Budget public hearings in Buckingham and Charlotte counties; Charlottesville to learn more about CATEC purchase, take vote on $5M affordable housing purchase
A resumption of previews of what's coming up at meetings in local government across the Fifth District
I’m very glad to get back to this work and this newsletter and won’t belabor the point. I plan a full slate this week and hope to keep the schedule back up. To keep doing this on a regular basis, I’m going to need to find someone to help me keep it up to date. This may mean turning on paid subscriptions! In the meantime, consider becoming a Patreon supporter of Town Crier Productions!
Charlottesville City Council to get update on CATEC, take vote on $5M vote to help CRHA buy Dogwood Housing
The Charlottesville City Council will meet at 4 p.m. for a regular work session followed by a closed meeting followed by an open meeting. This may be the last Council meeting to be held under COVID restrictions. (agenda packet) (meeting info)
The work session will feature a presentation from Charlottesville School Superintendent Royal Gurley on the city’s acquisition of Albemarle County’s share of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC). The staff report is more of less blank.
CATEC was formed as a partnership between the two school divisions in 1969 and according to a city press release from mid-March, the dissolution dates back to December 2022 when Albemarle County Public Schools made an offer to purchase the city’s interest. In response, the Charlottesville School Board put in an offer of their own. They’ll pay $5.3 million, the price requested by Albemarle County. The name will change on July 1, 2024 to the Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center.
The Daily Progress reported on March 29 that the private CATEC Foundation wanted more answers on what was happening. Charlottesville Tomorrow had a story a week later on the same topic.
Ellen Osborne, the Scottsville District representative on the School Board, posted on Facebook on Thursday that Albemarle County had thought CATEC might be a long-term solution to address their school system’s overcrowding problems.
“Since we cannot purchase CATEC, ACPS is moving forward with our alternate location for our ‘Center 2’ which will alleviate our capacity problems and enhance our career cluster programming,” Osborne wrote. “There’s just not enough money for us to continue to invest in CATEC and move forward with another structure to accommodate our growing student population.”
Then Council will go into closed session for legal consultation with no specifics given. No specifics are given, but I thought I would take this moment to check Charlottesville Circuit Court records to see what active cases are still pending where Council is listed as a defendant. I’ll have that in the next regular edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.
Then the Council will consider the consent agenda which has several items of note:
Council and the Planning Commission had a three hour work session on March 29 on the zoning rewrite to date. There are two pages of minutes. Will future historians who write about this period be able to access the video or audio? Should there be a written account? In the meantime, you all pay me to write articles like my review of the second module.
There’s a little more detail in the three pages of minutes for the March 30, 2023 budget work session. There’s two more pages for the April 6, 2023 budget work session.
There is second reading on a zoning text amendment that would allow RMD Properties to proceed with a request for a rezoning on one acre of land on Ivy Road to Planned Unit Development. (staff report) (my story from March 27, 2023)
There’s is second reading of a change to the fee schedule for building permits. (staff report) (my story from April 10, 2023)
Second reading of an appropriation related to nearly $7.9 million in funding for Charlottesville Area Transit for supplemental funding. I still have not written a story about this but hope to get to it in tomorrow’s newsletter. (staff report)
There is first of two readings on a $78,833 program support grant for the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP), the ninth such award to the organization. (staff report)
Second of two readings on a resolution to appropriate funds from the Virginia Land Conversation Fund for purchase of park land on the southern bank of Moores Creek across from Azalea Park. (staff report)
Regular business begins with a quarterly financial report.
“Current revised projections continue to indicate strong performance, and we are currently anticipating a revenue surplus of 4.89 percent or $10.4 million,” reads the report.
Other items:
Council will be asked to pass a resolution recommending the appointment Inez Gonzalez as the new executive director of the Police Civilian Oversight Board. There’s no background information in the packet on the new hire who will begin work on May 1. (staff report)
Council will once again take up adoption of the Regional Hazard Mitigation plan put together by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. Council took the item up on April 3 but Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook wanted more input from city staff on what’s in the report as I reported. That information does not appear to be in the staff report.
Council will hold first reading on a proposal to end the city’s restrictions on meetings due to COVID protocols. (staff report) (my story from April 4, 2023)
Council will hold second reading of a proposal to appropriate $5 million to the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to assist with their purchase of Dogwood Housing. I will have a story from the April 3 Council meeting in tomorrow’s newsletter but check out the staff report for more details in the meantime.
There will be an update from the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority and the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority.
Council will also hold first of two readings on awards to be made from the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund. A request for proposals went out in early January for the use of $835,000 in funding. Six applications totalling $1,720,611 were received and the following four projects are recommended by the CAHF Committee.
$187,500 to the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority for the Public Housing HVAC Equity Project that would bring air conditioning to existing units. The request had been for $450,000.
$67,806 to Community Services Housing Inc. for rehabilitation repairs to preserve 34 existing units. The request was for $135,611.
$225,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville for their program to transition people to homeownership. The request had been for $410,000.
$167,972 to the Piedmont Housing Alliance for their project to purchase homes in the Orangedale section of the Fifeville neighborhood for re-sale. The request had been for $225,000.
$186,722 to Virginia Supportive Housing for the Premier Circle project. The request had been $250,000.
Charlotte County Supervisors to hold public hearing on FY24 budget
The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Charlotte County will meet at 6 p.m. at the County Administration Building at 250-A LeGrande Avenue in Charlotte Court House. This is a special meeting for the public hearing for the FY2024 budget. (meeting info)
Charlotte County breaks out its budget into several funds including $20,195,387 for the general fund, and $49,551,982 for the school fund. When all of the funds are added up the total budget is $78,539,424. The budget is based on a real estate tax rate of $0.62 per $100 of assessed value.
Buckingham Supervisors holding five public hearings including one on FY24 budget
The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Buckingham County meets at 6 p.m. in the Peter Francisco Auditorium of the County Administration Complex. (agenda) (agenda packet)
After public comments, the meeting will begin with the Virginia Department of Transportation’s road matters section. They will also vote to scheduling a public hearing for the Secondary Six Year Plan.
Under presentations, there will be a resolution of memoriam for the family of Charlene Snoddy. There will also be a presentation from the Fireman’s Association on coverage areas.
There are five public hearings:
A landowner seeks a rezoning of 13.77 acres of land from Agricultural-1 to Business-1 in the Marshall Magisterial District on N. James Madison Highway in New Canton. In a handwritten note, Olympia Moore states she has no specific plans at this time.
A landowner seeks a special use permit for a one-room school house at 13603 Francisco Road in the Curdsville Magisterial District. The applicant states this will be for an Amish parochial school.
A landowner seeks a rezoning on just over 2 acres from Agricultural-1 to Business-1 for a towing service. This would be in the Marshall Magisterial District at 5784 Buffalo Road.
There will be a public hearing on changes to the transient occupancy tax ordinance to reflect state changes requiring “filing on a monthly basis versus quarterly in order to be in line with Department of Taxation.”
There will be a public hearing on the FY24 operating budget of $67,215,776. The proposed real estate tax rate is $0.65 per $100 of assessed value.
Anyone interested in the story about Buckingham County’s electoral office might draw their attention to the minutes at page 19 of the packet in the middle of the public comment. There are remarks from Maggie Snoddy of District 5 who has been officer of the elections for 13 years. Buckingham County has verbatim minutes. She reported on hearing from her fellow officers.
“Everyone I talked to told me that they have never worked like the one in November, and the reason was the intimidation of officers of election by some of the Republican observers,” Snoddy said. “A strong election system has a well-trained, experienced, honest, and nonpartisan registrar, and a good balance between experienced, long serving officers of election with newly appointed officers of election.”
Louisa Supervisors to consider use of opioid abatement money to hire local clinician
The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Louisa County will meet at 5 p.m. for a closed session in the Louisa County meeting room followed by an open session at 6 p.m. For more details, please check out Engage Louisa by Tammy Purcell. (meeting info) (agenda packet)
Under other business, there will be a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding with Region 10 for assistance with opioid abatement. In all there is $61,075 in funding.
“Region 10 will provide quarterly data that supports funds are spent consistent with the requirements for appropriate use of OAA and Direct Disbursement Opioid Abatement Funding as well as data to support the agreement to have the full-time clinician dedicated to performing services exclusively for citizens of Louisa County,” reads the resolution.
This will pay for more local care for Louisa County residents.
“We believe having treatment options available in Louisa would be a very effective use of this Money,” reads a letter from the Louisa Opioid Abatement Citizens Work Group. “Given the amount of funding that is available, we support funding a new position for Region 10 that is specifically focused solely on opioid issues.”
There is a public hearing for a conditional use permit for Lane Industrial and Supply LLC to operate an equipment sales and rental business.
“The applicant intends to revitalize a property that has been blighted and abandoned for several years,” reads the staff report. “The proposed business matches the character of the surrounding area which includes existing businesses and industrial zoned parcels.”
Appomattox County Supervisors to consider sale of public land
The five-member Board of Supervisors in Appomattox County will meet at 6 p.m. at 171 Price Lane at the Board meeting room. (agenda packet)
There are two public hearings.
One is for the sale of county-owned property on Swan Road.
The second is for a utility easement for the Appomattox Volunteer Fire Department to receive electric service at 3007 Morning Star Road.
There are several action items:
Appomattox schools have made a request to carry over $722,602 from unspent FY22 funds.
Supervisors will consider an agreement to govern funds that come from the Opioid Abatement Authority.
The Backstreet Rods and Kustom Car Show seeks a parking request for county property for the October 15 event.
Supervisors will schedule a public hearing on May 15 for the FY24 budget as well as an action meeting on May 24.
They will also schedule a public hearing on May 15 for a conditional use permit for a Verizon Wireless tower.
Reading material:
Charlotte County Circuit Court Clerk Announces Retirement, Southside Messenger, April 5, 2023
Hounded by baseless voter fraud allegations, an entire county's election staff quits in Virginia, April Timm, NBC News, April 10, 2023
Senior Statesmen of Virginia on local voting, Alexia Williams, CBS19 News, April 12, 2023
Buckingham County adds a new registrar, electoral board member, Brian Carlton, Farmville Herald, April 13, 2023
Clowdis Announces Candidacy for Charlotte Circuit Court Clerk, Southside Messenger, April 13, 2023
Virginia regulators approve nearly two dozen solar and energy storage projects, Kevin Clark, Power Engineering, April 14, 2023
Five Democrats certified for City Council primary, Hawes Spencer, Charlottesville, Daily Progress, April 15, 2023