[00:00:01]
PASSES.[* This meeting has been joined in progress *]
[Consent]
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA[Public Hearing]
BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING.I WILL NOW, UM, ASK, UH, TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL NOW ASK FOR STAFF FOR PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
CHAIRMAN PIERCE, VICE CHAIRMAN, HARDY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS UNTIL ALL ASSEMBLED.
UM, WE DO HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AS STATED THIS AFTERNOON ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2026, 2027, CONSOLIDATED BUDGET.
I HAVE A VERY BRIEF, UM, PRESENTATION FOR YOU AS YOU PREPARE TO, UM, HEAR FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET IN PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT ACTION, WHICH IS TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
UM, AGAIN, THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED TO YOU IN FULL FORM AT THE APRIL MEETING.
SO AGAIN, THIS JUST SOME KEY BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, IN PREPARATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, AS YOU ALL AWARE THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET DOES MAINTAIN THE CURRENT REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES AT 71 CENTS AND $3 AND 75 CENTS RESPECTIVELY.
THE SALES ASSESSMENT RATIO IS 300, EXCUSE ME, IS 97.8%.
AND AS MENTIONED IN THE BUDGET INFORMATION, THIS IS A $392,000 ADVERSE FISCAL IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET.
AS FAR AS EDUCATION SUPPORT, IT MAINTAINS CONSISTENT SUPPORT TO EDUCATION AT 13.99 MILLION.
THAT MEANS THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE LOCAL APPROPRIATION.
AND TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, UM, THAT IS 82% OF THE REVENUE THAT WE ARE BUDGETING FOR PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION TAX REVENUE.
AND I WANTED TO ADD THAT CAVEAT.
SO AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BOARD STILL MAINTAINS ITS SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION AL BID, NO CHANGE IN THE LOCAL APPROPRIATION FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE BUDGET DOES CONTINUE THE INVESTMENT IN OUR WORKFORCE.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR, UH, WORKFORCE.
RIGHT NOW, IT IS PROPOSED AT A 2.8% COLA.
IT INCLUDES A 9% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND ANY STATE MANDATE INCREASE FOR COMP BOARD EMPLOYEES IF APPLICABLE, MAY HAVE TO REQUIRE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, BUT WE CAN DO THOSE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND OF COURSE, IT ADDRESSES WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN, UH, ADVISED OF, IS LONGEVITY SUPPORT FOR OUR WORKFORCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUSTAINING OUR WORKFORCE HERE IN SURY PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS.
IT DOES INCLUDE SOME STRATEGIC REQUIREMENTS TO REFLECT THE CURRENT NEEDS OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR POSITION COUNTS, UH, FOR THE, UH, NEXT YEAR, UM, IS ACTUALLY A DECREASE OF 8.75 FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME POSITIONS.
UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2017, THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE MONTHLY RATE CHANGE FOR THE, UH, UH, WATER SYSTEM IN THE TOWN OF RE, WHICH IS THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, UM, AGAIN, THAT RATE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED AT $34 A MONTH PLUS $4 AND 40 CENTS PER 1000 GALLONS, OVER 3000 GALLONS.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS $44, UM, A MONTH, AND TO KEEP THAT $4 AND 40, UH, CENTS THE SAME PER 1000 GALLONS OVER 3000 GALLONS.
AND ALSO THAT IS NOT INCLUDED HERE, BUT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION OVER IN ENSUING YEARS MAKING SURE THAT THAT RATE, UM, IS, UH, KEEPING PACE WITH NOT JUST INFLATION, BUT ALSO TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN THOSE RATES BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THAT SYSTEM.
UM, SO THE $44 IS A STEPPING STONE, BUT IN THE FUTURE, THAT RATE STILL NEEDS TO INCREASE.
UH, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND REFLECTS AN INCREASE OF A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE FUTURE BORROWING AS RECOMMENDED BY THE FINANCIAL ADVISORS FOR PLANNED SAVINGS THAT WERE REALIZED IN OUR PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE REVENUE OF ALL FUNDS IN THE COUNTY.
UM, AGAIN, IT MENTIONS, UH, NUMBER ONE THAT WE DID HAVE THE REDUCTION IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
THAT'S A TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY $5,000, UM, REDUCTION IN A ONE TIME PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES YOU ALL COLLECTED, UH, THAT LAST YEAR.
SO YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S THAT $1.7 MILLION DEDUCTION THERE.
UM, WE ARE SEEING SOME SLIGHT INCREASES IN OUR LOCAL SALES TAX, RECORDATION TAX, OUR BUSINESS LICENSE, AND THE REVENUE FROM INTEREST EARNINGS AT ABOUT $40,000.
SO THAT OTHER LOCAL TAX NUMBER THERE, YOU SEE SOME INCREASE IS WHY WE SHOWING $1.79 MILLION THERE IN THE JIRA FUND.
UM, THERE IS, UH, INCREASE SHOWING FOR OUR COMP, UH, COMP BOARD, UM, STATE INCREASES.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU SEE THE GENERAL INCREASES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOL AND SOCIAL SERVICES FUND IS ONLY DUE TO ADDITIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL INCREASES THAT THOSE, UM, COMPONENT UNITS ARE SLATED TO RECEIVE.
UH, NUMBER FOUR REFLECTS THE DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
[00:05:01]
I MENTIONED EARLIER REGARDING THE INCREASE IN DEBT FUND.AND THE FIFTH ITEM REFLECTS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, THE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, THE CURRENT POLICY, UM, THAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN, UM, VERY FORTUNATE, AS YOU ALL CAN SEE IN YOUR PAST BUDGET INFORMATION OF THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS YOU WAS ABLE TO FUND USING CASH.
UM, THE 3 CENTS OF ONCE, UH, THREE PENNIES OF THE TAX RATE IS, IS TYPICALLY WHAT HAS BEEN USED OF THE LAST COUPLE OF FISCAL YEARS, UH, EVER DUE TO SOME FISCAL RESTRAINTS.
UM, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ALLOCATE THE FULL THREE PENNIES, BUT THEY STILL ALLOCATE $794,000, UM, TOWARDS CIP TO FUND CASH FUNDED PROJECTS, NOT JUST FOR THE COUNTY, BUT FOR ALSO FOR THE SCHOOL DIVISION.
OKAY, THE THIRD SLIDE IS, UH, SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF ALL THE EXPENDITURES.
I WON'T GO OVER THAT IN DETAIL.
AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REFLECT THAT THESE ARE THE, UH, IN THE CATEGORY OF ALL THE EXPENDITURES, UM, IN THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT BUDGET AMOUNT BEING, UH, PROPOSED AT 35.45 MILLION, UM, COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 26 OF 36.5 MILLION.
SO THAT IS A 1.1 MILLION OR 3%, UM, REDUCTION IN THE GENERAL FUND PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THE OTHER FUNDS HERE ARE, ARE ROUNDED, ROUNDED OUT FOR A TOTAL CONSOLIDATED BUDGET OF $62.40 MILLION.
AND THAT IS A SLIGHT, UH, 0.4% INCREASE OR $265,000 ROUGHLY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS FUNDS.
I SAID IT WOULD BE VERY BRIEF IS, UH, THE SNAPSHOT OF THE JOURNAL FUND.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO SHARE THIS SLIDE WITH YOU BOARD MEMBERS, UM, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE MISNOMER REGARDING THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES, UM, IN THE COUNTY.
UM, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT AGAIN OF THE GENERAL FUND.
IT REPRESENTS ALL THE CATEGORIES OF THE GENERAL FUND.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THAT HIGHLIGHT IN YELLOW THAT SHOWS $16.41 MILLION.
THAT IS HOW MUCH THE COUNTY OPERATES FROM THE GENERAL FUND PERSPECTIVE.
OF THAT 16.41 MILLION, 9.9 MILLION, THAT OR 55% IS YOUR GREATEST EXPENDITURE IN THE GENERAL FUND, AND THAT IS YOUR WORKFORCE.
AND THE REMAINING OF THAT IS $6.5 MILLION.
SO THAT IS THE OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE GENERAL FUND.
HOW MUCH OF THE COUNTY'S FUND BUDGET IS ACTUALLY SPENT ANNUALLY.
IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE I MENTIONED THAT THE ACTUAL BUDGET IS ABOUT 62 POINT MILLION DOLLARS.
THE COUNTY DOES NOT WRITE CHECKS FOR $62 MILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE TRANSFERS TO AND FROM THE FUNDS.
SO IN TERMS OF WHAT QUOTE UNQUOTE YOUR CHECKBOOK EXPENDITURES WILL BE, IF YOU SPEND EVERYTHING THAT'S ROUGHLY 35.45 MILLION, AND I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO LIGHT BECAUSE OFTEN YOU WOULD SEE A HEADLINE THAT SAYS, BUDGET ADOPTED AT 62 OR 65 MILLION, WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS.
AND OFTEN PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT'S EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE BECAUSE A PORTION OF THAT DOES INCLUDE YOUR TRANSFERS TO YOUR OTHER FUNDS.
SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, AGAIN, THIS SHOWS YOUR GENERAL FUND.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE GENERAL FUND AMOUNT FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
ONE POINT WOMEN, $1.1 MILLION LESS THAN YOUR FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
AND THE LAST SLIDE IS THE CIP.
UM, AGAIN, THAT TOTAL ALLOCATION OF $794,000.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A SHORT LIST OF VARIOUS PROJECTS.
WE WANTED TO KIND OF KEEP IT, UM, KINDA HIGH LEVEL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE LEARNED, ESPECIALLY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THAT TYPICALLY OFTEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY.
UM, AGAIN, WE DO NEED MORE TIME TO FURTHER EVALUATE THE VARIOUS CIP NEEDS, BUT CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT $794,000 THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO FUND VARIOUS CIP PROJECTS, UM, FOR THE ENSUING YEAR.
AND THE NEXT STEPS, AS I MENTIONED, IS THE, UH, CONSIDERATION FOR ADOPTING YOUR BUDGET, UM, WHICH IS SLATED FOR MAY 7TH, AND THEN AT SOME POINT, UM, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO PREPARE THE BUDGET FOR, UM, THE FINAL PRODUCT, WHICH WE CAN SCHEDULE THAT SOMETIME AT THE END OF JULY, FIRST PART OF AUGUST.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL NOW OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING THAT NO ONE IS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT FLOOR IS NOW CLOSED.
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UM, WE HAD, WE HAD SPOKEN PREVIOUSLY.UM, I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE WRITTEN IN FRONT OF ME TOO,
BUT SO MR. CHAIRMAN, THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC HEARING, IT REMAINS OPEN.
THE PUBLIC HEARING REMAINS OPEN.
I WILL NOW ASK FOR A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MR. CHAIR, MR. ELLIOT, MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING UNTIL APRIL 30 6:00 PM COURT.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
ELLIOT, SECONDED BY MR. DREW THAT WE CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING TILL THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH AT 6:00 PM IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? SAY MOTION, SAY AYE.
HAVE IT PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE CONTINUING UNTIL THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH AND AT 6:00 PM MS. MS. PERKINS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UH, IF YOU COULD MAKE A COMMENT ON THE REASON, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE WAS A CLERICAL ERROR IN THE NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENT, UM, IN THE SUSSEX SURREY DISPATCH, UH, FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, THE, IN THE ADVERTISEMENT AT THE DATE, WHICH IS THE, THE LEGALLY ESSENTIAL PART OF APRIL 29TH, 2026 AND THE TIME OF 6:00 PM WAS CORRECT.
HOWEVER, THE AD MISTAKENLY IDENTIFIED THAT, UH, APRIL 29TH WAS A THURSDAY, NOT A WEDNESDAY.
UH, SO THEREFORE, IN, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT ANY CITIZEN WHO READ IT QUICKLY SAW THURSDAY KNOWS THAT OUR MEETINGS ARE USUALLY ON THURSDAY, UH, PERHAPS THEY GOT CONFUSED.
DIDN'T LOOK AT THE, THE ACTUAL DATE ON THE CALENDAR.
UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE CONTINUE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, SO TO GIVE ANYONE AN OPPORTUNITY WHO AGAIN, THOUGHT THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS GOING TO BE ON A THURSDAY, UM, I WOULD FURTHER NOTE THAT IN EVERY OTHER PLACE WHERE WE ADVERTISED, INCLUDING OUR WEBSITE, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA, THE ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD OUTSIDE, IT WAS CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED AS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29TH.
UH, BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE WE WANT TO GIVE AS MANY FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AS POSSIBLE, UH, THAT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CONTINUE IT.
MS. PERKINS, IS THERE ANY BOARD COMMENTS? HEARING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS FROM STAFF? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
[Closed Session]
NOW, NOW MOVE FORWARD TO, UM, MS. PERKINS.IF YOU MIND, DON'T MIND READING A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
UH, YOUR MOTION REQUIRED TODAY IS TO CONVENE A CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 37 11 A 0.1 TO DISCUSS AND INTERVIEW APPLICANTS FOR THE INTERIM APPOINTMENT OF A SUPERVISOR TO FILL THE VACANCY IN THE SURREY DISTRICT.
AND I WILL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A ROLL CALL VOTE.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION MR. CHAIR? I MOVE THAT WE WOULD, UH, RECESS TO CLOSE SESSION ACCORDANCE TO THE APPROPRIATE CODE SECTION GIVEN BY OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY.
SECOND BY MR. DREW THAT WE GO INTO RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO CLOSE SESSION EVENING AGAIN.
WE'LL NOW ASK MS. PERKINS IF SHE COULD READ THE CERTIFICATION OF CLOSED SESSION.
YOUR RESOLUTION CERTIFYING CLOSED SESSION WHEREAS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY HAS CONVENED A CLOSED SESSION ON THE STATE PURSUANT TO AN AFFIRMATIVE RECORDED VOTE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
AND WHEREAS SECTION 2.2 37 12 D OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIRES A CERTIFICATION BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY, THAT SUCH CLOSED MEETING WAS CONDUCTED IN CONFORMITY WITH VIRGINIA LAW.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBER'S KNOWLEDGE ONE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS.
LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED SESSION TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES.
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AND TWO, ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING.THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED OR CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SURREY COUNTY.
AND I WILL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND AND A ROLL CALL VOTE.
BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE HEARD THE CERTIFICATION FROM MS. PERKINS.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED MR. CHAIR.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY SUPERVISOR ELLIOT.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR DREW THAT WE CAN COME BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.
WE WILL NOW ASK FOR A ROLL CALL.
I WILL NOW ASK IF MS. PERKINS WILL READ THE, UH, STATEMENT FOR VIRGINIA CODE.
YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH VIRGINIA CODE 24.2 2 28, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS WHO SUBMITTED, SUBMITTED LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR INTERIM APPOINTMENT AS SURREY DISTRICT SUPERVISOR PENDING THE OUTCOME OF SPECIAL ELECTION WILLIAM DAVENPORT AND JOHN SEWARD.
I NOW ASK FOR A MOTION TO RECESS TO APRIL 30TH AT 6:00 PM IN OUR GENERAL DISTRICT COURTROOM.
ELLIOT, I'LL MAKE A A MOTION THAT WE RECESS UNTIL THURSDAY, APRIL THE 30TH AT 6:00 PM HEARING THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURTROOM OF SUR COUNTY, VIRGINIA
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY SUPERVISOR ELLIOT.
THAT WILL RECESS TO THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH AT 6:00 PM IN THE GENERAL DISTRICT COURTROOM OF RE COUNTY VIRGINIA OF RE COUNTY VIRGINIA.
ALL IN FAVOR? SAY MOTION SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED, AYES HAVE MOTION PASSES.
WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL TOMORROW EVENING AT 6:00 PM.