NK supervisors approve tax increase, budget for FY13-14
New Kent’s Historic School will benefit from half of a four-cent real estate tax increase as supervisors approved their FY 2013-14 budget on May 29.
After an hour of deliberations, supervisors unanimously approved $66,494,241 for the next fiscal year. A tax levy increasing real estate from 81 cents to 85 cents per $100 of assessed value passed 4-1, with District 4 representative Ron Stiers casting the lone dissenting vote. Two cents of the increase are specifically designated for renovations of the Historic School.
A fee schedule and recommended capital improvement plan for the next five years also received unanimous approval. Capital improvement projects (CIP) funding total $7,433,895, while water and sewer utilities is $6,157,277 in next year’s budget.
At a special budget meeting on May 21, a possibility of construction for a new elementary school arose, sending supervisors into a deferment of voting on the budget. After receiving an update from county administrator Rodney Hathaway Wednesday morning, a clearer picture on true costs emerged.
“After talking with these school districts, I found out that the $12 million cost does not include site work, engineering, or the possibility of purchasing land,” Hathaway told supervisors. “Costs would run closer to $20 million instead of the $12 million figure we received.”
Supervisors agreed to defer ERP financial software ($850,000) to the next fiscal year. Other matters in previous discussions that remained intact include retention of an on-site medical director (OMD), VACO membership, elimination of a legal assistant ($58,857), freezing of hiring a financial manager until Oct. 1 ($16,143), and use of a state grant to hire a school resource officer instead of county funds ($25,000).
Schools will receive an additional $100,000 in funding, upping to a total of $12.5 million in local dollar contributions. Heritage Public Library’s request of $40,000 to help with rent also gained approval.
When it came to the two percent pay raise for county employees, Stiers admitted he wasn’t a fan of the idea.
“I rather wait to have the money instead of taxing people to get that,” said Stiers.
Chairman Ray Davis countered Stiers claim, pointing to the county’s school employees who are scheduled to receive an increase next year.
“The only problem with [not giving county employees] a raise is school employees are getting raises. I don’t want to see disparity. You give one a raise you give them all a raise.
“There is competition out there for positions,” the chairman continued, pointing to surrounding localities and salaries. “We’re facing a lot of growth issues.”
“We’ve cut a lot of positions over the past years,” added District 1 representative Thomas Evelyn. “Those positions are still not filled.”
Hathaway’s configurations allotted a proposal of a $1,000 salary increase to full-time employees and a $300 bonus for part time employees. While that number met the $225,376 projected figure for FY 2013-14, it would have no impact on the salary scale.
Supervisors acknowledged the suggestion, but after they received comments from department heads in attendance to explain the affect of two percent on staff, they elected to remain with the original budget recommendation.
In final matters, supervisors asked superintendent of schools Rick Richardson about $350,000 in capital improvements for a needs assessment for New Kent Elementary School.
“I don’t want to be in a position to ask for an additional appropriation later on in the year,” said Richardson. “I don’t want to speak for the [school] board, but we do have needs in that 40-year old building.”
“If we are going to spend that money, I’d like to reevaluate it,” said Evelyn.
While the money remained in the CIP, supervisors specifically designated $30,000 to an assessment study and $320,000 to repairs. Representatives also told Richardson that adjustments to designated funds can be changed on an as-needed basis.