Airport, Roads, Public Schools/Parks & Rec Cooperation Among Items on the Table as County Ponders the Future

With the Fiscal Year-2025 Budget finally behind them, at a 6 p.m. work session Tuesday evening, July 9, the Warren County Board of Supervisors got a staff and outside agency run down on a number of pending initiatives, policy, and future procedural plans on the table. Those included a plan to propose a cigarette tax to help fund public safety or perhaps even departmental public services like utility or public works projects; a Top 10 review of future board goals for the community; the County-Airport Commission operational agreement and ways to maximize unrealized financial potential of the airport; and narrowing down three road safety improvement projects to apply for State funding through VDOT (Va. Dept. Of Transportation) over the next several years.

The work session opened with County Public Works Director Mike Berry introducing County-owned FRR (Front Royal Airport) official Paul Kosubinsky to review proposed updates to the airport “Rules, Regulations” and operational guidelines. Kosubinsky opened by noting that the existing, document was “fairly old” and in need of updating.

Several issues with wording clarity were raised. Fork District Supervisor Vicky Cook worried that some text indicated the Airport Commission had more operational decision-making authority than it does in its role as an advisory commission to the supervisors. Kosubinsky assured the supervisors the Airport Commission knew its role: “We’re the first step in the recommendation process, we’re not trying to take control,” he said, adding that any wording confusion would be “squared away.”

Mike Berry and Paul Kosubinsky fielded questions on FRR Airport rules, regulations, and wording options. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Noting that he had agreed with most of the suggested adjustments to the Airport Rules and Regulations 27 pages, Shenandoah District Supervisor John Stanmeyer suggested another wording fix to prevent the airport from being locked into certain operational guidelines. That change was replacing the word “shall” with “may” as to certain operational criteria to give the airport commission and supervisors leeway where viable alternative choices existed. There seemed a consensus to correct the wording to that purpose.

Route 340/522 fixes

Next up was County Planning Director Matt Wendling’s introduction of VDOT Staunton District Planner/Project Manager Adam Campbell. Campbell presented a PowerPoint for a detailed review of road safety improvement options available to the County in the US 340/522 Corridor. Working with a public survey in which there were 237 participants generating 290 comments, 1,920 total responses (comments & rankings) with a 67% Front Royal/Warren County home zip code respondents, and an additional 24% from Middletown, Stephens City, and Strasburg.

Among the suggested fixes from VDOT was a “Bow-tie” Intersection at the entrance area to the Target and Wal-Mart-based Crooked Run and Riverton Commons Shopping Centers on the near north side, by adding a second roundabout in the entrance way to the Target side, matching the existing one on the Wal-Mart side.

VDOT’s Adam Campbell reviews project options in wake of survey of public comments on safety issues in the Route 340/522 Corridor, as Planning Director Matt Wendling, County Administrator Ed Daley, and the supervisors listen. Below, the bow tie intersection proposal for the Route 340/522 intersection with Crooked Run and Country Club Roads into the two shopping centers.

Let us just say here that Campbell’s presentation was detailed for various problem areas, with graphic support for recommended alternatives. The VDOT presentation, after Wendling’s introduction of Campbell (35:50 linked video mark), begins at the 37:02 mark, ending at 1:18:26 following board questions and answers.

Public Schools and Parks & Rec facilities sharing

From there it was on to consideration of a written “Agreement of Cooperation’ between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board regarding shared usage of both County Parks & Rec and Public School facilities primarily regarding athletic events. Chairman Cheryl Cullers introduces the topic at the 1:18:30 linked video mark.

One of the opening paragraphs of the agreement presented by Deputy County Administrator Jane Meadows and County Finance Director Alisa Scott, explained the intent: “Whereas, it is the desire of the School Board and the County, through its Parks and Recreation Department to encourage the maximum use of their respective facilities consistent with their missions, in order to foster youth and civic activities and to contribute to the wellbeing of Warren County …”

Supervisor Stanmeyer asked if anything in the new agreement might interfere with the Valley Baseball League’s Front Royal Cardinals or other users. “Parks & Rec and the schools have really worked well together in order to coordinate times. So, there really isn’t any overlap or disruption,” Meadows replied, adding, “I think that weather plays a larger part in that than anything.” She noted that cancellations and bad weather can lead to problems with practice times preparing for seasons, but observed that it hadn’t been an issue in this rather dry season.

In response to a question from Cook, Meadows assured the board that the proposed agreement did not create any new financial burdens on the County regarding county public schools operations.

Cigarette Tax?

From there it was onto item D, discussion of an “Ordinance to add to the Warren County Code Article XXIV in Chapter 160 to impose Cigarette Tax”.

Finance Director Scott introduced the item, explaining it as an effort to create new revenue for certain services, primarily Public Safety through Fire & Rescue and the Sheriff’s Office law enforcement function. The goal appears to be to create a revenue stream not as dependent on Real Estate and Personal Property taxes for countywide services.

Finance Director Alisa Scott, left, and Deputy County Administrator Jane Meadows presented a number of work session topics to the supervisors.

Scott cited a proposed tax of 2 cents per cigarette, with the per-pack rate dependent on the number of cigarettes in the pack. The tax would be implemented through the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office, Scott pointed out.

After noting a planned six-month implementation study period, County Administrator Ed Daley cited an adjacent community also contemplating imposition of the same tax virtually simultaneously that was anticipating $150,000 of revenue over that six-month study period. He added Warren County was projecting “up to $200,000” in revenue over that same six-month initial implementation due to a broader commercial sales base. He also noted that revenue generated was projected to primarily be applied to the next fiscal year budget, rather than the current one just approved.

County Goals

Next up was Deputy County Administrator Meadows presentation of the top 10 board goals for 2024-2025. Those goals in order from one through 10, are:

1/ a Fire & Rescue Strategic Plan, including a 15-year Fire Apparatus and EMS Equipment Replacement Plan, increased staffing, a training academy, a Cancer Protection Initiative, and Funding Task Force;

2/ Development of a 5-year Public Safety Needs Assessment Plan including WC Fire & Rescue, WC Sheriff’s Office, and Protective Services;

3/ Develop an alternate ingress/egress to Shenandoah Shores, seeking funding assistance opportunities;

4/ a Financial Strategy to include review of County Fiscal Policy and development of “Clear & Precise Financial Reporting” including Debt Service, Taxation, and Government Oversight;

5/ Increase tourism opportunities and economic growth through implementation of a strategic plan for economic development and tourism;

6/ Establish a deadline to complete EDA audits and reconcile County and Town debt (related to EDA), work with EDA to recover lost funds, Eliminate or reduce the County’s tax burden from FR-WC EDA debt obligations;

7/ Information Technology Survey, including a “comprehensive needs” assessment and timeline on software needs and priorities;

8/ Drive accountability and transparency through evaluation of work breakdown & functional baselining in county functions, including the determination of what processes can be automated or streamlined;

9/ County Revenue & Expense model for guiding strategic growth plan, focusing on areas with established public services (public safety, education, parks);

10/ Evaluate Untapped Potential at Airport.

And while not presented as a Top 10 item, we found number 11 on the agenda packet list interesting: 11/ Post 2023 Library Debrief and Research.

IT Department cost increases

After a recess at 8:16 p.m. for the board and staff who had been at it for over two hours, the final item, related to above goals subject number 7, was Discussion of VMWare Cost Increases in the I.T. Department presented by IT Director Todd Jones. The staff summary noted:

“VMWare was recently purchased by Broadcom. They have increased their pricing by 500%. Discussion is needed around future budgets and challenges in IT budgeting as the Warren County I.T. Department has not been able to find an appropriate alternative.”

Yikes, 500% — See Jones and the board’s discussion of this predicament beginning at the 2:18:24 video mark.

Click here to watch the Warren County Board of Supervisors Work Session of July 9, 2024.