March 31 2016 Budget Work Session with Finance Com Minutes�4�
A Budget Work Session of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors and Finance
Committee was held on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 6:30 P.M., in the Board of Supervisors°
Meeting Room, 1 Oi North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia.
PRESENT
Chairman Charles S. DeHaven, Jr.; Vice - Chairman Gene E. Fisher; Blaine P. Dunn;
Robert A. Hess; Gary A. Lofton; Judith McCann - Slaughter; and Robert W. Wells.
OTHERS PRESENT
Finance Committee member Bill M. Ewing; County Administrator Brenda G. Garton,
Assistant County Administrator Kris C. Tierney, Deputy County Administrator Jay E. Tibbs,
Commissioner of the Revenue Ellen Murphy, Treasurer C. William Orndoff, Jr., Finance
Director +Cheryl B. Shiffler, Assistant Finance Director Sharon Kibler, Budget Analyst
Jennifer Place, County Attorney Rad Williams, HR Director Becky Merriner, Fire Chief
Dennis Limburg, Sheriff Lenny Mulholland, Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Sovine,
School Board Member Dr. Jahn Lamanna, and Executive Director of Finance for Frederick
County Public Schools Lisa Frye.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman DeHaven called the work session to order.
Administrator Garton briefly reviewed a suri�mary sheet of the county administrator's
proposed budget, She noted the Board has approved the 0.5% increase in the Transient
Occupancy Tax. She advised that the County had received an additianal $200,000 in sales tax
revenue, which was not originally part of the budget presentation. She concluded by saying staff
was looking for a decision regarding a tax rate and if any fund balance money would be used to
balance the budget.
Supervisor Hess stated he agreed with the approach of not utilizing fund balance to fund
operational costs. He stated some build -up of fund balance was good because it could be used
for one time capital needs and to off -set borrowing costs down the road.
Supervisor Lofton stated he did not disagree with that approach but right. now there are a
lot of people on Social Security who did not receive any kind of raise this year; therefore, he was
open to using some fund balance this year as a bridge to no use of fund balance next year.
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Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with
Finance Committee on 03/31/16
•
Treasurer Orndoff asked about the fund balance levels in the Landfill fund, He stated the
fund balance was healthy, but. there was a proposed increase in tipping fees. He asked far
additional information.
Supervisor Fisher stated he would have to ask. the public works director far additional
information.
Mr. Ewing asked for the proposed amount in the contingency line item.
Administrator tartan responded the proposed budget's contingency line item was
$1,575,882.
Mr. Ewing asked Frederick County Schools if they would be able to da a salary increase
this year.
Dr. Sovine responded that was a decision the school board would have to make. He
noted they would have to make $1.1 million in budget cuts in order to find money for the salary
increase. He went on to say if the school board opted not to do a salary increase then the schools
would lose state funding for salaries far Fiscal Years 2{}16 -2017 and 2017 -201$.
Supervisor Dunn stated he was concerned with what happens in next year's budget. He
stated he would like to see a five year budget. He asked if the school board would be willing to
sell the old transportation facility as a way of generating money. He went on to say that the
health insurance increase should be borne by the county employees and that the tax payers
should not supplement to pay for that increase.
Supervisor Fisher stated he liked the proposal offered a few weeks ago by Supervisor
Slaughter to use some level of fund balance as a weaning process in order to get away from using
fund balance in the future. He noted the funding levels were important to him and that the
schools and county administration have priorities. He went on to say that he was not getting into
balancing the budget by changing particular line items. He stated that approving a revenue
stream was where he would like to end up. He concluded by saying that he liked the proposal
offered fora $0.05 tax increase with some use of fund balance.
Supervisor Dunn stated he would like to see some fund balance taken out to reduce debt.
Treasurer Orndoff discussed the issue of overtime in Fire &Rescue and whether or not
this was a discussion for the Finance Committee or the Board.
Administrator Garton stated she was working on this issue and the proposed budget
reflected some reduction due to the proposed new positions. She noted the new positions would
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Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with
Finance Committee on 03/31/16
not come on board until at least January 2017; therefore,. it was difficult to predict haw much of a
reduction would be recognized next yeas...
Supervisor Dunn stated he was uncomfortable with a $0.0$ tax. increase; however, he
would be willing to go from $0.56 to $0.59. He went on to say he would like to see what would
happen with $0.(135, $0.04, and $O.flS increases. He wanted to know what would change based
o1a those amounts. 1*fe concluded by saying if the proposed increase went over $0.035 he would
like to see Borne money put towards debt.
Mr. Ewing stated he had a proposal far a $0.045 tax increase and no use of fund balance,
but he would like to have some time to put it together and send it out to the Board.
Supervisor Slaughter stated that she would like to see r. Ewing °s numbel•s because she
might be at a $0.04 increase rather than $0.05 with a use of fund balance if the Board wanted to
provide additional funding for the schools.
Supervisor V�v`elis stated this was not a direction tl�.at he wanted to go, but asked if there
was anyone o11 the Board who wanted to take the entire amount out of fund balance and have no
tax increase.
Supervisor Dunn stated he could support no tax increase using fund. balance for this year,
but going forward he wanted to look at a five year plan.
Supervisor Fisher stated he was back where he started earlier in the meeting at a $0.05
increase and use of some fund balance. He stated he could not support an $0.0$ increase, but he
was okay with the budget as presented.
Chairman i�eHaven reminded the Board of the final. work session scheduled. for Tuesday,
April 5, 2016 and he urged the board members to be prepared to make decisions at that meeting...
� � �: � �,
P.lVll.)
Charles S. �+� oven, Jr.
Chairman, Board of Supervisors
Minute Baok dumber 41
13aerd of Superwisors Budget Work session wt91
Finance C ®mmittee on 03/31/16
rends G. �arkon
Clerk, Board of 'Supervisors
+.
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Minutes Prepared By:
,tay E. ibb
Deputy Clerk, Board of Supervisors
Minute Book dumber 41
Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with
Finance Committee on p3/31116