Board focuses on department budgets

LAURA MCFARLAND

Managing Editor

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors got more detail about the reasons behind increases in the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 operating budget when they spoke with department heads last week. The board spoke with representatives from 16 departments during a March 16 budget meeting. With each department, the board was walked through a brief explanation of the areas seeing increases and then given time to ask questions about why those changes are necessary.

Reasons for changes in the different departments included new or updated positions, increased operations or materials costs, new initiatives, salary adjustments, health insurance adjustments and more.

Some departments fielded a number of questions from the supervisors while others saw little interaction. County administrator Bret Schardein and budget manager Thomas Vo also fielded questions. The board did not take any votes on the budget at this workshop.

The supervisors were scheduled to speak with more department heads at their meeting on Monday, March 20, which happened after press time.

The departments that met with the board on March 16 were:

„ Circuit court clerk’s office – Requested increase of $23,504 for salary and benefits and operational increases. However, during the public comment