Supervisors Set Staff Recommended Sanitary District Tax Rates for 2025 and Personal Property Tax Relief Rates

At a Special Meeting convened at 6 p.m., Tuesday evening, April 8, following board discussion and a brief, one speaker Public Hearing on proposed Sanitary District Tax Rates for Calendar Year 2025, the Warren County Board of Supervisors approved the staff submitted rates with two anticipated changes. The unanimously approved motion made by Shenandoah District Supervisor John Stanmeyer, with a second from South River District Supervisor Cheryl Cullers, read:

“I move that the Sanitary Districts tax rates and rates of charge be approved as presented, with the exception of the $200 Membership Fee and the $400 tap-on fee for Shenandoah Shores.”

After its 16-minute Special Meeting Sanitary District tax rate Public Hearing and Personal Property/vehicle tax relief rate Resolution, the board ventured into a 2-hour-plus work session discussion of Sanitary District road projects, distribution of Opiod Abatement funds, progress on board “goals”, and implications of proposed CUP and related code text amendments. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Only one member of the public spoke, Gloria Suliin, who sought information on any proposals related to Shenandoah Farms that was not part of the staff summary. It was explained that issues related to the Farms would be addressed during the coming work session presentation on Sanitary District road projects by Public Works Director Mike Berry.

The staff summary noted that “All per lot charges are charges on lots in existence as of 1/1/2025.

So, the Sanitary District tax rates approved for 2025, compared to the 2024 rates were as follows:

Blue Mountain

Approved Calendar Year 2024: $65.00 per lot plus $0.22 per $100 of assessed value on improvements;

Proposed Calendar Year 2025: $65.00 per lot plus $0.23 per $100 of assessed value on improvements.

High Knob 

Approved Calendar Year 2024:

$620.00 per unimproved lot;

$999.99 per improved lot.

Proposed Calendar Year 2025:

$738 per unimproved lot;

$738 per improved lot;

15-cents per $100 of assessed value on improved lot.

Shenandoah Shores 

Approved Calendar Year 2024:

$60 per lot plus 10-cents per $100 of assessed value on improvements;

$120.12 per quarter for use of 0 to 16,000 gallons of water;

$.0091 per gallon of use of 16,000 to 26,000 gallons of water;

$.01 per gallon of use of 26,001 and over gallons of water.

Proposed Calendar Year 2025:

$60.00 per lot plus $0.10-cents per $100 of assessed value on improvements;

$120.12 per quarter for use of 0 -16,000 gallons of water;

$.0091 per gallon for use of 16,000 – 26,000 gallons of water;

$.01 per gallon for use of 26,001 and over gallons of water;

— with the $200 Membership Fee and $400 Tap On Fee both Deleted;

South River Estates

Approved Calendar Year 2024:

$300 per lot plus $0.005 per $100 of assessed value on improvements

Proposed Calendar Year 2025:

$300 per lot plus $0.10 per $100 of assessed value on improvements.

That accomplished the board moved to its other Special Meeting agenda item, the setting of Personal Property (vehicle) tax relief rates. Staff explained this item was not a Public Hearing, but rather a vote on approval of a Resolution on the agreed upon rates.

Personal Property tax relief

After some discussion, on a motion by Fork District Supervisor Vicky Cook, second by North River Supervisor Richard Jamieson, the board unanimously approved a Resolution setting the following Personal Property (motor vehicles) tax relief rates:

$1,000 dollars or less value – 100% tax relief;

$1,001 to $20,000 value – 26% tax relief;

$20,001 and above value – 26% tax relief on the first $20,000 of value only.

That business completing the Special Meeting agenda, the board convened a work session to discuss the following items:

Work Session Agenda

1. Discussion – Sanitary District Updates on Road Projects – Mike Berry, Director of Public Works <begins 15:08 video mark>

County Public Works Director Mike Berry opened the work session with an overview of Sanitary District road projects and the best way to approach them tactically and financially. Berry and other speakers played to a mostly empty house though Shenandoah Farms resident Gloria Suliin, seated second row, was an interested observer of Berry’s analysis of road project financing.

1. Discussion: Distribution of Opioid Abatement Funds – Jane Meadows, Deputy County Administrator <begins at 38:52 video mark as Meadows hands out written summaries for both Agenda items D and E>
2. BOS Goals Progress Update – Jane Meadows <begins 47:20 video mark>
3. Discussion – Little Boy Ventures proposed CUP and Text Amendments – John Foote, representing the applicant <begins 1:36:18 video mark>. On this last agenda item local attorney Joe Silek Jr. present with the closest impacted neighbors. Foote opened the discussion addressing previously expressed county board concerns about approval of the Little Boy Ventures CUP and County Code Text Amendment requests as setting too broad a precident on potential commercial-type uses in Agriculutally Zoned areas of the county.

Foote cited his past experience in similar municipal zoning situations, stating the opinion that addressing and setting specific conditions on individual applications can minimize the over-generalized risk of too broad an impact. The board took what they heard under advisement as they move toward a final decision.

Little Boy Ventures legal representative John Foote hands out accompanying material to his analysis of county board concerns of too broad an impact of approval of a commercial type of redevelopment use in an Ag District sought by his client. Below, Foote at the podium as attorney Joe Silek Jr., third row center, and his clients, Little Boy Ventures closest Ag district neighbors, listen, and await their turn to reply.

As noted above, see this far ranging discussion beginning at the 1:36:18 mark of linked County video, with some preliminary humor offered from the chairman. Other discussions begin at the above-referenced times of the video.

During the Board Goals discussion, at the 53:20 video mark Meadows reached the subject of Samuels Public Library. On the printed accompanying material the existing public library is listed as “Priority # 11 Project – QS – 11 Goal: Post 2023 Library Debrief and Research”.

See more on this discussion in a coming related Royal Examiner story.

Convening at 6:16 p.m., the work session adjourned just shy of 8:30 p.m.

Click here to watch the Warren County Board of Supervisors’ Special Meeting from April 8, 2025.