County agrees to assume fiscal responsibility for new criminal justice academy

Following a Tuesday (March 21) budget work session briefing by Human Resources Director Jodi Spittler and Sheriff Daniel McEathron, the Warren County Board of Supervisors authorized the County to become the fiscal agent for the new regional criminal justice academy.  After being assured by both that the impacts on the county would be minimal, and generate $7,500 in annual compensation to the County, the board took County Administrator Doug Stanley’s suggestion to forego a public meeting rehashing of the work session briefing and move the item to the Consent Agenda.  Approval was unanimous.

Sheriff Daniel McEathron explains dynamics of the Skyline Regional Criminal Justice Academy that he has spearheaded, and will chair. Photo/Roger Bianchini

Among details of the plan are:

• Skyline Regional Criminal Justice Academy’s projected four full-time and three part-time employees will not be County employees and will have their own personnel policies and procedures;
• Those employees will, however, follow County payroll procedures and will be included on the County’s group health and dental insurance policies, with that inclusion fully funded by the SRCJA;
• The County will administer the Academy’s payables and receivables;
• And the Academy’s employees will, at least initially, be included in the County’s Virginia Retirement System (VRS) plan.

Spittler told the board that she believed County assumption of these aspects of the Academy’s function would create minimal impact on County staff’s daily operations.

The Academy is planned for 18 of the 149 acres owned by the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority at the Happy Creek Industrial Park off Shenandoah Shores Road.  The Front Royal Town Council also considered some special exemption requests on development of the property, which lies inside town limits, this week (see related story to be posted shortly).

Cheer up, Sheriff, it’s going to be alright (I know, I get like that at budget work sessions too). Photo/Roger Bianchini

The Skyline Regional Criminal Justice Academy (SRCJA) is the result of an initiative pushed by the Warren County Sheriff to break away from membership in the Rappahannock Regional Justice Academy.  The Warren Supervisors authorized Sheriff McEathron to pursue that course at its meeting of August 2, 2016.  McEathron has cited a “great working relationship with the Rappahannock Academy, which has cooperated in the northern jurisdictions’ separation.

Joining Warren County in forming the new criminal justice training facility are 14 of 15 jurisdictions that joined the Warren County Sheriff’s Office in leaving the Rappahannock Academy in 2015.  That separation required a State authorization to increase the number of regional criminal justice academies from 10 to 11.  That was achieved by a unanimous vote of the Criminal Justice Service Board on May 12, 2016.