2010-06-30June 30, 2010 (Adjourned Meeting)
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An adjourned meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Albemarle County, Virginia, was held on
June 30, 2010, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at the Virginia Department of Forestry Building, Fontaine
Research Park, 900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville, Virginia, for purposes of holding a Strategic
Planning Session. The meeting was adjourned from June 9, 2010.
PRESENT: Mr. Kenneth C. Boyd, Mr. Lindsay G. Dorrier, Jr., Ms. Ann H. Mallek, Mr. Dennis S.
Rooker, Mr. Duane Snow and Mr. Rodney Thomas.
ABSENT: None.
OFFICERS PRESENT: County Executive, Robert W. Tucker, Jr., County Attorney, Larry W.
Davis, Assistant County Executive, Tom Foley, Assistant County Executive, Bryan Elliott, Manager of
Strategic Planning and Performance, Lori Allshouse, Community Relations Director, Lee Catlin, Clerk,
Ella Jordan, and Senior Deputy Clerk, Meagan Hoy.
Additional members of the County’s Leadership Council and staff from the Finance Department
were also in attendance.
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The following minutes are a summary of the Board’s Strategic Planning Session.
Ms. Mallek called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m. and provided opening remarks. She thanked the
State’s Forestry Department for continuing to allow us to use their facilities at no cost to the County. She
provided a historical context for the meeting and stated that the County’s current strategic plan officially
ends on this day. She recognized that the County made a lot of progress, and that the County still faces
significant challenges in the years ahead. She stated that today’s meeting is to set direction for a new two
year Strategic Action Plan that will best position the County given the new and evolving economy. This
new Plan will be more tactical and focused. She said that in addition to priority setting work today, the
Board will discuss ways to most effectively work together to serve the County in this new era. Also, the
Board will reflect on the budget process just completed and come to an agreement on changes to the
process in the upcoming year.
Mr. Tucker welcomed the Board’s active and engaged participation in the session and provided an
overview of the meeting. He echoed Ms. Mallek’s comments about the benefits of this annual session and
the importance of tightening the County’s strategic focus over the next two years. He stated that the
session will begin with the Board reviewing how Board members and staff operate as a team. Then, t here
will be a brief overview of the new economic realities facing the community. Next the Board will discuss
major strategic issues and will identify and prioritize items that will form the basis of our strategic plan for
the next two years that builds upon information shared with staff during individual interviews and material
developed by the County’s Leadership Council. Finally, the Board will review and discuss proposed
changes to the budget process and come to an agreement on a revised budget process for the coming
year. He concluded that the session would end with a summary of our day’s activities and outline the
next steps.
As the first agenda item, Ms. Catlin facilitated the Board discussion regarding ways the Board and
Staff can work together to be most effective. Following is a summary of the Board comments and
suggestions during this discussion regarding Board/staff working relationships:
What Board members value from each other in working together:
o Knowledge
o Honesty
o Diversity
o Geographical knowledge
o Perspective
o Congenial attitude
o Preparation
o No hidden agendas
o Appreciation of staff role
What Board members identify as staff’s appropriate role:
o Provision of informed options
o Legal advice
o Timely and accurate information that is understandable and presented without an agenda
o Quick feedback/responsiveness
o Making the Board aware of unanticipated consequences
What Board members identify as their appropriate role:
o Clear/Informed direction
o Effective use of staff time
o Prioritized directions
o Clear communication
June 30, 2010 (Adjourned Meeting)
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Suggested Improvements:
o Have frequent dialogue with staff so that everyone has a clear understanding about
expectations – what is required to do the task at hand
o Do a better job of communicating the Board’s decisions and intentions to the public
o Provide an opportunity for staff to respond back and clarify/incorporate expectations into
the action letter
o Use understandable English
o Staff should say when more people need to be in discussions about particular situations
Next, Mr. Foley led the Board in a discussion regarding the new economic realities facing the
County, state and nation. He shared historical data and financial trends for the County’s reassessments,
property tax revenue, sales tax revenue, and state general fund revenue. He then provided economic
information from the Gallop Poll and John Silvia, Ph.D., Chief Economist, Wells Fargo Securities
Economics Group. The information indicated a shift in the nation’s economy which will include more
restrained consumer economic activity, weak job growth, and high unemployment.
Mr. Foley also provided information from the “Center on Budget and Policy” which indicated that
states will continue to struggle to find resources to support critical public services and that this situation is
anticipated to continue for a number of years.
Mr. Foley concluded by sharing information from the International County/City Management
Association and the “Financial Times” which indicates that the financial crisis has redefined local
government. Local governments will have less money to deliver services and many have established
“new normal’s” that will remain in place after the US economy rebounds.
Note: The Board took a brief recess at 10:24 a.m., and came back to order at 10:43 a.m.
Following the break, the Board of Supervisors, working from charts which included topics
previously identified by individual Board members as well as the County’s Leadership Council, discussed
major strategic issues facing the County and identified, and prioritized the top five strategic action items
that the County should include in the FY 10/11 – FY 11/12 Strategic Action Plan.
Following are notes and outcomes from this discussion:
Overall Theme – Redefining/Sustaining County Government in the new Economic Reality.
Priority –CIP Funding
Directional Statement/Outcome –The Board will select desired option(s) for increasing funding in the CIP.
Related issues raised by the Board:
Options for how to put money back into CIP – target amount? Committee structure?
Are maintenance standards appropriate? (are there reallocation possibilities?)
Take advantage of outside funds/use county funds to leverage other funding
Determine which projects are pressing enough for funding
Review inventory of County properties
Initial Action Step(s): Staff to plan a preliminary discussion of viable options for the Board’s consideration
Priority –Working/budgeting relationship with the School Division
Directional Statement /Outcome - The Board of Supervisors will improve communication, trust a nd budget
information sharing with the County School Board.
Related issues raised by the Board:
More regular discussion about issues
Improve Communication and trust
Better budget data/information
Increase understanding of future picture
Consider standardized budget reporting
Initial Action Step(s): Board approved a revised budget process for the upcoming Five Year Financial
Plan and annual budget which includes additional meetings with the School Board – it will be
implemented immediately
Priority –Economic Vitality
Directional Statement –The County will have an adopted plan to increase focus on economic
development/ vitality.
Related issues raised by the Board:
job creation
ability to be responsive to changing conditions
Initial Action Step(s): Continue progress of the Economic Development Action Plan currently under
consideration by the Board with public hearing on July 14
Priority – Library System Structure
Directional Statement –The Board will determine the most desirable future library system structure for the
County given current fiscal realities
June 30, 2010 (Adjourned Meeting)
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Related issues raised by the Board:
staff should conduct an independent analysis prior to the Board having any conversations with
Library representatives
Initial Action Step(s): Staff to determine and conduct an appropriate analysis process and bring those
results to the Board of Supervisors
Priority - Solid Waste Disposal
Directional Statement – The Board will provide direction on a preferred solid waste disposal option within
a six-month period.
Related issues raised by the Board:
Initial Action Step(s): Staff will determine a process for presenting and evaluating realistic options for
solid waste disposal in a timeframe that allows the Board to act within the six month timeframe
Other strategic issues discussed that were not selected as the top 5 priorities by the Board:
Historic Preservation (Lewis and Clark, Old Jail, Hatton Ferry)
Transportation planning/funding (this will be part of CIP and other financial discussions)
Land preservation efforts
Alternative approaches for regional agencies:
o SPCA
o ACSA/RWSA/water supply (these discussions are already underway)
o Fire rescue (these discussions are already underway)
Sustainable level of funding for community agencies (this will be part of upcoming financial
discussions)
Other Topics identified for Future Discussion:
More information to be brought to the Board about the Inmate work release program (Sheriff
Harding’s work program)
Should the County increase the Contingency fund in the budget?
Provide the Board with an update on the One Stop Work Force Center
Provide information to help Board members understand changes in mandates and outside
funding sources
The Board reviewed and approved proposed changes to the budget process that were presented by
Lori Allshouse, that included additional meetings with the School Division to improve communication and
understanding of the School Division’s base budget and long-term funding needs. Other changes to the
budget process were also approved to provide an opportunity for the Board to learn more details about
two local government departments’ operations including how they construct their budgets from the bottom
up.
Finally, Mr. Elliott provided a summary of the meeting results and outcomes. Staff will use this
information to develop the County’s FY 10/11 – FY 11/12 Strategic Action Plan.
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Adjourn
With no further business, Ms. Mallek adjourned the meeting at 2:30 p.m.
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Chairman
Approved by Board
Date: 08/04/2010
Initials: EWJ