Hanover Supervisors to adopt updated strategic plan; Lunenburg Supervisors to reduce job creation requirements for enterprise zones
Another look at some of what's happening in local and regional government in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District
This is a quick one with just three entries. Back soon with more!
Hanover Supervisors to get update on General Assembly, discuss sale and purchase in closed session
As of publication time, the seven-member Hanover County Board of Supervisors had already begun meeting at the administration building at 7516 County Complex Road. A reminder that Hanover is one of two localities in the Fifth District that are split into two more districts. (meeting info)
After the usual start to the meeting including an invocation, there will be two presentations. One is from the executive director of Senior Connections.
“Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging is dedicated to helping older adults maintain their independence and quality of life as they age,” reads the staff report. “They assist older adults with diverse needs and place special emphasis on those who may be isolated and physically or economically at risk.”
The other is an update on the Virginia General Assembly session currently under way from Dennis Walter, the county attorney.
Supervisors will end the afternoon session with a closed to discuss the acquisition of property, consult with legal counsel over possible litigation, and discuss the sale of public property.
And that’s it. A quick meeting. There’s a lot more in the 114-page meeting packet, including the authorization of several public hearings, as well as an adoption of an update to the strategic plan for FY22 to FY26.
Lunenburg Supervisors to hold three public hearings
The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Lunenburg County will meet at 6 p.m. in the Lunenburg Courts Building. (meeting agenda)
There are three public hearings.
The first is a request for a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a convenience store at 2087 South Hill Road in Kenbridge. The property is zoned A-1. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval.
The second is a request for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a banquet hall (event venue) at 25 Jackson Drive in Victoria. This is an amendment seeking addition of an outdoor pavilion, outdoor portable toilets, and for permission to serve beer and wine coolers.
The third is a request to amend the requirements for the Lunenburg-Kenbridge-Victoria Enterprise Zone. Currently to be eligible for benefits, a new company has to have a minimum of 25 full-time jobs. The request is to change that to five full-time jobs or ten part-time jobs, or some combination.
“The trend of new businesses within the Towns/County is that it is unreasonable to expect 25 full-time jobs,” reads a staff report. “With this amendment, it will allow for new businesses to be eligible for benefits whether they are new or expanding.”
For more on these zones and their benefits, visit the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development website.
In other economic development news, we learn from the Commonwealth Regional Council that the Town of Kenbridge has been awarded $1 million from the Virginia Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Industrial Revitalization Fund to renovate a former tobacco warehouse to become as a manufacturing facility.
Charlottesville City Council likely to keep funding formula in place for City Schools
The Charlottesville School Board will meet with Charlottesville City Council tonight at CATEC for a budget work session. I’ve got a much longer article about that on Charlottesville Community Engagement, but one of the big asks from Superintendent Royal Gurley is to hold Council to a policy that grants 40 percent of new tax revenues to the school system.
Last week, Council held a work session to give its priorities for the creation of a budget including the setting of a tax rate. They also heard from interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers on budget guidelines including one that’s been in place for some years. (view the meeting) (view the presentation)
“We continue the strong commitment to education by allocating up to 40 percent of new city real estate and property tax revenues to schools,” Rogers said. “Now, this is a policy, this is a guideline. This is not written in stone except through the adoption of the budget.”
For the second year in a row, Charlottesville has had double-digit assessments.
“Between the assessments and increase in other key other revenue areas like lodging and hotel taxes, we have a $13.9 million increase,” Rogers said.
The school system’s share of those new revenues would be $4.2 million.
The adopted FY23 budget is at around $212.9 million. The anticipated additional revenue would bring that to $226.7 million if the tax rates are kept the same. But let’s focus first on the amount that comes from the assessment increase.
“That accounts for $9.9 million of that $13.9 million,” said Krisy Hammill, the city’s director of budget and performance.
Councilor Brian Pinkston said he would be willing to tweak the school formula to provide more funding for general government.
“For me, that is not something that is sacrosanct,” Pinkston said. “We are investing in our schools to the tune of $80 million and if you include the escalation, we are making a major contribution to get our schools to the place that they need to be.”
Charlottesville Mayor Snook explained why he supported keeping the formula in place.
“We know that the largest percentage of the schools budget is personnel,” Snook said. “In other words, teachers. We know that teachers are not overpaid. If anything, they’re overpaid. And we also know that they’ve just approved, or are moving toward approving, collective bargaining. It would not be wise, I think, to assume that in this year of all years as they are about to move into collective bargaining that we’re somehow going to be able to convince them to find a way to economize on teacher salaries.”
City Councilor Michael Payne agreed with Snook that this was not the year to change the formula, particularly regarding a consequence of the repeal of the grocery tax that did not find replacement funding for revenues lost at the state level.
Charlottesville is a very different place to other localities in the Fifth District.
Reading material:
School board member representing Moneta and Huddleston arrested, C.E. Adams, Smith Mountain Eagle, February 7, 2023
Chatham considers residential solar ordinance, Drew Mumich, Chatham Star-Tribune, February 8, 2023