Virginia Viewpoints
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Volume 39, Number 19
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King George
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 50 Cents
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King George budget approved, real estate tax rate to rise Phyllis Cook The King George Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a $70 million budget for 2015-16 that includes a two-cent increase of the real estate tax rate. The current real estate tax rate is 59 cents per $100 of valuation. It now rises to 61 cents. The 2015-16 budget leaves all other taxes at the same levels. The supervisors worked out the budget agreement during a special April 29 meeting. The spending blueprint provides 1 percent pay raises for county employees, effective July1. The tax increase is estimated to
bring in $500,000 in additional revenue. The five supervisors had to agree how allot the new funds. County Administrator Travis Quesenberry presented scenarios for dividing the money between five areas of need as discussed earlier this year by the supervisors. A high priority was revenue for the public school budget in order to raise teacher pay. Other priorities included the 1 percent raises for county employees and the timing of adding six new fire and rescue positions. Discussion centered around whether to add the positions on July 1 or in January 2016.
King George Middle School launches “CANstruction” event to help the hungry Staff Reports Students at King George Middle School are working to help feed the the area’s hungry, and have some fun at the same time. The school is in the middle of its “Canstruction” event, in which the students are building wild-looking sculptures from canned and pre-packaged foods. The young people have begun putting together their sculptures and and will continue working on them until the close of school on May 11. The structures must be completed by that time. They will then be judged and a winner selected. All of the food used to build the sculptures will be donated to the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank. All teams are responsible for acquiring/purchasing all food for their structure. As cans are collected from the general student population, they will be evenly distrusted to the teams. Structures must fit within a 5’ x 5’ area and must be a maximum of 5’ high. Teams must display the following information: team name, title of structure, list of foods and numbers of cans used. The students will have to use some engineering skills to put together the sculptures. The structures must be made of unopened canned food, with minimal non-perishable packaged food or props. All labels must remain intact. Structures must be completely self-supporting. Structural support must not be load bearing. Maximum of less than ½” sheets of foam core, cardboard, plywood or similar materials can be used as a leveling device between rows of cans. Canned food can be joined using any of the following methods: Clear packaging tape, double sided tape, duct tape, Velcro, fishing line, wire, rubber bands, zip straps etc. Any method that provides easy demounting is permitted provided the labels and cans are NOT damaged. No gluing, welding or other permanent affixing of cans allowed. No alcohol, glass containers, pet food, expired or open packages of food are allowed in the structures. Though the structures will be completed by May 13, food bank donations may still be dropped off at King George Middle School until that day.
Planning Commission hearing set for May 12 on capital projects plan Phyllis Cook
The King George Planning Commission is considering a $60.6 million Capital Improvements Program that will run from July 1, 2015 through 2020. The spending blueprint contains 24 projects, including: Parks and Recreation Six projects are requested at a total expense of $2.4 million. Barnesfield Park Upgrade – $375,000 requested in fiscal outyears 2017 and 2018 to develop a park master plan, install a well and irrigation to the fields, expand parking, and add a shelter and twostall restroom Barnesfield Park Upgrade, Phase 2 – $620,000 requested for lighting for the three ball fields Quonset Hut Improvements – $512,000 in 2015-16 for roof repairs, new electrical, plumbing and heating-ventilation-air conditioning
systems to the former gym at old King George Elementary Shiloh Park, Phase 2 – $473,000 for restrooms/concession facility, picnic shelter, and water and sewer lines and connections Hunter Field Improvements – $230,000 to mitigate field erosion and provide irrigation Citizen Center Expansion – $157,000 to remodel the interior, add more restrooms, office/storage space and parking King George Schools Ten projects requested at a total expense of $35.1 million. Middle School Repairs – $574,700 to complete repairs to the middle school roof Middle School Expansion –$8.25 million to build an addition to the existing middle school School Bus Replacement – $2.69 See COMMISSION, page 8
Supervisor Joe Grzeika and three other supervisors advocated adding the positions in January Grzeika suggested adding the six slots immediately would jeopardize raises for county employees. Supervisor Dale Sisson agreed. “I think the reality is, we’re not going to be prepared to get those six on board any sooner than January, anyway,” Sisson said. “We’re still working on Fairview Beach staffing and have to get the new trainer position on board first. Tying the money up between now and midyear isn’t going to do us any good in terms of making progress.” Supervisor Ruby Brabo called for adding the fire and rescue positions
on July 1, stating that pay raises for county employees were her lowest priority. “In past years we’ve revisited a pay increase in January and sometimes have been able to give a pay increase,” she said. The supervisors also discussed whether and when to convert a part-time in the General Properties Department to full time, and how much funding should go toward conversion of part-time positions for a full-time deputy registrar position. The board also had to factor in an additional $60,000 to cover the rising share King George must pay toward operating the Rappahannock Regional Jail.
2015-16 Budget Items The King George Board of Supervisors agreed to use roughly $500,000 in new revenue to fund the following priorities: • • • • • •
$237,000 – six fire/rescue positions effective Jan. 1, 2016 $103,000 – 1 percent raises for county employees effective July 1 $30,000 – conversion of part-time grounds-maintenance worker to full time effective July 1 $36,000 – conversion of part-time positions to a full time deputy registrar position effective July 1 $60,000 – additional funding for Rappahannock Regional Jail $34,000 – additional funding for public schools
Three arrested in Col. Beach school arson Linda Farneth Virginia State Police have announced the arrest of three suspects in connection with the 2014 fire that destroyed the Colonial Beach Elementary School building on Douglas Avenue. Thomas G. Perry, 24, and Parrish Muse, 21, were both indicted by a Westmoreland County grand jury on one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to commit arson, one count of arson of an unoccupied dwelling, and one count of damage to a public building. The grand jury indicted Carlos Bermudez, 19, on charges of arson of an unoccupied dwelling and trespassing on school property. All three were taken into custody without incident on April 28. The arrests come just three weeks after the Colonial Beach Council approved demolition of the charred shell of the school building. Muse and Perry are being held without bond at the Northern Neck Regional Jail, while Bermudez was released on bond, according to a State Police press release. All three suspects are alumni of the Colonial Beach Public Schools, which has shocked town officials. “I am sure we are all saddened to learn that those that have been charged were former students,” said School Board Chairman Tim Trivett. “We know these young men as well as their families, and I know this will be a difficult time for the both of them.
File Photo
Firefighters struggle to contain the flames as the Colonial Beach High School building burns on the morning of Jan. 5, 2014. Three indivduals have been indicted for arson in connection with the blaze following a 16-month investigation by the Virginia State Police. This is still an active investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this point.” Colonial Beach School
Superintendent Kevin Newman also declined to comment on the specific charges but expressed relief that the investigation is progressing.
“The arrest of the three suspects will hopefully bring some closure to See ARSON, page 8
Plans move forward for Northern Neck Artisan Trail Richard Leggitt The Artisans Center of Virginia is planning an artisan trail for the Northern Neck running from King George County down to Lancaster County. The trail will provide local residents and visitors to the area a comprehensive guide to artists’ studios, farms, vineyards, cultural and recreational activities. Officials from the Artisan Center, which is located in Staunton, met last week at Westmoreland State Park with trail supporters and interested officials from the five counties involved. “The Artisan Center has been very, very helpful,” said businesswoman and artist Holly Harman of Montross. “They really know what they are doing.” The Artisan Center is a statesponsored non-profit program that works to build the Virginia economy by helping local artisans and communities to promote themselves. Last week’s meeting was focused on possible names for the new trail.
Suggestions from the more than 40 participants attending ranged from the Steamboat Artisan Trail, to the Chesapeake Bay Artisan Trail. The overwhelming favorite appeared to be the Northern Neck Artisan Trail, bearing the slogan “Where history abounds and water surrounds.” A final decision on the trail name will be made later this year. The Artisan Center has already established artisan trails in several areas of the state. “The hardest thing we do is try to come up with a name,” said Sherri Smith, the Artisan Center’s executive director. Harman is pleased the process is moving forward. “It is amazing to see our artisan Richard Leggitt trail moving up the ladder,” she said. “That tells me that it’s going Sherri Smith with the Artisan Center and Tim Davis moderate a discusion to happen faster than anybody about the proposed Northern Neck Artisan Trail. thought.” The artisan trail will feature Individuals and businesses in King www.artisantrailnetwork.org. local Northern Neck businesses George, Westmoreland, Richmond, committed to handcrafted and Northumberland and Lancaster locally grown products that will counties that wish to become stops link the region’s historic past to its on the trail can learn the artisan trail future. participation guidelines by going to
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