOCAL SHARE THAT THE COUNTY GIVES TO THE SCHOOL DIVISION, WHICH WAS THAT I THINK WE WE TALKED ABOUT A $1.2 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE GAVE THEM LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY PIECE THAT WE REALLY CAN TOUCH.
WE CAN'T TOUCH, REALLY, THOSE OTHER THINGS. BUT AS LONG AS I SEE THEM, FOR ME, MY COMFORT IS AS LONG AS I SEE THEM MAKING STRIDES TO DO THINGS THAT WE'VE KIND OF PREACHED ABOUT WAS MAINTAINING THEIR BUILDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE THAT ATTENTION HASN'T BEEN THERE IN THE PAST, WHEN THOSE WHEN THOSE MONIES TO ME SEEM TO BE GETTING USED IN A WAY THAT'S PRODUCTIVE.
I AGREE. IT'S WE'RE LIMITED AS TO WHAT WE CAN TELL THEM TO DO WITH THEIR MONEY.
WE GIVE THEM THEIR MONEY. THE ONLY THING WE HAVE, LIKE I SAID, WE CAN TELL THEM HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM FROM THE COUNTY, BUT EVEN TO A CERTAIN PERCENT, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM. RIGHT? WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CHOICE THAT WE CAN'T COME AND SAY WE'RE GIVING YOU NOTHING. SO IT'S IT'S UP TO THEM.
WE JUST HOPE THEY THEY SPEND THE MONEY WISELY.
WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT, IS WHEN THE TIME IS GOING TO COME TO PAY THE PIPER AND THE STATE SAYS, WE'RE TAKING THIS MONEY BACK, OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO GETTING.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW I'M THE STATE KEEPS BOOSTING THE MONEY UP.
AND THEN ONE DAY THE FLOOR IS GOING TO DROP OUT AND IT'S GOING TO FALL BACK TO THE COUNTY.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE COST OF EVERYTHING.
SO I'M KIND OF I'M KIND OF I'M IN A POSITION WHERE I'M STARTING TO SEE IT KIND OF LEVELING.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IT TREND DOWN A LITTLE MORE, BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO DO WITH THEIR MONEY FOR EDUCATION AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR BUILDINGS, SUCH AS YOU SAID AND MR. WEBB HAS SAID IN THE PAST WE DON'T NEED TO BE HIT BLINDSIDED WITH BIG PROJECTS THAT WE'VE LET FESTER BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING CARE OF IT.
SO AS LONG AS THE MONEY'S GOING TO THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND I'M APPRECIATIVE AGAIN, SOME OF THEM ARE PROBABLY LISTENING TONIGHT, BUT I'M APPRECIATIVE AGAIN OF THE LIST THEY COME OVER WITH AT THE LAST MEETING. AND THEY KIND OF STRAIGHTEN IT UP AND GOT THINGS IN LINE AND SHOWED US WHAT THEY NEEDED.
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I ALWAYS ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST BE HONEST WITH US AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU.
MR. PUGH. I DON'T THINK I THINK Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS SAYING.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED IF THAT MONEY WAS ALLOCATED TO ANYTHING.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WE INCREASED THE $1.2 MILLION.
THEY'RE GETTING ANOTHER INCREASE OF WHAT ARE THEY GETTING FROM THE STATE? $ 2 MILLION, I BELIEVE. SO THAT'S $3 MILLION OVER A $3 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
THEY TURNED IN $2 MILLION. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY IF THEY'RE SPENDING THE MONEY ON FIXING, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS, FIXING THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THE LONG RUN.
I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. WHAT I SEE A PROBLEM WITH IS WE KEEP INCREASING THE TAX RATE OR, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE TAX ON THE CITIZEN. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHY AREN'T WE BUDGETING FOR THESE THINGS? IT'S JUST LIKE, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A 30 YEAR OLD ROOF.
I JUST DON'T MAYBE THEY ARE DOING IT. MAYBE I'M NOT SEEING IT THE CORRECT WAY, BUT I WOULD RATHER SEE HEY LOOK, WE NEED AN EXTRA $2 MILLION THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO FIX ROOFS.
THAT'S JUST ME. WELL, JUST ALSO KEEP IN MIND, WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OVER AND PRESENTED THEIR BUDGET, IT WAS $3.2 MILLION $3.2 OR SOMETHING, $3.7, $3.7 MILLION MORE.
THEY WERE ASKING THAN WHAT THEIR CURRENT. SO WE CAME BACK AND SAID WE CAN GIVE YOU $1.2 OUT OF THAT.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND $22 PLUS MILLION THAT THEY WERE REQUESTING.
[00:35:05]
SO AGAIN, THEY'RE KIND OF STILL GETTING THE MONIES, BUT IT'S COMING FROM DIFFERENT POTS.IT'S JUST NOT ALL ON THE BURDEN OF US AS THE LOCALITY TO COME UP WITH THAT DIFFERENCE.
[INAUDIBLE] YES, SIR. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD MR. WEBB. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE PROGRESSING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, STEMMING OFF WHAT MR. COX SAID AND WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR YEARS.
THE KIDS ARE IN, PLUS THE TEACHERS AND THE LOWER STAFF, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT WORKERS, BUS DRIVERS, ALL THAT. BUT WE IN THE PAST WE HAVE TAKEN IMPACT AID MONEY.
AND THEN THIS MONEY THEY JUST USED OUT OF THIS $3 MILLION.
THEY'VE BEEN GETTING SOME STATE REVENUES OR SOME STATE CONSTRUCTION GRANT RELATED TO COVID MONEY, WAS THE TERM THAT THAT THAT HAS BEEN USED WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME HVAC WORK AT A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS.
AND THE THE REAPPROPRIATION WAS THE LAST OF THAT.
OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I THINK IS THAT THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE FOR US.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS I BELIEVE I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING.
OH YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. AND THIS IS A REQUEST TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
THERE WAS ANOTHER SHOOTING IN DALLAS TODAY AT A SCHOOL THAT INJURED THREE PEOPLE.
SO. YEAH, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO. ALL RIGHT.
BOARD MEMBERS, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT, MR. STOKE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL? ALL RIGHT, SO AT THIS TIME, I'D ASK FOR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. COX AND SECOND, BY MRS. WAYMACK THAT WE WOULD ADJOURN FOR THIS EVENING.
MISS KNOTT, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL, MR. COX. YES. MR. PUGH. YES. MR. WEBB. YES. MR. BROWN.
YES. MRS. WAYMACK. YES. MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.