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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 04, 2005 Work Session 429 A W orksession of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors was held on Monday, April 4,2005, at 8:00 A.M., in the Board of Supervisors ' Meeting Room, County Administration Building, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Chairman Richard C. Shickle; Vice-Chairman Gary W. Dove; Bill M. Ewing; Gene E. Fisher; Gina A. Forrester; Lynda 1. Tyler; and Barbara E. Van Osten. STAFF PRESENT Administrator John R. Riley, Jr.; Treasurer C. William Orndoff, Jr.; Deputy Clerk Jay E. Tibbs; Finance Director Cheryl B. Shiffler; and Budget Analyst Jennifer Place. OTHERS PRESENT Dr. William C. Dean, Superintendent, and Lisa Frye, Frederick County Public Schools Finance Director. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Shickle called the budget worksession to order. Administrator Riley stated that the purpose of this session was to tie up some loose ends regarding the budget process and to provide feedback regarding items addressed at the budget public hearing: 1. The Sheriff received funding for two positions from the Compensation Board. He would like to keep those positions plus the two requested in the budget. 2. Staff wrote to the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission addressing the remarks made at the budget public hearing and reminding them of the leadership efforts undertaken by the County with regard to various projects. 3. The additional funding request for the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging in the amount of $7,435.00. 4. The Handley Regional Library was funded at present levcl, but the Board should determine if they want to increase this contribution. 5. The Tourism Board is funded at present level. Staff would like the opportunity to meet with the Winchester City Manager and President of Council to see if a funding commitment agreement can be reached. 6. Blue Ridge Legal Services has not been funded in the past, but they are only requesting $3,727.00. 7. County employee salary increases are still budgeted at 7%, but the Board might want to go back to 5% and fund the adjustment over two years. The 5% would be figured as COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Minute Book Number 30 Board of Supervisors Budget Worksession of 04/04/05 430 Upon a motion by Supervisor Ewing, seconded by Supervisor Van Osten, the Board approved increasing the appropriation to the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging by $7,435.00. The above motion was approved by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Aye Lynda J. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Aye Upon a motion by Supervisor Tyler, seconded by Supervisor Van Osten, the Board approved funding Blue Ridge Legal Services in the amount of $3,727.00. The above motion was approved by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Aye Lynda J. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Aye Upon a motion by Supervisor Van Osten, seconded by Supervisor Ewing, the Board approved a 5% increase in funding for the Handley Regional Library, contingent upon the City of Winchester's contribution and there being no adverse impact from this action to the library's ability to receive state funding. The above motion was approved by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Aye Lynda 1. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Aye Supervisor Tyler moved to increase the contribution to the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission in the amount of $7,229.00. The motion was seconded by Supcrvisor Van Osten. Supervisor Van Osten asked when the Board could expect a response to Administrator Riley's letter to the Commission. Supervisor Tyler responded the it should be reccived by tomorrow. Minute Book Number 30 Board of Supervisors Budget Worksession of 04/04/05 L__ 431 Supervisor Ewing stated that he had a lot of hang ups on the benefits the County receives from the Commission and he believed the proposed funding was sufficient. Supervisor Forrester stated that she would have liked to have received this information from the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission prior to the budget public hearing and before getting this far in the budget process. The above motion to approve the increased contribution was denied by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Nay Gary W. Dove Nay Bill M. Ewing Nay Gene E. Fisher Nay Gina A. Forrester Nay Lynda J. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Nay Supervisor Dove moved to remove the two county positions proposed in the Sheriff s budget and that they be replaced with the two positions approved by the Compensation Board. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Ewing. Supervisor Van Osten stated that she did not agree with this motion as she believed the positions were needed. The above motion was denied by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Nay Gina A. Forrester Nay Lynda J. Tyler Nay Barbara E. Van Osten Nay Supervisor Forrester stated that she would like to discuss the need for the GIS Analyst position, as she would like to see the it funded. Supervisor Forrester moved to add the GIS Analyst position to the budget. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Van Osten. The above motion was denied by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Gary W. Dove Bill M. Ewing Gene E. Fisher Gina A. Forrester Lynda J. Tyler Nay Nay Nay Nay Aye Nay Minute Book Number 30 Board of Supervisors Budget Worksession of 04/04/05 432 Barbara E. Van Osten Aye Vice-Chairman Dove moved approve a 5% salary increase per year for a two year period for county employees. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Ewing. Supervisor Fisher stated that he would like to see any remaining funds above the proposed 5% increase, after the other agencies are funded, be included in the proposed salary increase this year. Administrator Riley suggested that the difference be placed in the merit pool in order to keep that program going. Chairman Shickle asked ifit was necessary to talk about salary funding for next year since no one knows what budget issues, etc. might arise. He proposed setting the 5% salary increase for this year, with an acknowledgment that the salary issue is a two year process, but no funding would be committed in FY 2005-2006 for FY 2006-2007. Vice-Chairman Dove withdrew his motion and Supervisor Ewing withdrew his second. Upon a motion by Vice-Chairman Dove, seconded by Supervisor Ewing, the Board approved a 5% salary increase for county employees with the amount above 5% after the budget is adjusted to be used for merit increases, with an acknowledgment that this is a two year commitment, but no funding has been allocated for year two. The above motion was approved by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Nay Lynda 1. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Aye Finance Director Cheryl Shiffler asked the Board to clarify the budget resolution based on scenario M and the appropriate levels of funding. The Board took a five minute recess. Chairman Shickle reconvened the worksession. Supervisor Tyler stated that she liked scenarios E, K, & M, but wanted to know the other members thoughts and concerns about taking money from fund balance. She stated that scenario E the Board would be using $6.5 million in fund balance funding. Minute Book Number 30 Board of Supervisors Budget Worksession of 04/04/05 433 Supervisor Forrester stated that she was comfortable using fund balance. Upon a motion by Supervisor Ewing, seconded by Supervisor Tyler, the Board approved scenario E for a tax rate of $0.525 which is an increase of 5%. Supervisor Van Osten reminded the Board that there would be a need to fund the opening of the 11'11 elementary school next year. Supervisor Forrester stated that she was worried about salaries and parity among county employees. She felt the Board should look at all salary increases at the same time. She went on to say that she was not sure scenario E would allow the schools to adequately provide raises for staff. Superintendent Bill Dean stated that scenario E pulled a great deal of money out of fund balance. He stated that the enrollment numbers for the 11 (11 elementary school are growing, which means that more new teachers will be required to open the school. A best case under scenario E would mean that the schools would have to back fill their budget in order to get a 4.2%-4.3% salary increase for staff. He stated that 6.4% was needed in order to keep pace with the survey group next year. Finance Director Shiffler advised that $900,000 in school proffer money was included in this funding scenario. Supervisor Forrester stated that she did not believe there was parity among the county employees with regard to salary. Supervisor Tyler stated it was too late in the process to address that issue this year, but it needed to be part of the budget discussions for next year. There being no further discussion, the Board approved scenario E by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Nay Lynda 1. Tyler Aye Barbara E. Van Osten Nay Supervisor Ewing stated that he would like to see categorical funding of schools remain in the budget adoption resolution. Supervisor Tyler stated that she would like more information on why categorical funding was Miuute Book Number 30 Board of Supervisors Budget Worksession of 04/04/05 434 necessary . Chairman Shicklc asked Administrator Riley if the categorical funding issue should be addressed at the time of budget adoption or at a later date. Administrator Riley responded that significant effort was required to put the information together; therefore, it would be good to give the schools adequate notice if the Board wanted categorical funding included in the resolution. He went on to say that if the Board set the transfer threshold high enough then it would not impact the schools. He concluded by saying that the last transfer amount was set at $40,000. Frederick County Public Schools' Finance Dircctor Lisa Frye stated that the Board categorically funded the schools from 1996-2000 with a transfer limit of $40,000. She stated that the big issue was the time constraints this placed on the schools ability to transfer funds to pay bills bccause it took four to six weeks for a transfer to be approved. Chairman Shickle asked if the amount of work involved in creating the resolution was significant. Finance Director Frye responded yes. She stated that a decision would be made by the School Board on Tuesday, but the resolution would have to given to the County Administrator by Thursday afternoon or Friday morning in order to be included in the agenda packet, which was not a lot of time to prepare the information. Aftcr some discussion, it was Board consensus that they did not mind receiving the resolution containing the categorical funding at the April 13th meeting instead of having it included in the agenda packet. Upon a motion by Supervisor Ewing, seconded by Supervisor Dove, the Board approved having the Frederick County Public Schools provide categorical funding with a transfer maximum of $40,000. Chairman Shickle asked Supervisor Ewing if the Finance Committee would be willing to review this $40,000 limit. Supervisor Ewing responded yes. Administrator Riley advised that the review needed to take place prior to July 1 sl. Supervisor Van Osten stated that she did not agree with categorical funding and therefore Miuute Book Nnmber 30 Board of Snpervisors Budget W orksession of 04/04/05 435 could not support the motion. Supervisor Forrester echoed Supervisor Van Osten's remarks. Supervisor Fisher stated that he believed categorical funding would be good as it would allow the Board to see where the money was being allocated. There being no further discussion, the above motion was approved by the following recorded vote: Richard C. Shickle Aye Gary W. Dove Aye Bill M. Ewing Aye Gene E. Fisher Aye Gina A. Forrester Nay Lynda J. Tyler Nay Barbara E. Van Osten Nay UPON A MOTION MADE BY SUPERVISOR EWING, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR FORRESTER, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS BOARD, THIS MEETING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED. (9:30 A.M.) , J~~A;c- Clerk, Board of Supervisors \LD---Q ~J~ Richard C. Shickle Chairman, Board of Supervisors Minutes Prepared By: go- ? '(,Lt. Jay E. Tib~ Deputy Clerk, Board of Supervisors Minute Book Numbel 30 Board of Supervisors Bndget W orksession of 04/04/05