HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/21/2015 - SpecialApril 21, 2015 199
Roanoke County Administration Center
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia met this day at the
Roanoke County Administration Center, this being a special meeting for presentation of
the proposed budget. Audio and video recordings of this meeting will be held on file for
a minimum of five (5) years in the office of the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors.
IN RE: CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Peters called the meeting to order at 6-00 p.m. The roll call was
taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman P. Jason Peters, Supervisors Al Bedrosian,
Joseph B. "Butch" Church, Joseph P. McNamara and
Charlotte A. Moore
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Thomas C.
Gates,
County Administrator; Daniel R.
O'Donnell,
Assistant
County
Administrator; Richard
Caywood,
Assistant
County
Administrator- Paul M.
'7
Mahoney,
County
Attorney;
Amy Whittaker, Public
Information
Officer and
Deborah
C. Jacks, Deputy Clerk to
the Board
IN RE: BRIEFINGS
1. Presentation of the proposed Operating and Capital budgets for
fiscal year 2015-2016 and fiscal year 2016-2025 Capital
Improvement Plan (Thomas C. Gates, County Administrator)
Mr. Gates presented a PowerPoint presentation and outlined the proposed
Operating and Capital budgets for fiscal year 2015-2016 and fiscal year 2016-2015
Capital Improvement Plan. A copy of this presentation is on file in the office of the Clerk
to the Board of Supervisors.
Mr. Gates advised the next steps in the process is a public hearing
scheduled for April 28, 2015 and a work session. At that point, staff will be prepared to
answer any questions. The first reading is scheduled for May 12, 2016, as well as a
work session and May 26, 2015, will be the second reading and final adoption of the
budget.
200 April 21, 2015
Supervisor Bedrosian asked if the summary document that was provided
previously was included in the information with Mr. Gates responding in the affirmative.
He then stated just to be sure, Mr. Gates had commented there is not a whole lot of new
spending, but the bottom line is at least to his understanding about $8.5 million of
additional spending and then we find out about $3 million of expenditures decreases so
when you net those to it is approximately $5 million. So, he wants clarification that
when he is adding all of the numbers on the summary that it does show that the
additional expenditures amount to $8.5 million and an example of one of the things
offset as an expenditure decrease is the fact that we are not going to borrow $10 million
next year that translates into a $1,000 decrease in expenditures. So, the real new
spending that is going to be done is about $8 million.
Mr. Gates responded negatively stating the actual increase is $4.6 million
from last year to this year, which is approximately a two point six percent (2.6%)
increase and when you subtract from that the pass through monies from Department of
Social Services (DSS) at $1.1 million and $776,000 associated with the Ardaugh
agreement, you get a change in the budget of approximately one point five percent
(1.5%) and that is the actual new spending in the budget. Any budget every year has
some set of puts and takes as we add and subtract things that we no longer need to be
included and the only way to completely understand it is to look essentially to the
bottom line as he says $4.6 million in additional spending can be netted by
approximately $1.9 million.
Supervisor Bedrosian stated so the puts and takes are $4.6 million with
Mr. Gates responding in the affirmative stated that is how we get there and to your point
about the transfer of the monies that we show here. What we have done there is instead
of providing money for projects and funding for debt issuance, we have taken that very
same money and applied it to deferred and capital maintenance items in the capital
budget so the resource was used, but instead of using it for debt service for future
facilities, we have instead used it to maintain the existing assets and obviously an
appropriate choice he thinks, but that is a matter of discussion and debate for the
Board.
Supervisor Church stated he agrees with the 85/15 ratio of residential to
commercial and that has been the case prior to his coming on this Board, which is how
long it has been. It is not a yesterday's problem, it is not a today's problem, and it has
been there awhile. We don't have a Crossroads Mall like Roanoke City. He does not
see an easy fix and never has been for almost twenty-five (25) years. Secondly, with
regard to the CIP setup, he does not want to lose sight of our people. The committee
that our Board has appointed. He wants to make sure that they have their continued
interest and participation because it has worked well for us in the past. He wants that to
continue. Mr. Gates stated he appreciates the comment and should have mentioned
earlier. He did take the CIP proposal to the CIP Committee, albeit late, much of what
we have been doing this year has been a catchup. He did commit to them that he
would be back next year in the construct of the CIP that they would have an opportunity
April 21, 2015 201
to weigh in both with him in the course of him producing a budget recommendation for
the Board, but also with the Board. They have the opportunity to speak at the public
budget hearing and express their thoughts directly to you and during citizen comments
during regular meeting. So, they do have opportunities to speak. He agrees that they
need to be incorporated into the process as we develop those recommendations and he
is fully supportive. In fact, one of the things he is considering as a process change for
next year is for us to look at an expanded role for a group of citizens to provide their
input into the budget development. This is something that he is very interested in
because it promotes civic engagement and he is very interested in moving away from
the traditional model of developing the budget in isolation and sharing some of that
information earlier in the process with citizens.
Supervisor Church stated he was glad to hear that as his appointee as
well as the other appointees take a real interest and ownership with our staff. He stated
he thinks it would be a shame to put them to the side anywhere. He wants them to be
very visible, participating because they are going around valid needs. There are not just
looking at their district, per se. They come back with projects for the general good of
the entire County.
Mr. Gates stated he was in agreement.
IN RE: ADJOURNMENT
Chairman Peters adjourned the meeting at 7-03 p.m. to the regularly
scheduled meeting on April 28, 2015, at 3-00 p.m.
Deputy Clerk to the Board
Approved by:
P. Ja on Peters
Chai an
202
April 21, 2015
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