easy victory
time to get busy
council mulls change
Drifters use balanced offense, tough defense to beat rappahannock. Page 4
the break between hunting and fishing seasons is short so make sure you’re prepared. Page 6
colonial beach officials looking at whether to bring back fireworks at two annual town events. Page 8
T he Volume 39, Number 5
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
helping you relate to your community
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 50 Cents
Records: Payment mess going on for months School board also responsible, according to county officials Richard Leggitt The Westmoreland County School Board shares responsibility for the Westmoreland school system’s failure to make timely payments to the Internal Revenue Service and the Virginia State Retirement system, county records indicate. The late payments issue has roiled the Westmoreland school system in recent weeks, leading to complaints from teachers and administrators and a 3-2 vote by the school board not to extend the contract of Superintendent Rebecca Lowry. Lowry submitted a letter of resignation Jan. 12, saying she would
leave her post June 30. County records show the school board has been aware for months of the failure to make the payments. In a Dec. 9 meeting with School Board Chairman Iris Lane, Westmoreland County Administrator Norm Risavi told Lane the job of making timely payments to the “is still not being done properly,” according to an e-mail Lane sent to Lowry and members of the school board. “The most serious issue mentioned by the county administrator is the school district still has not processed VSRS payments entries since June of 2014,” the e-mail said. “The county
administrator and his staff stated the school system is the only county agency that consistently has problems with submitting accurate payroll data and processing timely payments …” According to county sources, in October, a school employee who was retiring and wanted to withdraw her retirement in a lump sum, complained to school officials the state retirement system did not have an accurate amount of the money that had been deducted from her paycheck. “She contacted VSRS,” said a county official who asked not to be identified, “and she was told, ‘We can’t give you money the Westmoreland school system has not forwarded to us.’ This has been an ongoing problem. The school board and the school system just don’t seem to understand how serious a situation this has become.” The official said the county has been
“I plan retiring next year. I’m very concerned about what’s going on. Some questions need to be answered.”
Montross Middle School teacher
notified by the retirement system and IRS that the Westmoreland school system is not current with its required payments to those agencies. Records indicate Lane, Lowry and school finance personnel have been warned repeatedly about the problems the last several months. Westmoreland County Treasurer Sue Jones said her office’s records indicate that on Jan. 12 the school system paid the IRS $198,860 for the withholding for the month of
October. Payments of $209,311 for November federal withholding and $222,227 for December were made Nov. 26 and Dec. 31st. The school system paid $168,898 to the retirement system that had been due for September on Jan. 15, but county officials said there appear to be some discrepancies with that number. Jones said the school system still owes the retirement system $502,595 for payments that were due in October, November and December. “The problem is they can’t close out their 2014 financial records until these financial records are reconciled and brought up to date,” said a county source. “And they are rapidly coming up on their January payroll obligations. This problem has been going on forever and ever. They need more competent people over there.”
Teachers and other school system employees have expressed their concerns as well. “I plan retiring next year,” said a Montross Middle School teacher who asked not to be identified. “I’m very concerned about what’s going on. Some questions need to be answered.” County officials said one of the biggest questions is when the school board and the school system are going to begin handling their accounting and financial matters correctly. According to county e-mails, Lane and Lowry pledged in December to allow Alexes Lee of the county’s Finance Department to work with school finance employees to resolve the discrepancies. In a Jan. 22 e-mail to Lowry, county officials said the school system failed to keep that commitment.
new shopping plaza set to open Aid to schools
and broadband are key issues, Ransone says House delegate aims to protect rights of people and businesses Richard Leggitt
Leonard Banks
Hibbett Sports and Dollar Tree are just two of a handful of new stores that are opening this spring in the King George Gateway shopping center off Route 301. Hibbett Sports will be the first to open this weekend.
Hibbett Sports is the first store to occupy shopping center Richard Leggitt Hibbett Sports, an Alabama-based retailer specializing in footwear, apparel and equipment, will open its new store at the King George Gateway shopping center on U.S. 301 this weekend. Following closely will be the grand opening of the new 18,000-square foot Peebles Department Store, which has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony for March 19. “We’re thrilled to be opening a new store in King George,” said Jeff
Rosenthal, president and CEO of Hibbett Sporting Goods Inc. in a press release Peebles also expressed optimism about their new store opening. “King George shoppers deserve a hometown store that delivers exciting fashion brands and well known national brands of clothes, shoes, fragrances, accessories and home decor,” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage Stores Inc., the parent company of Peebles, in apress release. In addition to Hibbett Sports and
Peebles, several other stores are preparing to open in the shopping center, including Petco, Dollar Tree, Famous Footwear and Goodwill Industries. The plaza is just east of Walmart. The new businesses are an example of King George County’s increased commitment to diversifying the local economy through economic development, said county officials. The new Hibbett Sports is a 5,000-square-foot store that will specialize in localized apparel and accessories so customers can find
the gear they want to support their favorite local teams. Peebles official ribbon cutting will take place March 19, kicking off a weekend-long celebration of grand opening festivities. Popular brands that Peebles offers include DKNY, Nine West, Nike, Dockers, Carters, Skechers and Nautica, Hibbett Sports said it is hiring eight full-time employees for its new store. Peebles plans to hire between 40-50 full-time and part-time employees, officials said.
CB council stops taping work sessions Linda Farneth The Colonial Beach Town Council no longer will videotape its work sessions, a decision that shocked Councilwoman Wanda Goforth. The council recently OK’d the change with only Goforth voting against it. The taped meetings were made available to the public. Councilman Eddie Blunt he questioned why the meetings had to be videotaped and said the taping keeps council members from saying what they are really thinking.
“After discussing it with some people on this council, people are afraid to talk, and you can’t have a normal discussion with somebody without it being misconstrued or whatever else,” he said. “(We’re) just like any other board of directors. Board of directors don’t video their work sessions or their meetings.” “This is not a board; we were elected by the citizens,” Goforth said. “I’m passionate about transparency and passionate about supporting our citizens, even if they have an unpopular opinion or are disrespectful during
public comments.” Goforth said the decsion was spurred by Blunt’s recent mentioning of two citizens by name during discussions on whether to continue to allow public comment or not. Blunt said the pair had been rude and disruptive during previous public comments. At the Jan 22. work session, Blunt said taping work sessions would lead to people taking statements out of context or being misconstrued. “If him and I are discussing something (gesturing toward Mayor Mike Ham) and the microphones
are on, which they are a lot of times, and we’re talking about something, people can take that out of context, misconstrue it whatever,” Blunt said. “It’s open; if you want to come here and sit and watch it, come here and sit and watch it. It’s fine, But I really don’t understand it. It doesn’t make sense.” Goforth said the opposite is true and the tapes would prevent statements from being misconstrued or taken out of context. “I utilize the tapes to help refresh See TAPING, page 8
The wife, mother and businsswoman who represents the 99th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, including King George and Westmoreland counties, hopes to protect aid for schools in the area, as well as a restructuring of broadband legislation that impacts the region. “Protecting our way of life and making sure I represent the needs of our district is the most rewarding thing for me,” Ransone said as she began the legislative session in Richmond. “It’s challenging, but I appreciate a challenge. It is in my nature to work hard.” Ransone, a Republican who was elected to the 99th district seat in 2011 and will be up for re-election this year, also has introduced legislation that would ensure state regulatory proposals that have the potential to negatively impact businesses or localities are thoroughly vetted by the General Assembly “This will help cut down on the unnecessary burdens caused by careless regulations that make it difficult for individuals to start or grow their businesses, and relieve localities of more unfunded mandates,” Ransone said. In addition to the regulatory proposal, safeguarding education aid and the broadband legislation, which restructures the broadband advisory board in favor of rural areas, Ransone wants a resolution bringing transparency to tax withholding “so hard-working Virginians are better aware of their contributions.” “Many times it is not legislation we pass, but legislation we stop from passing that are harmful to education families businesses and localities,” Ransone said. “It is important to put an end to ideas
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that are not good for the citizens before they get to the governors desk for signature. “Prote c t ing tax dollars, the budget, making Ransone sure we aren’t wasting money on frivolous ideas, protecting public safety, stopping the bad ideas, protecting our rights, protecting businesses — all of that has a lot to do with ending legislation in committee. Many citizens never hear about the majority of the bills we stop.” In the House of Delegates, Ransone, who lives in Kinsale in Westmoreland County with her husband and two children, serves on three committees: Health, Welfare and Institutions, Privileges and Elections, and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources. She recently was selected to give the Republican response to Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s State of the State address. She said she tries to keep her life balanced. “There’s no secret, it’s support from my family and our faith in God,” Ransone said. “I am so thankful for the prayer notes and numerous e-mails from citizens of thanks and prayer. “It’s uplifting, the support from my staff and community, leadership from our localities is also helpful. “Like others, it is most challenging for me as a parent and hard-working citizen when our government makes poor choices and disappoints us.”