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T he Volume 40, Number 18
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Wednesday, May 4, 2016 50 Cents
helping you relate to your community
County taxes Improved First Fridays kicks off to rise 5 cents
Supervisors say declining property values, school costs rise caused increase Richard Leggitt
Faced with declining property values and increased school costs, the Westmoreland Board of Supervisors voted Friday to hike taxes by 5 cents per 100. “Basically, 3.3 cents of the increase was because of decreased property values and 1.7 cents was for increased money for schools,” said Board Vice-Chairman Woody Hynson. “I think we are as lean and conservative a group of people as you are going to find,” Hynson said. “We work hard to find ways to keep costs down and to protect the taxpayers, but this year decreases in revenue and increases in costs gave us no choice.” “The decline in property values resulted in an increase in the tax rate to maintain the current revenue level,” said Westmoreland County Administrator Norm Risavi. “The large increase in state revenue for the school system resulted in about a $1.3 million increase in required local funds.” “Another significant impact was the additional of 14 new employees for the county’s Department of Emergency Services EMS personnel and two ambulances. The additional increase was necessary to cover these expenses,” Risavi said. The Westmoreland budget for 2016-2017 includes increases of $1.1 million for emergency services including the construction of a fourth rescue squad station in Oak Grove, $337,000 for new county ambulances, and $105,000
Judge sends message on drugs Dealer gets 15 years Richard Leggitt
King George prosecutors sent a message to drug dealers last week by getting a local man sentenced to 15 years in prison for a single drug deal. Thomas Renaldo Johnson, who was convicted by a jury in February, was sentenced Thursday in King George Circuit Court to prison time that has been recommended by the jury. "Any and all drug dealers in King George County are on notice that selling poison for profit could result in decades in prison," said King George Asst. Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Clark. "The jury recommended that Mr. Johnson spend 15 year in prison for a single drug deal," Clark said. "There was no question about where the community stands on the issue and we were pleased that the court upheld the jury's recommendation." Johnson, 32, of King George was given the stiff sentence by Circuit Court Judge William Ledbetter after he was convicted of selling the drugs See Dealer, page 8
“Basically, 3.3 cents of the increase was because of decreased property values and 1.7 cents was for increased money for schools.” Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Woody Hynson
for health insurance increases. “Health insurance costs went up for every county employee and every county teacher,” said Hynson. “Effectively, the increased health costs would have amounted to a 2 percent decrease in pay for employees if we had not acted.” The new $1.3 million in county money funding funding for the school system will be matched by state funding and includes funds for hiring new teachers, planning for the new W&L high school and funds to offset $116,000 in declining federal funding. The overall county budget for the Westmoreland school system 2016-2017 is $8.7 million. The new overall county 5 cent tax increase will come from a slight increases in real estate taxes, public utility taxes and taxes on mobile homes. The new taxes will help fund an overall county budget of $26.5 million for 2016-2017.
Photo by Terry Cosgrove
At last year’s First Friday Art Walk, residents sat on hay bales and lawn chairs to watch musicians perform and enjoyed sampling Montross’ hospitality.
Market Days moves for bigger, more fun event Richard Leggitt
Montross First Fridays are back this weekend, and the Westmoreland County village is combining its traditional First Fridays art walk and music series with the Montross Market Days, normally held on the Saturday after the First Friday, for a larger, more energetic event. "Our new format has combined our Friday art walks with our previously Saturday market day into one bigger and better event," said Montross Vice Mayor Terry Cosgrove. "We have moved the Saturday market to Friday, in an attempt to accommodate vendors, locals, and visitors," said Becky Nelson, one of the coordinators of the event. "This event is people-packed and will include food vendors this year."
This year the combined First Friday and Market Days will be held beginning at noon and ending at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 6. For more information on the weekend's events or Montross and the Greater Montross Partnership for Revitalization, go to www.visitmontross.com. "Folks are encouraged to come early and dine in one of the local eateries, or grab a bite from a vendor as they listen to music and sample local wine, shop the market and roam the village," Nelson said. "We always welcome new vendors, and hope that this evening convinces people that Montross is ready for new small business. The Greater Montross Partnership for Revitalization is anxious to help foster anyone with dreams of operating a small business in Montross," Nelson said. "Our list of vendors is still growing and we couldn't be happier about that," said Cosgrove. "Of course kicking the season off with Josh Grigs-
by and County Line is a huge win for us. They are a hot band all across the great state of Virginia and we're proud to have them play in their home area again this year." "We have the award winning Hague Winery joining us and that's another great local business that is investing in the revitalization of Montross," Cosgrove said. "We have new vendors such as Revolutionary Root Farm from Kinsale joining our vendor list so shoppers should keep a cooler in their car to keep local meats, poultry and eggs." Cosgrove said he had sampled local strawberries and asparagus available from vendors "and they are fantastic so that's another good reason to come out and shop local." "Our list of artist vendors is growing to join in and bolster our arts presence with our brick and mortar businesses. Our fantastic local restaurants are all open late for dining before, during and after the first Friday event," Cosgrove said.
Kinsale Strawberry Festival County mulls plans a sweet time for all increasing Placid Bay’s road user fees Richard Leggitt
Volunteers in Kinsale are manning the ovens this week, baking pound cakes for the Sixth Annual Kinsale Strawberry Festival to be held Saturday in the historic port town. The festival this year will also be a Mother's Day celebration. Lots of luscious strawberries will be on available at the Cople District Volunteer Firehouse from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on May 7, so plenty of pound cakes -- made with the secret Kinsale recipe -- are needed to dollop whipped cream and strawberries over. Also, any spare cakes will be sold to help raise money for the fire department. This year the delightful community event will also be a salute to Mother's Day. Residents are urged to treat Mom to a day of family fun. There will be music from the talented band Muddy Boots, horse and pony rides, a petting zoo and story telling by the library. Vendors and artisans will also be available selling their creations. The event, which raises funds for the Cople District VFD, will also feature a bake-off with pies, cookies, cakes and other treats using strawberries. In addition to the bake-off and music, there will be rides, games and lots and lots of strawberries.
Richard Leggitt
Young Kinsale resident Aubree Sitton with flowers in a strawberry designed vase at last year’s Kinsale Strawberry Festival..
The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors, acting on a request from the Placid Bay Civic Association, is considering an increase in road improvement user fees for Placid Bay residents in an effort to speed up road improvements in the area. Friday during budget discussions, the supervisors voted to table a proposal to increase the road improvement user fee in Placid Bay from $40 per year per lot to $120 per year per lot until county officials can meet with the residents of the area at the Placid Bay Civic Association Community Center on May 21. "After three years of available funds for local road repairs, we have only been able to execute road repairs on 57 percent of the unpaved roads and still have portions of seven roads that are impassible," said Christina Gruszecki, the president of the civic association, in a letter to supervisors. "At this rate, it will be six more years before we are able to do a solid first pass on local repairs on the re-
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maining roads and 60 plus years before we are able to transition these roads," Gruszecki said. "The PBCA recommends increasing the road user fee to $120 per lot to accelerate our ability to make all lots accessible and transition as many roads as possible to VDOT. This equates to $10 a month per lot." The current road user fees generated only about $62,000 in revenue last year. When the cost of maintaining the roads is subtracted, only $50,000 a year is left for possible revenue sharing construction funds with the Virginia Department of Transportation. "Roads play a big impact in determining the value of property," said Board Chairman Darryl Fisher. "The May 21 meeting will be our opportunity to get the word out to citizens about the proposed increase increase in the road user fee."