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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-02-25February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 1) An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on February 25, 2009, at 6:00 p.m., in the Lane Auditorium of the County Office Building on McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. This meeting was adjourned from February 11, 2009. PRESENT: Mr. Ken C. Boyd, Mr. Lindsay G. Dorrier, Jr., Ms. Ann Mallek, Mr. Dennis S. Rooker, Mr. David Slutzky and Ms. Sally H. Thomas. ABSENT: None. OFFICERS PRESENT: County Executive, Robert W . Tucker, Jr., County Attorney, Larry W . Davis, and, Clerk, Ella W . Jordan. Agenda Item No. 1. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m., by the Chairman, Mr. Slutzky, who noted that the Monticello High School AFJ-ROTC Unit VA-20023 Honor Guard would post the colors this evening. _______________ Agenda Item No. 2. Pledge of Allegiance. Agenda Item No. 3. Moment of Silence. _______________ Agenda Item No. 4. Recognition: Proclamation recognizing March 18 through March 22, 2009, as the Fifteenth Annual Virginia Festival of the Book. Mr. Slutzky noted the timeframe of March 18 to 22, 2009, as the 15th Annual Virginia Festival of the Book. He then read the following proclamation and presented same to Ms. Nancy Damon. VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK WHEREAS, Albemarle County is committed to promoting reading, writing, and storytelling within and outside its borders; and WHEREAS, our devotion to literacy and our support of literature has attracted over 1,000 writers and tens of thousands of readers to our VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK; and WHEREAS, the VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK celebrates the power of books and publishing; and WHEREAS, businesses, cultural and civic organizations, and individuals have contributed to the ongoing success of the VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK; and WHEREAS, the citizens of the County of Albemarle and Virginia, and the world, have made the VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK the best book festival in the country; NOW, THEREFORE, I, David Slutzky, Chairman, on behalf of the Albemarle Board of County Supervisors, do hereby proclaim W ednesday, March 18, 2009, through Sunday, March 22, 2009, as the Fifteenth Annual VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK and encourage community members to participate fully in the wide range of available events and activities. Ms. Nancy Damon accepted the proclamation and invited all present to participate in the 130+ free programs associated with the festival. _______________ Agenda Item No. 5. From the Board: Matters Not Listed on the Agenda. This item was skipped temporarily. _______________ Agenda Item No. 6. From the Public: Matters Not Listed for Public Hearing on the Agenda. There was no one who wished to speak at this time. _______________ Agenda Item No. 7. Public Hearing to consider a request to amend the service boundaries (jurisdictional areas) of the Albemarle County Service Authority to extend water service to Tax Map 78, Parcel 36, for John Chavan, located in the northeast quadrant of Route 250E, adjacent to the I-64/Route 250 interchange. Scottsville District. (Notice of this public hearing was advertised in the Daily Progress on February 9 and February 16, 2009.) Mr. David Benish, Chief of Planning, summarized the staff’s report which is on file in the Clerk’s Office with the permanent records of the Board of Supervisors. He said the property is located on Route 250 East just east of the Shadwell interchange. It is a two-acre parcel that has one dwelling unit. There is an existing well on the property. Recently it was confirmed that the well is contaminated with ecoli bacteria and petroleum. The Health Department has documented that issue, and a well driller has indicated there is limited opportunity for alternate wells on the site. Based on the contamination issue and the possibility February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 2) for private options to serve the site, the request meets the County’s criteria for extending the jurisdictional area as defined in the Comprehensive Plan. Staff recommends that the Board amend the ACSA Service boundaries (jurisdictional areas) to include Tax Map 78, Parcel 36, for water only service to the existing structure (one single-family residence). W ith no questions for staff, the public hearing was opened. Mr. Slutzky said out of deference to the clock, he would ask the applicant to speak, but understands he will do so only if there are questions. There being no questions for the applicant, and with no one from the public rising to speak, the hearing was closed and the matter placed before the Board. Mr. Dorrier immediately moved to approve the amendment to the Albemarle County Service Authority Service boundaries (jurisdictional areas) to include Tax Map 78, Parcel 36. Mr. Rooker seconded the motion. Mr. Slutzky asked that the motion be clarified to say the approval pertains to water only service to the existing structure (one single-family residence). Mr. Dorrier agreed to incorporate the stipulation that this amendment include only water service to the existing structure, so the motion would read “approve the amendment to the Albemarle County Service Authority service boundaries (jurisdictional areas) to include Tax Map 78, Parcel 36, for water only service to the existing structure (one single-family residence).” Mr. Rooker seconded the motion. Roll was called and the motion passed by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Dorrier, Ms. Mallek, Mr. Rooker, Ms. Thomas, Mr. Boyd, and Mr. Slutzky. NAYS: None. ABSENT: None. _______________ Agenda Item No. 5. From the Board: Matters Not Listed on the Agenda Mr. Dorrier mentioned that the drill team at Monticello High School would be participating in a national shooting contest to take place on March 7, and they need approval from the School Board. He suggested the Board endorse the proposal to have the shooting contest in Albemarle County; it will be monitored by the American Legion. Ms. Mallek said she spoke with Mr. Dudley and she understands they want to have a competition team that would practice off site and also go to competitions representing Monticello High School. No weapons of any type would be kept on the school grounds. Mr. Rooker asked if there is some action this Board should take. Ms. Mallek said she hopes that the School Board will take it up and decide. Mr. Rooker said that decision is one for the School Board to make. Mr. Slutzky said he would be comfortable with the idea and thinks it is a good idea. __________ Mr. Rooker congratulated the Albemarle County Boys’ track team for winning the Northwest District championship. __________ Mr. Rooker said he wanted to note that there was a tremendous success with the electronics recycling program at Crutchfield Electronics on January 31; there were more than eight tractor-trailers of computer and TV equipment taken on that day. It was jointly sponsored by the County, the City, UVA, TJ Planning District and Papa John’s Pizza. __________ Ms. Mallek reported that bids closed today for replacement of the Advance Mills Bridge. There were nine bids received, many under the benchmark price set by VDOT; sometime within the next month the bid will be awarded and work will commence. __________ Ms. Thomas said since the Board will not be meeting again before formally receiving the report of the South Fork Rivanna River Task Force, she or Mr. Rooker will be happy to respond to any questions about the report from Board members prior to that time. _______________ Agenda Item No. 8. Public Hearing to receive comments on the County Executive’s FY 2009-10 Recommended Budget. (Notice of this hearing was advertised in the Daily Progress on February 22, 2009.) Mr. Slutzky said the Board holds a public hearing at the beginning of its work on the budget with the expectation that it will get constructive input from the public. In order for this meeting to be the most February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 3) constructive, he read the Board’s rules of engagement when holding a public hearing and explained the lights on the clock timer. He then turned the meeting over to the County Executive for a presentation of his proposed budget. Mr. Tucker commented that as the budget is being developed there is concern in the community regarding potential impacts on service levels and the real property tax rate. This budget reflects a very measured and deliberate approach to making tough resource allocation decisions in a challenging and rapidly changing financial environment. Everything the County does as a local government supports individuals, families and the community. This budget situation demands that it make a deliberate, intense and thoroughly investigated decision as to where it invests available resources. This budget is significantly influenced by a dramatic decrease in revenues and major increases in mandated expenses requiring the County to make substantial reductions in expenditures to bring forward a balanced budget. Mr. Tucker said he would outline several guiding principles on which this budget was based which reflect the County’s mission and values by recognizing the financial realities communities across the country are also faced with. First is protecting critical services. The County continues to dedicate 60 percent of its budget to School operations, Debt Service and Capital Needs, and it maintains funding for public safety and human service staffing as much as possible, although a limited number of those positions have been frozen. The County stresses efficiency and innovation and all of its operations are being examined and prioritized. Savings were achieved across the entire organization since all departments and operational areas were asked to find reductions and savings with no functional service areas considered to be “off the table.” Mr. Tucker said to protect against a further economic downturn the budget includes a revenue shortfall Contingency Fund of $3.9 million as requested by the Board to be used in case of continuing reductions in revenues. Staff has been reduced through attrition rather than layoffs, which will total a reduction of 50 positions by next year. Changes in service levels and delays for certain projects are inevitable and a result of the significant reductions proposed in this budget. Budget requirements are causing staff to make adjustments to programs and project schedules but are not changing strategic priorities and the long-term course for the community. Mr. Tucker reported that the Operating Budget totals $268.2 million, the Capital Budget totals about $17.5 million, Revenue-Sharing to the City of Charlottesville totals $18.0 million, and the revenue shortfall Contingency fund totals $3.9 million for a total overall budget of $307.7 million. That amount is a decrease of $26.0 million from the current fiscal year, or about eight percent over the current fiscal year. He emphasized that the budget reduces General Government departmental expenditures by over $2.0 million, or 2.6 percent, and is balanced on a tax rate of 74.2 cents for operations, with 10 cents of that rate going to the City for the Revenue-Sharing Agreement. He added that the budget includes 2.5 cents for the Revenue Shortfall Contingency Fund for a total proposed tax rate of 76.7 cents. This budget provides no increases in employee compensation and allocates 60 percent of the revenues to support School Division operations, Debt Service, and Capital needs. Mr. Tucker presented on the screen a pie chart showing total County revenues of $307.7 million, with property taxes accounting for 47 percent of the budget and State revenues about 23 percent which is a reduction in State revenues of about $750,000 from the current year. Other Local Revenues equal about 20 percent. Other Sources, including Federal funds, Use of Fund Balance, and bond proceeds account for about 10 percent of the budget. He said the budget has been impacted significantly by the dramatic downturn in revenues due to the broader economic conditions facing the country. This downturn is reflected in the following way: overall property values are down 2.59 percent with the average single- family residence down over four percent; taxes and fees related to building and housing activity have decreased 47 percent ($2.1 million); County sales tax receipts are projected to decrease nine percent ($1.3 million); and, personal property taxes are projected to be down about eight percent ($1.85 million). These are not all of the revenue reductions, but are the most significant ones and collectively represent a $5.24 million reduction in the County’s budget when compared to the current year’s budget. Mr. Tucker said regarding expenditures for operations, the School System accounts for about 60 percent of expenditures, Local Government about 33 percent, the Revenue-Sharing Agreement with the City about six percent, and the Revenue Shortfall Contingency Fund accounts for about 1.3 percent. He said that while revenues have declined by over $5.4 million the County is required to meet substantial increases in obligations and mandates in areas that are not discretionary and that cannot be reduced. These include a $4.4 million, or 32 percent increase in the Revenue-Sharing Agreement with the City for a total of $18.0 million next year (that represents an increase of about 526.0 percent since 1993 and since its inception in 1983 there has been an increase of over 1400 percent). There is a $2.0 million increase in School Debt Service, an $854,000 increase in Local Government Debt Service and a $321,000 increase in Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled. Collectively, those mandates and obligations are a total of about $7.57 million in increases compared to the current year’s budget. Mr. Tucker said to address the combination of reduced revenues and significant increases in obligations and mandates, the County has aggressively scrutinized all expenditures to find significant reductions to work toward a balanced budget. This budget reduces General Government departmental expenditures by over $2.0 million of 2.6 percent, which includes the expansion of the hiring freeze to 50 positions or about eight percent of the Local Government workforce. There is also a continued reduction in non-personnel operating expenditures resulting in savings of about 10 percent or $1.4 million. He reiterated that there are no salary increases for employees, and no increases to the vast majority of community and human service agencies, no funding for new programs or initiatives, and a reduction of $100.0 million (42 percent) in the five-year Capital Improvement Program including the $31.7 million February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 4) reduction in next year’s budget. In most cases these projects have not been eliminated, they have been delayed significantly. Mr. Tucker said consideration of a 76.7 cent tax rate includes balancing the budget on a residential effective rate of 74.2 cents and designating an additional 2.5 cents for the Revenue Shortfall Contingency Fund. He knows that citizens are very interested, not only in the rate but what it will do to the amount of their tax bill. He showed on the screen a chart outlining tax rate impacts on a tax bill. He said this budget is balanced on an effective residential tax rate of 74.2 cents for the average single-family home. He said the tax rate of 74.2 cents results in a 2009 tax bill that is essentially flat when compared to the 2008 tax bill for the average single-family residential home, which was the guidance given by the Board. After adding the additional 2.5 cents to make a rate of 76.7 cents in order to create a $3.9 million Revenue Shortfall Contingency Fund, the average 2009 tax bill for an average single-family home would increase approximately $77 annually when compared to the 74.2 cent rate. Mr. Tucker pointed out that if the current 2008 tax rate of 71 cents were maintained, the average single-family residential tax bill would decrease $93 annually compared to last year which would eliminate the Revenue Shortfall Contingency and require approximately $3.0 million in additional expenditure reductions from Schools and $2.0 million from Local Government. He said the County has always focused on efficient use of tax dollars as indicated by the number of objective assessments. Albemarle’s tax rate, when adjusted for Revenue Sharing, is among the lowest of the 20 most populated Virginia counties, and is below the average of all Virginia counties in almost every category of per-capita spending. Albemarle is the smallest county in the country, based on population, to have achieved and maintained an AAA-bond rating, which reflects the highest level of confidence possible in the County’s fiscal management practices from an internationally recognized financial institution and places Albemarle among a select group of local governments to have received such an endorsement. Careful financial stewardship has always been a critical aspect of County operations and has yielded significant efficiencies from a series of internal reviews. It also recognizes the need for objective external reviews to assess and review the County’s overall accountability for expenditures. Mr. Tucker said that even in challenging financial times, County government is obligated to fulfill its value of stewardship and maintain progress toward the Board’s strategic priorities by ensuring the continued delivery of essential services within available revenues. He gave some examples of how budget choices are supporting those values: with regard to stewardship of the community this budget continues level funding to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund at $250,000, level funding of existing transit routes totaling $670,000, continues funding for the Bright Stars Program which provides pre-K readiness support for four-year-olds at seven elementary schools, funding is provided to approximately 50 community agencies, and it increases funding of the Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled by $321,000. W ith regard to stewardship of the environment, this budget provides $960,000 in funding dedicated to the Acquisition of Conservation Easements program providing continued support for this program, but reflects a reduction of $752,000 in funds for next fiscal year and a reduction of $4.66 million in CIP funds over the next five years. It provides funding for the Stormwater Control Program which maintains a level of effort for this critical program, but reduces funding by $700,000 for next year with a reduction of $3.7 million in the CIP over the next five years. This budget continues to support the Energy Star and other environmental best management practices. Mr. Tucker said while times are not easy, Albemarle is in a better position than many localities because of its early and proactive approach to these challenges. The County will continue meeting its mission of providing high-quality, cost-effective services to citizens. He summarized that the budget reflects a $5.24 million reduction in major revenue sources compared to the current budget; a $7.75 million increase in obligations and mandates compared to the current year’s budget; it is balanced through an aggressive reduction in various areas of expenditures totaling $26.0 million or almost eight percent; and, the budget continues the proactive approach to savings and expenditure reductions that began in 2007. Mr. Tucker said if the citizens want to stay involved in the FY ‘10 budget process after tonight’s hearing, the Board’s work sessions will be conducted from March 2 through March 11, and a public hearing on the Board’s proposed budget and the tax rates will be held on April 1 with adoption of the budget and setting of the tax rates on April 8. He suggested that the public visit the County’s website for information about specific dates and times. At this time, Mr. Slutzky opened the public hearing, and invited comments. Mr. David Oberg addressed the Board. He said he has been reading to his daughter the Little House on the Prairie books. They just finished reading “The Long W inter” and he will suggest that civilization is in the middle of a long winter now. Economically, financially and spiritually, we are tired of the negativity and the bad news on television and in the newspapers. However, the great news is that spring will come, and in our lives education and the children are our future. He knows budgets are tight. He recently bought a house, and picked Albemarle County because of its schools, which are outstanding. He hopes everyone keeps in mind that if education is cut any further, we will start eating our seed and will pay for it when spring comes. He said that spring will come, and all will be better for it. Mr. Tom Strassburg said his income is lower, there is less equity in his home, his retirement account has been decimated, and yet the County is trying to raise his taxes. He suggested that they should be lowered. He has three suggestions to make that possible: first, when capital project bids come in under budget, don’t spent those savings; second, he encouraged tough discussions and negotiations with the City of Charlottesville about the Revenue-Sharing Agreement; and, third, there is not one penny of February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 5) stimulus money in this budget so it is time to get some of that money. In other words the Board needs to think outside the box. Ms. W altine Eubanks said she is a resident of Esmont, an appointed representative on the advisory board to JABA and a user of its services. The economy is making more demands on everyone’s finances. Families that have been able to assist seniors are not able to do so now. Volunteers are disappearing because they too are in need of finances. The salaries, benefits and demands on workers also impacts JABA. W ith an inadequate staff and insufficient funding, JABA’s services are being compromised so the needs of seniors will not be met at the level necessary. The recommendation in this proposed budget for JABA is level funding, and they thank the Board for what it has done in the past and what it will do in the future. However, there are four areas of services offered which will be greatly compromised without the 1.2 percent increase requested for JABA. They are: the adult activities center ($1,401 to provide scholarships); advocacy services ($578 to advocate for seniors as well as being the watchdog for families); community centers ($1,086) to maintain the congregate meals program for seniors who gather at the center to monitor their health or emotional and spiritual needs, and socialization needs; and, volunteer services ($270). Ms. Eubanks thanked the Board for what it has done in the past, and what it will continue to do. Ms. Betty Sevachko pleaded that the Board not raise her tax burden, expressing concern about the direction the County is moving regarding taxes and spending. She thinks the burden being placed on County taxpayers is difficult, and the Board needs to do more to be fiscally responsible as they have been living on “a Rodeo Drive” budget spending every tax dollar received so now the citizens are paying the price. She thinks a “rainy day fund” should have been a priority when things were good, but not now. Everyone has to live on a budget, except the government. Cutting spending instead of raising the tax rate is a novel idea. A perfect example is the Hollymead “Taj Mahal firehouse”, which had an original budget of $3.7 million but its final capital cost was $5.4 million, a 46 percent budget overrun. If this had happened in the private sector someone would be looking for a job. The decision the Board makes now will determine how she votes next November. Ms. Sarah Blech said her daughter has been riding JAUNT for several years from Earlysville to Charlottesville and this has given her the ability to attend PVCC, participate in community activities, work, volunteer, job-hunt, and travel to doctor/dentist appointments. Her daughter arranges her own transportation and pays for it from her SSI check of $674 per month, and after rent, food and tuition she is left with virtually nothing. Raising rates or reducing routes would make it impossible for her daughter to maintain a lifestyle that doesn’t include isolation, boredom and joblessness. She thinks the goal should be to expand options to the disability community, not create barriers to success and independent living. She asked the Board to honor JAUNT’s request for full funding in the upcoming fiscal year. Ms. Thea Bush-Caulder addressed the Board and stated that JAUNT is a great benefit for people who are disabled and need support. Ms. Donna Shaunessey, Director of JAUNT, said the organization needs more money to make its service work better. W hile ridership in Albemarle County has been showing some dramatic increases, State funding has been cut by $100,000. They could solve the budget problem easily if they could raise fares in the County, but it would be illegal to do so because their rate, by Federal law, cannot be more than twice that charged by CTS which is 75 cents. That leaves JAUNT with only the option of charging more in the rural areas, and cutting services that fall outside the urban ring – such as the Mill Creek area. One- third of the rural area trips JAUNT provides are taking people to work, one-third are to medical appointments, and one-third are to places such as PVCC, JABA and other basic needs. They have a longstanding arrangement with Albemarle County which allows seniors to ride free to JABA nutrition sites in Esmont, Keswick, Scottsville and North Garden, as well as to Adult Day Care. She asked attendees in support of JAUNT’s services to raise their hands, and then she presented a petition to the Board containing 600 signatures in support of the $151,000 funding request to help eliminate the need to raise fares. Ms. Cheryl Cooper, JABA’s Chief Operating Officer, said they were able to limit their requested increase to 1.2 percent by cutting their budget in ways that have the least impact on client services or curtail growth. The families who used to help are no longer able to do so. People who never requested reimbursement for mileage before are doing so now as their resources are fewer. JAUNT provides critical services for seniors, many of whom cannot afford to pay to get to the congregate centers which provide meals, do health monitoring, and provide a social outlet. She said there are low-income clients in the County who need case management, timely assessments and referrals so they can remain in their homes. At Mountainside Senior Living there is affordable assisted living for middle- and low-income residents who include former public service employees. They rely on partners to do this, and JAUNT is a service critical to the community’s seniors. Seniors who have been using JAUNT at no cost to get to congregate centers cannot afford to pay for this service and JABA does not have additional funding to provide the transportation. Seniors will not be able to attend the centers and will not receive meals and will not receive regular monitoring of their health so will be at risk for becoming increasingly isolated. JABA seeks collaborations to insure healthy aging starting with the very young, to insure that each resident has the opportunity to age in the community, if that is what he/she wants to do. She thanked the Board for its efforts to insure that senior Albemarle residents and their families continue to feel this is a good place to age because of the services provided in the community. Ms. Mary Huffard Kegley Scott said she is President of the Albemarle County Public Schools Parent Council. It consists of representatives from each of the County’s 27 schools serving more than 12,000 students and more than 2,000 employees. She noted that citizens ranked schools as the highest item of importance for spending tax dollars in the 2008 Citizens’ Survey. Last summer, Forbes ranked February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 6) Albemarle County as the only Virginia locality in the top 20 places in the country to raise a family based on educational excellence and other factors. The proposed school budget of $149.1 million is responsible and is $2.2 million less than this year’s current budget. She noted that Dr. Moran and the School Board have worked diligently to address these tough economic times through prudent cost-cutting measures, some of which were developed as a result of the Resource Utilization Review. She emphasized that they developed a bare bones budget based on a 74.5 cent tax rate. The Parent Council urges full funding for education. W ithout full funding there may be larger class sizes, loss of experienced teachers due to salary reductions, loss of funding for intervention and prevention services staff, and loss of electives and exploratory opportunities. She asked those present in support of education to stand. She requested full funding for education. Ms. June King, administrator at Mountainside Senior Living in Crozet, spoke. She thanked the Board for its support of JABA in the previous year. This support helped them continue running the facility which provides a homelike environment for seniors, and serves the low- to middle-income population including former County and School System employees. She said JABA changed the public’s opinion of the facility as it strove to give seniors a safe home to live in, not only saving the building from closing but preventing seniors from becoming homeless, as well as providing employment for 55 local staff. She added that Mountainside was recognized with the Governor’s Award in 2007. Today the staff enhances the lives of those they serve by focusing on keeping seniors engaged in activities, taking them on scenic rides, getting them involved in gardening projects, and growing their own herbs to season the food at the facility. In addition, they created many mind stimulating activities to bring fun and laughter to their lives. Many from the County came from substandard circumstances – she gave examples of this. She requested that the Board continue support of Mountainside so it can continue to assist those in need by providing good care. Ms. Josephine Marshall said she is 91 years old and lives at Mountainside because it is affordable; she is a retired nurse who worked for no more than $7 an hour during her career which ended in 1982. Even though her wage was not high, she managed to save a good amount of money. There are a lot of people at Mountainside who are not as lucky as she is. She sold her home in Charlottesville when “the sky was the limit” so she is able to live at Mountainside. She also helps her handicapped son who is on Medicaid and has $71 a month. Out of that he is expected to pay for his laundry, his dental bills, his eye bills, glasses, clothes, and the co-pay on his drugs. There is no way he could do that, so she helps to support him at $5,000+ a year. She is asking for help for the people who live there. She said the churches come in and give services several times a week and they have volunteers who give programs and have teas and exercise activities, etc. The people living at Mountainside also do a lot of things to help the community. She said that thanks to Gordon W alker and JABA there is a Mountainside, so anything the Board can do to help them will be greatly appreciated. Mr. Keith Drake, Chairman of the Albemarle Truth in Taxation Alliance, said it has been known for some time that revenues were going to decline, so what has the County done to prepare for this day. There have been declines in revenues, and these are not likely to recover any time soon. Real estate taxes paid by citizens in Albemarle County cannot pick up the slack for this budget. People are losing their jobs and working for reduced incomes. Businesses are going out of business. To balance this budget on the backs of the taxpayers should not be an option today; the Board needs to think outside of the tax box. He does not think that sense of urgency is present among all members of the Board because two weeks ago it approved an expenditure of $800,000 for additional improvements and renovations at Brownsville Elementary School on top of the approximate $6.0 million already spent. The Alliance spoke to the CEPI consultants and suggested that they quantify in their resource management review savings opportunities, but they failed to do so. They also set some goals for the Board such as: set specific spending goals, and attach a timeline and report quarterly to the public. The resource management review compared Albemarle to other localities and found that for health care for its employees Albemarle had the highest expenditure. He said the County needs to look at that review for ideas, quantify the ideas, set goals and report to the public quarterly. Finally, he emphasized that raising the real estate tax now is not the answer for this year or the next year. Mr. Jeff W erner of the Piedmont Environmental Council said since 1972 PEC has worked with landowners and organizational partners such as the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Albemarle County to promote protection of land. As a result of these partnerships, over 76,000 acres of land in Albemarle has been permanently protected through voluntary action of landowners. The County’s ACE program is one of the most successful Purchase of Development Rights programs in the Commonwealth. Since its inception in 2000, the following resources have been protected for the benefit of current and future generations: 6,331 acres have been permanently protected and of the 30 individual properties, 21 of them are working farms; over 11 miles of streams have been protected with riparian buffers; over 2,800 acres of prime farmland have been preserved as a resource to help fuel the growing local agricultural economy; and, over three miles of frontage on scenic highways and major entrance corridors have been protected which helps foster the tourism industry. ACE has been one of the primary tools the County has relied on to protect its natural rural resources and achieve the Comprehensive Plan vision of “a rural area that is defined by farms, forests and other natural elements.” As a result of the County’s present fiscal situation, the recommended 2009-10 operating budget calls for a change to the traditional policy of funding ACE with one-cent from the real estate tax. This is being done at a time when interest in the ACE program is at an all-time high and there is an opportunity to preserve land while land costs are relatively low. PEC encourages the Board to continue its strong support of voluntary rural area protection and to fully fund the ACE program with one cent from the real estate property tax rate. If due to financial constraints that is not possible in the coming budget cycle, please make no further cuts to the ACE Program beyond what is proposed and make definitive plans within the CIP to fully restore ACE funding starting with the 2010-11 budget. February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 7) Ms. Margie Shepherd said she is a teacher at Henley Middle School and the mother of four children who attended County schools. She will speak first about the timing of this hearing; she objects to having this meeting on Ash W ednesday. She did not come to ask the Board to accept the School Board’s budget request because she thinks the cuts are too deep and the lack of movement on new programs is stultifying and movement toward goals has been diverted. That does not even touch on her salary, but she did not come to talk about that tonight. She wonders why the County must have the lowest effective tax rate in the State. She said in the report from the consultant hired at a cost of $90,000 several suggestions are given for saving money. She suggested the Board have targeted brainstorming meetings throughout the community to figure out how to streamline overhead so there is more money left for schools and more direct services. She says they should be real discussions, not those where half of the participants are from the fourth floor and Human Resources, with one token teacher. There needs to be input from all over, not just getting talked at in 20-minute blips once or twice a year. In 2001 she made suggestions to this Board about programs and recently sent some of them to the Daily Progress in a “Letter to the Editor” for publication and has a copy for the Board also so it can save on future consultant fees. Mr. Peter W urzer said he is the Director of Research for the Albemarle Truth in Taxation Alliance. He showed some information on the screen. It showed that real estate taxes have more than doubled in the last nine years; the average annual real estate tax increase has been 9.2 percent. He said people collecting Social Security or a pension do not get that kind of an increase. The median family adjusted income has not gone up like that. Even health care costs have not gone up like that. He said everybody pays taxes so the real tax increase is 5.2 percent across all tax classes. On commercial uses, people who employ Albemarle County residents will see almost a ten-percent increase in real estate taxes this year. He said businesses don’t pay real estate taxes – they pass them on in the price of their goods. He said there has been a lot of discussion about core services which he thinks are urgent and important and should not be reduced. Second, public safety is in that category. Education in the classroom is in that category. Social services will likely increase and it is in that category. Everything else provides an opportunity for savings. He asked that the Resource Management Study that just came back be looked at, as well as Form Four. He said the County Executive put together a good Form Four which was basically a 10 percent request from every department manager and it was designed for just such a situation as the County is currently in. He thinks that information should be made public. (Time expired). Mr. Morgan Butler spoke on behalf of the Southern Environmental Law Center. He thinks this budget will be the most challenging any Board member has faced. In light of the economic downturn and accompanying revenue shortfalls, the SELC understands the need to pare back spending. However, there are two programs they encourage the Board to spare from funding reductions to the greatest extent possible; first, is the ACE Program as it serves many important purposes from both an environmental and economic perspective - clear water, open space, vital habitat areas, and the family farmlands it helps protect not only contribute to the residents’ quality of life and help define Albemarle, but they lead to the long-term prosperity of the County in terms of terms of attracting employers as well as tourism. ACE protects why people come here and why those of us already here stay. He said that during the Planning Commission’s review of the recommendations on the CIP in January, Commissioner Bill Edgerton remarked on the dangers of drastically cutting funding ACE, which is the County’s primary initiative at this time for protecting the rural areas. The SELC agrees with that concern and urges the Board to restore some portion of the significant funding reduction proposed for this invaluable program. Second, he also emphasized the importance of protecting transit funding, especially during the current economic climate. The CTS had the most passenger boarding’s in its history in FY ‘2008 and ridership has continued to increase this year. This is reflective of record transit use nationwide. In looking at ways to reduce spending, transit is an increasingly attractive option. Also, commuting costs are a significant, but often overlooked aspect of affordable housing. Therefore, as the Board considers various cuts in the coming weeks, SELC encourages the Board to maintain transit funding levels during this critical time. He thanked the Board for their hard work on the difficult task ahead in the coming weeks. Mr. Bill Sams said he is a Hokie. The people here tonight are not saving their money for the express purpose of funding this government. They are trying to fund themselves. It appears that it costs about $14,000 for each student in the County School System. In checking its website site, it appears that tuition at VPI is $8,000. If the County could get early admission for all of its students at VPI, it could save a “boat load” of money. Education funding is really a transfer of money from childless couples, singles, businesses, home schoolers, and private schoolers to parents of public school children. For a family of two, $338,000 is put out for educating two kids from grades 1 through 12. If they had a home costing $500,000, under the current tax system, they would need to live in it for 168 years to pay this amount. People tend to think this funding is a duty of society and that might be good if all of the children coming out of the system were like “razors” in their head. The problem is that a business person hiring one of these kids, finds that they are probably not good at math and they don’t feel like working. W hat is the point? He said this is not the Schools fault; parents are “dropping the ball” when it comes to cultivating their kids. To make up for it, they advocate more money being “poured” into the schools from everybody, and this is just wrong. The success or failure of a child is likely determined by what happens at home, not by what happens at an overly budgeted school. Also, the government shouldn’t have a savings account such as a “rainy day fund.” He is against that. Mr. Lucian Jackson said he is here on behalf of seniors, particularly those in the Esmont/Scottsville/Chestnut Grove area, and the JAUNT bus funding. There are a lot of senior citizens in that area who predominately live on a fixed income or Social Security, many of whom must go to dialysis three days a week. That takes a “big chunk” of their money for the JAUNT fare and lunch. If the JAUNT bus is not completely funded so they need an increased fare, these people do not have the money, but it is compulsive that they go to dialysis. He urged the Board to fully fund JAUNT because it is a necessity February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 8) for these people. If the bus fare for JAUNT were doubled to $24 a week, that’s $100 a month out of an average Social Security check of from $350 to $400 a month. Mr. Greg Quinn said that overspending is taxing the citizens out of their homes. He has built some houses he could not afford to live in today because the assessments would make it impossible for him to pay the taxes. He is a stone mason contractor and said it is hard to make money in good times. He can’t imagine the County asking for a “nest egg” where most of the people he works with have been laid off for the last five or six weeks and do not see any work in the immediate future. He said delayed police response times are a non-issue to him because it is a big County and the only way to protect yourself in your own home is a big dog that barks at night, mace or a firearm. He proposes that the County do away with property taxes altogether and he asked that the Board push the State legislators for a consumption tax at the local, State and Federal levels. He emphasized that a home or farm should be a safe haven, free from any government encumbrances whatsoever or any taxes. Mr. W illiam C. Smith stated that news reports over the past few months have told of bankruptcies skyrocketing, home foreclosures, businesses closing or leaving and 1,000 jobs lost in the Albemarle area in the last year. That is 1,000 families impacted. The County seems to think that Albemarle is insulated from the national recession which is sliding into what may be a full-on depression. He thinks this Board’s priorities are backward. It seems their goal is to see how high the tax rate can be set and still keep public outrage manageable. Even in this deep crisis, the County is discussing new spending for artificial turf football fields and a fleet of shiny new transit busses. The Board seems to be focused on its own priorities rather than that of the people it works for. The priorities of constituents are to keep their jobs, hang onto their homes and feed their children. Retirees have seen their life savings evaporate. Some have to choose between turning up the heat and buying more food. On any given day, there are families “living on the edge.” They face foreclosure and bankruptcy. Every cent the tax rate is raised helps to push a few more people over that edge. He said the Board seems to be proud that the proposed tax rate keeps people’s tax liability approximately the same as last year’s except for the 2.5 cents added for a “rainy day fund” and this is not the time for a “rainy day fund.” He said the Board squandered its chance to put aside money during the good years, but found ways to spend all the extra money. Property taxes were doubled over the last eight years, but the population increased only 12 percent and school enrollment increased only 3.2 percent. All the excuses to spend money are critical needs and too painful to cut, but only to the Board, not the citizens. He suggested going back to the 2000 budget, adding the population increase and the cost-of-living increase and that should be the amount collected from the citizens. Only the edges of the operating budget have been nibbled at. Cuts consist mostly of postponing capital projects, not eliminating them. Make real cuts; the citizens do not want the Board’s vision of a little utopia, a city surrounding the city. They want to stay in their homes, put food on the tables, and shoes on their kids. He asked the Board to remember who they work for and do the right thing. Mr. Christian Schoenwald said everyone is here for the same cause – a better community and a better future for their children and grandchildren. A simple way to accomplish this goal is a subscription to the philosophy that during times of prosperity government should be the last to benefit and during difficult times should be the first to sacrifice. Over the last 10 years, tax rates have increased, the population has not increased significantly nor has there been a big increase in school population; however, spending has increased, and programs have been added as has staff. Many people in this room will not get salary increases this year and many did not get an increase last year. Many of them lost their jobs. He said they cannot afford $80.00, even over the course of a year, in property tax increases. He emphasized that he does not want to see classroom teachers suffer or education suffer or workers suffer or homeowners suffer. W ork being done by three or four people now might be done by only one or two people thus reducing bureaucracy. It’s tough, but that is sacrifice. During tough times, government has to be the first to sacrifice. Mr. Claude Monger said he has been spoken many times before but it didn’t do much good because his taxes continue to increase and then the County spends everything in its budget. He will not be able to continue to live here unless fundamental changes are made. He is encouraging the County to live within its means. He implored the Board to quit taxing the common working man to death, noting that his taxes rose from $983 in 2000 to $2,347 in 2008. There is no way his salary can keep up with the County’s insoluble appetite. He is flabbergasted that the Board would even consider raising taxes in the current economic situation. He has just been laid off for two weeks and can only speculate as to whether the layoffs will continue in his place of employment. Numerous Americans cannot pay their mortgages so they are losing their homes. The housing market is in a shambles, people’s stocks and investments are tanking. How can the Board ask for another tax increase with a clear conscience? He feels additional cuts can and should be made. He suggested the County and the City might be more efficient by combining some services and programs. W hy does the County let employees retire and then bring them back as consultants? He does not feel it is fair for some people to get reduced taxes on large tracks of land they claim are a farm or in conservation; they need to pay their fair share just as he does. Mr. David Frazier said he is in disbelief that the Board would try to raise the real estate tax rate given the economic times. He has reviewed the proposed budget and thinks there are many examples of wasteful spending, while small businesses and families struggle. At the same time, the County thinks it is okay to spend millions on human development programs – while some are beneficial it is not the role of government to take his money and distribute it as charity. W hile some people are struggling to pay car payments, the County thinks it is okay to spend several million for a new Crozet library and streetscape project. He suggested using the old Crozet School for the library and the streets looked fine last Saturday when he went through that area. Some people save for years to replace a roof while the County proposes spending $6.0 million this year alone on Parks, Recreation and Cultural agencies. Some families scrape together enough money so a child can go on a field trip, while the County takes $750,000 and spends it on “increasing opportunities for all County citizens to secure and maintain housing with special emphasis on February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 9) those least able to obtain it.” W hatever happened to personal responsibility? Does the Board believe it is okay to take the money he has worked for and pass it out to whatever group it sees fit? He said it is not okay, and he is sick of it. It is proposed that $1.7 million be given to private community development agencies. If these are private, nonprofit groups, they need to get out of the public money trough. In the current economic situation, it is time for the County to drastically cut back on all expenditures. The members of the Board, and every employee in the County, work for the taxpayers so he demands a more cost-effective job performance from each and every one of them. He demands that the Board find a way to reduce the tax burden. Anything short of that is unacceptable. W ith a budget of $307.0 million, the Board and the County Executive can surely find another $30.0+ million to trim, and if not, they should be replaced with people who can. Ms. Charlotte Hogue suggested the Board use the same tax rate as before and cut unneeded items. She said the taxpayers are not immune to the economic crisis just because they live in Albemarle County. This is not the right time to raise taxes to start a “rainy day fund.” W hy didn’t the Board save money before? Does it not know how to save? She said costly brick work is proposed for the new Crozet library plus a fireplace. Are these things needed? W ill this just be another elaborate “palace” like the new Hollymead Fire Station? The Board needs to show fiscal restraint and not spend on unneeded and wasteful items. As to the new proposed bus service, she wonders if the Board has ever counted the number of riders during non-rush hours. Just because something is suggested does not mean it should be funded and it does not make it a good idea. The County has turned down businesses and industries which then located in adjoining counties. If people want recreational facilities, let them pay fees for use and upkeep. She thinks fees should be charged for library use and sports activities at the schools. There are many ways to save. W hy not make an overall 10 percent cut in the budget and have all department heads justify each line item to make sure the expenditure is actually needed? Be responsible and learn to say “no” to higher taxes. Mr. John W estern addressed the Board as a volunteer for JABA and the Mary W illiams Senior Center. He has volunteered for two years to help serve lunch at the Center and also delivers meals to homes. Those lunches are much appreciated by these people who do not have transportation and need socialization. He said everyone in this room may someday need this type of service. He takes his two dogs with him. He said more volunteers are needed. He thanks the Board for its help and he thanks JABA, but these meals must be delivered in order to keep people out of nursing homes. Mr. Geoff Cobham said he has been a JABA volunteer for four years as part of the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program. He assists Medicare beneficiaries and their families as an insurance counselor. He said that accessing healthcare is a major issue for many of the country’s citizens. It is a particularly acute problem for those 65 years of age and older. In many cases they have limited and/or fixed incomes and are often challenged with the daunting administrative procedures they must deal with in attempting to access healthcare benefits. Since the Medicare prescription drug plan went into effect in January 2006, his volunteer time has been spent assisting Medicare beneficiaries with enrollment in the prescription drug plan. W hile the prescription drug plan is comprehensive and makes available significant discounts, the internet enrollment process is somewhat complex and difficult to deal with. As a result, some eligible seniors procrastinate or never sign up for the benefit and continue paying high retail prices for their prescriptions. JABA’s successful outreach programs have made many in the community aware of the insurance counseling services and they have been busy in recent years with enrollment in that prescription drug plan. He has met clients who reached the point of cutting back on food purchases in order to pay for their prescriptions. He has seen a number of stressed out widows who prior to their husband’s death had never dealt with finances or insurance. He believes JABA’s insurance counseling activities provide a great service to the community by helping residents access the healthcare they are eligible for. The Board’s past support of JABA’s activities is appreciated and he encourages the board to continue funding the programs JABA provides. Mr. Bill Hopkinson thanked the Board members for their time and the sacrifices they make during their tenure in office. He said he is President of the Charlottesville Bureau of Credits, he is a fourth- generation owner, and a County resident for 39 years. He is in charge of two separate corporations that return millions of dollars each year to the economy. These corporations run under tight budget constraints to maximize stockholder value. To him, the County budget planning works backwards. In the corporate world, a budget is created on expected revenues first and then it figures out how to spend those revenues. In the case of the County it seems that expenditures are determined first and then revenues are adjusted to match those expenses. County revenues have doubled over the past eight or so years, mainly from property taxes imposed on the citizens. It does not appear there is a lack of revenue, but a lack of control over spending practices. It is time to get back to the basics of government. The Board wants to increase the real estate tax rate by 2.5 cents to go into a rainy day fund. This is not the time to take more from citizens who have less. W hile it is commendable that $15.0 million was deleted from the proposed budget, more needs to be done. It is incumbent upon the Board to take a conservative approach to government. If the County wants more businesses to locate here in order to increase its tax base, it is time to lower taxes, not increase them. The tax structure must be inviting, otherwise businesses will locate in more friendly tax counties. Albemarle County is not revenue-poor, it is expense-heavy. W hat the government does today that competes against private business should be privatized. For programs that do not compete but which are not core functions of government, the community needs to rely on the goodness of churches and people in the community. He said the government exists at the pleasure of the people; the people do not exist to serve the pleasure of the government. Mr. Eric Hahn said he is an eighth grader at Henley Middle School. Last year he asked the Board to fully fund the School Board’s budget. This year he is president of the school’s student body and comes as a school student and as a representative of future alumni of County schools to ask that they have a fair chance of acceptance at an institute of higher learning. He hopes to receive a quality education from the February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 10) County schools so he can earn a letter of acceptance from competitive universities. He is aware that the poor economy and terrifying global issues have the Board “stretched” in many worthwhile directions. He reminded the Board that quality education through programs like music, arts and shop will yield an investment in a stronger community. It will create an educated society that will know how to think outside the box to overcome and survive these complex times. He quoted Bill Gates at a recent conference saying “Vastly improve the quality of teachers at U.S. schools because it will take brilliant people to solve the world’s woes.” He is a positive role model who thinks that when all people in the United States have the opportunity to develop their talents, society thrives. A quality education is the only chance of hope some people have to rise above the unfortunate situation all face today. Programs funded can create a lifetime of success for all. A world-class education in the County’s Public School System will create future educators, physicians, civic leaders and engineers who will remember the opportunity the Board gave to the community all love and will continue to support. He asked that the Board fund the public schools. Mr. Jason Buyaki said he is opposed to raising taxes. He grew up on a farm in Michigan and feels that the government, both at the Federal level, the State level and the County level, can be much more fiscally responsible. W hen pushed to be more efficient and make deep cuts, it can be done. He thinks the majority of citizens in the County support cutting taxes. He questions the “rainy day fund” and asked under what conditions it would be used. If it were not used, would it be given back to the citizens or squirreled away in the budget somewhere else? He said the Federal government is not listening, so will the government in the home of Thomas Jefferson listen? He also asked that the County end the Revenue-Sharing Agreement. A good portion of the money going to Charlottesville could have gone to County schools. (Note: At 7:59 p.m., the Board recessed, and then reconvened at 8:15 p.m.) Mr. Tom Slonaker mentioned President Obama’s speech last night on the state of the economy. He said the President made some bold commitments to face what he called the worst economic crisis of our lifetime. He said for those making less than $250,000 a year, their taxes will not increase. His recovery plan provides a tax cut for 95 percent of working families. As the economy recovers, the deficit will be brought down line-by-line by eliminating wasteful and ineffective programs. To solve this economic crisis, it is important that “all boats row in the same direction.” If the President promises that taxes will go down, and the Board decides it will steal again by taking back what he has given to the public to solve the crisis, then the Board is not on the same page. It would be part of the problem and not part of the solution. Mr. Robert Hogue said he is against the tax increase, and suggested that the size of County government be cut. That means layoffs and cutting of services in order to become more efficient. Cut fancy and pretty projects such as the Hollymead Fire Station. He said there are parents present tonight who could live a normal lifespan and still not pay for their children’s education. He suggested being fair to the rest of the taxpayers by charging students fees to play sports in schools, and a transportation fee. Last year at the budget hearing someone said children belong to all of us. For him, that is not true. Parents should be held more financially responsible for their children. He suggested that parks, hiking trails, and libraries have user fees. As to animal rescue, hold the owner responsible and make them pay. Fire and rescue vehicles cost money to operate. He said Albemarle is the only county in Virginia that pays “blackmail” money to a city. He emphasized the need to end the City Revenue-Sharing Agreement. He does not think it is fair to County taxpayers. Ms. Kathy Rash said she is Co-Chair of Forever Albemarle which has 2,300 members and backers. She asked the Board to cut spending rather than raise taxes. Not only is the real estate tax being increased, but many other taxes are being raised. It is impossible for citizens to make up the difference in the deficit from the taxes. The Board needs to become serious about the County budget which is not a wish list. It is time for the Board to “take out a knife” and start cutting the budget. She offered to have members of Forever Albemarle assist the Board to go over the budget line after line, to meet with members at their individual “town hall” meetings to help as a community to grow in a way that is beneficial to everybody. Mr. Harold Pillar addressed the Board. W hen he initially bought his house, his interest, principal, taxes and insurance were $400 less a year than they are now in taxes. The Board has been talking about affordable housing, but it wants to raise taxes and drive more people out of the County. He said years ago a lady told the Board “You guys don’t get it. W e ain’t got it.” It is that simple. Times are hurting everyone. He emphasized that the thousands of people in this County are hurting, and to put more hurt on is unbearable. Raising taxes on people who can’t afford it is not the answer. To build a $3.4 million fire station is absolutely erroneous. It is a fire engine garage. It should not have cost more than $0.5 million. As to the schools, classrooms are being built for 30 students and then being filled with only 12 to 15 students. He asked the Board to watch capital improvements and think about what they are doing. Ms. Rose Myers thanked the Board for its work on this proposed budget. She runs a few businesses and the stark reality of the situation is that all are facing a decrease in revenue today. W hen revenues decrease in the business world, cuts must be made and anything not needed postponed. She said the reason behind the City/County Revenue-Sharing Agreement has long since passed, and she urged the Board to do something about it. She agrees that education is important, but spending money on schools doesn’t always translate into a good education, so their budget should be scrutinized. She urged the Board not to raise taxes. Mr. Ron Mallory said he does not understand why if revenues are down the County pays the City more money. He is making less money, but his health insurance premiums went up and the cost of his medication went up, and he just does not have it. There is a depression and the State does not have any February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 11) money, nor does the Federal government. Three years ago, he asked each Board member why they could not get the State to let Albemarle have a ten-cent tax on a bottle of wine, or beer or a pack of cigarettes. If that can’t be done right away, spending will have to be drastically cut. Ms. Amy Gore said she has two children in County schools and she asked the Board to fully fund the Schools budget. Her family income has been cut in half but she is not asking the Board to help her family. She is asking the Board to help the community by fully funding the schools. She read a quote from Thomas Jefferson in an 1818 letter to Joseph Cabell: “If the children are untaught, their ignorance and vices will in future life cost us much dearer in their consequences than it would have done in their correction by a good education.” She said that Dr. Moran and the School Board have done a wonderful job in cutting expenses, but the next round of cuts will directly impact the classrooms and the students. Ms. Dee W eikle said she is here to address the School budget and the issues raised by IMPACT regarding early childhood education. She is a parent of children in the County system. She thinks any cuts in the School budget that make sense should be made. Parents were asked not to come and speak even though things have been cut in that budget. Teacher salaries are not going up. Instructional positions that impact the classrooms have been cut in the schools her children attend. She lost her job two years ago because she was on “soft” money at UVA. However, there are people who have jobs, so relief for those struggling needs to be found. She does not believe that $80 a year will make a difference for people who have lost jobs. If you punish people by saying parents need to pay for their own children, then the whole point of public education is being missed which is to raise in a democracy a set of children, a set of people, and a set of values with principles that all can do. She believes the government is for the common good and that all can do together what they cannot do alone. Please support the budget. Mr. Lynwood Bell said he wants the tax rate at 71 cents. He wants that $93 shown as a reduction in his tax payments. He thinks there are places in the budget to find the money. Regardless of what the School Board says, he does not think the Board needs to fully fund that budget. In a budget of $160.0 million there is bound to be “waste” that has not been found. Also, he thinks the Revenue-Sharing Agreement with the City should be reduced as there is no State mandate to pay them anything. There must be some way to negotiate and get that money down. Some reports have said we are not efficient and he thinks we should learn how to be efficient. The rainy day fund is a joke. W ith regards to unfunded mandates, he shares the pain, but unless they came out of mid-air in the last month, the County knew about them. There were no new mandates passed by either the Federal or the State governments in the past few weeks, so the County should have budgeted for them. He thinks the Board has done a fair job of getting started, but there must be further cuts. Now, people may have to be laid off. Mr. Kenny Brown said he has been riding JAUNT since 1996. If they raise the fare, he won’t be able to get out as much because he only gets $600 per month from Social Security. He hopes the Board will not cut their funding. He is also speaking for other people who could not attend tonight who really need the service. Mr. Randy Switz said he is a Co-President of the PTO at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School. He has two boys who attend that school. The PTO believes that having a strong school system is beneficial to everyone in the County; many people move to the County because of the high quality of its School System. The School System is a magnet for job creation, and even residents who do not have children in the system benefit from having a nationally-recognized school district. The Schools budget is roughly $2.0 million lower than last year’s budget. He hopes the Supervisors appreciate the budget work the School Board and Superintendent have done in order to help the County’s residents this year. He said the School System as a long-term driving force provides for a successful place in which to live and work. In these tough economic times they recognize that all need to work hard to keep the schools headed in the right direction. The PTO is doing that by excessive fundraising. The Supervisors can help by fully funding the School System in this budget cycle. Mr. Bob Beard said he is the other Co-President of the PTO at Meriwether Lewis Elementary School. He is the parent of two boys in the County school system and the owner of a small commercial real estate investment company that is not doing very well. A fundamental question to be answered tonight is what the citizens, as Virginians, want the government to do. He thinks everyone wants a community that provides a better life for their children and grandchildren. It was true 233 years ago, and is true today; it is the quintessential American dream. He thinks one of the most important strategies for the Board is to fully fund public education. W ithout strong public schools that teach children to think analytically and ask tough questions, the future of today’s children and their children will be bleak. Strongly successful schools lead to a highly experienced workforce, which is the reason small businesses and corporations are attracted to Albemarle. The foundation students receive now in public schools will eventually lead to the inventors, doctors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, and creative talent and the teachers needed to transition to tomorrow’s economy. He encouraged the Board to fully fund the School Board’s budget request which is based on solid research and data without frills and it deserves the Supervisor’s support. He asked that they approve a tax rate of at least 74.5 cents, or cuts could be devastating to the Schools. There could be larger class sizes, lose of staff such as assistant principals and lose of elective classes that teach students to think and lose of other important programs and services. The U.S. is built on a foundation of educating young people through public education, while other nations reserve the good education only for the elite. Do not take a step backward to mediocrity. Mr. Ron Castelino expressed his disappointment with the Board’s intent to raise the property tax, stating that it would likely push people who are struggling financially over the edge. He said the Board has seen the trends in the economy and a “rainy day fund” should have started four years ago instead of having a tax cut then. He lost a good friend this year to suicide because he could not pay rent or buy food, and yet having quadruplets gets all the media attention. That is unfortunate. He supports fully funding the February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 12) Schools, but thinks they should focus on core subjects. A lot of students at Jouett Middle School last year who came from other countries won all kinds of awards because of attending better schools than in their native lands. He thinks parents need to take responsibility for their children and make sure they assist the schools in helping the students. He hopes the Board does not waste the tax money. Ms. Jane Kulow said she and her husband have children in the schools. She is Murray Elementary’s representative on the Parent Council. She said Dr. Moran’s budget and central office reorganization are fiscally responsible responses to the current economic situation. The School budget is prudent and the total dollar amount is $2.2 million less than last year’s budget. Savings have been achieved through early retirement incentives and reorganization as recommended by the Resource Utilization Study. There have been significant cuts in programs and services away from the classroom, and there are no compensation increases at any level. This is all in face of ongoing increased costs from unfunded State and Federal mandates. The budget request reflects better and smarter utilization of resources at hand, and it reflects the needs – not the wishes – of the School Division. The budget was prepared in response to Mr. Tucker’s guidance of a 74.5-cent tax rate which at that time assumed a neutral revenue position for the County; any lower rate would force multi-million dollar cuts in addition to the $2.2 million in cuts already made. This fiscally responsible School budget meets the Division’s needs within the constraints of very limited resources. She urged the Supervisors to maintain at least that 74+ cent tax rate so the School budget is fully funded. Ms. Suzanne Kogut said she is the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors at the Charlottesville/Albemarle SPCA. She said the SPCA has been serving the County by contract for more than two decades. For years it has requested and attempted to negotiate an increase in compensation for its pound services. Recently the SPCA Board looked at the contract and conducted a business analysis of the services provided to the County. It is apparent that the services provided far exceed the amounts paid by the County. They believe that if the County were to operate its own pound, the cost would far exceed the payments it currently makes to the SPCA. She said this paradigm only serves to exacerbate the struggles of the SPCA in this challenging economic environment. W hile serving as the pound to the County accounts for greater than 62 percent of the animals received, the County funds only six percent of the SPCA’s operating budget. The pound takes in about 2,765 dogs and cats from the County each year. It is the responsibility of the Board of the SPCA to provide for the financial stability of the SPCA. Accordingly, the Board may be faced with terminating this longstanding relationship to serve as the pound for the County. The establishment and operation of a pound would then fall on the shoulders of the County. This is not an action the SPCA wants to take. However, by accepting the contract to continue providing services to the County without receiving fair compensation for such services, the SPCA Board would not be fulfilling its fiduciary obligations. She thanked the Board for letting her speak, and said she would like to put in a plug for JAUNT. They get a lot of wonderful volunteers at the SPCA that ride the JAUNT bus to that location. Mr. Steve Gissendanner said he is representing Albemarle County teachers, classified employees and administrators. He said Federal government workers and social security recipients are receiving their scheduled COLA of 5.8 percent, while County employees are experiencing a pay freeze. Police staffing is substantially below State minimum standards, some would say to the point of endangering public safety. There is a hiring freeze in the County Office Building, yet the work still needs to be done. W ith the anticipated freeze of additional positions, there may be no need for air-conditioning next summer. He said the Schools have cut $2.2 million from the current year’s budget after covering increased healthcare costs. He said there is no question that some people in the County are hurting financially, but to answer the question of whether everybody is hurting just go to Hollymead Towncenter on a Friday night and see the lines of people waiting to get into a restaurant. Tax relief needs to be targeted, not across the board. It is time to put rhetoric aside and talk about reality. It was said earlier tonight that the cost for educating each County student is $14,000 per year and that is not true, it is less than $12,000. A few people said the County needs to get rid of the Revenue-Sharing Agreement but everybody knows that is a contractual agreement that for at least the time being is a fact of life. He thinks a rainy day fund makes sense; the Board has done a good job of looking at cost savings as well as planning for the future. The proposed tax rate works out to 25 cents per day for a homeowner with a $300,000 house. He is tired of hearing folks complain about the room for firefighters; he thinks they deserve it. He thinks the County is in this financial crisis because of the tax rate reduction three years ago. Albemarle County has been operating on such a lean budget there is no room left for additional cuts. He encouraged the Board to maintain the effective tax rate in order to provide a basic level of service. In fact, as the County is forced to provide funds for items once provided by the State, such as transportation, it will be put in an increasingly difficult position each year. For years, he has been telling the Board that the decisions it makes this year will make the job more difficult next year. Ms. Deanna Nolan said she is a parent, a property owner, and a volunteer in Albemarle County. She moved to Albemarle from Greene County when her first child was born because of the School System; students need a good education no matter what job field they enter. She said Dr. Moran cut her proposed budget by $2.2 million in items other than the classroom, a lot of the cuts being in Central Office staff. She asked the Board to fully fund the School budget. She also wondered whether the school year could be shortened from the current 180 days since the State requires less than that. She thanked the Board for keeping the Land Use Tax assessments in place. It is a way the County does not have to purchase conservation easements. At the beginning of the presentation, there was a comparison of the County’s tax rates without the money for revenue-sharing shown, but it is a fact of life in Albemarle County so those rates really can not be compared to other localities. She suggested the Board might find some savings through attrition in the areas of construction, holding to a flat compensation, and now is not the time for a rainy day fund. That should have been done a few years ago. February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 13) Mr. Joe Jones said he appreciates the ACE Program but understands it must be reduced along with everything else. Many have mentioned the Revenue-Sharing Agreement tonight and it is a quality of life issue which is ripe for sharing revenue with Charlottesville and UVA. Both of them should be present tonight offering the County money for that ACE Program. They should provide matching funds to match the millions of dollars the County has already spent for their watershed, their air shed, and their food shed. He does not believe the County has even received a verbal “thank you” for doing that. He agrees that now is not the time to start a rainy day fund at the beginning of a storm whose duration or intensity is not known. He wondered what happened to the $1.5 million in the lockbox from last year. Something he has not heard mentioned tonight is assets. W hen times get hard he has to look for things to sell. In past years there have been old school houses sold and other property of the County. Listening to television, he does not think the Buck Mountain Reservoir will ever be built, and there seems to be quite a lot of acreage there that could be sold to raise some money for the County to be used in the schools. Ms. Jan Cubbage said she is a full-time volunteer for the SPCA. Her life is dedicated to taking care of the animals and children. She agrees with funding for the schools, but at the same time, as a member of the Board of Directors for the SPCA she is astounded that they have not received an increase for taking in these animals for over 10 years. She said their Board of Directors cannot let this continue. If the SPCA cannot at least be partially paid for the services it provides the County, it will have to operate just taking in animals from the City and those that people bring to them rather than taking animals brought by the Animal Control officers and other counties. This is a no-kill facility. She said they need the funds because it is a service contract. She appeals to the Board to look at this matter and help them out. Mr. Jim Kennan said he has lived through difficult economic times in Albemarle before, and today’s economy requires that government define the basic must-do functions and eliminate programs accordingly. He has observed many neighbors make heavy multi-generational investments in homes and farms. They are the ones responsible for much of the treasured, bucolic countryside. Many of these families are no longer on their land because of constantly rising taxes and burgeoning operating costs accompanied by ever tightening land use regulations. He said the Board is dealing with a challenging economic time, and the current short-term proposal is to raise the tax rate. That will not help this situation. He said this economic environment provides an opportunity to define the basic “must do” functions of the government, and eliminate or modify programs accordingly. Key questions such as why the government is doing certain functions or projects need to be asked. Are there functions that could be done more efficiently and responsibly by consolidation with other jurisdictions? He thinks there might be an economy of scale if the City and County schools were combined; they are both very good systems. The recently released Resource Utilization Study would be helpful in this respect. He commends the Board for what it is doing and appreciates the opportunity to share his perspective, but observes that raising the real estate tax rate is simply unwise at this time and will have unintended consequences that will be felt well into the future. Mr. James Kiracofe said he can remember a time in Albemarle when most of the farms he knew were owned by people whose families had owned the land for generations. Things changed, people moved away, property values went up and people from out-of-town came in and bought up those properties and taxes kept increasing. Earlier, someone said taxes had doubled in the last eight years; are they going to be doubled every eight years? He is a self-employed construction worker and was out of work for three months in the fall so had no income at all. He knows a lot of people have been in the same situation, so for the County to propose raising taxes at a time like this is simply an affront. He said Albemarle County enjoys a luxurious standard of living and the schools are luxurious, and the County Building is luxurious and the new Police Station is very luxurious. He is happy there is all that luxury, but maybe for the next year or two it should be backed off a notch until things recover somewhat. He does not think the County needs to raise taxes. Mr. Christopher Jackson said he would love to have a Porsche, but for now drives a nine-year old Honda Accord and pretends it is a sports car. He would like to know whether there are any restrictions on how the “rainy day fund” could be spent. Specifically, could the Board direct any of it toward resurrecting or furthering plans for a regional transit authority? He asks what exactly another bureaucratic layer like a transit authority will accomplish that the existing CTS, JAUNT and UTS systems cannot. He would like the Board to continually reexamine its priorities including the often competing priorities of quality schools and affordability. Taxes are a direct contributor to the overall cost-of-living. He wished the Board members well in what is obviously not a very enjoyable job. Ms. Dawn Greco said she is a Parent Council representative and the parent of a child at Broadus W ood Elementary. She urged the Board to fund the Superintendent’s budget request. That proposed budget shaves $2.2 million off of last year’s budget while also preserving current class sizes and allows classroom teachers to keep their jobs – albeit without pay raises. She applauds the Superintendent’s efforts to keep cuts from affecting students in the classroom to the extent possible. She also thanked the teachers for their dedication to the students and for rising to the call to do more with less. She understands that tough times call for tough measures and she does not envy the Board’s position in making these choices. To her, public education is the great equalizer. It produces the citizens who go out and do the jobs needed to be done. It is an essential function of government and of the community, and is not cheap. She knows that funding educations calls for revenues from people with kids, from those without, from young couples, from widows, from widowers, from the young, from the old, from the rich and from the less well off. In her opinion, it is worth it. Given the discourse here today, anyone who has attended a public school feels the same way. The fact that there can be this discourse means something, and is something public education supports. It creates citizens who are competent in carrying out the demands of society and a democracy like that here. She thinks the proposed budget is a reasonable one. It makes over $2.0 million in cuts and attempts to continue to provide a quality education to our children. For these reasons, she urges the Board to fully support the Superintendent’s budget request. February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 14) Ms. Ashby Kindler said she is representing the building level administrators in the County schools. She said the teachers with whom she works looked at the Superintendent’s budget and saw that there would be no raises and said at least we have jobs. There is a bit of flaw in some people’s thinking. The County is not making cars, and although she may not buy a new car tomorrow, she will send her children to school. For the next few years, those teachers will be asked to do a far better job than they have done this year. Mandates such as “No Child Left Behind” are targeted toward this year’s kindergarten students, so this will require teachers to do a perfect job with over $2.0 million less next year. W ith this year’s kindergarteners they are expected to do a perfect job. Every year they are expected to improve and bring each of those children to higher levels with less. She said the schools are not just trying to tread water, but are trying to move forward and reorganize in ways that will equip them to do that and to meet that challenge and better serve all of the community through the best education it can provide to the students. She said whatever the Board does with the tax rate, please strive to leave the proposed School budget in place. Ms. Susan Lueckenbach said she thinks there was supposed to be a Kohl’s in the Hollymead Towncenter and also a Home Depot, but because of regulations they located in W aynesboro. How much income would those businesses bring to this community? Businesses need to be encouraged to locate in Albemarle; that would help relieve the burden on the taxpayers. She said the state of Oklahoma is currently passing legislation to tell the Federal government to stop handing down unfunded, unconstitutional mandates. There is nothing in the Constitution that allows the Federal Government to be involved with schools. The previous speaker mentioned the “No Child left Behind Act” and there is no way to get 100 percent of students to pass a certain level of test unless it is so low that it is meaningless. She said Congressman Paul Brown of Georgia has a four-way test on every piece of legislation that comes before the House: 1) is it moral and right; 2) is it constitutional; 3) is it necessary; and, 4) is it affordable. The burden is on every politician to convince the citizenry of these four points whenever they support any legislation. That includes this Board of Supervisors. She referenced the book entitled The 5,000 Year Leap, which talks about the 28 principles that guided America’s founding fathers in setting up the system of government. This is what they should be teaching in public schools. It is what every government employee should know. She read a quote from Thomas Jefferson and said there is a seminar coming to Charlottesville on March 28 called “The Principles of Liberty.” It can be found on www.nccs.net. She said she will leave the Board with one final quote, “You cannot be compassionate with other people’s money, you can only be a thief.” Ms. Clara Belle W heeler said that last year many people spoke in favor of a 68-cent tax rate. Now all are back and a long way from 68 cents. She encouraged the Board to learn from history by making cuts to “big-ticket” items - don’t nickel and dime us - don’t be penny-wise and dollar foolish. Several years ago the Board hired a $500,000 consultant, who admitted that he never looked at the topographical maps or walked the land he proposed for the Eastern Connector (road). She said recreation is something people in Albemarle are not paying for because they are too tired and too poor. If they are lucky enough to still have a job, they are working a couple of them. If they live on a farm they are taking care of animals and the land and some are cutting wood to heat their houses. There is not time for “foo-foo.” In these times should the taxpayers be told by the Board that it should pay $1.0 million for lights at Darden Towe Park when the citizens where told it would always be a dark park? Also, the citizens have been told they should pay the infrastructure for a nonprofit recreational facility that will pay no taxes, and will destroy the gift of Paul Goodloe McIntire. Lots of people say taxes should be raised. She will say to them, lead by example, get out your checkbooks and pay for it, be charitable, but do not expect the rest of us to pay for your gifts. If someone wants to put their land in an easement and have it in conservation, that is great, but the County does not have the money to pay for it right now. Get a good lawyer, pay him or her and write the will. There being no one else from the public who wished to speak, the hearing was closed. Mr. Slutzky said this has been a good strong expression of strong heartfelt sentiments from a number of different perspectives. He actually learned a couple of things, and took copious notes. He said it will be a challenging process, but the Board will come up with a proposed budget within the next month. Hopefully, it will reflect the aggregate of the views shared today. He asked if the Board members would like to make closing comments. Mr. Dorrier said this year the Board is facing a problem it has not faced in other years, trying to shoehorn the budget with limited revenues. He wonders if it would be better for this year to discuss the tax rate now rather than two months from now when there is not adequate time to deal with the problem of cutting. He thinks the Board could give the County Executive some hard guidance and maybe come out with something everybody could live with. Mr. Rooker said the Board did that when the Board gave the County Executive guidance on building the proposed budget he presented tonight. This budget is not locked-in nor is the tax rate. He emphasized that it is to the Board over the next several weeks during work sessions to go through the budget department by department and come to a conclusion on a proposed budget and proposed tax rates to advertise for the public. He said the Board will not short-circuit what is set out to be a more deliberative process for making that decision. Mr. Slutzky said he has no way of knowing what the right tax rate is at this time. He is sympathetic to Mr. Dorrier’s enthusiasm for resolving it as quickly as possible, but he has many questions about discreet items in the budget. Until he has answers to those questions, he will not be in a position to understand the level of spending he deems to be appropriate for this year. He does not think it is at all practical for the Board to move forward with that suggestion. He asked if any other Board member would like to set the tax rate before the budget is discussed. There was no reply. February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 15) Mr. Dorrier said the Revenue-Sharing Agreement with the City shows a 32 percent increase. Mr. Slutzky said that is a binding document that was supported by a referendum of the voters of Albemarle County and about which there is nothing legally the Board can do. The Board has had this discussion many times and for all the frustration the public may feel and some Board members have expressed, what would Mr. Dorrier suggest the Board do. Mr. Dorrier said looking at the rate going back about 25 years he does not see anything else approaching a 32 percent increase. He wonders what the County will do when it reaches 50 percent. Mr. Slutzky asked what Mr. Dorrier proposes. Mr. Rooker said the next time the funding of the Agreement is reset it probably will not increase at all, in fact it may go down somewhat because it is based on the assessed value of real property. The increase is based on the assessments from a couple of years ago. As Mr. Slutzky said, the County has a legally binding Agreement that was approved by the voters of the County. The City would actually like to have even more revenue, but cannot demand more because it is a legally binding agreement. By the same token, the County cannot demand that it be less than the legal agreement calls for. If legislation were passed that abolished the Agreement (if that legislation where actually legal), where would we be? He said the $18.0 million represents about 30 cents on the City’s tax rate. W hat they would most likely do at that point is revert, which they have a right to do without the County’s agreement, to town status. He said the City would then become part of the County and Albemarle would have to assume all of their legal obligations. They have a rate which is more than 24 cents higher than Albemarle’s. W hat do you think would happen to the tax rates in the County if it had to absorb all the liabilities in the City? He said if there is anyone present who is interested in the Revenue-Sharing Agreement they should read the history of it written by Mr. Tim Lindstrom for his thesis. He was a member of the Board at the time the Agreement was negotiated. The City wanted 25 cents up until the last week, but the County negotiated it down to 10 cents on the tax dollar. He said that sometimes you need to be careful about what you wish for. Mr. Slutzky added that if you count the dime given to the City it adjusts their operating budget to a $1.25 rate, and if one considers that the County operates on the equivalent of 61 cents, the City’s rate is actually double that of the County. If the County had to absorb all of the services provided in the City, plus the 42,000 voters, it would be a very interesting change in the status quo. For those who expressed enthusiasm for this Board to do something about it, Mr. Rooker is right to caution people from going too far down that path, plus it is a legally binding document. The Board has looked at and thinks it is something that must be accepted and then move on. Mr. Dorrier said there were some comments about consolidation of services. That is not something the Board normally considers, but in bad times like these it should look into it. Mr. Rooker responded that the County and City share a lot of services. The report from the Resource Utilization Study says Albemarle actually shares more services with Charlottesville than any other jurisdiction in the State that they are aware of. That does not mean more can’t be done. He said staff is looking at how to implement some of their recommendations including some increased sharing of services. There have been times when the County did particular studies for specific services, such as the elimination of RW SA and having the City and County share the water/sewer service operations. The report on that did not indicate it would save money. There was another study several years ago on the potential for combining fire services. That report indicated it would cost the County money. There have been joint meetings between the City and County School Boards with a view toward sharing more school services. CATEC is a joint operation. The Ivy Creek School is a joint operation. Jail services are joint operations. The W ater and Sewer Authority is a joint operation. The Airport Authority is a joint operation. There are many of those, and it does not mean that they cannot be added to, but he does not know that there is a silver bullet there. Mr. Slutzky said someone suggested tonight that the idea of a regional transit authority was somehow an additional bureaucracy, but the CTS at this time is a monopoly service provider, and the County has no say over how they operate. If a regional transit authority were created one advantage to the County would be that the system would be equally owned and operated by both the City and the County. The County would have an appropriate level of influence over policy decisions where it currently has none. There are additional opportunities for collaboration that the County is pursing now. Mr. Rooker said he would like to mention how this idea got started. Going back five or six years, the City said it was going to double the cost of the transit services it was providing in the County. Since it is a monopoly service, the County was only able to negotiate that down somewhat. Today the County is in a mode of buying from a monopoly provider which can raise the rate at any time. The choice is to eliminate transit or pay up. A regional transit authority, which would not add a layer of bureaucracy, would allow the County to have more control over the cost of those services. Mr. Dorrier said he throws these ideas out because they are big issues. He thinks the Board must deal with them, put them aside, and move on to deal with the budget and not discuss these issues further. He thinks the public does not quite understand some of these issues. If there are any new approaches, the Board should think out of the box as was suggested. Mr. Rooker thinks all agree with that. The Board needs to continually “think out of the box” and look for ways to improve services and be more efficient. Part of what the Board does during work sessions is to explore those kinds of ideas. February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 16) Ms. Mallek felt it would help the Board to know what its true choices are in the next round of reductions if there is not a contingency fund and if there are further cuts from Richmond. Mr. Slutzky said the Board got a taste of that this year. Between July 1 and the end of November this fiscal year, there were further reductions in revenues from Richmond and from the County’s own revenues, so they had to fill in a hole equivalent to about five cents on the tax rate. It did not have the luxury of increasing the tax rate mid-year, so ended up making significant cuts beyond what were budgeted last year. That is the logic behind the “rainy day fund.” The Board will obviously have lively discourse about the prudence of such a “lockbox” fund and how big or small it should be. Mr. Boyd said he thinks the Board got a lot of good input tonight from the citizens and he is tired and ready to go home. Ms. Thomas said she has talked with just one City Councilor and he expressed interest in having a discussion about the Revenue-Sharing Agreement and how they spend that money. She pointed out to him that long ago when the Nixon Administration also had a program called Revenue-Sharing, the City Council put it in a separate fund and used it only for capital projects. Everyone knew where it was going and they could do the same thing now, which they have not been doing. She thinks the Board could have a discussion along those lines. Second, she said people have asked her if there will be any information on the Federal stimulus package and whether it would impact the County’s budget in a helpful way. In the next week during the budget work sessions, if there is anything staff knows that would be helpful information. She has not seen anything that leads her to think it will, but she would like to have a few minutes to discuss it. Mr. Tucker said staff is meeting in the next few days with the person Congressman Perriello has appointed to work with localities. He said that Mr. Ridge Schuyler was at the PACC meeting last week, and they learned there will be some direct funding to the school systems throughout the State, but most localities will have to follow a CDBG-type approach in applying for and competing for funds. Localities like the City that is an entitlement community will get their funding based on the formula they already have, but localities like Albemarle will have to compete with other localities. It is likely the competitive grants will be tied to the locality’s unemployment rate and its ability to pay which will not help Albemarle. The unemployment rate here is one of the lower ones in the State. Southside Virginia and southwest Virginia will probably do better. Ms. Thomas said she would like to mention something that was not said tonight which she thinks is amazing. There were no County employees present tonight demanding that they be given a pay raise. She thinks they have accepted the necessity of having a freeze on salaries and positions, which means that many of them are doing a job and a half without as much pay to take home as they had last year. She encouraged Mr. Tucker to express the Board’s appreciation to them for their work. Mr. Boyd said since Ms. Thomas brought this up, he has been pushing to sit down and talk about the Revenue-Sharing Agreement for a long time. He has also received some positive feedback that the City might be willing to sit down. That is the only way it could be done because of the contract, it would have to be a collaborative effort. Mr. Rooker said he has not heard any indication from the City that they are willing to take less money. He thinks they may be willing to discuss possibly devoting some of that money to things that are of regional importance. He thinks that now is a good time to have those discussions. That meeting would have to be arranged between the Board’s Chairman and the Mayor. A couple of years ago, the Board tried to have that discussion, and there was no interest on their part to do so. Mr. Slutzky said he and the Mayor have started a conversation which is probably not unlike some of the feedback others have received. He has one issue that he wanted to mention. He said the issue of the SPCA funding has just come to light very recently, and he would like to get more information from staff before the work session on the SPCA. Mr. Tucker responded that he has a meeting with them later this week. Mr. Slutzky said to those still remaining in the audience, that the Board appreciated them weighing in and sharing their thoughts and caring this much about the community. _______________ Agenda Item No. 9. From the Board: Committee Reports and Matters Not Listed on the Agenda. There were no matters to discuss this evening. _______________ February 25, 2009 (Adjourned Meeting) (Page 17) Agenda Item No. 10. Adjourn to March 2, 2009, 1:00 p.m., Room 241. At 9:44 p.m., with no further business to come before the Board, motion was offered by Mr. Boyd that the Board adjourns this meeting until March 2, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. in Room 241 of the County Office Building. Mr. Rooker seconded the motion, which passed by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Dorrier, Ms. Mallek, Mr. Rooker, Mr. Slutzky, Ms. Thomas and Mr. Boyd. NAYS: None. ________________________________________ Chairman Approved by the Board of County Supervisors Date: 05/13/2009 Initials: EWJ