| The
Wise County Board of Supervisors met in a recessed meeting
on March 25, 2004 at 6:00 PM in the Board of Supervisors
meeting room located in the Wise County courthouse.
The following were present:
Honorable
John W. Peace II - Chairman
Honorable
Fred Luntsford - Vice-Chairman
Honorable
Robert Adkins
Honorable
Steve Bates
Honorable
Ronnie Shortt
Honorable
Virginia Meador
Honorable
Leland Branham
Honorable
Robert Robbins - members of said Board and
Edward
L. Sealover - County Administrator
Shannon
C. Scott - Assistant County Administrator
Karen
T. Mullins - County Attorney
Annette
Underwood - Executive Secretary
IN
RE: PUBLIC HEARING -ORDINANCE REPEALING A REAL ESTATE
TAX DISCOUNT FOR EARLY PAYMENT
A
public hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive
citizens' comments regarding a proposed ordinance repealing
the Ordinance Establishing a Real Estate Tax Discount for
Early Payment.
Chairman
Peace asked for public comments.
There
being no public comments the public hearing was closed.
IN
RE: PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATES
A
public hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive
public comments regarding the proposed tax rates:
Real
estate property
$0.57/$100 assessed value
Personal
Property
$1.49/$100 assessed
value
Mobile
homes
$0.57/$100
assessed value
Machinery
& tools $1.15/$100
assessed value
Merchant's
capital $2.85/$100
assessed value
Public
service corporations:
Real
property
$0.57/$100
assessed value
Personal
property
$1.49/$100 assessed
value
Merchant's
capital $0.52/$100
assessed value
Chairman
Peace asked for public comments.
Judy
Prichard, a resident of Pound, told the Board that taxes
were recently raised during the reassessment and she opposed
this increase, especially the tax on personal property.
The elderly and disabled on fixed income cannot pay these
taxes.
Bernard
Meade, a resident of Pole Bridge Road, asked that the coal
companies be properly taxed for their land.
Ronnie
Brooks opposed the tax increase.
Clyde
Stanley a resident of Wise, opposed the tax increase.
Chris
Salyers, resident of Coeburn, was in favor of the increase.
Stewart
Jessee, a resident of Wise, opposed the tax increase and
voiced his opposition to using the tax assessors out of
Roanoke for Wise County's reassessment.
Bonnie
Fields, a resident of Coeburn, said the tax increase was
too much.
Jackie
Bowman, a resident of Wise, said the tax increase was too
excessive and the elderly cannot pay such an increase.
She asked that adjustments be made elsewhere so the tax
rate could be decreased.
Mary
E. Kelly addressed the Board regarding the incorrect zoning
of her land. She asked for any assistance from the
Board that could help bring this dispute to an end.
Lester
Roberson voiced his opposition to the tax increase.
Doug
Kilgore, owner of the golf club on Dan Hall Mountain stated
that the recent tax assessment for Wise County raised the
taxes and should have been sufficient to meet the County's
needs and he opposed this increase. He noted that the County
should be run like a business and our economy would not
be in this deficit situation.
Rex
Straughn voiced his opposition to the tax increase and suggested
that the Board cut costs instead of raising taxes.
Walter
Crouse stated that the coal companies should be assessed
at full value, which would bring in lots of revenue for
the County. He also stated that the School Board personnel
in the Administration Office should be decreased, not the
teachers.
Larry
Porter, Johnny Coffee, Gerald Cantrell and Phil Cantrell
voiced their opposition to the tax increase and noted the
hardship that will be placed on the elderly and disabled.
David
Yeary, owner of Y&Y Septic Systems, told the Board that
he could not pay this tax increase and asked that the Board
find another source of revenue to meet the County's needs.
Danny
Stallard voiced his support for school consolidation. He
stated that this would be a means of providing a better
education for our children as well as needed revenue for
economic growth in the County.
There
being no further comments, the public hearing was closed.
IN
RE: ORDINANCE REPEALING A REAL ESTATE TAX DISCOUNT
FOR EARLY PAYMENT
A
public hearing was held on this proposed ordinance with
no public opposition.
A
motion was made by Leland Branham, seconded by Bob Adkins,
to approve the Ordinance Repealing a Real Estate Tax Discount
for Early Payment. The motion was unanimously approved.
ORDINANCE
#
2004
(
Said ordinance is on file in the County Administrator's
Office)
IN
RE: RESOLUTION SETTING PROPERTY TAX RATES FOR FY 2004-05
A
public hearing was held on the proposed property tax rates
with comments from several citizens.
Robby
Robbins spoke briefly on the County's financial situation
and the fact that the government must have money to operate
and sometimes that required a tax increase.
Virginia
Meador opposed the increase stating that the County's severance
tax has helped keep Wise County at a lower tax base.
She said it was not the time to raise taxes.
John
Peace spoke briefly on the overcrowded Powell Valley Primary
School and the need for better education in our schools.
There
being no further discussion, a motion was made by Fred Luntsford,
seconded by Bob Adkins, to approve the resolution setting
the property tax rates for FY 2004-2005.
Aye-
Bob Adkins
Nay - Virginia Meador
Steve Bates
Ronnie Shortt
John Peace
Leland Branham
Robby Robbins
Fred Luntsford
Motion
carried.
RESOLUTION
# 2004
(Said
resolution is on file in the County Administrator's Office)
IN
RE: ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
A
motion was made by Ronnie Shortt, seconded by Fred Luntsford,
to approve the Energy Performance Contract and authorize
execution by the Board Chairman or the County Administrator.
The motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING FINANCING
After
a review of the various financing proposals received for
the lease/purchase financing for the Energy Enhancement
Project for the Wise County courthouse, a motion was made
by Bob Adkins, seconded by Steve Bates, to award the lease/purchase
financing to Powell Valley National Bank, evidenced by an
unsecured note, in an amount not to exceed $447,000.00 at
an interest rate of 3.75% with a maturity of ten (10) years,
with payments to include principal and interest amortized
on a monthly basis in arrears, and that the Chairman and
the Clerk for the Wise County Board of Supervisors be authorized
and empowered to execute any and all documentation that
may be required to conclude this transaction. The
motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: ORDINANCES AMENDMENTS / SOLID WASTE ORDINANCE
/ TIRE TIPPING FEE ORDINANCE / CONSTRUCTION-DEMOLITION ORDINANCE
A
motion was made by Ronnie Shortt, seconded by Bob Adkins,
to approve amendments to:
1) Solid
Waste Ordinance #____________________
2) Tire
Tipping Fee Ordinance#_________________
3) Construction/Demolition
Ordinance #__________
The
motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: ANNUAL AUDIT
A
motion was made by Steve Bates, seconded by Bob Adkins,
to approve the engagement letter to Larry D. Sturgill, P.C.
for conducting the annual audit for Wise County for fiscal
years ended June 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The motion
was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: BUDGET AMENDMENTS
A
motion was made by Ronnie Shortt, seconded by Bob Adkins,
to approve Budget amendment #21:
Increase general fund revenues by $290,400 (Norton Boundary
Adjustment Developer Payment) put $260,900 in Legal Svs,
Prof. Svs - other line item; $29,500 in Courthouse Maintenance
capital outlay line item; and $109,600 in the Information
Technology Improvement Fund (special Fund). The motion
was unanimously approved.
A motion
was made by Bob Adkins, seconded by Steve Bates, to approve
budget amendment # 22: Increase E-911 fund
revenues (Wire Line Grant) by $203,233; increase maintenance
service contract line item by $258,763 (includes local match,
generated by $1.25/month surcharge and E-911 Fund - Fund
balance). The motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY COPIER / TRANSFER OF FUNDS
A
motion was made by Bob Adkins, seconded by Robby Robbins,
to transfer from reserve for emergencies/contingency line
item $860 to lease (5 years) replacement copier for Commonwealth
Attorney. The motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: RESOLUTION /TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
A
motion was made by Ronnie Shortt, seconded by Steve Bates,
to approve the resolution concerning use of the proceeds
from the increase in the Tangible Personal Property Tax
rate. The motion was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION
#
2004
(Said
resolution is on file in the County Administrator's Office)
IN
RE: RESOLUTION COAL & GAS IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE'S
ANNUAL PLAN AMENDMENT
A
motion was made by Bob Adkins, seconded by Leland Branham,
to approve the resolution approving the Coal & Gas Road
Improvement Committee's Annual Plan amendment allocating
an additional $60,000 to the gravel fund. The motion
was unanimously approved.
RESOLUTION
#
2004
(Said
resolution is on file in the County Administrator's Office)
There
was some discussion on the status of taking the Daytown
Road into the secondary system.
IN
RE: RESERVE FOR EMERGENCIES/CONTINGENCY FUNDS
A
motion was made by Bob Adkins, seconded by Steve Bates,
to increase the amount in reserve for emergencies/contingency
line item with CRIF transfer to VCEDA funding $108,000.
The motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: INMATE HEALTH CARE COST / TRANSFER OF FUNDS
A
motion was made by Robby Robbins, seconded by Virginia Meador,
to approve the transfer of $217,000 from the reserve for
emergencies/contingency line item to several line items
in Sheriff - Correction and Detention, for inmate health
care costs. The motion was unanimously approved.
IN
RE: JUVENILE & DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT COPIER
/ TRANSFER OF FUNDS
A
motion was made by Virginia Meador, seconded by Steve Bates,
to approve the transfer from reserve for emergencies/contingency
line item $335.00 to purchase imaging unit for copy machine
used by the Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court.
The motion was unanimously approved.
ADJOURN
A
motion was made by Robby Robbins, seconded by Bob Adkins,
to adjourn the meeting. The motion was unanimously
approved.
ATTEST:
WISE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
______________________
______________________
Clerk
Chairman
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