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February 12, 2020
Our 203rd year | Vol. 203, No. 7 | www.Fauquier.com | $1.50
School board gets first look at superintendent’s 2021 budget plan County portion of funding would be $3.8 million more than 2020 By Robin Earl
Times Staff Writ
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS DAVID JECK
Those who attended Monday night’s Fauquier County School Board meeting – in person or via livestream video -- got a first look at the superintendent of schools’ proposed fiscal year 2021 school
David and Patricia Vos dedicated to planting a trillion trees PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VOS FOUNDATION
Patricia Vos boards a helicopter in Madagascar during a tour of Eden Reforestation Projects’ initiatives on the island. division budget. If Superintendent David Jeck’s from MIT and has worked on some But his current work has nothing By Coy Ferrell budget were to be approved by the Times Staff Writer of the most important problems in to do with futuristic aeronautics. Inschool board as is, board members aeronautical engineering over his stead, he is putting his considerable would be asking the county for about “I think this is the most import$3.8 million more this year than ant stuff I’ve ever done,” said David 30-year career. He holds a variety creative energy toward finding a last. The total budget is about $7.5 Vos of Delaplane, and that’s saying of patents in his field. He led Google way to plant trees. X’s Project Wing, developing autonmillion more than last year, but be- something. See TREES, page 4 cause of a dip in the composite index Vos holds a M.S. and a Ph.D. omous delivery drones. (which the state uses to decide how much funding each county will get), Fauquier will likely receive about $4 million more from the state than last By Daniel Berti year. Federal funding will decrease Times Staff Writer by about $268,000. In other positive budget news, an The owners of a Fauquier farm slated for a proposed energy-savings plan is resulting in solid savings that the school divi- wetland mitigation bank say representatives of a gas sion is using to pay for some school pipeline company are pressuring them to accept an maintenance projects that would agreement to allow a new pipeline to be built on their otherwise need to be funded out of property, preventing any future work on the wetland the operating budget. Jeck said that bank. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave ramped-up grant applications are Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company the go-ahead also paying dividends. He added that while neighboring to begin construction on their 8-mile pipeline expansion TIMES STAFF PHOTO/DANIEL BERTI school districts will be experiencing in Fauquier and Prince William counties on Jan. 31. A tractor-trailer pulls out of the site where construction on The owners of the Catlett property, Shannon Jensen up to 30% increases in health insurthe Transco pipeline is set to begin. ance rates, Fauquier County will see and Larry Smith, said Transco is pressuring them to aca 4% increase, “which is manage- cept an agreement or face condemnation proceedings, Jensen and Smith said they had hoped to reach an amable,” he said. Jeck explained that which would allow the pipeline company to begin con- icable settlement with Transco, but said it was clear the the county’s Wellness Center, which struction on the property without the landowners’ per- pipeline company is planning to move ahead with conserves school division and county mission while compensation is decided in court. “They have no signature. They have no approval from struction without reaching an agreement. employees, is helping to keep health “I don’t intimidate easily. But I do feel that there is insurance claims down. The Well- us right now,” Jensen said. “I don’t think they can do this ness Center allows county employ- without evidence that they’ve made a good faith effort something going on there that shouldn’t be going on,” Smith said. “It sounds like their tone of voice has more ees and their families to schedule with us, and they haven’t.” Wetland mitigation banks exist to allow developers to pur- force behind it.” doctor visits at the clinic, get and chase of credits toward preserving area wetlands as a means See PIPELINE, page 5 See SCHOOL BUDGET, page 5 of offsetting damage to wetlands or streams in other areas.
Pipeline company is accused of ‘bullying’ landowners
INSIDE Business.............................................11 Classified............................................34 Communities......................................28 History................................................19
Horse Sports.......................................17 Opinion.................................................8 Obituaries...........................................32 Sports.................................................13
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