Supervisors approve $97.35-million FY-25 County Budget  toward end of busy June 25 schedule

While the news lead may be the county supervisors unanimous approval of a coming fiscal year budget, approval of that $97,350,000 budget, including a long discussed flat local funding of $28,650,000 for public schools, was not reached prior to a full late afternoon and early evening schedule.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors began its busy Tuesday, June 25, with the 4:30 p.m. presentation of the first of eventually a total of five, new emergency service ambulances on order — see linked Royal Examiner video and story. The one on display is immediately going into service with Linden, Company 4, the supervisors were told, with the second also in line for operational assignment going to Front Royal Company 3. The third, still awaiting receival, will go to North Warren Company 10. The final two remain on order until available.

Captain Austin Cucciardo chats with board Vice-Chair ‘Jay’ Butler and Chair Cheryl Cullers prior to official start of presentation of tech advancements in newly acquired emergency services ambulances. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini; EMS presentation Video Mark Williams

With that vote on its Fiscal Year-2025 Budget scheduled for later in its regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m. the supervisors may have gotten an example in the Fire & Rescue/Emergency Services new-vehicle presentation of saving money by spending it sooner rather than later on items the County will eventually need.

That presentation led by Captain Austin Cucciardo and Assistant Chief Gerry Maiatico, noted that the five ambulances ordered at a purchase price of ‘just under $300,000″ each are now on the market at a price of “over $400,000” each. Operationally, receipt of this first unit may have been a bit late for one emergency services staffer still utilizing the to-be-replaced equipment, who it was noted recently suffered several smashed fingers in manually attempting to load a patient by stretcher into the old vehicle. Captain Cucciardo demonstrated the mechanically operated stretcher lifting mechanism designed to avoid such transport-loading accidents.

Capt. Cucciardo explains automated stretcher lifts that could have a huge safety factor impact on emergency response operations as illustrated by recent staff injury on call in older ambulance.

From this presentation in the Warren County Government Center parking lot, it was into the  main meeting room for a 5 p.m. work session with a two-item agenda. Those items were a proposed training and shooting range for the Warren County Sheriff’s Office followed by discussion of the proposed fiscal year budget. However, the presentation and subsequent question-and-answer discussion with Sheriff Crystal Cline and Deputy Jay Roy on that first item took up the entire hour prior to the work session adjournment at 6 p.m.

Sheriff Cline introduces WCSO presentation on proposed training/firing range property acquisition proposal. Capt. Jay Roy, below, made that presentation, addressing a number of public safety considerations, existing area noise variables, natural berm backdrop protections in direction of firing, and positive logistical impacts on deputies in training remaining in county for emergency response availability

The board was on a tight schedule set to convene into Closed/Executive Session at 6 p.m. to discuss the various litigations with the town government and others surrounding the FR-WC Economic Development Authority “financial scandal” liabilities.

Then at 7 p.m. it was into the meeting with two scheduled public hearings related to proposed Tipping and Gate fee increases at the County solid waste station. All were approved, from $69 to $79 per ton on Commercial and Industrial waste; and a $40 fee on Municipal/Residential waste was imposed. It was noted during Public Works Director Mike Berry’s presentation that the last tipping fee hikes occurred in 2014. Also recommended for various increases were Gate Fees related to disposal of certain items including tires, paint, yard waste, and dead animals. Berry told the board those rates had not been adjusted since the spring of 2003. Those recommended increases were also approved without dissent.

Under “New Business” Public Works Director Berry updated the board and made recommendations on four projects in the Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District: Old Oak Lane 4, Youngs Drive, Lake Drive, Old Oak Lane 5 and Western Lane, the latter two recommended for cancellation at this time. Again, the public works director’s recommendations were approved without dissent

County Public Works Director Mike Berry had the podium for some time at Tuesday’s meeting, handling staff briefings on both public hearings on proposed fee increases at the County solid waste disposal site, as well as an update and recommendations on a number of Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District projects.

Also under “New Business” an 18-item Consent Agenda for generally “routine” business was tackled, including approval of the FY-2025 budget. Three items were pulled for discussion, including the FY-25 budget. In addition to the budget, pulled were an appointment to fill a vacancy on the County-overseen, still legally known as Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (FR-WC EDA, EDA, WC EDA) or Industrial Development Authority of the Town of Front Royal and the County of Warren. That unanimously approved appointment was David McDermott for a term from June 25, 2024 thru February 28, 2025. Also approved unanimously was renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and the above-referenced EDA for “Fiscal Agency services”.

Also at the meeting, a number of people rose at Public Comments on non-agenda items, to address the Sheriff’s Office training/shooting range proposal. Staff explained that proposal is early in the review period to a first public hearing before the County Planning Commission. Most of the eight speakers were nearby residential property owners, who said that while supporting law enforcement and required training parameters, wanted assurance that viable alternative sites would be considered that might not have the noise and water quality impacts they fear for their homes and community. For those attending the earlier work session, their concerns were not eased by an initially forecast 25 days of full shooting-training annually, particularly after one supervisor worried that the stated use scheduling seemed perhaps too light.

Budget Approporation Resolution for FY 2024-2025

After County Attorney Jason Ham adjusted the wording of the budget approval motion for legal clarity it was approved unanimously as presented on North River’s Richard Jamieson’s motion, seconded by Vice-Chairman Jay Butler.

From right, Chairman Cullers, Vice-Chairman Butler, and Supervisor Stanmeyer pondered what they were told on a number of fronts as the County Board pondered a new fiscal year’s across-the-board costs versus revenues and infrastructure needs.

As noted above, the total General Fund County Budget for FY-25 is $97,350,000, of which $28,650,000 from County General Revenues will go to Warren County Public Schools, as the local funding aspect of the public schools total $81,738,434 budget, including federal and state revenues. Below are the portions of the Resolution of Approval of the County’s FY-2025 Budget applying to Public Schools:

WHEREAS, the School Board budget totals $81,738,434 (the “School Board Budget”). The School Board Budget shall be funded by $28,650,000 from the County’s general revenues, $47,671,267 by such State, Federal, and miscellaneous revenues as shall be received from time to time for operation of the Public Schools, $4,109,667 shall be appropriated to the School Food Services Fund paid by State, Federal and miscellaneous revenues, and $1,307,500 shall be appropriated to Facilities, which is also funded by State, Federal and miscellaneous revenues; and …

WHEREAS, any additional or new funds received for the Public Schools’, where no revenue from the County’s General Fund is required to help fund any program, shall be deemed appropriated ipso facto for expenditure upon receipt of such funds …

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that appropriations to the School Board which total $81,738,434, of which $28,650,000 is from the County’s general revenues, are appropriated by and to the major classifications in accordance with Code of Virginia § § 22.1-94 and 22.1-115, and that such funds must be spent in accordance with such major classifications, unless otherwise authorized by the Board, as set forth herein:

Instruction $57,747,239

Administration, Attendance, and Health $3,502,542

Pupil Transportation $3,591,197

Operation and Maintenance $7,820,145

Facilities $1,307,500

School Food Services and Other Noninstructional Operations

$4,109,667

Debt and Fund Transfers $670,249

Technology $2,989,895

TOTAL SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET $81,738,434

In addition to the County meeting video when available, we will also LINK here to the entire Resolution of Approval of Warren County’s FY-24/25 Budget with departmental and agency detail, including the above public school totals within the context of the presented Resolution, to which the board voted 5-0 in favor of.

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