Supervisors reject tourism friendly Route 211 Bike Route designation, tables decision on Sheriff’s Office replacement of four vehicles

In addition to a number of sometimes eye-opening monthly reports, including from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office, the County Department of Social Services, and VDOT, at its first monthly meeting of August, Tuesday morning August 2nd, the Warren County Board of Supervisors tackled some “Unfinished Business” and several items removed from a lengthy Consent Agenda for additional scrutiny prior to adjourning to an expanded Closed Session.

As for that Unfinished Business, despite receiving fairly strong assurances from County Attorney Jason Ham that it would be protected from litigation from accident victims on the local portion of a proposed regional US Bike Route 211, the board by a 4-0 vote, Happy Creek Supervisor Jay Butler absent, denied approval of a Resolution of Support for the bike tourism-friendly initiative. Warren joined southern-most involved county Augusta, as the only two of nine involved municipalities rejecting the designation. According to the staff agenda summary, approving it have been Shenandoah and Rockingham Counties, the City of Waynesboro, and Towns of Strasburg, Woodstock, New Market, and Grottoes.

County Attorney Jason Ham, right at staff table, told the board they have “the highest level of immunity” from litigation from ‘Sovereign Immunity’ state codes dating to English Common Law protections of monarchs.

Safety for bikers from motor-vehicle traffic remained a primary concern for the board. Former Planning Director and current County Director of Economic Development Joe Petty gave the supervisors an update on the status, potential local or state signage, and VDOT involvement including large yellow “Share the Road” signs for the project. Petty’s input included his having taken his bike and ridden the involved county portion of the route.

With VDOT signage a variable, if not endorsement based on safety concerns, Petty pointed out an oddly counterproductive VDOT-based variable. With narrow or a lack of road shoulders for bike lanes a safety concern, Petty noted he encountered a portion of the road with “generous shoulders” where VDOT had installed “rumble strips” which while waking up a sleeping and drifting motorist, also forces wide-awake bicycle riders out of the “generous shoulders” into traffic lanes, unless they want to dismount for a walk along the side of the travel lanes.

Wearing one of his staffing hats, Joe Petty described an unexpected safety encounter he had biking the county portion of the proposed US Bike Route 211.

As to dangers inherent in endorsing physically active tourism initiatives, Petty also noted the community’s promotion of itself as the “Canoe Capital of Virginia” with all the dangers inherent in water sports. But despite the lack of litigation over any past canoeing mishaps and what the county attorney termed “the highest level of immunity” offered to the board by “Sovereign Immunity” codes dating back to English Common Law protections for British monarchs, liable or not, the board’s concerns about the safety of Route 2011 touring bikers held the day, if somewhat hesitantly. A long pause followed Fork District Supervisor Vicky Cook’s motion to deny the Resolution of Support. Finally, Board Chair Cheryl Cullers broke the silence with an “I’ll second it” leading to the 4-0 vote of denial.

About those Chevy Tahoes

On the County’s own motor vehicle front, one of four items pulled from the 14-item Consent Agenda for discussion was the Sheriff’s Office request for approval of two co-operative contracts entered into with the Virginia Sheriff’s Association (VSA) and Fairfax County facilitating the purchase and “upfitting” of four 2022 Chevrolet Tahoes. Board Chair Cullers led the questioning of the contracts totaling $223,742: $159,124 to RK Chevrolet for the four vehicles; $44,618 for the purchase of additional equipment and lights to bring them to law enforcement standards; and an estimated $20,000 to complete “upfitting” of the vehicles.

With Sheriff Mark Butler not present, Deputy Finance Director Alisa Scott whose department would handle the contracted purchases, presented the proposal to the board. Despite the nature of the cooperative contract arrangement through VSA, Chairperson Cullers wondered at the absence of a cost comparison analysis, particularly with Ford Explorers, which she asserted got better mileage than Tahoes.

Board Chair Cullers wondered at the absence of a direct cost comparison to Ford Explorers despite the agenda description of a State Public Procurement Act competitive solicitation of goods and services. Deputy Finance Director Alisa Scott, below, fielded questions on the process in the absence of Sheriff Mark Butler.

The agenda packet staff summary notes: “Section 2.2-4604 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act authorizes the County to cooperatively contract through a solicitation issued by VSA and the County of Fairfax on behalf of other public entities. VSA and the Commonwealth competitively solicit goods and services which the County can procure directly from the awarded vendor” adding of these two competitively solicited contracts: “Contract 2205-0917 was awarded to RK Chevrolet, Inc and Contract E194-89772 was awarded to Dana Safety Supply, Inc.”

But with a lack of a direct cost comparison to Ford Explorers on the table, the three supervisors present sided with their chairman in tabling a decision pending further explanation from Sheriff Butler on why the supervisors should trust the Virginia Sheriffs Association, the Commonwealth, and Fairfax County to get them the best deal available on new vehicles, apparently available for immediate delivery and outfitting to law enforcement standards.

So, on Delores Oates (North River District) motion, seconded by Vicky Cook (Fork District), the board voted 4-0 to table the matter until a September meeting for additional information.

Also pulled from the Consent Agenda were two items related to transfers of Warren County Public School (WCPS) funds related to Operating Expenses from one fiscal year to the next. After extensive discussion and explanations from WCPS Finance Director Rob Ballentine, all submitted transfers were approved. A commitment to improved communications between the schools and county administrative finance departments as budget-year variables arise was promised by both sides.

You want to transfer what to where and why? The board grilled Public Schools Finance Director Rob Ballentine, at podium, on cross fiscal-year operational transfers. Both sides agreed improved communications as the fiscal year progresses will clear up a lot of questions at the fiscal year crossover.

A fourth Consent Agenda item, authorization for Public Hearing of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) by Cole and Danielle Haase for a Commercial Outdoor Recreational Operation, was also pulled to delay that public hearing to September 27 to facilitate the schedule of the applicants.

See these discussions, the outside agency reports, board and staff reports, and a revised motion into a four-topic Closed Session in the County video. Following reconvening and adjournment of the open meeting, the board convened to a work session review of FOIA standards and a report on planned renovations to the 15th Street Health and Human Services Complex to facilitate the move of the Warren County Senior Center into expanded space there.

Watch the August 2nd meeting here.