Calm after a stormy election season for County Supervisors – Budget looms

There was a perhaps surprising lack of drama and no public comment at Wednesday morning’s Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting one day after the November 5th Election. That election saw three new supervisors poised to be seated in the coming year, though only one of the incumbents in those three districts was running for re-election.

And that defeated incumbent, Tom Sayre of the Shenandoah District, was gracious in defeat, adding his congratulations to his opponent Walter Mabe, who along with South River District supervisor-elect Cheryl Cullers was present for the 9 a.m. start of the November 6 meeting.

During board reports following the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office report Happy Creek Supervisor Tony Carter, who along with the Fork District’s Archie Fox was not up for re-election this year, began the move toward a cooperative future by congratulating not only Tuesday’s winners, but all who participated in campaigning for office in this contentious election year. Each supervisor followed suit, as did County Administrator Doug Stanley who added his congratulations to Cullers, Mabe and North River District victor Delores Oates.

South River District Supervisor-elect Cheryl Cullers chats with Town Attorney Jason Ham following meeting as Shenandoah District Supervisor-elect Walter Mabe heads for the door in background. Royal Examiner Photo/Roger Bianchini. Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.

Board Chairman and North River District Supervisor Dan Murray, who like South River’s Linda Glavis did not run for re-election this year, added a pointed observation on this year’s competitive electoral season. After “dittoing” Carter’s congratulatory remarks to all those who jumped into electoral politics this year Murray noted the strains personally and financially in running a political campaign, adding that not only those with the most votes were winners, but that “The County won because we have people who care” enough to get involved.

And while Murray as board chairman has not always seen eye to eye with some of the more boisterous members of the public who have chided County officials for their perceived collective lack of due diligence in oversight of the Economic Development Authority as what is now a $21.3 million financial fraud scandal developed in recent years, as has become his habit Murray opened Wednesday’s meeting with a call for a moment of silent prayer or reflection for healing, civility and cooperation in moving the County government forward out of the shadow of the EDA crisis.

A silent prayer for unity and cooperation into the future

Budget Season
Two interrelated items stood out in what was a very light first meeting of November agenda. Those were County Administrator Stanley’s summary of the coming Fiscal Year budgetary process and schedule and Human Resources Manager Jodi Saffelle’s presentation on a proposed contract for an Interim – it must be a contagious disease – Finance Director.

Stanley reported that what has grown to a six-month annual budgetary process is looming with notice to departments of budget requests slated to go out November 8 and replies due back by December 18. A vote on final FY 2021 budget approval is scheduled for April 21, 2020.

Stanley traced a process adding some level of additional scrutiny to departmental budget requests, noting, “This is not a complete departure from the way we have always budgeted as each Department Head and Constitutional Officer had to go through the justification during their meetings with the County Administrator and Finance Director with a final review by the Board of Supervisors.”

Of the so-called “Zero-based budget” process Stanley explained, “The forms require each department to present information regarding departmental goals, workload, and services provided … Simply put, we will request additional justification/detail for each and every line item expense as part of the budget submittal this year.”

Interim Finance Director
Saffelle then told the board that the County had gotten “minimal response” after six weeks of advertising for a replacement for departed Finance Director Andre Fletcher, whose resignation to move elsewhere took effect October 18. While Saffelle assured the supervisors that the Finance Department staff was experienced and doing an admirable job of managing the department’s daily operations, she noted that the absence of an experienced director “leaves a large void for which immediate assistance is required.”

An initial inquiry to the Virginia Municipal League/Virginia Association of Counties (VML/VACO) produced no available Finance Director candidates, Saffelle reported.

However a candidate was discovered through an inquiry to The Berkeley Group, LLC, a local government consulting firm. That candidate is Jim Allmendinger a retired CPA (Certified Public Accountant) who served as Director of Finance for Rockingham County for 13 year prior to his 2015 retirement; prior to that he had extensive private sector experience.

Saffelle reported that during his tenure in Rockingham County Allmendinger was responsible for a $300 million annual budget and 2500-plus County and Public School System employees. Comparably in 2018, Warren County had a $117 million budget and a total of 1273 County and Public School employees.

An hourly rate of $90 per hour with a daily mileage expense estimated at $78.88. Saffelle estimated Allmendinger would work three days a week, traveling from Rockingham County on those days. With Allmendinger hired as a contract employee the County will not be responsible for any tax deductions or other myriad benefits or insurance coverage payments.

While Saffelle told Royal Examiner there was no request that the option of transferring the contract to an individually-owned LLC be included to minimize the interim finance director’s tax responsibilities from the contract, she noted that the contract was with the Berkeley Group which is itself an LLC, as opposed to directly with Allmendinger.

The budgetary requirement for the hire was estimated at $15,120 to $30,240 for a two to four-month term dependent on the County’s future luck in attracting a permanent applicant for the position.

The FY2021 budget schedule was unanimously approved on a motion by Carter, seconded by Sayre; and the Interim Finance Director contract was unanimously approved on a motion by Fox, seconded by Glavis.

Walter Mabe chats with Board Clerk Emily Mounce at meeting’s conclusion.

Linda Glavis, right, personally congratulates her successor as South River Supervisor, Cheryl Cullers, following meeting.

Watch the meeting in this Royal Examiner video: