Inside A3 Splendor in the grass
Powhatan, Virginia B1 PLL All-Stars battle in District 5 final
Vol. XXXVI No. o. 01
July 6, 2022
Board discusses financial system vendor’s results By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – With the dust finally settled on getting Powhatan County’s 2022 real estate and personal property taxes sent out, scrutiny turned last week to what worked and didn’t work in the process. All of the county’s real estate and personal property taxes for the first half of 2022 were mailed out on June 10 – five days after the date when taxes are normally due to the county. This year, the due date had already been extended to June 24 and the penalty and interest dates to Aug. 1 Some of that lateness can be ascribed to the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors not officially making all of the decisions necessary for bills to be completed – such as adopting the real estate tax rate and making the decision to eliminate the vehicle license fee – until May 18. That was the reason the due date was initially pushed back. But the scrutiny last week was fo-
cused on the role that Keystone Information Systems, the company handling the county’s mass appraisal system and countywide ERP system, played in further delays. During the board’s meeting on Monday, June 27, David Williams, who represents District 1, asked a line of questions he said was aimed at getting a handle on the problems that occurred with the system to make the bills late; what efforts were made to reach the agreed upon milestones in the county’s contract with Keystone; what consequences might be in place for unmet contractual deliverables, why a third party contractor had to be used to finish the process, and what will be done moving forward to make sure the process works better to avoid a similar situation. Williams also asked for information on how the project was managed; whether the county documented functional and technical requirements for the system, and how much the county is actually paying for the company’s services.
“I would like to have this conversation tonight because I know we are continuing to have problems,” Williams said during his opening explanation of why he wanted the discussion on the board’s agenda. County administrator Ned Smither said that, more than just the most recent issues with tax bills, Keystone is a system used daily by staff in all departments and the system will bring more functions and capabilities to both staff and taxpayers as the county continues to use it and adapt to it. He acknowledged that some departments have more complicated issues than others that have to be figured out, and that the departments of commissioner of the revenue Jamie Timberlake and treasurer Becky Nunnally in particular have not gotten what they really wanted or needed from Keystone to function fully. But within those issues, Smither praised the way Keystone “has been there for us, fighting the fight, every step
Tax bills for 2022 sent out significantly late By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – While Powhatan County was up front in letting citizens know that their real estate and personal property taxes would be sent out late this year and even extended the due date accordingly, unexpected delays saw them going out much later than planned. The first half of 2022 real estate and personal property taxes were mailed out on June 10, according to treasurer Becky Nunnally. The county had confirmation see TAX BILL, pg. 5
see BOARD, pg. 4
Endowment created to honor Bailey Band teacher arrested for indecency with a minor PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND
DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Powhatan, VA 23139
Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Powhatan, VA Permit No.19
The legacy of former Powhatan Agriculture Extension Agent Johns Baliey, shown front, third from left, has been assured with the creation of the Johns Bailey Endowment Fund. The fund was announced June 27 at the board of supervisors meeting, and several people came to show their support for Bailey.
By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – Friends and supporters of Johns Bailey aren’t waiting until he is gone to honor his legacy – they are doing it right now and in the most fitting way possible. Powhatan County Cooperative Extension agents last week announced the creation of the Johns Bailey Endowment Fund, which will serve the dual purpose of honoring a man who has spent decades helping people in Powhatan and continuing the work he has done through support of scholarships, programs and more. News of the fund in
Bailey’s honor was announced at the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, June 27. A committee made up of community volunteers and staff coordinated the effort in raising funds to both support the county’s extension program and honor Bailey, said Cathy Howland, 4-H Extension agent. “This fund was established in support of scholarships and programs through the Powhatan County Extension Office specifically within the areas of 4-H youth development, agriculture and natural resources, and family consumer sciences,” she said.
Rachel Henley, agriculture extension agent, said the committee has already raised about $11,000 for the endowment fund, which members aim to build up to $25,000 in the next five years. Once it reaches that amount, the endowment will give the office and the community the benefits of the tax deductible gifts people can put into play through the support it gives. Anyone wishing to donate to the fund can get more information at www. tinyurl.com/johnsbaileyendowment. The extension office has wanted to create an endowment fund for several see BAILEY, pg. 6
By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – The suspended Powhatan High School director of bands and performing arts coordinator was arrested and arraigned Thursday on two counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor by a person in custodial or supervisory relationship. SNEAD Andrew C. see SNEAD, pg. 3
School board votes to approve budget changes By Laura McFarland Managing Editor
POWHATAN – The Powhatan County School Board approved budget changes last week to better reflect updated numbers, part of which, if approved by the board of supervisors, would pave the way to all school employees receiving a bonus. During the school board’s meeting on Tuesday, June 28, the four school see BUDGET, pg. 3
Powhatan County
Students in the Powhatan County Public Schools’ Harry Potter: A Week at Hogwarts Camp show off the Monster Book of Monsters they made during the camp. PCPS offered several camps last week with more to come in July. See photos page 8A.
PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND
