Gloucester’s FY 2025 budget was unveiled this week at Monday’s meeting of the county’s board of supervisors, an approximately $85.4 million county general fund budget that does not include a tax increase.
The county’s draft budget also calls for a $30.4 million contribution to county schools, which would provide level funding.
County Administrator Carol Steele presented her draft budget on Monday night at the meeting, which was held in the colonial courthouse. Steele said that the FY 2025 budget provides for a 3.2 percent COLA (cost of living adjustment), selective staff additions and promotions, and support of existing external agencies and partners. She also said that the budget includes a 12 percent increase in health insurance costs, an addition to that county administrator’s contingency up to $500,000, $1 million in tax relief, and a need for one-time funds to balance the operating budget due to low revenues. The Compensation and the county’s general fund were the biggest expenditures in the FY25 proposed budget.
The general fund budget for FY25 is about $1.1 million less than the current operating budget as a result of transfers out due to debt retirement, less capital spending and an increase in state funding from the CSA. The general fund budget totals to about $84 million, with $45 million left when amounts are transferred to the School Operating Fund, Social Services, Children’s Act Fund, Capital Improvement funds and debt services.
Supervisors voted 3-2 to move ahead with a public hearing on the budget and the advertised tax rates of 58.3¢ per $100 of assessed value for real estate and $2.95 for personal property. Chairman Chris Hutson and Abingdon district rep Dr. Robert “JJ” Orth cast the two nay votes. The hearing will be held on March 27.
Other expenditures
Other expenditures include:
—The Social Services budget is proposed to be $6.7 million, which Steele said is a slight increase due to the recommended full-time staff, with $2.3 million of it coming from the general fund. Social Services will have about $1.7 million coming from the state government and $2.6 million coming from the federal government.
—The Children’s Service Act budget is set at $2.4 million coming from the general fund. The county’s Capital Improvement Project fund has a proposed budget of $2.4 million and about $2.2 million of it would be coming from the general fund.
—The proposed budget for the Opioid Abatement Fund will contribute about $94,000. The proposed budget for debt service is $9.2 million, with about $4 million being transferred from the general fund.
—Gloucester’s Sanitary District #1 proposed budget is $26,000 and the Gloucester Point Sanitary District has a proposed budget of $26,000. Mosquito Control is set at $122,000.
—The Gloucester Utility Fund has a proposed budget of $7.4 million.
—The general fund in the proposed budget also accounts for a little over $2 million in county contributions to Gloucester and Abingdon Fire and Rescue squads. The county’s contribution to the two companies amounts to a total of about $5.5 million.
Tuesday night
On Tuesday night, the board held a second meeting in the colonial courthouse. At that meeting, a number of people spoke on fire department needs.
Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue chief J.D. Clements discussed the situation with the fire station and statements made during Monday night’s meeting. There were also members of both the Gloucester and Abingdon fire stations present.
“We are here to ask tonight that you fully fund both providences for the upcoming budget request for the 25-26 budget cycle. But before I get started with planned comments, I have an issue that I must address. Last night, during your work session, Mr. Bazzani [York District supervisor Phillip Bazzani] made a statement I need to rebut. He stated that the Gloucester Fire and Rescue squad had requested a study to see where we were supposed to put the new Station 1. That is not correct, sir. Mrs. Steele, Mr. Hutson, Mr. Chriscoe, Mr. Wilmot and Mrs. Calloway were all in the room. That was a request for future need as the county population continues to grow over the years for a future fire station should go,” Clements said.
He also said that Gloucester did a study over 20 years ago and explained that he did not understand the need for another study.
“You say you don’t have the money for the budget,” he said. “Why do you need to spend $50,000 to do something that we already know you need or need down the road? Don’t need it today, but you will need it in the future as the population increases.”
He also said how he has discussed the issue of the need for a new fire station with each board member at least once or twice a year since he became chief in 2008.
“Shame on you, board, for allowing us to get in this situation,” Clements said. “We got a building that’s way outdated, we got two new pumpers and a rescue truck that we ordered thinking we could have a new building to put them in. Now we know that’s not going to happen and we don’t have room to get them in the building. We got to make alterations to get them in the building, so that’s going to be more money thrown away. So where does it stop? We have got to come to a happy medium. We got to come in here to do what we got to do for the citizens of Gloucester. We are not trying to take advantage of anybody. We are trying to lead the way into the future and without your help, it ain’t gonna happen.”
He said Abingdon has needs just like GVFR does. He asked the board for its full support, to rethink its ability to build a new station and asked for them to look at any alternative financial plan the board can come up with to help the fire stations move in the right direction.
Bazzani responded later on in the evening, saying that they [the county’s volunteer fire departments] had no better supporter than he.
Public hearings
There was a public hearing to consider an amendment to the zoning map to reclassify 0.75 acres owned by the William D. Fary, Sr. Revocable Trust to remove proffered conditions. The director of planning zoning and environmental Anne Ducey-Ortiz was present and gave a presentation. The board voted unanimously to approve the change.
There was also a public hearing to consider an ordinance amending Chapter 16, Section 16-88, taxation to change the occurrence of the assessment or reassessment and to change the effective date of the next reassessment. County assessor Dan Thomas gave a presentation on the topic. The board unanimously approved the ordinance. The next reassessment is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2026 and they will be held every three years thereafter.
The final public hearing to consider an ordinance to amend Chapter 19, waters, sewers and sewage to add a fee to user accounts and to revise certain fees, rates and charges. Director of public utilities Katey Legg gave a presentation on the topic. One person spoke during the public hearing.
“We needed to change the sewer rates for years,” said Nathan Brown of the Ware District. “The problem with the sewer rates is we are only making a small change which is not going to generate enough revenue to keep the sewer system operating.”
The board unanimously agreed to the ordinance and it will be effective July 1. The equipment fee will be $2.50/per customer account and removes the top four tiers for the monthly sewer rate.
There was also a resolution to accept and appropriate grant award for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission Grant Program. Director of Financial Services Maria Calloway and Deputy County Administrator George Bains were present. The resolution was adopted as the board voted to accept the grant award unanimously and made an additional appropriation for FY24. The grant was for $35,000.
Open Broadband
An update on Open Broadband was given by the Chief Information Chief, Eric Beach.
Beach said he spoke with area supervisor of Open Broadband Gregory Reid the day before and he said that there were no other signups for the VATI area or any other parts of the county. He said that broadband is still working on a couple locations that they cannot get a signal from.
Beach also said Open Broadband had two applications open with Verizon to attach equipment to the Bethel/Peasley tower and the one at Thousand Trails. He said that broadband is hoping that those two will get complete coverage for the VATI and the northeastern parts of the county.
Beach also said that both towers are both being evaluated by Verizon and required about a five- to six-month review period with Verizon which started in February. There are going to be two more towers in the extended Gloucester at Brent and Becky’s and Achilles if they don’t put up the tower at Harcum.
Beach said that open broadband intends on working on the Gloucester Point and Page water towers while they wait on the VATI restrictions and towers to get people in those areas service.