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POSTAL CUSTOMER
King George
Volume 39, Number 17
Rates likely to rise for KG Service Authority customers
King George rezones property for Commercial Metals Company Phyllis Cook The King George Board of Supervisors approved rezoning 38.62-acres from agricultural to industrial use. The rezoning paves the way for Commercial Metals Company to invest $12 million to relocate and expand its manufacturing operations with construction of a 84,000 squarefoot rebar fabrication facility. Plans for the complex include a warehouse and office space on 30 acres of land to be incorporated into the countyowned industrial park. The facility is to be completed within two years of the land purchase. Commercial Metals will bring about 43 positions from its other locations, including from Spotsylvania County, and create an additional ten to 20 new jobs within five years of startup. The deal has been in the works for the last year, with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership assisting with the company’s application for $450,000 in state grant funds. The money will finance construction of 4,200 feet of additional railroad track to extend the existing CSX rail line that serves a portion of the industrial park. Commercial Metals is a subsidiary of HGAC, LLC, a global, low-cost metals recycling, manufacturing, fabricating, and trading enterprise. Linwood Thomas, director of economic development for the
Phyllis Cook The King George Service Authority will increase rates and fees for Fiscal Year 2015-16. The commission is also planning for incremental increases over the next five years. A ceiling for the proposed hikes for 2015-16 is expected to be set by the end of April, with a public hearing and a vote to be scheduled in June. The authority reviewed four scenarios for increasing revenues during its April 14 budget session. The options were presented by Kyle Laux of Davenport and Company, LLC, which serves as financial advisor to the county and service authority. The minimum residential bill for customers with both water and sewer service using up to 5,000 gallons per two-month billing period is currently $118.20. Each of the four options would raise the current minimum twomonth billing from $118.20 to $127$131 for Fiscal Year 2015-16. For the next three years the minimum bill would go up between $10 to $34 per two-months, with steeper increases coming later. The county’s current ‘average’ residential bill for both water and sewer service is $175 and based on usage of 9,000 gallons per twomonth billing period. The ‘average’ residential twomonth billing of $175 was proposed to increase by $10 to $14 per twomonths for 2015-16, and $16 to $19 per two-months more for 2016-17 and again in 2017-18, with sharper increases to come in the out years. The board agreed with member Joe Grzeika’s request for a fifth option to provide a hybrid version that boosts user rates, but imposes a less-steep rise for fixed debt service fees. Member Ruby Brabo agreed with Grzeika’s suggestion. “Looking at the hybrid option gives us the opportunity to not sock it to the minimum users,” she said. Laux said he’d provide the requested new plan in the next week See AUTHORITY page 8
Richard Leggitt
University of Mary Washington archeology students Mollie Murphy(left) of King George and Julia Burzynski of Millburn, NJ are part of the group unearthing historic artifacts at Belle Grove Plantation..
Students dig for history at Belle Grove Richard Leggitt The University of Mary Washington’s Dr. Doug Sanford is a man with a passion for the past. For several years he led teams of students that helped uncover artifacts on the grounds of Westmoreland’s Stratford Hall, birthplace of Robert E. Lee. Now Sanford, who has more than 20 years experience as an archaeology professional, is leading a group of students digging for relics at Belle Grove Plantation in King George.
Belle Grove, an 18th century plantation on the Rappahannock River, has been painstakingly and beautifully restored by Brett and Michelle Darnell and turned into a luxury bed and breakfast and venue for special events. President James Madison was born on the plantation on March 16, 1751. “This area had never been surveyed until we started work last spring,” said Sanford, the director of archaeological programs for UMW’s Center for Historical Preservation.
Working from an 1856 map of the Rappahannock River location, Sanford and crews of UMW students are carefully examining the Belle Grove grounds for historical treasures. “We have found a whole range of artifacts last spring and are finding more this year,” he said. John Strangfeld, a UMW freshman from Herndon, finds pleasure in the on-site work. “I really enjoy seeing what kind of things are here,” he said. “I really See HISTORY page 8
King George residents join in Earth Day celebration Marty van duyne Marimba music echoed throughout Fredericksburg’s Old Mill Park during the April 18 Earth Day Celebration. King George resident DeLaura Padovan-Hickman was in her element, jaming with Maranje Marimba Ensemble and showing youngsters the art of playing marimba in a group. The nine-person ensemble also includes Maren Padovan-Hickman and Steve Hickman of King George, Sam and Kena Ross of Stafford, Alex Kane of Warsaw, Selene Jarvis of Woodford, and Annette and Amadi Nzojibwami of Fredericksburg. As music filed the air, crowds enjoyed riding the Massaponax Baptist Church barrel train and watching river safety, fly fishing, and wildlife demonstrations. Environmental energy exhibits included the Sierra Club’s wind power and Dominion Virginia
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 50 Cents
helping you relate to your community
Power’s “Green Power.” Earth Day is now celebrated annually in April and emphasizes such environmental challenges as reduce, reuse, and renew.
county, has shepherded the deal. “Considering the highly competitive nature of economic development, it is exciting to be able to add a Fortune 500 company of Commercial Metal’s caliber to King George County,” he declared. “Today, corporations and companies alike are looking for site-ready land. The infrastructure improvements the board is making to our industrial park, including fiber, water, sewer, rail, and, eventually, gas will allow King George to compete for additional investments by companies both nationally and internationally.” Last week’s board action took place shortly before the Planning Commission approved Commercial Metals Company’s final plat and site plan. The sales closing on the land is expected to take place within a few weeks. The property is currently owned by the Frank B. Taylor Limited Family Partnership, LLP. The economic development authority took action on April 9 to authorize its chairman to sign a supplement to the park’s protective covenants to incorporate the property into the industrial park. That will also include the remaining 8.62 rezoned acres to be purchased by the county to give it the ability to provide rail access to additional property earmarked for the industrial park in the future.
King George resident gets break from judge in credit card fraud case Richard Leggitt A 23-year-old King George man convicted of eight counts of credit card theft was back in court Thursday and got a break from King George Circuit Judge Herbert Hewitt. The judge deferred the convictions of Tony Bae and ordered him to attend a diversion program. Bae, a former employee of Bo’s Restaurant, was arrested last October after he boasted to a King George Sheriff ’s deputy that he was recording credit card numbers at the restaurant, located on Route 301. Testimony in court indicated that when the sheriff ’s deputy eating at the restaurant handed Bae his credit card to pay for a meal, Bae told him, “I don’t need it. I have your number on file.” Bae was convicted on Feb. 19 of credit card theft after entering pleas of guilty to the charges against him. In court Thursday, Bae listened as his attorney, Julia Dillon, pleaded for leniency for her client. “Although Bae had the ability to steal a significant amount of money, he never actually did it. He did run a $1 charge though on one credit card
but quickly refunded it,” Dillon told Judge Hewitt, noting that her client has no criminal record. “He just made a stupid mistake.” After hearing arguments from Dillon and Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jennifer Pollard, Hewitt sentenced Bae to two years in prison on each of the eight counts of credit theft but suspended all but eight months of the possible 16-year sentence. After Bae apologized for this actions, Judge Hewitt ordered that the prison time and the guilty verdicts be held in abeyance while Bae attends a state-sponsored diversion program. Hewitt said the verdicts and the sentence could be set aside if Bae successfully completes the program. A subsequent investigation revealed that Bae had recorded the credit card information of more than 32 of the restaurant’s customers on his cell phone and in a notebook. “Mr. Bae’s case is the quintessential example that folks should check their credit card statements carefully and thoroughly,” said King George Commonwealth’s Attorney Keri Gusmann.
Artisan Trail naming event
Marty van Duyne
Maranje Marimba Ensemble’s DeLaura Padovan-Hickman (front) shows a youngster how to play marimba as Kena Ross (back) plays with the rest of the group.
All those interested in helping name the proposed Northern Neck Artisan Trail should make their calendars for 5:30 p.m., April 28. The event will take place in Murphy Hall at Westmoreland State Park. The event will include a variety of festivities. Some of the region’s finest restaurateurs and caterers will provide refreshments. The parking fee at the park is waived for this event. Tom Davis, director of River Country 107.5 WNNT and 105.5 WRAR, will serve as emcee. Sherri
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Smith, executive director of the Artisans Center of Virginia will lead the audience through recap of the history of the proposed Northern Neck Artisan Trail and discuss plans for its future. RSVPs are requested. To reserve your spot, e-mail trails@ artisanscenterofvirginia.org.