Budget first look

On Tuesday, February 19, Goochland County Administrator John Budesky presented his recommended budget for fiscal year 2020, which begins July 1, to the Board of Supervisors. The total budget amount of $87.5 million represents a $2.3 million or 2.6 percent decrease from the current year. The general fund of $57.5 million is a $3.1 million (5.8 percent) increase from the current year.

The proposed FY 2020 budget is available in its entirety on the county website http://goochlandva.us and is well worth your perusal. It contains information about county revenues and expenses in great detail. Director of Finance Barbara Horlacher and her staff worked closely with all county departments, Constitutional Officers and the school division to compile this document. Budesky said that all budget workshops will be livestreamed with recordings of past meeting archived on the county website.

Real estate tax revenue, based on higher valuations, are estimated to increase by 5.1 percent ($1.26 million) over the current year. Personal property tax is up approximately $1 million, or 8.2 percent over the FY2019 budget. (Could this be related to the opening of Audi of Richmond?)

Audi of Richmond showroom

As presented, this budget is based on retention of the current 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for real estate tax. Personal property tax rates are reduced to $3.95 per $100 of valuation and the annual vehicle license fee, the “county sticker” tax, has been eliminated. The ad valorem tax paid on property in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District will remain at .32. To ensure adequate funding for maintenance and repair of public sewer and water infrastructure, a rate increase of 5 percent for water and 6 percent for sewer, which is estimated. at an average bimonthly increase of $5.21. Connection fees will rise by 10 percent for water and 5 percent for sewer. Utilities are considered a self-sustaining enterprise.

Budesky said that Goochland’s median income of $86,652 is the second highest in the Commonwealth. While that number seems impressive, Budesky cautioned that the income of some residents is far less, and the county must be sensitive to those who struggle to pay their taxes. Seeking balance in taxing and spending is a delicate task.

Tax relief for the elderly and disabled is proposed to increase by $100 and reduced personal property tax rate for disabled veterans of $2 per $100 of valuation is also part of the proposed budget.

To simplify the business license tax schedule, the threshold for gross receipts fees is proposed to rise from four to ten thousand dollars to encourage small businesses. A new personal property tax rate for data centers of 40 cents per $10 of valuation is proposed to invite development in this area. (Could a data center be the business that the Economic Development Authority has been discussing in closed session recently?) Fees for conditional use permits for communications towers will be reduced to entice providers to expand broadband availability.

The focus of the budget remains in core areas, education, which accounts for 42 percent of annual expenditures; and public safety, which includes law enforcement and fire-rescue and emergency services; and community health.

Excellence in customer service is a core strategic goal, which can only be proved by skilled and dedicated employees. The proposed budget contains a three percent merit-based salary increase for county employees. The proposed school budget also includes salary increases.

Agnew commended Budesky for “being all business and no games” during budget discussions. He said that is mad no sense to request additional positions, except for the recommended crime analyst position to assist in crime prevention. A salary scale adjustment requested to bolster recruitment and retention of law enforcement personnel is included in the proposed budget.

“Our budget was a tradeoff. We are carrying positions that we are unable to fill and have changed the emphasis to revamp our pay scale.”

Goochland Sheriff James L. Agnew

The Sheriff referenced media reports of a 67 percent decline in the pool of applicants for law enforcement jobs on the east coast, fewer, he contended, are qualified.  Attracting people into “this wonderful job” is a challenge. Goochland competes with larger neighboring jurisdictions for applicants. Offering a competitive salary will help encourage applicants to look at Goochland, “a good place to live and work.”

In addition to enforcing the law, the Sheriff’s Office participates in the community. Crime Stoppers, the anonymous tip line, now has a P3 app, which allows informants to submit information via text. Agnew displayed a photo of student Trayvon Harris, who won its $500 poster contest prize. They also provide scholarships.

The bi-annual drug take back events co-sponsored with the DEA are very successful. In 2018, citizens turned in more than 500 pounds of drugs at the West Creek ER and Company 5. The drugs are turned over to the DEA for destruction.

Fishing Day in partnership with the Boy Scouts at Camp Brady Saunders is back thanks to Corporal Harrison Hankins.

“Refuse to be a victim,” which teaches people to be more aware of their surroundings at no cost to the county has been very successful. Agnew hopes to hold more sessions this year. It is sponsored by the NRA but is not about firearms. The open house held last August was very successful. It showcased the new communications center, but Chase, Goochland’s K9 officer, was the star of the show. Agnew hopes to make this an annual event. For the past 26 years, the Sheriff’s Office has delivered Christmas Mother presents.

Turning to a more somber topic, Agnew said that his office partners with Virginia State Police, Goochland Public Schools, and fire-rescue for active shooter drills to formulae plans and strategies. Drills are not held when school is in session; Agnew declined to divulge specifics but said that the simulations are ongoing. Pray that lessons learned in these drills are never needed.

Agnew explained that dealing with sensational crimes, which may be in the media for a few days, is a long-term involvement for local law enforcement. A murder in Sandy Hook last August, for instance, is not quite solved and has required many interviews and trips to the grand jury. Agnew said that the marijuana trade may have been a factor

Troy Skinner, the New Zealand man shot by a Goochland resident after he broke into her home last June, will stand trial later this year. “The lady who dealt with Mr. Skinner did exactly the right thing to protect her family,” said Agnew.

A toddler who died after being left in a hot car last summer consume d a lot of local law enforcement time and was a tragic no win situation. Agnew is working with a young woman who has devised a simple system to help parents and others be aware of children in car seats.

In 2018, 21 drug search warrants were served. Regardless of your opinion of marijuana, said Agnew, its distribution is very dangerous and fraught with violence. This activity takes a lot of people and time to plan and execute.

The sheriff’s office also serves court papers, a function becoming more complex and sometimes dangerous; provides court security; and moves people from jail to court, all man power intensive activity.

Nothing has changed in the area of mental health matters, Agnew contended. “This is not something that law enforcement should do, but we sometimes spend upwards of ten hours in an emergency room with someone experiencing a mental health crisis because there are no resources to deal with it adequately. It’s not helping the patient, it’s not helping us because we’re off the road, and it’s not fixing the problem. I hope that someday the General Assembly will fix it and have a place where these people can be helped because they’re not being helped now.”

Agnew said that there are many parts to the sheriff’s job that people do not understand. He thanked the board for its support in helping to recruit and retain good people to handle the authority granted to law enforcement officials.

Next week’s budget workshop will deal with county staffing, revenues, and the capital improvement plan.