3/31/2004 - Special
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Roanoke County Administration Center
5204 Bernard Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24018
March 31, 2004
The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County, Virginia met this day at the
th
Roanoke County Administration Center, 4 Floor Conference Room, 5204 Bernard
Drive, Roanoke, Virginia, this being an adjourned meeting from March 30, 2004, for the
purpose of a budget work session with the Roanoke County Schools.
IN RE: CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Flora called the meeting to order for the County of Roanoke at
5:31 p.m. The roll call was taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Richard C. Flora, Vice-Chairman Michael W.
Altizer, Supervisors Joseph B. “Butch” Church, Joseph
McNamara, Michael A. Wray
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
STAFF PRESENT:
Elmer C. Hodge, County Administrator; Paul M. Mahoney,
County Attorney; John M. Chambliss, Assistant County
Administrator; Diane D. Hyatt, Chief Financial Officer; Diane
S. Childers, Clerk to the Board; Teresa Hamilton Hall, Public
Information Officer
School Board Chairman Jerry Canada called the School Board meeting to
order at 5:31 p.m. The roll call was taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Jerry Canada, Vice-Chairman C. Drew Barrineau,
Members William A. Irvin, Marion G. Roark, Michael W.
Stovall
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
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STAFF PRESENT:
Dr. Linda Weber, Superintendent; Allen W. Journell,
Assistant Superintendent; Dr. Lorraine S. Lange, Assistant
Superintendent for Instruction; Tom Hall, Assistant
Superintendent of Personnel, Penny Hodge, Director of
Budget and Finance; David Atkins, Assistant Director of
Budget and Finance; Darlene Ratliff, Deputy Clerk to the
School Board
IN RE: REQUESTS TO POSTPONE, ADD TO, OR CHANGE THE ORDER OF
AGENDA ITEMS
Mr. Mahoney added a briefing regarding the state budget.
IN RE: BRIEFINGS
1. Briefing regarding the state budget. (Paul Mahoney, County
Attorney)
Mr. Mahoney distributed a VML legislative bulletin which outlined the
current status of the state budget deliberations. He advised that the House
Appropriations leader introduced a bill to fund the state operations for the 2005 fiscal
year. He stated that little detail was presented but noted that the bill does address re-
benchmarking which impacts funding for public education. The bill will go to the House
on April 6 for consideration.
IN RE: WORK SESSION
1. Joint work session with Roanoke County School Board to
discuss fiscal year 2004-2005 proposed budget. (Elmer Hodge,
County Administrator; Dr. Linda Weber, Superintendent)
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The work session was held from 5:32 p.m. until 6:12 p.m. Dr. Weber
delivered the Superintendent’s budget message which stated that the budget being
presented is the school’s best effort to develop a budget despite the fact that state
funding is an unknown factor at this time. Dr. Weber advised that the budget is based
on the lowest state budget proposal which is the House version, and the school’s
budget is subject to amendment once the amount of state and local appropriations are
known.
Ms. Hodge presented an overview of the fiscal year 2004-2005 budget.
She advised that the proposed school operating fund budget is $110,986,972 which
represents a 6.2% increase. The proposed total fund budget is $132,306,352. Ms.
Hodge stated that enrollment is up and the estimated daily average membership is
14,126 pupils, which reflects an increase of 188 over the current year. The total
estimated increase in state revenues is $5,782,000 and the increase in the County
transfer to schools is $492,910. The total increase in school operating revenues is
$6,454,795.
Ms. Hodge advised that the average daily membership dictates the
amount of state funding the school receives annually. She noted that the average daily
membership has increased significantly in the last two to three years, and staff is not yet
certain if this reflects a recurring change or an anomaly. With regard to the school
capital fund, Ms. Hodge reported that state construction revenues for 2004-2005 are
budgeted at $283,335 and the state technology bond, which is a state initiative to place
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computers in the school system in order to move toward online Standards of Learning
(SOL) testing, is budgeted at $830,000. Ms. Hodge also advised that total expenditures
for school debt in fiscal year 2004-2005 are budgeted at $10,352,924 and she noted
that this is funded entirely by County transfers. She stated that the regional alternative
education program is an alternative school at Roland E. Cook which Roanoke County
operates in conjunction with Bedford County.
Ms. Hodge reported that these items combine for a total proposed school
budget for fiscal year 2004-2005 of $132,306,352. She reviewed the following projected
sources and uses of new revenues: (1) Schools: $5,782,000 - new revenues from the
state (House budget proposal); (2) County: $7,625,846 - new revenues; $392,000 –
recurring County revenues (prior year incentives); ($839,846) – new economic
development incentives; ($392,000) – prior year economic development incentives.
This shows net new revenues of $6,786,000 for the County and $5,782,000 for the
Schools.
With respect to personnel costs, Ms. Hodge reported that both the County
and Schools experienced substantial increases in the VRS retirement rate which
resulted in a cost of $2,000,000 to the County and $1,500,000 to the Schools. The
health insurance rate increase was 9.7% which resulted in a cost of $251,244 to the
County and $771,063 to the Schools. She advised that the Schools are proposing a 3%
salary increase for employees. The balance remaining to fund other needs is
$1,776,847. The increase in the County’s appropriation to the Schools is $617,910,
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which is offset by a one-time transfer from the 2003-2004 fiscal year from the new
school operating fund of $125,000. The net increase in the County’s transfer to the
Schools is $492,910. Ms. Hyatt presented projected sources and uses of new revenues
which included a 2% proposed salary increase for employees and resulting in a net
increase in the transfer to Schools of $290,910. She advised that two separate
schedules had been prepared: one showing a 2% salary increase and one with a 3%
salary increase. It is not yet known whether funding will exist to support the 3%
increase.
Dr. Weber expressed her continuing disappointment in the state
legislature for their failure to adopt a budget and the resulting impact on the localities
and schools.
Mr. Stovall moved to approve the fiscal year 2004-2005 budget for
Roanoke County Schools. The motion was seconded by Mr. Barrineau. The motion
carried by the following recorded vote:
AYES: School Board Members Irvin, Roark, Stovall, Barrineau, Canada
NAYS: None
Chairman Canada recommended that a joint meeting be scheduled once
the state budget is adopted, allowing for the official adoption of the school’s budget for
fiscal year 2004-2005. There was a consensus to follow the recommendation.
Mr. Flora, in his capacity as Director of Operations for Schools, provided
an update on the school construction projects at Mountain View, Herman L. Horn, and
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Oak Grove Elementary Schools. He advised that all three buildings are under roof and
the new construction areas will be occupied by the end of May 2004. The projects are
anticipated to be completed by December 2004.
IN RE: ADJOURNMENT
Chairman Flora adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting at 6:12 p.m.
to the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 13, 2004 at 3:00 p.m.
Chairman Canada adjourned the School Board meeting at 6:12 p.m.
Submitted by: Approved by:
________________________ ________________________
Diane S. Childers Richard C. Flora
Clerk to the Board Chairman
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