Category: Caroline County Board of Supervisors

April 1st BOS meeting: I think Charity Hill can kiss their permit goodbye.

From Percy Ashcraft’s April Message from the County Administrator:

In addition, a worksession on the 2008-09 Budget will be held Tuesday, April 1 at 6 p.m. at the Community Services Center. Also included on the worksession agenda is a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. to receive comments regarding the revocation of a special use permit for the Charity Hill Shooting Range.

From the board’s public hearing notice:

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, in the Community Services Center, Auditorium, located at 17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford, Virginia, at 7:30 p.m., to consider the Revocation of the following Special Exception Permit based on the permittee’s failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit:

SPEX-04-2005 – FLOYD S. & CYNTHIA C. SMITH III, OWNER; FLOYD S. SMITH III, APPLICANT: This property is located on Route 601 (9482 Golansville Road), approximately ¾ of a mile east of Route 633 (Bull Church Road), tax on a portion of 68-A-103 consisting of 100 acres, Mattaponi Voting District. Revocation of Private Hunt Club Permit. The 2006 – 2026 Comprehensive Plan identifies this area as rural preservation with a density of one dwelling unit per ten acres of land.

Any persons desiring to be heard in favor of or in opposition to the above is hereby invited to be present at the Public Hearing. Copies of the above are on file in the Department of Planning and Community Development, 233 West Broaddus Avenue, Bowling Green, Virginia 22427.

Percy C. Ashcraft
County Administrator

The budget work session will include the budgets for the Sheriff’s Office, Commonwealth’s Attorney, volunteer fire/rescue departments, and the Clerk of the Court according to the agenda.

Oh, NOW they are going to do something about it.

The Caroline Progress:

Renowned county historian Herb Collins announced Thursday he is giving his trove of Caroline historical records, hundred’s of rare books, genealogies, cemetery records, family Bibles, plats, files on every aspect of the county, antique photographs and 40 Sidney King paintings to the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center in Fredericksburg.

Frustrated in his years of attempts to give his collection to the County, the former Smithsonian curator and life-long county resident told The Caroline Progress on Thursday, “I cried when I made the decision. I started the collection in order to one day give it to Caroline.”

Collins said he had wanted a site for his collection either in Bowling Green or Port Royal.

County Administrator Percy Ashcraft said the county wants the collection but does not presently have space. “I can’t make something happen that’s not available at this time,” he said.

[…]

Collins pointed out that the neighboring counties of Essex, King William and King George have museums, but Caroline does not. “All we have is a cubbyhole in the back of the library,” said Collins. “It’s embarrassing.”

And now from Percy Ashcraft’s April Message from the County Administrator:

  • Consideration by the Board of Supervisors to receive a large donation of books and periodicals from local historian Herb Collins will be held at the April 8 meeting. The challenge before the Board is adequate County space to house the donation.

Crack ****ing journalism from The Free Lance–Star.

From The Free Lance–Star: Overruns still raising concerns at LOW:

“I believe the audit report was clear in noting there was lots of blame to go around,” wrote LOW Association President Eldon Rucker in an e-mail last week. “The board of directors plans to deal with the recommendations and make changes in our processes where appropriate.”

The ad hoc committee’s report was released on March 1 and was reported in The Free Lance-Star the next day. Headlines on the story mistakenly attributed the $320,000 cost overruns to Caroline County Supervisor Bob Popowicz, who was the project manager through most of the construction.

Yeah, and for three months you have been maligning him.

You let someone state he had a relationship that was “too close” with the contractor and now all you can say is “Opps, my bad”?

“Mr. Popowicz was not singled out by the committee and many of us can, and do, share the responsibility for the overrun,” Director Neil Buttimer wrote in an e-mail last week. “We recognize that we experienced some budgetary problems that we are addressing, but no single individual was responsible.”

Popowicz left his job as assistant general manager at Lake of the Woods in early October 2007. Four of the six change orders were approved after he left.

There is general agreement that some of the change orders were necessitated by lapses in design and planning, such as a $96,000 additional cost for a fire-sprinkler system the contractor neglected to get flow and pressure data for, and $54,000 for additional kitchen equipment.

Although Popowicz served as project manager for the Woods Center construction, the Lake of the Woods’ operations manual states that the general manager is responsible for approving the purchase of all goods and services over $5,000.

In two letters to The Free Lance-Star, Popowicz took responsibility for signing four of the change orders, but he noted that they were ordered or approved first by the general manager. He also noted that change orders were often necessitated “by government and regulatory agencies” and were not anticipated by the contractors.

[…]

General Manager John Bailey also declined to comment.

PAYING FOR OVERRUNS

Now that the Woods Center is up and running, a major concern is how Lake of the Woods will pay for the cost overruns. Although the board of directors removed $144,000 from the original contract it signed with Century Construction with the idea that the work would be done in house or by separate contract it neglected to budget the money for that work.

Guess she voted for it before she voted against it…or something…

The esteemed member of the Bowling Green Town Council Susan Sili (and the wife of Jeff Sili [Bowling Green representative for the Board of Supervisors]) really needs to get her story straight. Here’s what she said on November 28, 2007 on FredTalk using the alias “oharascarlett”:

Visitor Center is grant Money/cannot be used for anything else BUT a Visitor Center/TJ [Tom James] and Corran [my “alias” on FredTalk] have been told this over and over again but still keep spewing the same nonsense

Of course, in the same post she said that the “courthouse greenery” (Victory Park) was in the “architectural committee level to decide if it will even be done at all”. That very day [November 28th], The Caroline Progress reported the old jail had already been torn down that week as part of the “courthouse greenery” plan under the headline of “Old jail leveled for scenic Victory Park”.

Of course, again, in the same post she said the YMCA wasn’t a done deal, when the Board had already been voted on it way back in June of 2005.

Here’s what she said on December 10, 2007:

The visitor center/new office for Wilson was premature and will it ever be completed?

Here’s what she said on February 17, 2008:

The grant money and proffer money was given for the visitor center, cannot be traded for public safety or schools. Its not an either/or proposition as has been explained MANY times before to TJ, you can’t trade it in for another project.

Here’s what she said on March 14, 2008:

BigheadA, I had said along time ago, Why cant the BOS decide what to do with the Proffer Money? Could we have not said “thank you for your Donation, we will put this in our school system or Fire & Rescue” I am still upset that we wasted money on a visitors center, we have so many things that were more IMPORTANT !!!!!

Of course, the only reason she changed her tune was because the consensus of everyone on the message board was outrage at the current conditions of the schools (and the lack of use of proffers for the schools) in Caroline County. Guess she didn’t want to be odd-man (woman) out.

Wow, such amazing leadership we have here in Caroline County…

I’m just glad I don’t live in the town of Bowling Green…

Setting the record straight…

The Caroline Progress: Complaint against Popowicz unfounded:

A recent media report about Supervisor Bobby Popowicz and his employment as the Assistant General Manager have hit Caroline like a bombshell. The story contained unfair allegations said Bobby Popowicz who represents the Port Royal District on the Caroline County Board of Supervisors.

The article told of a Lake of the Woods committee meeting of homeowners seeking to determine “who and what was responsible for nearly $320,000 in cost overruns” of a building project for a pro shop originally slated for $1.5 million.

[…]

Lake of the Woods General Manager John Bailey placed the blame for the overruns on Assistant Manager Popowicz who, as project manager, had signed off on change orders that drove the cost up.

But it was Bailey who ordered the change orders and had Popowicz sign for them, said the Caroline Supervisor in an interview March 6.

“I’m being scape-goated. I wasn’t there to defend myself. He’s trying to blame it on me and save his job. I don’t think they’re going to renew his contract when it comes up in May,” said Popowicz who was not asked for his comments for the March 2 story in The Free Lance-Star.

With the deadline for opening the building less than two months away, change orders became necessary for fire suppression, hardy-plank, industrial dishwashers, fiber optic cable, and curb and sidewalk forms.

Yeah, nothing like spending $18,000 for two dishwashers, eh, Bailey?

“We were under the gun to get it open,” said Popowicz who wanted more time to do cost analysis but was over-ruled by Bailey. Instead, work was done on an unpredictable “time and materials” basis and when the bills came rolling in over a week’s time it was a shock.

“In my 20 years as a project manager I’ve never had cost overruns,” said Popowicz who added that Bailey had ordered similar changes on a previous project.

“It was a mess. He was gone a lot of the time for personal reasons. I decided to look for other work,” said Popowicz who now works for Flagstar Bank in Arlington.

Popowicz told of a shouting match with Bailey who ordered concrete form work for sidewalks and roadways torn out and redone “because it wasn’t symmetrical.” The revamped site work incurred about $50,000 in additional charges.

“He had the plans for months,” said Popowicz.

Asked to comment, General Manager John Bailey said he was not making statements to the press. Later phone calls were not returned.

[…]

Lake of the Woods Association President Eldon Rucker said, “There were a number of people involved in this project and it is unfair to use one person to blame.”

Funnies from the Caroline County Emergency Services Commission

Well, it would be funny if it wasn’t so damn serious.

I’ve tried to edit these minutes for brevity (brevity being the soul of wit and all) and I divided the comments into different categories. Still, it’s still pretty long. I’ve also included links to all the minutes that have been published at the end of the post.

County-wide:

Grants:

November 09, 2005 minutes:

We applied or a SAFER grant, but we were not successful in getting the grant. The county has enrolled in eCivis, a web based grant alerting company. County will hire a part-time grants writer/manager.

And who would that be?

May 10, 2006:

GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE AND NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

September 06, 2007:

Bill Wick: People at the meeting (CCEUO) said that when applying for grants, Caroline had too much money and were being turned down for the grants.

Chris Corbin: in my position with the state I sit as an observer on the REMS grants review board. The last grant cycle there were several grants submitted from Caroline. A member of the REMS council Grant committee, who is also the Caroline volunteer representative on the REMS Board, mentioned that the items were 100% funded in the CIP. The County tells agencies they must put in for grants to be considered in the CIP. Grants committee did not view that favorably. Other jurisdictions demonstrated more of a need. Grants were turned down. That is the agreement between the county and the agencies that they have to apply for a grant.

On cross-training dispatchers:

December 14, 2005:

MIKE BROWN: WOULD URGE EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID THE COMPENSATION FUND LOSES, YOU HAVE TO PUT A LOT OF MONEY UP FRONT FOR CROSS TRAINING. THE COUNTY HAS TO STOP BEING SO CHEAP. ASKING PEOPLE TO TRAIN AT TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS NOW, WE HAVE OPENINGS BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO DO THE JOB FOR THE LOW PAY.

On staffing and volunteerism:

December 07, 2005:

Volunteers only get a $25 county sticker and it costs nearly $4,000 to go from EMT-Basic to ALS provider.

[…]

David [Storke, Chairman]: How does King George feel about coming into Caroline?

Steve [Lynd, Captain, Ladysmith Rescue Squad]: I am only a front line Firefighter/Paramedic and I can not answer for the bosses, they may not like it.

David: How does King George send in mutual aid?

Steve: We have 2 24 hour trucks plus the volunteers staff trucks. If we have a one truck available, then we will run mutual aid calls. Other counties have put restrictions on running mutual aid in Caroline County.

David: Does King George charge?

Steve: No, Spotsylvania and Hanover do, Orange will January 1, 2006.

[…]

Port Royal VFD: Frankie Dietrich, Fire Chief: We need recruitment and retention, we have volunteers that live in King George county and get no benefit from the Caroline County sticker.

Company 6/Rescue 6: Upper Caroline VFD: Steve Parrish, Fire Chief:
Volunteers must participate in 240-250 hours of training to work on an ambulance, people do not have the time to spend it on training, but they need it to serve the citizens. Intermediate is over another 600 hours and Paramedic another additional 600 hours and they all have to do continuing education hours. Some classes are free, but most of the cost money, some of the stations pay for training, some do not.

January 11, 2006:

COMMISSIOINER MIKE BROWN STATED HIS NEIGHBOR WAITED FOR 1 ½ HOURS FOR AN AMBULANCE ON SUPERBOWL SUNDAY LAST YEAR WHILE HAVING A HEART ATTACK.

April 11, 2007:

6300 EMS calls last year, 269 volunteers 24% decrease from 2005.

On the Board of Supervisors:

April 12, 2006:

MR. BROWN: THE BOS IS POLITICAL AND DOES NOT WANT TO MAKE A DECISION. IF THE AGENCIES LIKE THE [station replacement] POLICY THEY NEED TO TALK TO BOS.

May 10, 2006:

THE BOARD IS ALREADY FUNDING TRUCKS 100% BUT WE WILL HAVE TO PARK THEM OUTSIDE. THEY HAVE BEEN DRAGGING THEIR FEET. THE PRICE GOES UP EVERYTIME THEY DRAG THEIR FEET.

[…]

DENNIS WHITTAKER, MY TERM ENDS AT THE END OF JUNE AND I DID NOT LOOK TO BE REAPPOINTED, WANT TO THANK EVERYONE, I AM FRUSTRATED AS WELL.

June 14, 2006:

FRANKIE CHAPMAN ASKED WHY THE COUNTY COULD FIND MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS, BUT NOT WHAT IS NEEDED. MIKE BROWN COMMENTED WHEN HE CAME ON HE WAS SOLD ON THE ESC MAKING THINGS UNIFORM AND PREDICTIBLE FOR THE BOS, WHICH IS NOT HAPPENING. EACH VOLUNTEER NEEDS TO CALL THEIR BOS MEMBER. THE ESC WAS PUT IN AS A BUFFER BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE BOS, BUT THE ESC IS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO DO WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.

July 17, 2006:

ART SINGER: THE LONGER THE BOS TAKES TO GET STARTED THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT WILL BE AND MORE STATIONS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT ONCE TIME.

December 13, 2006:

ROBERT MITCHELL: SECOND ISSUE. I WORK AS YOU KNOW FOR HANOVER COUNTY. I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY MEMBERS OF OUR SUPPORTING STATIONS IN HANOVER COUNTY WANTING TO KNOW WHY THE EMS SIDE OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN CAROLINE, HOW THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE COUNTY ADMINSTRATOR COULD ALLOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND NOT MAKE SOME TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION TO FIX IT. THEY ARE LIABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE. IF WE ARE LACKING IN VOLUNTEER STAFF I AM NOT GOING TO KNOCK IT A BIT, WE CAN’T BEAT 24/7 BECAUSE WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEER. THE PROBLEM IS IT TAKES TIME FOR OUR ADMINISTRATION AS FAR AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO REALIZE IN ORDER TO DO THAT THEY NEED TO BEGIN GIVING INCENTIVES OR COME UP WITH A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY FOR A PAID STAFF. THAT IS COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, WHICH I HEAR THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE FROM EVERYWHERE ELSE: HOW CAN THE ADMINISTRATION AS FAR AS THE SUPERVISORS AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR LET THIS HAPPEN.

How can they indeed.

June 21, 2007:

Glen Wood: How big is the problem?

Mike Brown: The # of volunteers is not dropping off, the # of calls is increasing and the # of volunteers to handle the calls is not increasing.

Robert Mitchell: Everybody has the problem. We strive to come up with ideas for better service, but no one looks at if we do the new service, what it will cost. Public Education is a must. Our public is coming from areas where they have services around the corner; no one informs them they are moving into a volunteer system. The county has low paying jobs, so people have to work outside of the county. Also people inside the county can not leave their jobs anymore to run calls.

Mike Brown: The BOS won’t want to tell the public this now. Wait until mid November.

Politics over public safety, ain’t it great? Continued:

[…]

Frankie Dietrich: […] Ed’s office does not have the people to do these jobs. BOS needs to support positions – the volunteers are stressed out already.

July 11, 2007:

STEVE LYND FOR LADYSMITH RESCUE: WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT ARE UPSET THAT THE MONEY FOR THE COMPUTERS FOR REVENUE RECOVERY WAS CUT OUT. WE NEED THE TOOLS TO DO THE RECOVERY.

ED FUZY COMMENTED: THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CUT THEM OUT, I ASKED THAT THEY BE ADDED BACK IN, BUT IT WAS JUST ME ASKING, THE VOLUNTEERS DID NOT ASK FOR THEM SO THE BOARD DID NOT GIVE THEM BACK. IT WOULD HELP IF THE VOLUNTEERS HAD SPOKEN TO THEIR BOARD MEMBER BEFORE HAND. DISCUSSION FOLLOWED ABOUT STEPS TO TAKEN: VOLUNTEERS GO TO ED, ED GOES TO THE ESC, AND ESC GOES TO THE BOS. ED AND THE ESC ARE STUMBLING BLOCKS BETWEEN THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE BOS.

On vehicle replacement:

July 17, 2006:

JACK MARMADUKE: BOWLING GREEN FIRE WILL TAKE DELIVERY OF A NEW TRUCK THAT WILL COST AND ADDITIONAL $60,000 TO GET IT INTO SHAPE TO RUN IT. THERE ARE NO RESERVE TRUCKS IN THE COUNTY; RIGHT NOW THE VOLUNTEERS WILL GO OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO FIX A TRUCK.

IF THE COUNTY OWNS THEM 100% THEN THE VEHICLE WILL BE PUT OUT OF SERVICE UNTIL THE COUNTY “CAREER” CAN GET IT FIXED.

BILL WICK: WHAT ARE THE BOS CONCERNS?

ED FUZY: THEY NEED 100% OF TITLE TO BORROW MONEY FOR VEHICLE PURCHASES.

EARL SHARP: IF IT IS A COLLATERAL ISSUE FOR BUYING FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCES THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE COUNTY IS IN WORSE SHAPE THAN WE THOUGHT.

On the County Administrator:

December 13, 2006:

STEVE PARRISH: WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON A SITUATION THAT I’VE BEEN FACED WITH. ON LAST MONDAY THERE WAS A CONSTIUENT MEETING AT MY FIRE STATION. IN ATTENDENCE WAS MR. TAYLOR, MR. ASHCRAFT AND ANOTHER PERSON FROM HIS STAFF. A PERSON FROM THE AUDIENCE ASKED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE WAS GOING TO BE ANY INCENTIVES FOR THE VOLUNTEERS IN THE COUNTY? BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE VOLUNTEERS ARE DROPPING OFF AND THERE WAS’NT REALLY ANYTHING THERE FOR AS AN INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO JOIN US. A COMMENT WAS MADE BY MR. ASHCRAFT THAT THERE WOULD BE NONE. THAT THE VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT DOING THEIR JOB AND UNTIL THEY DID HE WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER IT AND I’LL DROP IT AT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW. (DUE TO MICROPHONE ISSUES, STEVE PARRISH WAS ASKED TO REPEAT THE COMMENT, WHICH CAUSED FURTHER DISCUSSION TO OCCUR) STEVE PARRISH WENT ON TO EXPLAIN: THEY WERE IN MY BUILDING, USING MY MEETING ROOM; WE WERE ALSO HAVING A MEETING IN THE BAY AREA. WHEN WORD WAS BROUGHT TO US WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED, I ALSO HAD A MUTINY ON MY HANDS. I DON’T APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT FROM MR. ASHCRAFT AND I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GET AHOLD OF HIM YET TO TELL HIM. PAM CHENAULT ASKED IF HE ELABORATED ON WHAT HE MEANT BY THAT. STEVE SAID THAT JUST THE MATTER OF FACT THAT THE VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS SO HE WAS NOT EVEN CONSIDERING INCENTIVES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AN ATTITUDE LIKE THAT BECAUSE VOLUNTEERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN THIS COUNTY. THERE IS NO WAY THE COUNTY COULD AFFORD TO REPLACE EVERY VOLUNTEER IN THE COUNTY. WHETHER WE DO A GOOD JOB OR NOT A GOOD JOB OR WHETHER WE FAIL TO ANSWER CALLS FROM TIME TO TIME, YOU CAN NOT GET AWAY WITH NOT HAVING VOLUNTEERS IN THE COUNTY. I HAVE ALL THE FAITH IN THE WORLD IN YOU FOLKS, BUT JUST AM CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT VOLUNTEERS. THESE FOLKS ARE NOT PAID, THEY SPEND LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF TIME TO RUN CALLS AND GIVE A SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR A TOP OFFICIAL IN THE COUNTY MAKE A REMARK LIKE THAT. I’LL NOT COMMENT ANY FURTHER.

[…]

STEVE EXPLAINED IT WAS A CONSTIUENT MEETING THAT THE PUBLIC COULD COME TO, IN ORDER TO DISCUSS HAPPENINGS IN THE COUNTY. ONE OF THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE ABOUT INCENTIVES FOR THE VOLUNTEERS AND THAT WAS THE COMMENT HE PASSED ON.

[…]

STEVE SAID EVERYONE IN THE MEETING WAS FLABBERGASTED AT THE COMMENT, WHERE IS HE COMING FROM WITH THIS, THAT WAS THE END OF IT. BILL WICK ASKED IF MR. TAYLOR WAS FLABBERGASTED WITH THE COMMENT STEVE SAID THAT STRANGELY MR. TAYLOR HAD GOTTEN UP AND LEFT THE MEETING WHEN THIS CAME ABOUT.

Apparently he wasn’t flabbergasted enough to say anything to Ashcraft after he insulted every volunteer in the county… Continued:

[…]

ROBERT MITCHELL: THAT IS NEWS THAT I JUST HEARD FROM STEVE, BUT I BACK HIM 100%, THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF SHOULD SPREAD THAT TYPE OF RUMOR. IT DOES KILL MORAL FOR THE VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE A HARD ENOUGH TIME TRYING TO MAKE CALLS THAT WE DO, WE DON’T NEED ADDED KICKS IN THE SHINS TO BRING US DOWN.

[…]

BRENT MAIN: I AGREE WITH BOTH CHIEF 5 AND CHIEF 6 ON THIS ISSUE AND AGAIN IT GOES TO SHOW, AS THIS COMMISSION IS AWARE, EXACTLY WHAT THE ADMINISTRATOR THINKS ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS. HE DID IT TO SPARTA, NOW HE HAS GONE AND DONE IT UP AT 6 WITH A COMMENT, THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR ANY OF US.

Lack of a fire marshal:

Preface: 09/14/2005, The Free Lance–Star: Caroline approves Fair plan:

The county will spend about $48,200 for services such as a fire marshal required during the first year of the fair and its two other events, according to Finance Director John Sieg.

The fair is currently slated to open in 2009 but still no fire marshal. Anyway, back to the minutes, March 14, 2007:

ED FUZY EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A FIRE CODE THAT IS ENFORCED IN CAROLINE COUNTY, BUT WE AS A COUNTY DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THE CODE, WE RELY ON THE STATE FIRE MARSHALL’S OFFICE. MOST COUNTIES HAVE ADOPTED A CODE.

June 13, 2007:

#8 Adopt a Fire Code: Mike Brown: Is this in progress? Ed: Kind of in progress. Decided not to move it forward to BOS when the County Administrator decided not to fund the Fire Marshall position. Down side: the state fair is coming and whether they plan on funding it before then. Mike Brown: Anyone have an objection to county fire code? We agree with having a Fire Code, but we have to have a Fire Marshall in order to enforce it.

Frog Level Volunteer Fire Department

On their capital improvement project requests:

October 11, 2006:

DELETE MINI PUMPER: DO NOT HAVE THE MANPOWER OR FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE STATE FAIR WITH SPECIAL EQUIPMENT OR STAFFING. WILL PROVIDE COVERAGE AS WE DO NOW FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

Sparta Volunteer Fire Department

Sparta Fire Station:

November 09, 2005 minutes:

Art Singer: background on the [station replacement] policy, the policy was developed with a committee of volunteers and the Director, the volunteers felt they wanted a stake in new facilities and remodeling. The Director came up with a formula based on percentile so that if a volunteer company could meet certain criteria within that percentile, then there could be co-ownership or if the volunteer company was in such financial state that they could not contribute hardly anything at all then the building would be a complete county owned facility. Example: Some stations that need to be replaced have already purchased land in different locations for a new station. Sparta station 4 at the top of the list. Based on the criteria in the program, if it meets that criteria it will be one of the first to be replaced, because of the fact that is sits in a flood plain and has had damage from rising waters, they have outgrown the facility and it is a dated facility. They have purchased property on the top of the hill across from Salem Baptist Church, but they want a stake in the building.

So, why is the county planning on spending $700,000 for land? Continued:

[…]

Art Singer advised that the time frame is critical. The Board did set aside $1 million dollars in the 2006 budget for Sparta’s building, but turned it over to the Commission, we need to act quickly so we do not lose the funds.

Yes, timing is critical, too bad it’s been over two years and ground hasn’t even been broken.

October 11, 2006:

SPARTA FIRE STATION’S $1,000,000 IS STILL IN THE CIP AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO START THE PROCESS FOR A NEW STATION. INCLUDED AN EXTRA $500,000 DUE TO THE 1 MILLION ESTIMATE BEING SEVERAL YEARS OLD.

Still waiting… Continued:

SPARTA IS OUTSIDE OF THE STATION REPLACEMENT POLICY AND WILL NOT BE HELD UP.

*Snort*

October 23, 2006:

THE 1 MILLION IS ALREADY APPROVED. $500,000 BEING ASKED FOR 2007/2008. DISCUSSION FOLLOWED ABOUT AMOUNT. STAYED WITH $500,000.

March 14, 2007:

Ed Fuzy: the committee researching architects for the Sparta station has chosen DJG as the preferred vendor. They are from Williamsburg; the recommendation went to the BOS last night.

Port Royal Volunteer Fire Department

Fire Engine/Station Replacement:

December 07, 2005:

Commissioner David Storke: If you could write a check to fix the system, what would you write it for?

Frankie: A new building, the duty crews have no were to go on Saturday nights because of Bingo. Bingo is our biggest headache, but we need to do it to make money for a new building.

David: Is it fair that you need to earn money to build your building?

Frankie: We own the majority of our equipment and got the money through BINGO, Turkey shoots and dinners. We take pride in the work done to get the stuff, but it is a drain on the volunteers because they are raising money instead of running calls.

October 16, 2007:

Port Royal Fire: Ed Fuzy: asking for replacement of engine, engine long over due, 1st time it was due was 1998, have been putting it off because their building will not accommodate a newer piece of apparatus. Anticipating $592,000 will have to be custom made to fit into bay. Also looking to replace rescue unit 3. Discussion followed.

Why not build a bigger building? Wait, I remember the title of my blog… Continued:

November 13, 2007:

Port Royal Fire-Rescue: J.P. Wilkerson

  • have been doing Bingo, pay for Fire Department support, no longer have the membership to support it, will probably stop doing it, only 4-5 members living in the first due
  • have been putting money in the bank for building addition, but the land the firehouse sits on belongs to the Town of Port Royal
  • Don’t have the day time support, not opposed to county staffing, but have no facilities: no bunk rooms, kitchen being remodeled
  • New apparatus does not fit in the building

December 6, 2007:

CIP: Move Port Royal’s equipment to another year, can’t get new equipment in current building.

So Port Royal won’t get a replacement for an engine that is “long over due” as the Director of Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management puts it! I hate this county…

Frog Level Rescue Squad

You tell me please:

November, 13, 2007:

Frog Level Rescue: Ed Fuzy

  • in May the leadership of this agency changed and the county took over the budget for the remainder of the year
  • Went to low on budget last year, lowered due to misappropriation of funds

All the minutes that have been posted:

Am I the only one that thinks this smells fishy?

On December 10, 2007, The Free Lance–Star reported that Caroline County had received a $100,000 grant (hey, I found more money for a full-time Commonwealth’s Attorney!) from the Virginia Department of Transportation to “study building a passenger rail station in the Carmel Church area”. Further, The Free Lance–Star reported:

To join Virginia Railway Express, Caroline would have to become a member of a transportation commission and levy a 2 percent gas tax.

On December 26, 2007 President George Bush signed the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008“, which contains an earmark by the late Representative Jo Anne Davis in the amount of $490,000 for a “Commuter Rail Station at Carmel Church, VA”.

Now, I see this going down one of two ways:

  1. “Well, the study says we need VRE and what great timing since we have $490,000 from the federal government to pay for a rail station. Frankly, we don’t care what you [the citizens] have to say about the gas tax!”
  2. “The study says we don’t need VRE but we can’t turn this $490,000 down! I don’t care if you [the citizens] don’t like the gas tax or not! We are getting VRE!”

One current supervisor has stated: “I did not and will not support a gas tax.” Gut check time.

Sitreps on Haymount, YMCA, and State Fair.

(Sitrep = situation report)

The Free Lance–Star: Big plans, big projects, big updates page:

Haymount (Caroline)

Haymount, a 4,000-home planned subdivision near Rappahannock Academy in Caroline County, has not been built despite being approved in 1992. Caroline’s planning director said Haymount is being sold to a developer who does similar projects. The 1,600-acre project is designed as a traditional town with an elementary school and a mix of retail and commercial.

I would kill for some decent infrastructure (roads and broadband) around here. Hurry up and build!

New YMCAs

[…] The YMCA hopes to break ground in Caroline County late this year.

At the cost of $3,200,000 to the county. At least one Supervisor had the sense to vote against this.

Remember this when the Board wants to raise your real estate taxes to pay for a school, public safety building, or the Sparta Fire House.

STATE FAIR

The plan: State Fair officials bought 348 acres in southern Caroline County in 2003. At the time, they talked about holding the fair at its new home as early as 2006; the event is currently held at the Richmond Raceway Complex.

Status: Now, the earliest it will open at The Meadow, birthplace of Triple Crown winner Secretariat, is 2009.

Hopefully, it’ll be 2019.

This is a project where the current Chairman of the Board of Supervisors has said that if the fair brings in money for the county, the county will end up losing money from the state via the composite index.

And what economic benefit is it going to bring? There are no new businesses on the Caroline County side of The Meadow. The roads have been expanded on the Hanover side of The Meadow (going on Route 30 from I-95 to The Meadow) but the road going to Route 301 has not! I’m sure that intersection (Route 30 and Route 301) is going to look great when the fair opens — hey, just like Richmond!

The county has agreed to be responsible for the bills for utilities from Hanover County if the fair goes bankrupt. Of course, the county is acting as the middle-man to no benefit to the county. Too bad that none of the businesses that might want to set up (none have, however) in Caroline County (besides the fair) have access to said utilities.

Has anyone been to the site of the fair in Richmond? Make sure you have a gun with you if you go…

Hey, at least one Supervisor had the sense to vote against the fair (and two voted against the special permit for ticket sales for the fair).

Hey! The same Supervisor voted against both the YMCA and State Fair!

UPDATED: February 12, 2008 – Board of Supervisors meeting roundup

Nothing really interesting at this meeting and not a lot that The Free Lance–Star didn’t cover. And as usual, since I’m lazy, I’ve linked to The FL–S story.

Floyd Thomas was a little late getting to the meeting due to the Springfield Mixing Bowl Charlie Foxtrot.

CALL TO ORDER

INVOCATION

Invocation by Wayne Acors.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA

Struck Consent Agenda Item C (Approval of Livestock Reimbursement Claim) and added Consent Agenda Item I: Declaration of Local Emergency.

OPENING BOARD COMMENTS

ADOPTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH RESOLUTION

Resolution adoption proposed by Sili/seconded by Popowicz: 5-0.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO MAXIE ROZELL FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

Maxie Rozell was presented with a resolution of recognition from the George Washington Regional Planning Commission for his tenure on the commission by Vice Chairman Jeff Sili.

PRESENTATIONS/REPORTS

  • VDOT Monthly Report

The usual bureaucratic junk (I really should get paid for this). Public hearing on VDOT’s 6-year plan will be March 18th.

  • Report on Development of Master Plan for Main County Recreation Park

Surveys will be sent out to citizens in the mail to determine what should be built at the county park.

  • Presentation of Proposed Floor Plan for County Use of Old Union Bankshares Building

Current projected price: $3,679,000, down from $3,700,000. Estimated completion time: 12 months.

Of course, I’m not sure why the county is spending $3,679,000 for office space for twenty full-time personnel when the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services have eighty-eight (88) full-time personnel which could have used a public safety building.

Sorry for beating a dead horse.

Or pumping a dry well.

Or trying to get blood from a stone.

APPOINTMENTS

  • Recreation Advisory Committee – Mattaponi District

Continued.

  • Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) – Reedy Church District

Someone (didn’t catch name). Rozell/Acors: 5-0.

  • Social Services Board – Mattaponi District

Someone (didn’t catch name). Sili/Popowicz: 5-0.

CONSENT AGENDA

  • A) Approval of Minutes
  • B) Approval of Warrants
  • C) Approval of Livestock Reimbursement Claim
  • D) Approval of Resolution Authorizing FRED Transit System to Submit Application for Demonstration Grant Funding
  • E) Approval of Payment Request #21 for Dawn Wastewater Project
  • F) Request for Adjustment to Water Bill Based on Special Circumstances
  • G) Approval of Supplemental School Appropriation
  • H) Adoption of Resolution Declaring March Red Cross Month in Caroline County
  • I) Declaration of Local Emergency

Popowicz proposed to adopt consent agenda as amended/seconded by Acors: 5-0.

7:30 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENTS

PUBLIC HEARINGS

UPDATE: Bah, I forgot something: Commonwealth’s Attorney Tony Spencer reiterated his need for full-time staffing (including a full-time secretary) at the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. He pointed out that Caroline County was ranked as most in need of staffing by the State Compensation Board and had one of the lowest ratio of felony defendants to sentencing events (111th out of 120 jurisdictions) with only 28.39% of felony defendants being sentenced. That means the remainder of charged felons either had their charges nolle prossed, dismissed, or reduced to misdemeanors.

Proposed Adjustments to Water & Wastewater Rates

The Free Lance–Star: Regional briefs

From the Caroline County government: Public Input Requested On Utility Rate Adjustments

From the Caroline County government: Utility Rate Study Information

INFORMATIONAL/CALENDAR ITEMS

  • Proposed Dates for Budget Worksessions

Proposed work sessions for the budget: March 4th, March 6th, March 13th, and March 20th.

State of the County Address will be February 28th.

CLOSING BOARD COMMENTS

CLOSED MEETING

There was a closed meeting but I’m too lazy to type out the reasons for it. Sili/Acors: 5-0.

ADJOURNMENT

Next Board of Supervisors meeting: February 26th.

The School Board will have a budget work session on February 19th at 5:00 p.m. at the School Board office.

As always, if I forgot about something, leave a comment.

Caroline County’s news roundup.

The Free Lance–Star: Neglected horses land Caroline man in jail

The Richmond Times-Dispatch: Bank heists jump in Richmond area:

Caroline County has had a few bank robberies over the years but none in the past couple. The sheriff’s office conducts classes on banking security and has made strides to strengthen its ties with the county’s six banks, said Lt. Col. C. Scott Moser.

“We have a great rapport with the people at the bank,” Moser said. “They know just about every one of the customers that come in, so if they see somebody that’s out of place or not the normal customer, they’ll call us. That’s an advantage to a smaller community.”

Uh…I’m not sure if they have quoted Lt. Col. Michael Hall or Major Scott Moser there. At least they didn’t make a reference to a non-existent “Lt. Col. Michael Timm” like The FL–S did.

Anyway, the Richmond Times-Dispatch: Security varies at City Hall, board rooms:

Here’s a look at security in selected locations across the region:

[…]

Caroline: The board can ask for deputies but rarely does. There are no metal detectors.

Good job there leaving out the fact that Lt. Col. Michael Hall usually attends all the Board of Superviors meetings…

And a non-answer to a question I asked the other day: the Richmond Times-Dispatch: Paying for growth:

Most Richmond and Tri-Cities localities use proffers to raise revenue for infrastructure. Legislation sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, would end the proffer system in favor of limited impact fees. Maximum

Localityproffer SB 768

[…]

Caroline $17,632 No stance

Of course, why should the county government take a stance on how the affects of future development will be paid for?

Guess they’re too busy thinking about that $2,400,000 visitors center that was paid for by proffers that should have been used for schools, roads, and public safety.