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04-10-2018 Finance Committee.docFinance Committee April 10, 2018 Finance Committee Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Meeting VIRGINIA: The Finance Committee of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors was held on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 in the Main Conference Room of the County Administration Building in Chatham, Virginia 24531. Elton W. Blackstock, Jr., Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The following members were present: Elton W. Blackstock Joe B. Davis Robert W. Warren Ronald S. Scearce The following Board of Supervisors members were also present: Charles H. Miller Jr. Ben L. Farmer Board of Supervisor member Tim R. Barber joined the meeting at 6:04 pm. Mr. David M. Smitherman, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board; Mr. J. Vaden Hunt Esq., County Attorney; Mr. Greg L. Sides, Assistant County Administrator for Planning & Administration, Mr. Richard Hicks, Assistant County Administrator for Operations, the Honorable Mike Taylor, Sheriff, the Honorable Vincent Shorter, Treasurer, the Honorable Shirley Hammock, Commissioner of the Revenue, Mrs. Kim Van Der Hyde, Director of Finance, and Mrs. Kaylyn McCluster, Deputy Clerk, were also present. Approval of Agenda Motion was made by Mr. Warren, seconded by Mr. Davis, to approve the agenda, which was unanimously approved by the Finance Committee. New Business Mr. Smitherman gave a short presentation reviewing the revenue options, that included the implementation of the Solid Waste Fee and potential cuts. Smitherman stated that the feedback received at the Community Budget Meetings was not that revenue should not be raised, but was more centered around how it should be raised. He stated that some of the revenue options were personal property, real estate, and the Solid Waste Fee. To implement the Solid Waste Fee, there is a required public hearing that must be held, and it is also too late to be put on the June billing. Smitherman stated that he made contact with KeyStone and confirmed that it can be added to the December billing, and they can collect the entire yearly fee. Some potential cuts that Smitherman spoke about were cutting two (2) compactor sites that would save $280K, the Landfill Reserve that would save $450K, a two (2) week non-public safety furlough that would save $240K, five (5) deputies with a savings of $240K, Wayside Park with $72K in savings, COLA that would save $300K, the Salary Study Phase II that would save $140K, and a new Public Safety Position that would save $80K. Finance Committee April 10, 2018 A motion was made by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Scearce, that the Finance Committee recommend the approval of the FY2018-19 budget as presented with the following changes: Real Estate Tax Rate at .62, Personal Property Tax Rate at $9, and the Vehicle Registration Fee at $40.75, $100,000 to be budgeted for a recruitment and retention incentive program for Sheriff’s Deputies, and a Public Hearing be scheduled as soon as possible to consider the establishment of a $10 per month Solid Waste Fee. Mr. Blackstock asked about the total revenue of the .62¢ real estate tax rate and Smitherman stated that it would be $1.2 million additional revenue. Mr. Farmer stated that he doesn’t feel comfortable going above the number that was advertised. Mr. Barber stated to put the Sheriff positions back in if there is additional money. Mr. Blackstock stated that the money from the Sheriff’s vacancy savings would, most of the time, be there. Mr. Barber also stated his concern about Fire & Rescue being upset again. Mr. Scearce stated that the proposed agreements were put out and that is what they are upset about, but there would be a meeting on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, to sit down and discuss all of that with the Fire & Rescue Association and hopefully that would help to clarify things and get them back to being satisfied. Mr. Barber then brought up the Land Use Program, and he feels that agriculture is the backbone of our County, and does not want to make large changes to that Program. Mr. Warren stated that he did not want to see the budget balanced on the backs of the County employees by doing the furloughs, and he also did not want to see any compactor sites cuts in order to balance the budget; which is why he will be supporting the motion on the table. Mr. Blackstock stated the need for a new compactor site and Mr. Warren asked if they could accelerate the compactor site that Mr. Blackstock was speaking of, and also asked if they could use part of the $450K in landfill reserve next year to go ahead and get three (3) compactor sites. Then, the next year, just drop that amount down to cover that cost. Mr. Barber stated that Berry Hill had been brought up a lot in the public meetings, and Berry Hill really is the key to reducing taxes in the future. Mr. Warren stated that he had just attended a RIFA meeting and that Berry Hill is now the number one viewed site in the State of Virginia, and the State is helping to market that area as well. Mr. Blackstock stated that the motion is basically about revenue, and on the expenditure side, they want to make some changes to include three (3) compactor sites versus two (2). With the extra revenue that is generated above the 4.4 million they should guarantee the Sheriff that he gets his five (5) positions. The $100,000 that Mr. Davis mentioned for retention will come off of vacancy savings and make a change in the budget for that, since you have to cut somewhere to include $100,000 more in the budget. Mrs. Van Der Hyde recommended the Budget Resolution include what the Board is doing for Real Estate, Personal Property, and the License Fee; and, that they advertise for the Solid Waste Fee. The County budget will have to be re-advertised, because it changes. The changes can be part of the amendment, and if it does happen to spill over the amount that it just spills over, but it’s being advertised and will be a new figure. The Honorable Shirley Hammock, Commissioner of Revenue, asked if the Board was proposing picking up where they left off two (2) years ago with the same Ordinance. She stated that right now there are 868 permanent affidavits on file. When the Board last adopted, they allowed citizens to come in and say that the house is vacant and that they will never rent it, they then signed a permanent affidavit and took that fee off. Mr. Hunt suggested that a Legislative Committee be held to discuss that matter and Mr. Smitherman agreed. Blackstock asked if the Public Hearing for the Solid Waste Fee had to be on May 3, 2018. Mrs. Van Der Hyde stated that her only concern with waiting and not holding it on that day is that the Constitutional Officers have to go ahead with the software in order for the billing to be correct. Mr. Hunt said there was no magic number about May Finance Committee April 10, 2018 3, but made it clear to the Board that they need to follow through with agreeing to put the Solid Waste Fee in place. Blackstock stated that they could hold that Public Hearing at the May Business Meeting and Mr. Hunt agreed. Blackstock stated that he would like for the Board to commit to leaving Land Use alone, and the rest of the Board agreed. Mr. Davis asked how much of the vehicle registration fee the County receives and Mrs. Van Der Hyde stated that it all comes to the County. The increase from $38.75 to $40.75 is really a $2 increase across the board on all registrations. A motion was made by Mr. Davis, seconded by Mr. Scearce, to amend his motion to include a $2 increase to all registrations, which was unanimously approved by the Committee. Adjournment Mr. Blackstock adjourned the meeting at 7:22 PM.