Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on FY2025 Recommended Budget - February 28, 2024
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on FY2025 Recommended Budget - February 28, 2024
The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the County Executive's FY2025 Recommended Budget on February 28, 2024 at 6:00 PM in Lane Auditorium. The meeting was called to order by Chair Jim Andrews (Samuel Miller District) with all supervisors present: Ann H. Mallek (White Hall), Diantha H. McKeel (Jack Jouett), Bea LaPisto-Kirtley (Rivanna), Mike Pruitt (Scottsville), Ned Gallaway (Rio), and Jim Andrews. County Executive Jeff Richardson presented the budget overview, highlighting a balanced budget on current tax rates, total budget of $629 million, and general fund of $432.2 million. The hearing included six public speakers and was followed by board reports and updates.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heidi Farr (White Hall District) spoke on behalf of 4-H, thanking the board for current funding and requesting full funding of the Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H budget request of $117,335 for FY2025. She shared stories of youth leadership and noted that 4-H served over 3,250 children last year, making the cost $36.10 per child annually.
- Dan Rosenswag (President/CEO, Habitat for Humanity Greater Charlottesville) reported on the Southwood Mobile Home Park redevelopment, noting that 85% of families are staying in the first non-early-adopter phase (compared to 11% nationally), and that Habitat has outperformed the first performance agreement by delivering 215 affordable units versus 155 required. He requested continued support for phase two, noting that Habitat has spent over $3 million remediating a 12-acre parcel but faces extreme cash flow challenges that could delay the project.
- Gustavo Espinovo (Tenant Organizer, Legal Aid Justice Center) thanked the board for the Albemarle County Emergency Rental Program (ASERP) but requested higher funding than the current $260,000, noting 1,330 eviction cases filed last year (four per day). He cited specific apartment complexes in each supervisor's district and argued that adequate rental assistance prevents homelessness and saves county money.
- Roger Torres (Southwood resident, over 20 years) spoke through translator Mitch Estrada. He described receiving keys to his new Habitat home in December 2023, making Christmas warm and comfortable with no holes, leaks, or septic issues. He asked the board to continue supporting Habitat for hundreds of families and children.
- Maria Teresa Jiménez (Southwood resident, over 20 years) spoke through translator. She described the financial burden of living in a trailer, paying nearly $400/month for heating (requiring cleaning four houses), and the need for constant repairs. She stated that without Habitat, her family would not have the opportunity to acquire an affordable and safe home, and asked the board to continue supporting the project.
- Carlos Moreno (White Hall District, Habitat board member) shared his background as an immigrant, former prosecutor, and current criminal defense attorney. He described volunteering at Southwood and witnessing the transformation into a safe, clean environment with learning opportunities. He noted that over 80 families have not been displaced due to Habitat's efforts and urged continued support.
- Bruce Eads (White Hall District, Vietnam veteran) spoke about the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial and the need for a pedestrian bridge and parking lot, estimated to cost $3 million. He noted that the city has placed $600,000 in its CIP, and he requested inclusion in the county's budget this year, citing 7,000 veterans in Albemarle County and 25 veteran suicides per day.
Discussion Items
- The board received the County Executive's presentation on the FY2025 Recommended Budget. Key points include:
- The budget is balanced on current tax rates, with total budget $629 million (increase of $74.3 million from FY2024) and general fund revenues of $432.2 million.
- New shared revenues formula: 10% for joint debt/capital, 54% for public school operations, 36% for local government operations.
- Additional funding allocations: $10.1 million for public schools, $9.3 million for local government (customer service, compensation), $2.2 million for partner agencies, $2.1 million for public transit, $2.8 million for multi-year obligations, and $1.1 million for safety and well-being.
- Capital Improvement Plan: $206.8 million for schools over five years, $128.9 million for local government over five years.
- Federal ARPA funds are nearly exhausted, with only a small amount left in FY2024.
- Chief Financial Officer Jacob Sumner outlined the budget calendar: work sessions on March 6, 11, and 13, followed by public hearings on the tax rate and budget in April, and adoption on May 1.
- Supervisor Gallaway reported that the Fontaine Avenue intersection project passed the MPO unanimously (with one abstention from VOD) earlier that day.
- Supervisor Mallek encouraged public input on the AC44 comprehensive plan draft chapters (growth area, rural area, community facilities) and noted the solar ordinance and wireless facility discussions.
- Supervisor LaPisto-Kirtley announced the formation of a Fire Rescue Foundation (501c3) to raise private funds for fire department amenities, similar to the existing Parks Foundation. She requested board awareness and support, but Chair Andrews noted that staff impact should be discussed before formal endorsement. County Executive Richardson advised that board endorsement would allow staff to support the effort.
- Supervisor McKeel reported that the Regional Transit Partnership agreed to have city and county staff work over the next 90-120 days to develop the basics of a transit authority, which will be brought back to the board and city council. This follows the enabling authority in the Code of Virginia requiring the city and county to initiate.
- Chair Andrews noted the Albemarle Broadband Authority meeting prior to the board meeting, reporting that VADI 2021 and BADI22 projects are on track for 2025 completion, and that the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is phasing out due to lack of federal funding. He noted 2,568 enrollees in ACP, and that the Regional Digital Equity Coalition (including BRHD, JAUNT, the library) is working to transition individuals to digital skills and alternative internet access.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken on the budget; the public hearing was closed.
- The board will hold budget work sessions on March 6 (general fund, administration, judicial public safety, public works), March 11 (joint with School Board, general fund wrap-up), and March 13 (capital improvement program, debt service).
- Public hearings on the tax rate and budget adoption will occur in April, with final adoption and appropriation on May 1, 2024.
- The board acknowledged the speakers and encouraged continued public engagement through email, letters, and future hearings.
- The board directed staff to provide information on the impact of supporting the Fire Rescue Foundation before formal endorsement.
- The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 6, 2024 at 1:00 PM in Lane Auditorium.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome. I'm going to call to order this meeting of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on the 28th of February at 6 p.m. in Lane Auditorium. I'd like to note that we have on the day us uh Supervisor Ann Malik of the Whitehall District, uh Supervisor Diantha McKeel of the Jack Chew District, Supervisor Billy Capisto Kurtley of the Ravenna District, and Supervisor Mike Prud of Scottsfield District, and myself, Jim Andrews representing the man, Samuel Miller District Quorum is present. We're also joined at the meeting by a county executive, Mr. Jeff Richardson, and here uh Mr. Steve Rosenberg, our county attorney, as well as our clerk, Ms. Pledged Borgerson. Um also let me please welcome and we will soon introduce our our other uh to take with staff uh who are presenting tonight, helping to present tonight. Um also let me welcome Albano County Police Officers present, uh Lieutenant Angela Jamerson and Senior Police Officer Ronnie Vanderveer. Uh we thank you for your service uh today and for the work you do and your colleagues do every day for our safety and security throughout the county. Thank you. So uh our primary business tonight is simply a public hearing on the county executive's fiscal year 2025 recommended budget. And to uh start this off, we'll turn it over to our county executive, Mr. Jeff Richardson. Welcome Chair Andrews and members of the board, thank you very much for the opportunity uh for me to be here this evening. Uh my name is Jeff Richardson, and this will be the second time in the last week that I have been before the board to talk about the county executives recommended FY25 budget. And as you noted, sir, uh tonight is the public hearing. And so what I will do this evening uh is I will briefly go through the slides uh uh as an overview of a part of what we rec of what we uh put in front of the board last Wednesday at our meeting, knowing that we've got a number of work sessions coming after tonight, and uh Mr. Jacob Sumner, who is to my right, uh along with Andy Bowman from the Finance and Budget Office, they will wrap us up this evening. They will talk about what happens after tonight. They will certainly be here this evening to answer any questions as well as as well as myself on any questions that the board may have this evening. But Mr. Chair, as you noted, tonight is the public hearing, and so I will try to be brief and run through uh several slides just to be able to tee up the FY25 recommended budget. Mr. Bowman, if you'll work with me to advance the slides, thank you, sir. Our screen's not working. Okay. I'm just gonna note the presence of uh Supervisor Ned Galloway of the Rio District has now joined the meetings. Yes, sir. So in the overview this evening that I'll be covering, I'll talk just a second about our budget development process that we have with our eye on the strategic plan. In doing so, we're gonna spend most of our time this evening focused on the recommended FY25 budget, and then finally, we'll talk about next steps after tonight. Let me talk just for a second about our strategic budgeting approach. I want to uh talk about the uh board's five-year strategic plan. This board stepped away in fall of 2022 and worked diligently with staff to identify your six most important goals that we want to focus uh as much attention and resources as we can to uh for uh the next five years. These six goals that you see in front of you represent the five-year strategic plan. Those six goals we work diligently to align our resources with. Last year, or last year we were at at this time, we were aligning year one with the budget process to these six goals. And so at this point, we're approaching year two, and uh we will be working with the board over the coming weeks to look at the alignment into the six areas. We'll look at where our resources are and how how that ties back to day-to-day operations in each of our departments. Okay. Board, this slide really is to represent, in addition to the uh five-year strategic plan and the work that went into that, that our budgeting process is almost a year-round process. This board, this board realizes that. You realize that uh we work with uh to look at our economic outlook. We we look at our five-year financial planning, we tie all of that back to our five-year strategic plan. We're keeping an eye on our revenues as we work toward the uh start of the budget process. We look at existing commitments, and I'll talk a little bit more about that in a minute. And finally, all of that is underpinned with our financial policies, where we are a triple triple A bond-rated uh local government for a medium-sized local government that that's somewhat unusual, but we we are proud of the fact that we work hard in our community uh to be fiscally conservative and to guard our triple triple A bond rating. Okay.
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