January 17 2018 Budget Work Session with Finance Committee Minutes22
MINUTES
Frederick County Board of Supervisors
Budget Work Session
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
4:00 p.m.
First Floor Conference Room,107 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA
ATTENDEES
Board of Supervisors: Chairman Charles S. DeHaven, Jr.; Vice -Chairman Gary A.
Lofton; Blaine P. Dunn; Judith McCann -Slaughter; Shannon G. Trout; and Robert W. Wells
were present. J. Douglas McCarthy was absent. Staff present: Kris C. Tierney, County
Administrator; Ellen Murphy, Commissioner of the Revenue; C. William Orndorff, Jr.,
Treasurer; Jay E. Tibbs, Deputy County Administrator; Roderick B. Williams, County Attorney;
Cheryl B. Shiffler, Finance Director; Jennifer Place, Budget Analyst; Sharon Kibler, Finance
Department; Becky Merriner, Human Resources Director; Scott Varner, IT Director; and Ann
W. Phillips, Deputy Clerk to the Board of Supervisors.
Finance Committee Members present: Jeffrey Boppe; Angela Rudolph
School Board member Mike Lake also attended the work session.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman DeHaven called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
DISCUSSION
Finance Director Cheryl Shiffler reviewed the vehicle replacement request list submitted
by the Sheriff's Dept. Mr. Tierney noted that a policy for approving vehicle replacements is
currently in the works.
Ms. Shiffler reviewed the debt service schedule noting that she will be able to provide
more information once the School Board submits additional cost data.
The Board and Ms. Shiffler discussed the budget scenarios.
Finance Committee member Angela Rudolph noted that new accounting principles
(GASB 75) regarding other post -employment benefits (OPEB) have been developed that may
affect the scenarios. Ms. Shiffler said she would verify whether the new rate should be used.
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Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with Finance Committee of Ol/17/18
County of Frederick, Virginia
222
In reference to the School Board's intention to request an appropriation of $52,000,000 to
replace Aylor Middle School, Mr. Tierney said that if the proposed project budget is out of
compliance, it can be reviewed for changes.
Supervisor Dunn said that the 5-year CIP numbers from the School Board are staggering
and noted that the cost to service the loan for such an amount would be $19.6 million. He
inquired how much would have to be funded through a tax increase versus how much would
come from other sources such as natural revenue growth, and said the Board needs a realistic
sense of how much taxes will go up to fund the request.
Mr, Tierney said there are so many variables that a 5-year revenue projection is not
especially helpful.
Supervisor Dunn reiterated that the CIP numbers are large.
Supervisor Wells agreed that the numbers are large, adding that the issue has been passed
over for a long time. He said the requests on the CIP will take more than five years to fund and
complete.
Commissioner of the Revenue Ellen Murphy cautioned the Board to be aware when
reviewing new businesses that sometimes the revenues are not as large as expected if the
companies have smaller gross receipts or are federal projects which do not pay real estate tax.
Regarding the wish lists presented by County Department heads, Supervisor Trout asked
if Staff works to prioritize and shorten the lists. Mr. Tierney and Ms. Shiffler replied that Staff
does so.
Supervisor Dunn and Supervisor Lofton discussed department requests and the process
for making budget request presentations.
Supervisor Lofton discussed outside agencies that receive County funding, and requested
information about current MOUs (Memorandum of Understanding) to ensure there is no overlap
in funding to an agency that in turn funds another one already funded by the County. He added
that he would like to see funding to Lord Fairfax Community College designated for use in
workforce development rather than advertising. Ms. Shiffler and Mr. Tierney said that Staff will
begin looking in to reviewing the MOUs.
Ms. Shiffler discussed the budget scenarios presented in the budget book. She noted that
there has been an attempt to reduce the use of the fund balance each year. Mr. Tierney said that
Minute Book Number 43
Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with Finance Committee of 01/17/18
County of Frederick, Virginia
222
use of the fund balance can be restricted to capital projects which are a one-time rather than a
recurring expense.
Supervisor Dunn noted that last year's revenues were $6 million more than expected,
partially because of the reassessment. Supervisor Slaughter noted that $5.5 million had been set
aside in a separate fund called the Board Capital Debt Reduction Fund which earns interest.
Supervisor Wells questioned the saving of collected tax payer dollars in a fund. Supervisor
Slaughter said that in years past, Boards have tried to set aside $5 million to fund losses during
tough economic times. Supervisor Lofton suggested the Board discuss a clear policy for such a
fund including a maximum fund amount and how it should be spent. Chair DeHaven agreed that
such a discussion should occur.
Treasurer Orndorff said there are two choices: cut all requests, or decide where additional
revenues will come from.
Supervisor Dunn requested that Mike Lake of the School Board ask his Board if all the
projects on the CIP are needed in five years, if the timeline can be stretched, if the projects can
be reduced in size, and if they can help find the revenue.
Supervisor Trout said she would like to see some scenarios with tax increases. She said
she is concerned that the tax rate may be too low to support critical needs. Supervisor Wells
suggested that scenarios with tax increases of 3 cents to 6 cents be prepared for the next meeting.
ADJOURN
There being no further business, on motion Vice Chairman Lofton, seconded by
Supervisor Trout, the meeting was adjourned at 5:16 p,m,
cA ,�,d
Charles S. DeHaven, Jr.
Chairman, Board of Supervisors
Kris C. ie
Clerk, Board o pervisors
Minutes Prepared By:
Ann W. Phillips
Deputy Clerk, Board of Supervisors
Minute Book Number 43
Board of Supervisors Budget Work Session with Finance Committee of 01/17/18
County of Frederick, Virginia