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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Linda Perry
Vol. XXVII No. 11
March 12, 2014
‘Slow recovery’ provides revenue for increased county budget proposal By Jodi Deal Richmond Suburban News
Powhatan County Administrator Pat Weiler said members of the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors made their goals clear to her during preliminary budget talks – no real estate tax increases, maintain a fund balance of 15 percent, present a balanced budget and don’t use onetime funding for operating costs. When she presented her proposed $51.798 million budget
on Wednesday, March 5, for the 2015 fiscal year to the supervisors, Weiler told them she was confident she had met all four of those guidelines, along with a few goals of her own. The draft spending plan, up $1.47 million from the current year’s operating budget, doesn’t include any merit raises or percentage pay increases for county employees, but it has an estimated $191,950 to implement a new pay and classification plan for county employees. Consultants are studying the county’s em-
ployee base to develop that plan, which Weiler said she expects to be ready in June. County employees received a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase, their first since 2008, in the current year’s budget. A 7.1 percent rise in employee health costs, a $51,000 increase, will be absorbed by the county and offset by a $51,000 savings in what the county must pay into the Virginia Retirement System for employees. Weiler said her priorities during the budget planning process
was to refine revenue projections, re-evaluate funding of current programs, implement a few organizational changes, look at employee compensation and streamline the way the county’s funds are structured. “When you look at the county as a whole, revenues for 2015 are expected to be $1.4 million more than revenues in 2014,” Weiler said. “Those numbers come from personal property see BUDGET PROPOSAL page 2A
WEILER
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Parker
“Resonance” Show Choir from Powhatan continues to capture honors throughout competitions in and out of the state.
‘R E S O N A N C E’ S H OW C H O I R AWA R D E D G R A N D C H A M PI O N S H I P Staff Report news@powhatantoday.com “Resonance” Show Choir, a new 35 mixed group from Powhatan, traveled to Poca, W.Va., for its first competition of the season and presented an awardwinning performance.
Members won Grand Champions in the B Division and finished fifth overall in the Finals. In addition to competing at Poca High School, “Resonance” competed at Clover Hill High School’s Mid-Atlantic Show Choir competition and finished 2nd Runner-Up in the B Division.
“Resonance” is taking the stage this month with competitions at Manchester, Hanover and Kecoughtan high schools. This year’s show was arranged by the group’s accompanist, Sean McLane. “The Fame” was choreographed by
Student receives Farm Bureau Scholarship
Submitted photo
Dr. Cynthia “Cindy” Arledge DVM, left, Deer Creek Equine Clinic, and Dakota “Kody” Jones, a Farm Bureau Scholarship student, who is clinic office manager, are shown with Arledge’s horse “Diamond.”
Inside
Sports
A3 Thank you flag Ruritans paying tribute to community’s veterans
B1 PHS grad valuable to R-MC’s turnaround
Antwon Chavis and is about the journey to fame and fortune in the world of music. Powhatan High School’s Show Choir began 15 years ago under the direction of Cami Graham and is now in its 13th year under the direction of Chris Thomas.
Sunday hunting controversy continues despite law’s passage By Jodi Deal Richmond Suburban News
Despite the fact that Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe had signed a bill lifting the ban on Sunday hunting into law that very day, the topic was the source of much debate during last Wednesday’s Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meeting. Eleven citizens turned out to weigh in on the matter, as supervisors were set to consider a resolution regarding the law, which will allow landowners, effective July 1 of this year, to decide whether hunting is allowed on their property on Sundays. Action on the resolution, which would have put the county on the record against Sunday hunting but would not have outlawed it locally, was ultimately deferred until the board’s next regular meeting, which is set for 7 p.m. on Monday, March 17. District Four supervisor Bill Melton, who wanted to vote on the resolution that night, said he’s received strong direction from voters in his district to go on the record against Sunday hunting. see HUNTING page 8A
Index Quotes Obituaries Letters Opinion Calendar
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Crossword Horoscope Sports TV Listings Classified
A7 A7 B1 B4-5 B6-7