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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-04-04 adjApril 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 1) An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on April 4, 1990, at 1:00 P.M., Meeting Room 7, County Office Building, McIntire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. This meeting was adjourned from April 2, 1990. PRESENT: Messrs. Edward H. Bain, Jr., David P. Bowerman, F. R. Bowie, Mrs. Charlotte Y. Humphris, Mr. Walter F. Perkins and Mr. Peter T. Way. ABSENT: None. OFFICERS PRESENT: County Executive, Mr. Guy B. Agnor, Jr.; Deputy County Executives, Mr. Ray B. Jones and Mr. Robert W. Tucker, Jr.; and Management Analyst, Ms. Roxanne White. Agenda Item No. 1. The meeting was called to order at 1:05 P.M. by the Chairman, Mr. Bowie. Agenda Item No. 2. Work Session: 1990-91 County Budget: Zero-Base Budget Overview. Ms. White summarized the process of zero-based budgeting for the Board. She said the first step in this process is to identify the budget units, which are smaller divisions, or programs, within a department; define the goals and objectives of each program; examine the current level of operation; and define performance measures for each program. Ms. White said these performance measures are one of the most important elements of zero-based budgeting, because that step links the funding for a program to the level of service provided. The second step is to determine and analyze various levels of service- within that budget unit. Ms. White said the departments were requested to provide one level below their current level of operation. This lower level, which would require between 85 to 90 percent of the particular department's current level of funding, offers only essential services. The second level shows the services provided with the current level of funding. Then the departments were requested to add expanded levels of services, if it was felt that services were needed in a particular program. Ms. White said the third step is to determine what resources are needed to deliver each level of service. In the fourth step, ~the service levels of the various programs within each department are ranked in terms of priority. Ms. White said there are advantages and disadvantages to budgeting with a zero-based system. She said breaking the larger departments into smaller programs made it easier to analyze the budget for each department. She said the zero-based system also involved the program managers in the budgetary process and encouraged program managers and department heads to consider their long-range needs, even Lhough those needs could not be funded at this point. Ms. White said the disadvantages of the zero-based system include the enormous amount of paperwork needed to make the system work; and the difficulty of isolating the costs of specific program changes when they are incorporated into a service level. Lastly, Ms. White pointed out that the complicated process of zero-based budgeting is not very useful, when the revenues do not exist to fund higher levels of service and if it is unlikely that services will be cut. Mr. Bowie asked if using the zero-based system for the entire County budget would require that additional staff be hired. Mr. Agnor said "yes". Mr. Bain said he thinks the zero-based system is helpful, but he is not sure he would support switching the entire County budget to such a system, considering the effort it would take and the personnel that would have to be employed. Mrs. Humphris said the first year of using a zero-based budget would involve much time and effort, but the process would be easier in succeeding years. ~ril 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 2) Parks &R~creation. Requested $990,628; Recommended $851,138. Mr. Jones said the Department of Parks and Recreation was divided into ten divisions for the zero-based budget process: Management, which provides the administration and coordination of all the Department's programs; Mainte- nance, which is responsible for the upkeep of all County parks and recreations centers; Community Centers, which operates the three community centers at Greenwood, Scottsville and the Meadows in Crozet; Special Interest Classes; Special Activities; Summer Playground, which is operated for eight weeks at ten sites throughout the County; Athletics, which provides organized and free play athletic programs for adults and youth; Therapeutic Recreation; and the Summer Swim Program, which offers supervised swimming at Chris Greene and Mint Springs. Mr. Jones said that funding is recommended at the current level of service, Level 2, in all divisions except Maintenance and the Su~er Swim program. The division of Maintenance is recommended to be funded at a reduced Level 3 ($380,155) to cover the personnel and operating costs for the new Southern Park. This reduced level does not include approximately $60,000 of capital equipment to maintain the Southern Park. For the Summer Swim program, funding is recommended at Level 1, ($11,250) which would reduce the daily hours of operation at Chris Greene and Mint Springs from 8:00 A.M. through 8:30 P.M. to 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. The swimming season would also be shortened: the summer swim program would begin on Memorial Day, instead of the first week of May, and end on Labor Day, instead of continuing for two weekends after Labor Day. Reducing the hours of operation would save the County $14,200. Mr. Jones said it is assumed in this budget that the summer swim program will not begin at the Southern Regional Park until July, 1991, which lies in the next fiscal year. Mr. Bain asked if the Southern Regional Park would be open by Memorial Day, 1991. Mr. Patrick Mullaney, Director of Parks and Recreation, said the Park would probably be open, but funding for Level 1 of this division does not include funds for the lifeguards and cashiers necessary to the swimming program at the Southern Regional Park. He added that waiting until the next fiscal year to fund these positions will make it difficult to hire summer employees, who generally prefer to begin work before July. Mr. Bain asked how much money would be needed to begin the summer swim program at the Southern Regional Park on Memorial Day, instead of in July. Mr. Mullaney said the cost of starting the program would be $25,000, $10,000 of which would be returned to the County in revenues, making the net cost $15,ooo. Mr. Bain said it does not make sense to him to have a park if it is not open at the beginning of the summer. Mr. Agnor pointed out that construction projects often take longer than scheduled and cited the opening of the Rivanna Park as an example. If the Southern Regional Park is finished by Memorial Day, 1991, he said, funding could probably be shifted from another division in the Parks and Recreation Department to cover the operation of the park for a month. Mr. Bowie said he does not think the $15,000 should be allocated now, since the park will not be finished for at least a year. Mr. Bain said he is also concerned about reducing the hours for the swimming programs. He said he often goes to the Mint Springs park in the evenings and has noticed a significant number of people swimming there between 7:00 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. in the evening. He said he would like to add to the list of items to be reconsidered funding to keep the swimming program open until 8:30 the evening. He asked Mr. Mullaney if he felt attendance in the evenings and mornings warranted keeping the extended hours of the swimming program. Mr. Mullaney said attendance was higher in the evening hours than in the morning hours. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 3) Mr. Way asked how much it would cost to keep the swimming program open from 10:00 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. Mr. Mullaney said this would cost between $7000 and $8000. Mr. Bain asked that funding in the amount of $8000 be added to the list of items to be reconsidered. Rivanna Park. Requested $84,950; Recommended $84,950. Mr. Jones said the Rivanna Park, scheduled to open this spring, is a 100-acre recreational facility owned by the City and the County. The proposed allocation of $84,950 represents the County's share of the FY 1990-91 total budget of $179,905. This is the first full year of operation for the Rivanna Park. Although the FY 1989-90 budget funded a full year's operation, due the construction delays, the actual expenditures will be only $74,735. Mr. Jones said that full funding of the baseline budget of Rivanna Park is recommended. No change was suggested to the recommended budget. Police. Requested $4,571,194; Reco~nded $3,320,891. Mr. Tucker said the Police Department was divided into four major pro- grams: Administration, Management, Patrol and Investigations. Animal Con- trol, which was once considered a separate division of the Police Department, is now included within the Patrol division. Funding is recommended for the Police Department at the current level of service, Level 2, in the divisions of Administration and Management. In the Patrol division, Mr. Tucker said, funding is recommended at a reduced Level 3 to provide for three new officers and accompanying operating and capital costs. Not funded in Level 3 were seven officers, the satellite office, the mobile command post, the motorcycle traffic unit, a repeater for a third radio frequency ($12,000) and $120,000 for expanded staff development. Mr. Tucker said the proposed community service volunteers are expected to help the Patrol division work more efficiently. Mr. Tucker said that funding is recommended at a reduced Level 3 for the division of Investigative Services. This funding would add one investigator, who would probably be assigned to the regional drug task force, to the current level of service. Mr. Bowie asked Chief John Miller if he wished to make a statement. Chief Miller said the funding recommended for three additional officers would help him implement the sector-beat system; however, he believes the recom- mended funding falls short of what is needed to patrol the County during the critical hours between 6:00 P.M. and 2:00 A.M. He said it is important to keep officers on patrol in areas of the County to build a rapport between the community and the police force. Mr. Bowie said that five police officers were hired during FY 1986-87 expressly for the purpose of working the "power shift" during the hours between 6:00 P.M. and 2:00 A.M., when most crime occurs. It is now four years later, Mr. Bowie said, and the Board is told once again that the Police Department does not have the officers necessary to handle this shift. He said he wants to know what happened. Chief Miller said the employees working the "power shift" are the first called upon when the Department is short of staff. Mr. Bain asked how many police officers have be~n hired since Chief Miller become Chief of Police. Chief Miller said, "six officers". Mr. Bain asked how many officers it takes to create a "power shift". Chief Miller said it would take four officers in addition to the three offi- cers recommended by the County Executive. He said any positions in addition to the three recommended by the County Executive would be considered "power shift" positions. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 4) Mr. Bain asked how much it costs to fund one police officer and the attendant operating and capital costs. Mr. Tucker-said it costs about ;52,000. Mr. Bain asked that funding for two police officers ($104,000) be added the list of items to be reconsidered at the end of this work session. Mr. Bowie said the County has one of the smallest police forces in the State, yet the crime rate is decreasing. He said this decrease in the crime rate testifies to the fine job the police officers are doing. Planning and Co~mnnityDevelopment. Requested $857,334; Recommended $590,213. Mr. Tucker said the Department of Planning and Community Development consists of four budgetary divisions: Administration, Planning, Community Development and Graphics. Funding is recommended for the Department at the current level, Level 2, for all four divisions. The baseline budget of $590,213 reflects a decrease of $12,485 (2.07 percent) over that of FY 1989-90. Mr. Tucker said the budget has decreased due to the one-time costs associated with the revision of the Comprehensive Plan and the turn-over rate of employees in the Department. Mr. Tucker said the County Executive supports, but has not recommended, funding the position of Transportation Planner. Since the transportation model for Route 29 North is nearly completed, staff believes that a Transpor- tation Planner is necessary to the Department. Mr. Way asked how much it would cost to fund this position. Mr. Tucker said "$38,500". Mr. Bowie said this position seems critical to him and he cannot under- stand why this position was not recommended to be funded and other less essential items, such as new furniture for the Personnel Department, were recommended to be funded. He said he believes the budget is still tied to specific departments, rather than reflecting the overall needs of the County. Mr. Bain agreed that personnel are more important than furniture. He thinks the departments most affected by growth are Planning and Community Development, Zoning, and Inspections, and the County should do what it can to meet the needs of these departments. Mr. Bowerman asked if one additional position will meet the needs of the Department of Planning and Community Development, given the increasing rate of development and the upcoming reports on housing, historic districts and the public facilities plan. Mr. Tucker said staff is anticipating a gradual decrease in building activity beginning with FY 1990-91; however, he believes that the position of the Transportation Planner is essential, regardless of the future rate of development. Mrs. Humphris said she could not believe that the County Executive recommended funding this department at the current level of service. She said that guiding,~i~et~/~g ~ and controlling development have been the top priori- ties of this Board. sh~ disagreed with Mr. Tucker's cox~ents concerning a future decrease in development. She said the economy may be slowing down on a national level, bringing with it a gradual decrease in building activity, but she does not believe that development is going to decrease in the County. She said people are just pouring into this community, building new businesses and houses. She does not think the Board can expect the Planning staff, at the current level, to give the Board the support it needs to make appropriate decisions. Mr. Bowerman said this is one area in which zero-based budgeting should have an impact, because there are fees that can be charged for an increased level of service. He said the need for more service is directly caused by development. The fees could be raised, thereby pinning the cost of more personnel and an increased level of service on the cause of the problem. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 5) Mr. Bain asked that funding for the Transportation Planner and one planning technician ($75,000) be added to the list of items to be reconsidered at the end of this work session. -I Mr. Wayne Cilimberg addressed the Board and said he thinks the services provided in Level 3 are essential. Under the current level of service, he continued, staff is reacting, rather than planning. Inspections. Requested $817,465; Recommended $647,338. Mr. Jones said the Department of Inspections consists of three budgetary units: Administration, Building Inspections and Fire Inspection. Funding is recommended at the current level of service, Level 2, for each division. The budget for the entire department reflects an increase of $13,873 (2.29 per- cent) of FY 1989-90. Mr'. Jones said staff had considered recommending an expanded level of service under the division of Fire Prevention, but had decided against such a recommendation in the hopes of receiving some fire inspection services in the urban area under the contract with the City's Fire Department. Mr. Jesse Hurt, Head of the Inspections Department, was present to answer questions. City-CountyAgreement. Requested $2,802,360; Recommended $3,128,917. Mr. Agnor said the 1982 Revenue Sharing Agreement requires that the annual amount be calculated each January for payment the following January. This amount is agreed upon by the County Executive and the City Manager and is based on several factors, including population, the tax base, assessment ratio and a growth sharing contribution. The FY 1990-91 County/City Revenue Sharing appropriation is $2,802,360, an increase of $109,240 over that of FY 1989-90, or a 4.06 percent increase.~6~C~he limit in the formula, the payment would be $3,128,917. Funding is recommended at the contract level. D~bt Service. Requested $1,996,138; Recommended $1,996,138. Mr. Agnor said this debt service does not include the $1,400,000 needed for the debt on the new school bond issue. Mr. Bain asked if staff anticipates the need for a new school bond issue this fall. Mr. Agnor said he believes this may be necessary by the spring of 1992. No change was made to the amount recommended by the County Executive. Capital Tmprovement Transfer. Requested $6,075,000; Recommended $6,075,000. No change was made to the amount recommended by the County Executive. (Note: The Board recessed at 2:38 P.M. and reconvened at 3:00 P.M.) Agenda Item No. 3. Matters for Consideration from Other Work Sessions. Mr. Agnor said the total contingency fund available to the Board, includ- ing recordation fees and the reduction in the cost of retirement (VSRS), totals $1,114,240. The Board has agreed upon the following additions to the recommended budget: Voting Machine $ 1,900 Redistricting materials 1,070 Community Supervision Program (Community Attention) 6,505 FAX machine - Commonwealth Attorney 2,295 Bullet-proof vests Sheriff 1,680 ,ril 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 6) 6 Part-time deputy sheriff AHIP - Home Ownership Program County Executive (Division of Budget and Management) Joint Dispatch Engineering (Engineering Inspector II) Social Services (Unattached Child Program) Social Services (Increased pay for child care providers Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) Additional funding for Victim Services Program Jefferson Area Board on Aging (JABA) - Third day for Esmont Center JABA - One scholarship at Adult Day Care Center Jefferson Area United Transportation (JAUNT) - $1.00 subsidy for handicapped riders United Way Child Care Scholarship Program Ten day care scholarships Regional Library - Operating budget for the proposed Route 29 North Branch Regional Library - Young Adult Services Librarian Literacy Volunteers of America - full-time staff Housing - Part-time Eligibility worker Zoning - Increase office assistant to full-time Zoning - Third Zoning Inspector Soil/Water Conservation - Local match for Conservation Specialist Gypsy Moth Program - Mountain bike Monticello Area Community Action Agency (MACAA) Project Discovery MACAA - Baseline increase MACAA Hope House Police - two additional officers Planning - Senior Planner/Planning Technician Parks & Recreation - Extended swimming hours Debt Service - Virginia Public School Authority bonds 12,630 13,569 35,280 11,690 43,415 6,980 20,745 2,375 6,555 6,500 10,505 16,300 307,000 15,925 8,845 12,000 9,945 38,920 4,000 250 1,200 837 238 104,000 67,000 8,000 $1~401,937 Total $2,180,091 In reference to the funding requested by the Literacy Volunteers, Mr. nor said the requested amount of $13,265 was based on the Library's circula- tion of books, rather than on participation in the program. He said that County residents account for about 40 percent of the Literacy Volunteers' students; City residents make up the remaining 60 percent. Mr. Agnor said staff recommends that the funding reflect this proportion, rather than the circulation figures. The revised request is for $8845. Mr. Agnor said that funding all of the above items would result in a shortfall of $1,065,851 in the Board's reserve fund. Mr. Bowie asked what effect funding all of these items would have on the tax rate. Mr. Agnor said that funding the entire list would require a tax increase of 3.5 cents per one hundred dollars. Mr. Bowie then polled the Board on whether members would support a tax increase of three or four cents per one hundred dollars. Roll was called, with the following results: AYES: Mr. Bain and Mrs. Humphris. NAYS: Messrs. Bowerman, Bowie, Perkins and Way. Mr. Bowie suggested that members of the Board first review the requests of agencies listed for reconsideration. He said he would ask for a poll on each item; any item receiving less than four votes would be deleted from the list. Mr. Bowerman said there are items of this list which he does not think should be funded, which is why he does not feel he could support a tax in- crease of three or four cents at this time. Community Attention - Co~nity Supervision Program; $6505. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 7) FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie and Way. AGAINST: Mrs. Humphris and Mr. Perkins. SARA; $2375. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie and Mrs. Humphris. AGAINST: Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. Mr. Perkins said he is not going to support funding the full amount of of the listed requests. He suggested that the Board consider funding half of each request. Mr. Bowie said he thinks after the Board has decided which requests will be funded, that those funds should not be given to the agencies right away. Instead, 75 percent of these funds would be released after a mid-year review by the Program Review Committee, to make sure the agencies are managing their money wisely. He said he would not support allocating 100 percent of the request to the agencies without such a review. JABA, Third day at the Esmont Cemter; $3565. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie. AGAINST: Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. Motion was offered by Mr. Perkins to determine what percentage of its request each agency on the list will receive. There was no second to this motion. Mr. Bain said that some of these requests should be funded in full, otherwise, it makes little sense to fund them at all. Mr. Bowie said he thinks the funds should not be allocated as a lump sum to the agencies; instead, the Program Review Committee should manage the distribution of these funds, since the Committee is familiar with the agen- cies. Mr. Bain said he does not think this is the function of the Program Review Committee. Mr. Bowie said he does not believe all the requests should be funded in entirety. He said the failure of Mr. Perkins's motion may change the way he votes. Mr. Bowerman said he thinks the responsibility should rest on the direc- tors of some of these agencies to figure out a way to fund some of these requests, or a portion of some of these requests. He said he supports some of these requests, such as the Library's operating budget for a Branch on Route 29 North, but he questions the need for the full amount requested. He also thinks the agencies should demonstrate that the money is actually spent as promised. He thinks this is good government and good fiscal management. Mr. Bowie said he thinks the agencies need to be held accountable for their spending. He said the executive director of an agency with a budget totaling over $1.0 million has told the Board that unless the agency receives $6000, nine children will not be helped. Mr. Bowie said he is sure there are funds for filing cabinets and chairs in this agency's budget and he thinks there should be some way to encourage agencies such as this to use their funding for their priorities, not furniture. After the Board approves some of of these requests, Mr. Bowie said, he thinks the disbursement of funds should be controlled by the County Executive. Mr. Bowie said he thinks the agencies should demonstrate, either by a fund balance at the end of the fiscal year or a mid-year review, that they are doing what they promised and that they are managing and saving their money. Mrs. Humphris questioned whether the County had the staff to keep track of this spending. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 8) 8 Mr. Bain said these social agencies offer services throughout the area and cannot spend all of their funding on services for the County. He does not believe staff is prepared to review how much is spent by each agency on services for the County. Mr. Bowie said it will be difficult for him to support any increase for any agency if the Board funds 100 percent of each request without specifying some sort of control over how the money is spent. Mr. Bain suggested that members of the Board vote on each request, using the amount given as a maximum and decide later whether the amount should be reduced. Mr. Bowie agreed and said this would allow members of the Board to vote for the programs they supported, even if they do not support funding the full request. JABA, Third day at Esmont; $6535. FOR: Mr. Bain and Mr. Bowerman. AGAINST: Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. JABA, One scholarship for the Adult Day Care Center; $6500. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. AGAINST: None. JAUNT, $1.00 subsidy for handicapped riders; $10,005. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. AGAINST: None. United Way Child Care Scholarships, $16,300. FOR: Mr. Bain, Mr. Bowerman, Mrs. Humphris and Mr. Way. AGAINST: Mr. Bowie and Mr. Perkins. Library, Young Adult Services Librarian; $15,925. FOR: None. AGAINST: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way Literacy Volunteers of America, Full-time staff, $8845. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. AGAINST: None. Soil/Water Conservation, Local match for conservation specialist; $4000. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris and Mr. Perkins. AGAINST: Mr. Way. Gypsy Moth Program, Mountain bike; $250. FOR: None. AGAINST: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 9) M~CAA, Project Discovery; $1200. FOR: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Way. AGAINST: Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Humphris and Mr. Perkins. 9 MACAA, Baseline increase; $837. FOR: Mr. Bowerman. AGAINST: Mr. Bain, Mr. Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. MACAA, Hope House; $238. FOR: None. AGAINST: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. Mr. Bowie asked the total of the requests of the agencies the Board ~upports for additional funding. Mr. Agnor said "$55,028" Motion was offered by Mrs. Humphris and seconded by Mr. Bain to fund in full the additional requests made by the agencies selected to receive addi- tional funding. Mr. Way said he does not understand how the agencies will be funded, if they receive only a portion of the requested amount. Mr. Bowie said the agencies could be given a certain percentage of the additional amount they had requested. Or, the funds could be placed in a contingency account pending a mid-year review and the agencies required to carry their fund balance against whatever additional amount they requested. There was no further discussion. Roll was called and the motion failed by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Bain and Mrs. Humphris. NAYS: Messrs. Bowerman, Bowie, Perkins and Way. Mr. Bowie asked how many agencies need funds immediately in order to provide their services. Mr. Tucker said the Literacy Volunteers and the Soil and Water Conservation. Motion was offered by Mr. Bowerman and seconded Mr. Perkins to approve the request of the Literacy Volunteers of America for a full-time staff position ($8845) and the request of the Soil and Water Conservation program for local match for a conservation specialist ($4000). Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: NAYS: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman and Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. None. Mr. Bowerman said he does not think it unreasonable to expect some accountability from the agencies that receive County funds. He thinks funding the additional requests at 90 percent of the amount sought by the agencies would send a message to these groups, and encourage them to come up with the remaining ten pezcent from their own fund balances. At the same time, he continued, funding at this level would let the agencies know that the Board thinks their services are worthy and valued. Mr. Bain asked why this policy is advocated only for the agencies requesting additional amounts. If this is a good idea, he asked, why not extend it to all the agencies? Mr. Bowie said these agencies on the list asked for additional funding, which he thinks distinguishes them from the rest of the agencies. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 10) lO Mr. Bowerman said he thinks the agencies requesting increments in funding should haVe to show how they manage their entire budgets. He said many of his constituents have told him that they are willing to pay higher taxes to fund programs they believe to be important; they justwant to make sure their money is used wisely. If the Board has to raise taxes, he said, he thinks it only reasonable that the Board can account for how the money is spent. Motion was then offered by Mr. Bowerman and seconded by Mr. Way to fund the additional requests approved by the Board at 85 percent of the amount requested. Mr. Bowie asked if Mr. Bowerman intended that the agencies in question must come up with 15 percent of the amount requested in order to receive the 85 percent from the County. Mr. Way said this is adding another layer to Mr. Bowerman's motion. He said he supports the motion as it was first stated. Mr. Bowie asked if Mr. Bowerman intended that the agencies spend the funding as promised. Mr. Bowerman said "yes". Mr. Way supported this intent as well. Mr. Bowie said he cannot support this motion because he does not think it would improve the accountability of the agencies. There was no further discussion. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Mr. Bain, Mr. Bowerman, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. NAYS: Mr. Bowie. Mr. Bowie said the County Executive and his staff have worked for months on this budget, and he does not believe the Board should just add items ad hoc, He said he will support allowing additional funds to be made available to the County Executive. He thinks the role of the Board is to guide the County Executive and make him aware of the areas the Board wishes prioritized. Mr. Way said that despite today's lengthy discussion on the needs of the County, he believes it is more important to have a reasonable tax rate. He said he does not believe that he can support an increase of over two cents in the tax rate. He said he is willing to give about 40 percent of the contin- gency fund to the County Executive to fund the priorities of General Govern- ment. He thinks 60 percent of the reserved funds should be allocated to the schools. Mr. Bowie said he has stated he will not support raising taxes beyond what is needed to fund the school debt. If the meals tax had passed, he said, he would have supported a reduction in the tax rate, but this did not happen. He suggested taking the VSRS reduction of $80,000 plus an additional $75,000 and make this sum of $155,000 available to the County Executive, who will let the Board know at the first of the year how he intends to prioritize the funds. Mr. Bowie said he will review this list of priorities. Mr. Bowie recommended that the schools be allowed to use their VSRS surplus as they see fit. He also recommended giving the schools $100,000 from the contingency fund. He thinks this amount should be offset by the School Board transferring $100,000 of their funds from staff to the classroom, for aides and books and equipment. He said he supposes such a measure is up to the School Board, or this Board. Mr. Bowie said he also supports funding the request of $11,690 from the Joint Dispatch Center. He believes the operating budget for the Route 29 Branch of the Library should not be funded at this time, since a location for the branch has not yet been decided. Once a site has been chosen, the funds for the operating budget could be drawn from the fund balance, if necessary. Mrs. Humphris asked what has delayed the decision concerning a site for the new branch. Mr. Jones said staff and the Library Board are on the verge of deciding to put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) designating the square footage of the branch and its general vicinity and asking for bids on the basis of that information. He said this procedure would take about 60 days. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 11) Mrs. Humphris said she does not think the Board can be sure the funds will be available for this project unless an amount is set aside in this budget. Mr. Agnor said the Board could agree that the funds for the new branch library's operating budget will be taken from the fund balance, the balance of which is about $7.5 million today. Mr. Bain said he does not want to see this project delayed. Mrs. Humphris said she fears that removing the amount for the operating budget will delay the entire project. She said this branch library should be a high priority for the community. Mr. Bowie said he does not think deleting the funds for the operating budget from this budget will delay the project. He said funds to set up the branch library are in the CIP and the operating budget can be covered with money from the fund balance. Mr-. Bowie then said that allocating an additional $155,000 to the County Executive, the VSRS reduction and $100,000 to the Schools, and funding the Joint Dispatch Center leaves the County $645,000 short of paying off the $1.4 million debt service, which comes to an increase of two cents on the tax rate. Mr. Bain asked the County Executive to list his priorities on the list of items to be deferred. Mr. Agnor presented the following list of priorities: 1. Zoning, increase office assistant to full-time $ 9,945 2. Planning, Transportation Planner 38,500 3. Zoning, third Zoning Inspector 38,920 4. Housing, part-time eligibility worker 12,000 5. Parks & Recreation, extended swimming hours 8,000 6. Engineering, Engineering Inspector II 43~415 Total $150,780 Mr. Agnor noted that none of the other general government items on the list of deferrals could be funded with the amount suggested by Mr. Bowie. He said his seventh priority would be funding the request by Social Services for $20,745 to increase the pay for Day Care providers. He said this priority cOuld be accommodated by filling some of the positions set out above later in the fiscal year. Mr. Bowerman noted that the County Executive's list of priorities did not include funding the two additional officers requested by the Police Depart- ment. Mr. Agnor said that other departments had more urgent needs. Mr. Bowie said he thinks additional police officers should be a higher priority than planners. He asked Mr. Agnor if an additional police officer could be funded if there is a surplus in the Board's contingency account for the current fiscal year. Mr. Agnor said "yes". Mr. Tucker then summarized Mr. Bowie's suggested distribution of funds as follows: $75,000 to general government in addition to the $80,000 expected from the VSRS reductions; $100,000 to the schools; and $11,690 to the Joint Dispatch Center. These distributions total $186,690. Mr. Tucker said that $48,705 equals 85 percent of the amount requested by the social service agencies approved for additional funding, plus the additional amounts request- ed by the Literacy Volunteers of America and the Soil and Water Conservation. Adding this amount to the previous distributions yields the sum of $235,395. The Board has a contingency fund of $801,840 which, when added to the recordation fees of $232,400, totals $1,034,240. Subtracting this figure from the debt service of $1,401,937 and the additional allocations approved by the Board today yields a deficit of $611,000. Funding this deficit would require a tax increase of two cents per one hundred dollars of evaluation on real property. Mr. Bain asked if these calculations included the funding for a voting machine, rediStricting materials, fax machine, bullet-proof vests and other items that are already listed as being funded under the Board's contingency account. Mr. Tucker said "no". Mr. Bain noted that these items totaled $33,000. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 12) 12 Mr. Bain said the schools project a carryover balance of $147,000. asked if any carryover funds over this amount would be returned to the school's budget. He Mr. Bowie said he would support this measure with two provisos: the schools cannot change the pay rate for classified employees and any additional money should go to the classrooms. He does not think the school system needs more coordinators, it needs money in the classrooms. He said he would like to place these conditions on the additional $100,000, but he does not know how the Board feels about such a measure. He said he would also require some kind of offset to this allocation, which would require the schools to put more money in the classrooms. Mr. Way said he agrees with Mr. Bowie, but he believes the Board should work through its School Board members. Mr. Bain said he thinks the School Board has tried to allocate its money to the classrooms. Mr. Bowie agreed that he has felt better about this budget from the School Board than any received in the past. Mr. Agnor said the CIP budget shows General Fund and School Fund carryover balances being used. He said about $200,000 in school carryover funds from FY 90-91 is anticipated to go into the CIP for schools projects. He recommended placing any carryover balance over $147,000 at the end of FY 1989-90 into the CIP for these projects. Mr. Bowie said he thought the School Board had agreed to place these carryover funds into the CIP. Mr. Bowie suggested that the Board consider allocating the additional $100,000 to the schools, plus whatever surplus results from the Schools' VSRS reductions, and not decide at this point what the School Board will do with its carryover money. Motion was offered by Mr. Perkins and seconded by Mr, Way to give the County Executive $155,000 to fund the priorities listed for general govern- ment; the schools their VSRS reduction, plus $100,000 to be used in the classroom; the 911 Center $11,690; the Literacy Volunteers and the Soil and Water Conservation program $8,845 and $4000 respectively; and the outside agencies, $48,705. There was no further discussion. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. NAYS: None. Motion was offered by Mrs. Humphris and seconded by Mr. Bowerman to fund the operating budget of the Route 29 North Branch Library from the current year's fund balance. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. NAYS: None. Agenda Item No. 4. Set Tax Rates for 1990. Motion was offered by Mr. Bain and seconded by Mr. Bowerman to advertise the 1990-91 real estate tax rane at $0.74 per one hundred dollars of real property evaluation, the personal property tax rate at $4.40 per one hundred dollars of personal property of evaluation, the machinery and tools tax at $4.40 per one hundred dollars, the public service tax at $0.74 per one hundred dollars and the mobile home tax rate at $0.74 cents per hundred dollars. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. NAYS: None. April 4, 1990 (Afternoon Adjourned Meeting) (Page 13) Agenda Item No. 5. Order Advertisement of Public Hearing on 1990-91 County Budget. Motion was offered by Mr. Bain and seconded by Mrs. Humphris to set April 18, 1990, as the date of the public hearing on the 1990-91 County budget. Roll was called and the motion carried by the following recorded vote: AYES: Messrs. Bain, Bowerman, Bowie, Mrs. Humphris, Mr. Perkins and Mr. Way. NAYS: None. Agenda Item No. 6. Other Matters Not Listed on the Agenda from the Public and Board. Agend~ Item No. 7. Adjourn. With no further business to come before the Board, the Board adjourned at 5:04 P.M. CHAIRMAN