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Adjourned Meeting
March 14, 2000
7:00 p.m.
Meeting Convened. An Adjourned Meeting of the York County Board of
Supervisors was called to order at 7:05 p.m., Tuesday, March 14, 2000,
in the Auditorium of York High School by Chairman Walter C. Zaremba.
Attendance. The following members of the Board of Supervisors were
present: Walter C. Zaremba, Sheila S. Noll, Donald E. Wiggins, James S.
Burgett, and Melanie L. Rapp.
Also in attendance were Daniel M. Stuck, County Administrator; and
James E. Barnett, County Attorney.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2001 BUDGET
Mr. Stuck made a brief presentation regarding the estimated revenues
and expenditures contained in the proposed FY2001 budget.
Chairman Zaremba called to order a public hearing on the proposed
Fiscal Year 2001 budget which was duly advertised as required by law.
Ms. Corinne Garland, Executive Director, Child Development Resources,
Inc. (CDR), thanked the Board and County staff for their support of CDR.
She explained the programs and services provided by CDR which is an
accredited program. Each day 50 low-income wage earners are able to go
to their jobs knowing they leave their children in care that is more
than just safe, but cared for emotionally and their development will be
challenged. Ms. Garland stated these children are at risk, and CDR's job
is to make sure they receive the best possible care and early
educational development.
Ms. Joyce Adams, 120 Barn Swallow Ridge, a York County teacher,
questioned why teachers should be involved in fundraisers in order to
acquire sufficient monies to support their classrooms. She stated there
is something wrong with a system where the professionals have to plead
for money. Services provided by teachers should be deemed as valuable as
other professionals, and they should be compensated for the services
they provide. She spoke of other areas in the country that pay their
teachers more than York County and where qualified teachers do not have
to start at the bottom of the pay scale.
Ms. Jean Burton, 429 Cooper Street, Hampton, a York County teacher,
stated York County teachers work tirelessly for long hours, on weekends,
during the summer, and without necessary supplies and tools. They can do
the job that they passionately want to do, but they need the necessary
tools, technology, and adequate compensation. Ms. Burton asked the Board
to support the education of York County children.
Mr. Joe Taylor, 109 Marlbank Drive, spoke concerning the needed
renovations at the Yorktown Branch of the library, and he urged the
Board to fully fund the renovations. He also spoke of the need to change
the floor arrangement in the Yorktown Library and the need for new
computers at the facility.
Ms. Katie Green, Director of Colonial Community Corrections,
introduced two Colonial Community Corrections Board members, Merlin
Renne and Kathy Clemens, and she asked that she be invited to the work
session the Board of Supervisors would schedule to further discuss
contributions in order for her to provide them with further information
on Colonial Community Corrections' programs if needed.
The Honorable Merlin Renne, Judge of the General District Court,
spoke concerning the Colonial Community Corrections Board, which serves
six localities, and the need for funding a Justice Planner position to
plan and manage the services provided by the Board. He stated the Board
has no staff, and the Board members all have full time positions.
Without staff, the program will not make much progress. He noted there
had been Federal funds in the past paying about 75 percent of the
planner position, but that funding has reached an end. Judge Renne asked
the Board to provide the requested $20,000 to fund the position.
Ms. Kathy Clemens, James City County Commonwealth's Attorney's
Office, echoed the sentiments of Judge Renne, stating there is a great
deal of talent on the Board trying to improve the quality of the
criminal justice system in this area. Without someone to do the things
the Board members cannot do on an everyday basis, the Board's mission
cannot come to fruition. The benefits of this position are all local,
and Ms. Clemens urged the Board to help fund the very needed position.
Ms. Susan Dolezel, President of the York Education Association, spoke
concerning the Association's mission to provide and support the best
possible education for York County's children. She spoke of the need for
higher pay for York County's teachers, stating they are behind when
their salaries are compared with those of neighboring districts. She
indicated the teachers are fairly competitive with the Peninsula
districts; but for teachers who have more than 10 years of experience,
their salaries drop to 5th place and continue to stay down on the scale
with increasing numbers of years of experience. Ms. Dolezel then spoke
about the teachers retirement system and the need to increase the salary
scale for vested teachers, stating they are $2,000 below the state
average and $5,000 below the national average. York County needs to keep
its talented teachers and compensate them adequately. Ms. Dolezel urged
the Board of Supervisors to fully fund the proposed schools budget and
work toward keeping York County's fine teachers here in York County.
Mrs. Pam Pouchot, 103 Kimberly Court, noted that several of the
members of the Board of Supervisors campaigned against the $400,000
given to Christopher Newport University, and she asked that the Board
revisit that decision and put the money toward education. She spoke
about being competitive with other localities in terms of personnel
compensation, noting the teachers' salaries are still not competitive.
Mrs. Pouchot also asked that more books be purchased for the new
library, and she asked that the County stop charging fees for everything
but raise the tax rate to cover them.
Mr. Jim Pouchot, 103 Kimberly Court, stressed his concerns about the
$400,000 given to Christopher Newport University last year, and he asked
how the money would be utilized if the County had it back. He stated
that decision was not regional cooperation with Newport News, but it was
giving the State education system a donation. He noted that several of
the Board members had used the donation as a platform issue during their
election campaigns last year, and he asked the Board to reconsider the
donation to Christopher Newport and use the money for the York County
education system, the libraries, or other York County facilities.
Mr. David LeBlase, representing the Peninsula Marine Institute,
indicated he had received notification that a portion of the Institute's
funding request had been placed in the proposed budget for FY01. He
stated that York County's hearts are with its children, and he thanked
the Board of Supervisors for its wisdom by approving the proposed
budget. He noted the previous comments by members of the Colonial
Community Criminal Justice Board, stating that the Institute's program
works to keep children out of the criminal justice system, and the
County will receive a 10-fold return on its investment.
Mr. Clyde Hoey, President and CEO of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber
of Commerce, thanked the Board for the County's continued investment in
the Chamber. He spoke of the major successes of the Chamber during the
past year, and he thanked the Board for its leadership and support,
particularly during the NASA issue. The jobs impacted are very valuable
to the Peninsula community, and it is important to continue the process
to see that NASA is well funded. The Chamber has introduced some new
opportunities for business this year, and it handles over 3,800 business
referrals for the Peninsula. Mr. Hoey stated the Chamber is putting out
good information about the County, and it is included in all Chamber
publications. The Chamber looks forward to a continued relationship with
York County.
Mrs. Jan Farley, Chairman of the York County Library Board, spoke of
the opening of the new Tabb Library facility, and she indicated the
Library Board's desire to have the Yorktown facility funded for
necessary refurbishment and improvements in the proposed FY01 budget.
She indicated the need for more computers, stating that more and more
people are using the Internet.
There being no one else present who wished to speak concerning the
proposed Fiscal Year 2001 Budget, Chairman Zaremba closed the public
hearing.
PROPOSED CALENDAR YEAR 2000 TAX RATES
Chairman Zaremba then called to order a public hearing on proposed
Ordinance No. 00-3 which was duly advertised as required by law as is
entitled:
AN ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE TAX LEVIES UPON TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY,
UPON MACHINERY AND TOOLS, UPON MOBILE HOMES, AND UPON REAL ESTATE FOR
THE CALENDAR YEAR 2000, AND TO PRORATE TAXES ON MOBILE HOMES
Mrs. Pam Pouchot, 103 Kimberly Court, asked the Board to raise her
taxes, stating she would like to have them raised if the money would be
used for education. She asked the Board to stop "feeing" the
citizens to death and put the costs of these services in the tax rates.
There being no one else present who wished to speak concerning the
proposed ordinance, Chairman Zaremba closed the public hearing.
Mr. Wiggins noted he had received a lot of criticism about raising
taxes. He stated this Board has not raised taxes. The increase in
revenue is due to the reassessment and higher property values and new
construction.
Chairman Zaremba thanked the citizens for coming out and speaking
tonight, stating the Board appreciated their comments and input to the
budget process. He stated the Board expected to vote on the final budget
at its first Regular Meeting in April, and the Board members welcomed
the citizens to attend the work sessions scheduled prior to the budget
adoption.
Meeting Adjourned. At 7:49 p.m. Chairman Zaremba declared the meeting
adjourned sine die.
____________________________
______________________________
Daniel M. Stuck,
Clerk
Walter C. Zaremba, Chairman
York County Board of
Supervisors
York County Board of Supervisors
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