Tea Party "Thugs" vs. Union "Thugs"......

The NewsLeader Editorial staff came out with an "editorial" piece this week asking\hoping\declaring that the Tea Party is dead as apparent by the results of the last election and they are the reason that the Republican Party did so poorly. The EdStaff feels that the Tea Party came along as the result of "when the U.S. stumbled into the deep recession back in 2008 and "09" resulting in the organization of these angry and bitter conservatives but yet the NewsLead EdStaff ignores the poor economic performance since 2008-09 for that would reflect on President Obama and his administration and be against their agenda of promoting Obama and his team....

The NewsLead EdStaff says it was the evil Koch brothers that financed the Tea Party and Grover Norquist who spewed his "Venom spit" and rallied the Tea Party. Like their Mainstream media parent company they have been quick to criticize the Tea Party at every opportunity and portray them as an angry & bitter group out there to do anything possible to obstruct our President from moving the country "Forward"...

Today I searched the NewsLeader and its editorial page for info on the recent events that happened in Michigan as the law implementing the State as a "Right to Work" State and the violence by the Union thugs who were protesting this law. As with most of the Mainstream Media, the NewsLeader, and their Parent company, there was no mention of these violent acts. No mention of the attacks and physical beat down of a FoxNews contributor who stepped in while the Union Thugs tore down a Americans for Prosperity tent.

From IBD:

"Organized Labor: The assault on a Fox News contributor protecting women and seniors in a tent is but the latest example of the civil discourse and respect for democracy the president's union supporters really have.

Imagine the outrage and the mainstream media feeding frenzy had it been a Tea Party member punching an MSNBC contributor covering a protest over ObamaCare.

Or if Tea Party members had descended on a tent full of Occupy Wall Street supporters, flattening and tearing it apart with total disregard for the people inside.

Yet that is precisely what happened to conservative comedian and Fox News contributor Steven Crowder on Tuesday as he tried to get between union thugs and a tent put up by the group Americans for Prosperity, which reserved the space to support Michigan's right-to-work legislation.

When he was assaulted, Crowder was near the AFP tent, which in his words "was torn down with women and possibly children still (inside)."

White House spokesman Jay Carney declined to condemn the violence and threats by union members in Michigan the day after President Obama made an appearance there to offer his support, merely telling reporters Tuesday that "the president believes in debate that's civil."

This, of course, is the president who told supporters in 2008 regarding his opponents: "I want you to argue with them and get in their face." Well, they sure got in Crowder's face.

When asked by a reporter about a statement by Michigan state Democrat legislator Doug Geiss that "there will be blood" should Republicans pass a union-choice law in Michigan, Carney professed ignorance. "I haven't see those comments," he said, "and I'm not sure they mean what someone interprets them to mean."

We interpreted them to mean "there will be blood."

They also failed to mention that two school districts in Michigan had to be shut down for the day because of majority of Union teachers their called out of work to attend the union rally against the "Right to Work" law being signed. Interestingly it was also reported, (not in the Newseader its parent company or the mainstream media) that only 7% of the 8th grade students in Detroit Michigan can read at a proficient level...

Maybe the NewsLead EdStaff needs to attend one of the Tea Party meetings that are being held by several groups here in the Shenandoah Valley to see what is really happening here in the community they claim to represent?

The NewsLeader reported on the BOS vote on the Panhandling issue and once again we have interesting material. Looking at the comments in the NewsLeader comment section it seems many of the locals have seen the same people at the corners from day to day and in fact many of these "Panhandlers" are doing pretty good for themselves.......     Augusta County panhandling restrictions don't pass Written by Calvin Trice Nov. 15

newsleader.com

VERONA — People can panhandling pretty much as they have been in Augusta County after a proposed ordinance to limit aggressive solicitations went begging at the county Board of Supervisors Wednesday night.

The change would have prohibited aggressive solicitations and asking for money in most public places, near banks, ATMs and on private property without permission. Chairman Tracy Pyles Jr. thought the county would have gone against the flow of federal case law by adopting the restrictions. “All over the place, the federal courts are saying, you’re violating the Constitution by doing this,” Pyles said.

Supervisors rejected the proposal by a 3-4 vote, after a 15-minute public hearing. One citizen spoke in favor and two opposed. Supervisors David Beyeler, David Karaffa and Jeffrey Moore voted for the measure.

Supervisor Michael Shull said he couldn’t support the proposal because he was taught that people should be good Samaritans. Beverley Manor Supervisors David Karaffa supported the change for safety. The community provides many resources for those who are down and out, Karaffa said prior to the vote. “There are plenty of ways that our community embraces those who are in need,” he said.

“This is like using a canon to kill a cricket,” one said. People can always just say no. What about the Liberty tax guy in front of the . “He looks pretty aggressive to me,” the resident said. The proposed ordinance would have defined aggressive as touching someone, blocking their free movement, approaching them in a way that appears threatening.

Carwashes couldn’t have signs too close to the streets, but it wouldn’t have affect things like bake sales, which wouldn’t ask for funds in an aggressive manner, Morgan said

The "Gang-of-three" takes their show on the road....

Looks like Chairman Pyles has taken his show on the road with the help of his "Pocket Supervisors" Karraffa and Pattie in the form of a "Political Breakfast" in Waynesboro. Comments by the "Gang-O-Three" were dutifully reported by the News Virginian but once again failed to seek comment from the remaining members of the Board of Supervisors. It can only be questioned how many readers of the NewsVirginian who picked up their morning paper to read this piece thought it was reporting of a official meeting instead of a "Political Breakfast" gathering.

 

Supervisors focus on economic development

Expanding businesses have the best hope of improving county finances

By: Bob Stuart | News Virginian
Published: September 23, 2012 Updated: September 23, 2012 - 12:48 AM

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Waynesboro, Va. --

Whatever is financially ailing Augusta County can be cured or at least modified by more economic development, a trio of county supervisors said during the SWAC Political Breakfast on Saturday.

The breakfast was conducted at Waynesboro’s Golden Corral Restaurant.

 

The supervisors spoke of how 2012 has included some economic highlights that will pay dividends to the county, including Mary Baldwin College’s selection of a Fishersville location for a new campus and graduate programs, and the recent announcement of McKee Baking in Stuarts Draft adding 78 jobs.

 

They also spoke of how County Economic Development Director Dennis Burnett has been given a free hand to aggressively promote and create more jobs for the county’s economy.

“If we don’t have jobs, we deteriorate,’’ said Board of Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles.

Since a new board took office in January, Pyles said the seven members have worked to reestablish strong relations with state economic development officials in Richmond. And Pyles said Augusta County has embraced the idea of regionalism — working with both Staunton and Waynesboro — to create jobs that benefit the entire area.

 

“If we are putting our resources together it works better,’’ Pyles said. He said Burnett and other county officials offered a vision of Augusta County to Mary Baldwin that helped sell the Staunton women’s college on the county as a location for their new Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences.

 

Pyles said Fishersville is becoming a health center that already includes a burgeoning Augusta Health and Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center.

 

And of McKee’s expansion, Pyles said “what Dennis (Burnett) asked for we provided. If he gets them on the hook, we land them.” The Stuarts Draft plant was competing with two other McKee locations for the manufacturing of the company’s mini doughnuts product.

 

North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie said the early meetings of the new board last winter involved lengthy closed sessions about new economic opportunities.

Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa called Burnett “a tireless worker’’ who labors late into the night looking for more jobs. And he said the infrastructure for future development is in place at the county’s Mill Place Commerce Park in Verona.

“We are marketing it aggressively. It is a beautiful place to put your business,’’ he said.

On a different front, Karaffa expressed great confidence in the Roanoke area business performing the county’s new reassessment.

He said Wingate and Associates is Virginia’s most experienced reassessment provider.

Supervisors are also expected to decide on a strategic fire/rescue plan for the county at Wednesday’s meeting that entails how to deploy 21 new fire/rescue positions obtained under a federal SAFER grant.

 

Pattie said the new strategy will assure that the county does not have the ISO rating problems it had two years ago with the Preston L. Yancey Volunteer Fire Company in Fishersville.

Four say "NO" to term limits.....

Turns out four of the Supervisors feel that there is no need for BOS term limits for if their citizens want them replaced they will vote them out of office. We all know how well this works in Washington and by looking at some of the track history of some of our electeds in DC, we also know these guys get away with numerous acts but the incumbant always has the large advantage.

I hear Supervisors Beyeler, Karraffa, and Moore understand that we need citizens to stand up and serve their county but they should also not become entrenched in a long-term occupation where they focus more on re-election instead of doing what is right for the citizens.....

Think about the other four ....






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Bonus for the County Team....

The NewsVirginian has copy on the possible plan for the BOS to vote on paying out a bonus package to the County staff. Good to see a surplus and I believe in paying out incentives for those who keep expenses down and save the taxpayers money.

Lets see what happens with the term limit issue... 

Augusta County supervisors to consider bonuses for employees

By: Bob Stuart | News Virginian
Published: August 21, 2012 Updated: August 21, 2012 - 7:30 AM

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VERONA, Va. -- Augusta supervisors will discuss Wednesday night a bonus for county employees based on a surplus in the 2012 budget.

Supervisors are considering either a bonus based on a percentage of the employee’s pay, or one that pays $1,000 to full-time employees and $500 to part-timers.

During a Monday staff briefing, Augusta County Finance Director Jennifer Whetzel said that a $635,539 balance remained from the recent budget year, which ended June 30.

Middle River District Supervisor Larry Wills suggested the idea of a bonus as recent county budgets have not included pay increases for workers.

Wills also said that frugal spending by county employees led to the surplus.

Supervisor David Karaffa, who represents the Beverley Manor District, said he would prefer that the surplus funds go to help the county’s schools.

He noted the release of Standards of Learning scores last week, and the difficulty students had on some of the tests. County school administrators said that the scores were lower on a newly designed math test aimed at examining critical thinking.

“The fund balance would be better in the schools,” Karaffa said.

Board Chairman Tracy Pyles said he prefers a bonus for employees.

“Every department brought money back,” Pyles said of the tightened spending by the county’s government.

Also during Monday’s briefing, Karaffa said he would like his colleagues to consider adding term limits for supervisors to the county’s legislative agenda for 2013.

South River District Supervisor David Beyeler proposed a three-term limit for supervisors at a meeting two weeks ago.

But state legislation would be needed to allow Augusta County to impose the limits.

Such legislation previously has been approved by the General Assembly, notably when state Sen. Emmett Hanger sponsored a bill to extend the county’s reassessment time to include an option of every six years.

O.K., So how about term limits?....

It seems now we have Supervisor Beyeler bringing up the idea of term limits for the BOS so that no one member becomes "entrenched" in the position and almost impossible to replace. And this coming from one of the so called "Good old boy" members?.....

 

Beyeler wants term limits for supervisors

By Bob Stuart

Augusta County Supervisor David Beyeler told his colleagues this past week he wants term limits for county supervisors.

With too much power accumulating in long-tenured politicians, Beyeler said he supported a three-term limit after Wednesday’s meeting.

Term limits for politicians started in ancient Greece and Rome, and today 36 states limit the terms of their governors and 15 state legislatures have term limits.

Term limits have been debated at the federal level, but have only been set for the presidency.

The director of the Virginia Association of Counties, Jim Campbell, said he knows of no Virginia counties that impose term limits.

North River District Supervisor Marshall Pattie said term limits are not necessary because County supervisors are held accountable by voters.

“There are only 10,000 people in my district,’’ said Pattie, who answers telephone calls and emails from his constituents.

“They know us and see us at church,’’ he said. “The districts are divided nonpolitically. There is a lot of opportunity for someone to run a campaign without a lot of money and win.”

Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa, who sees merit in Beyeler’s suggestion, said limiting terms may result in different types of representatives serving on the board.

“For a certain amount of time, a business person could serve. Maybe the next time a farmer would be allowed to represent,” he said. Or a retired police officer or firefighter could serve, he added.

Term limits “opens the opportunity for many people from many different walks of life to represent a district,” Karaffa said

Karaffa is married, a father and works at Augusta Health as an intensive care unit nurse. He said his predecessor, Jeremy Shifflett, brought a different perspective to the board.

“Beverley Manor benefited from having Jeremy on the board prior to me,” he said. He is a farmer. My history is in the health care field. I’m married and have children.”

A political expert weighs in

Local officials cannot hide in Richmond or Washington when they serve in the community they are elected in, said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor and chairman of the department of government at Christopher Newport University.

The losses from term limits are greater than the gains, Kidd said.

“You lose institutional history and know-how, which is very difficult to replace easily,’’ he said.

He said the importance of institutional history and know-how is not outweighed by the “potential for abuse from a retrenched office holder.”

But the impact of term limits is subject to debate and conflicting opinions, said Paul Wolf, who runs the Center for Reinventing Government in New York.

Pointing to the power of incumbency, Wolf said an incumbent has a high re-election probability because incumbents can raise more money than a challenger and have access to media.

An incumbent also has an advantage because he or she generally know more about the government than a challenger because incumbents are already in office, Wolf said.

It’s not clear whether supervisors, who will first tackle staggered terms at a public hearing Sept. 26, will consider acting on Beyeler’s suggestion.

BOS ""Split terms"... Justa roll of the dice or something worse?...

The NewsVirginian has an on-line report by Bob Stuart regarding the Augusta Board of Supervisors (BOS)  and Supervisor Pattie efforts to re-hash the “Split-term” issue that was a promise by the legendary “Gang-of-four” during the campaign. Unfortunately once again after clicking on the article to read it the familiar message window pops up advising the reader needs to fork over $5.95 to finish reading the article and open a month long on-line subscription.  Sorry but I just can’t justify $6 for a short article about local politics that should be supplied if this paper really wants to serve the community it is in… (Something Bob Stuart and I have corresponded about already)

It appears Supervisor Pattie has once again brought up the issue about split-terms instead of having all of the 7 BOS members come up to election every four years. 3 or 4 members would come up for re-election every two years instead and the thought there is a quicker change to the BOS majority being possible if the dice roll provides the desired result…

Could not see the answer in the on-line article before the pop-up window interrupts, but who decides which 3 or 4 BOS members have their four year term cut to two for this change to work? Will it be the decision of the outcome of a roll of the dice?  Or will it be the decision of Chairman Pyles and part of the “master plan”?... Maybe the opportunity for the “Gang-O-four” is only another two years away?...

County to tighten fire loan process

Departments must consult with lawyer

11:06 PM, Jul. Written by

Staff Report NewsLeader.com

VERONA — Augusta County is thinking of tightening up the rules for volunteer fire companies’ withdrawals from its revolving loan fund.
Going forward, fire departments seeking loans should make sure an attorney reviews any contracts with equipment suppliers, Fire-Rescue Chief Carson Holloway said in an internal memo earlier this month. The recommendation comes after Holloway and County Attorney Patrick Morgan reviewed a contract that Craigsville Volunteer Fire Department signed for a new pumper. The department is seeking $300,000 from the fund for the new equipment.
Holloway said he and Morgan “are both concerned that the majority of the contract favors the vendor.” But he noted that the Craigsville department has already signed a contract, and would have to pay a fee to cancel it. “We really need that equipment,” said Craigsville chief Wayne Martin.
Mike Fisher, chief of the Dooms Volunteer Fire Company, and former head of the county’s association of volunteer chiefs said it makes sense to require attorney review. “It’s something that should have been done all along,”

"All for One" or for just a select few?....

Once again we are back to the Greenville Sewer issue as reported here by the NewsVirginian. It is now reportede that Chairman Pyle's has his own research on the properties involved and has determined that there is no problem at this time and that the entire county should not be paying for one areas problem.... As compared to the now paid staff at select Firehouse & First-aid squads in the County?.....

Augusta Supervisors vote to proceed with Greenville sewer project

By: Bob Stuart | News Virginian
Published: July 12, 2012 Updated: July 12, 2012 - 7:30 AM

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VERONA, Va. -- The Augusta County Board of Supervisors narrowly voted 4-3 on Wednesday night to proceed with the Greenville sewer project after more than an hour of discussion over a funding shortfall of $445,000 for the more than $4.3 million project.

Construction work could be finished by the end of 2013, with the hookups to be completed afterward. Supervisors who supported moving forward with the project, said the three years of work on a sewer system for Greenville would be lost if the project stalled now.

Middle River Supervisor Larry Wills also spoke of the lost opportunity to use $2.5 million in funding from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality if the project stopped. The funding includes a $1 million grant and more than $1.5 million in an interest-free loan from DEQ.

“That money will go somewhere,” Wills said.

Ken Fanfoni, executive director of the Augusta County Service Authority, said a continued delay in a final go-ahead would jeopardize the funding stream available from DEQ. Fanfoni said DEQ is “well aware there is not unanimous support for this project.” But he said at a certain point, the state agency would withdraw its financial support.

Riverheads Supervisor Mike Shull, whose district Greenville lies in, said if the project is turned down the federal Environmental Protection Agency will come back at a later date and ask why that action was taken. Shull said the cost for funding the project would then go to the county, and perhaps a greater cost to property owners in Greenville.

Under the current project design, those hooking up will pay a $1,000 fee and a $55 monthly cost for participating in the sewer project. To date, there are 135 commitments to hook up to the sewer system.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles said his research with health department authorities showed there are no failing septic systems in Greenville.

Pyles said the problems with septic systems in Greenville are no worse than in other parts of Augusta County. But the board chairman said if the county had to pay the added $445,000 revealed Wednesday, the funds would come from the general fund and all county taxpayers.

Pyles suggested tabling an approval of the project, and going back to all involved to see if there was a way to ask for other funds to cover the shortfall.

South River Supervisor David Beyeler countered by saying that county taxpayers provide the infrastructure funds that all supervisors use in their districts. And, he said, if there is a “sore spot in Augusta County, it affects the whole county.”

The construction bid for building the sewer system was awarded to Fielder’s Choice Enterprises of Charlottesville. That company's bid of $2.875 million included the construction of a gravity line along U.S. 11.

Those supervisors voting to proceed with the project Wednesday night included Shull, Wills, Beyeler and Wayne District Supervisor Jeff Moore. Those opposing the project proceeding with the project now included Pyles, North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie and Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa.

Similar to Pyles’ sentiments, Karaffa motioned to table a vote on proceeding with the project now, but his motion died for a lack of second.

The added $445,000 in funding needed will be covered in a capital improvements fund set up to cover the additional cost of the sewer project. This motion by Wills was approved 7-0.

Promise kept?...

Calvin Trice over at the Staunton NewsLeader reports that the BOS did decide not to raise the Real Estate tax rate to help cover the budget short fall. Instead they decided to raise the Property tax rate instead on a smaller tax base by raising the rate by $.25 per $100...
Just can't wait to get that bill in the mail...

VERONA — Augusta County residents will pay more tax on their cars, trucks and motorcycles — but not on their houses and real estate.

A divided Board of Supervisors chose to keep the real estate rate at 48 cents per $100 of assessed value, among the lowest rates in the state.

Riverheads Supervisor Michael Shull joined Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa, Chairman Tracy Pyles, of Pastures, and North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie to oppose an increase on the tax rate for homes.

This fall, county residents will get a bill for their car tax that will reflect a rate increase from $2.25 per $100 of assessed value to $2.50 per $100. That increase passed on a 4-3 vote, with Pyles, Pattie and Shull voting against it.

That bill is typically due Dec. 5.

The higher car tax rate will bring in another $1 million to county coffers for the budget year that will start July 1.

Supervisors adopted a local budget for the coming fiscal year of about $74.7 million.

To keep the "SWAC-promise" or not?...

 

Supervisor Karaffa has come out saying that he will not support or vote for a raise in the real estate tax rate because of the flawed county reassessment of 2009. This "Flawed" reassessment was the key issue that candidate Karaffa ran on during his campaign to become supervisor and looks to be a issue Karaffa plans to keep alive.

It will be interesting to see what the supervisor does when it comes time to vote on raising taxes on the citizens of Augusta County on Wednesday night. Karaffa made his statements, as faithfully reported by Bob Stuart at the NewsVirginian, at the "SWAC-Breakfast" in front of his "SWAC" supporters who have been quick to jump on past issues such as the reassessment and "Save our Schools" by organizing groups of people and providing only limited information and viewpoints to support their claims.

What will Supervisor Karaffa do when it comes time to find revenue to "Save our Schools" since the county faces a large shortfall in the county budget? Since Karaffa has now ruled out any increase in the real estate tax will he then vote for a increase in the property tax rate to meet this budget shortfall? If Karaffa sticks to his "SWAC-promise" to not raise real estate taxes will he then have to vote for a property tax increase to meet the budget shortfall? If so what will this do to increase the property tax rate since the tax revenue base will be limited by the promise already made by Karaffa? Imagine the next time the citizens open their "Car tax" bill and see the increase to cover the shortfall? 

Perhaps the supervisor that ran on his "Conservative" principles and promises will look at cutting spending and waste to close this budget shortfall instead?   

 

Karaffa says he won't vote for Augusta County real-estate tax hike

By: Bob Stuart | News Virginian Published: April 29, 2012 
A third Augusta supervisor said Saturday morning that he will not vote to raise real-estate taxes in the next fiscal year to meet county budget needs.

David Karaffa, who represents the Beverley Manor District, told the crowd at the SWAC Political Breakfast that he wouldn’t vote to increase the current real-estate tax rate, which stands at 48 cents per $100 of assessed value. Supervisors are to set the tax rates for real estate and personal property when they approve the 2012-13 budget Wednesday night.


A proposal before the board calls for a 3-cent increase in the real-estate tax rate and a 32-cent increase in the personal property tax rate. The latter rate would rise to $2.57 per $100 of assessed value on cars and trucks..

Karaffa joins Board of Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles and North River District Supervisor Marshall Pattie in opposing a hike in real-estate taxes. He said he has not made a decision about the personal property tax rate.

The Beverley Manor supervisor said he is basing his opposition to a real-estate tax increase on the flawed county reassessment of 2009. He wants to see what the next reassessment will bring Augusta County. That process is set to be finished in January 2014.

  

Do we raise the tax-rates to continue the spending?...

Bob Stuart over at the NewsVirginian has a follow-up on last nights Augusta Supervisors meeting where there were numerous comments regarding the budget shortfall and possible tax increases facing the citizens of Augusta County… It appears the majority of the people commenting were against increasing several county taxes that are being looked at, and a small group of organized “special interest” people calling for tax increases to support education programs “and the children”…

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It appears there is once again a small group out their organizing select special interest packs who are only looking at narrow specific aspects of the issue at hand while ignoring the total picture and how it affects ALL of the citizens of Augusta County. Fortunately, as in the past, the facts will come out and many will then look at the total picture instead of what they are “being fed”….

Augusta Supervisors hear diverse comment on tax rate

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By: Bob Stuart News Virginian
Published: April 19, 2012 Updated: April 19, 2012 - 7:30 AM
VERONA, Va. --
Most Augusta County residents who spoke at a public hearing Wednesday night on the county’s tax rate for 2012-13 asked supervisors to look for ways to cut costs and avoid raising both real estate and personal property taxes.

A minority of speakers talked of the needs to pay essential county workers such as teachers, firefighters and Sheriff’s deputies, and said they would support a tax increase.

At the end of the nearly two-hour public hearing, supervisors seemed split on whether to raise real estate taxes 3 cents to the advertised 51 cents per $100, and personal property taxes on cars and trucks 32 cents to $2.57 per $100.

A final decision is likely when the board votes on the tax rate and county budget on May 2.
Augusta County Republican Party Chairman Bill Shirley asked the board members to step away from the immediate budget and look at the long-term debt picture. He said the county’s current debt wouldn’t be paid off until 2032.

He proposed attacking the debt and providing public safety and not raising taxes.
“It’s a great opportunity to take a stand,’’ said Shirley, who said the county could do what the state and federal government have failed to do – cut spending.

Fishersville resident Bruce Richmond, director of the Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots, said he and other residents in that area have already paid additional homeowners insurance funds because of the ISO rating problem the Preston L. Yancey Fire Company had until a recent improvement.

“Go with a balanced budget, cut what you can,’’ Richmond said. “Go through it (the budget) line by line.”

He said school costs could be more frugal by utilizing empty classrooms, but advised not cutting public safety.

Fishersville resident Curt Lilly said while there are plenty of worthy causes it is time to take a stand “and say no to everyone asking for money. There are lots of good ideas but you still need to say no.”

Augusta County resident and Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School teacher Leonard Klein said he could afford to pay a little more in taxes so that his students could receive the benefits.

Starke Smith said staff and funding for county schools have been cut in recent years, and said it was important to fund teachers, firemen and police. “Three cents is the very minimum. I would have voted for 5 cents,’’ Smith said.

Some Supervisors are waiting to see what the state budget that was passed on Wednesday means to Augusta County before making a decision on a tax increase.

Others have decided. Middle River Supervisor Larry Wills said the county has already looked at cuts in its budget, and won’t replace Assistant County Administrator John McGehee when he retires in a few months.

“I don’t like a tax increase but I don’t like shortchanging essential services,’’ said Wills, who supports the increase.

Board Chairman Tracy Pyles said he could not support raising taxes until all options have been explored, and that includes using county capital money to meet needs in next year’s budget.

North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie read a lengthy statement.
Pattie spoke of how he had met residents in his district on the economic edge who are struggling to keep going.

“I talked to one family who stopped driving their truck because the cost of gas is too high to run it,’’ he said.

He supports using county capital reserves to pay the added costs in next year’s budget, and not raising taxes.
“We have a surplus of taxpayer money. Let’s use taxpayer money that has already been provided to us to cover our short-term expenditures before we go back and ask for more money,’’ Pattie said.

Other supervisors said they were eager to see the county’s final state funding from the General Assembly.

“I will wait to see what the state did on funding,’’ said South River Supervisor David Beyeler.
Riverheads Supervisor Mike Shull said he did not want to raise taxes, and said he would wait to see the state funding.

Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa said he was concerned about specific line items he thought still needed to be cut, including the $20,000 per year the county pays a General Assembly lobbyist to advocate for Augusta County.

“This is an unnecessary expenditure and I won’t vote for a budget with this in it,’’ he said.

Townhall turnout of three?...

The Staunton NewsLeader followed up with a report of last nights Townhall meeting held in the Beverley Manor district by their Supervisor David Karaffa. Pretty much the same info as provided in the NewsVirginian article written by Bob Stuart but the NewsVirginian article did mention that only three people showed up for the Townhall meeting. In fact it mentioned that the Beverley Manor constituents were outnumbered by the members of the press and "elected officials"...

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VERONA — Having given the nod to consider increasing Augusta County taxes, Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa reserved a space, set up folding chairs and placed a podium in front with a microphone on it to explain his position.

Judging by the turnout, hardly anyone needed convincing — at least not enough to come out to the community meeting Karaffa held inside the Verona Fire Department.

Three people were present for the start of the meeting to talk needs, taxes and budgeting with Karaffa and Lee Godfrey, the Beverley Manor district representative on the School Board. That was fewer people than the combined number of elected officials and media representatives.

Karaffa nevertheless explained why he thinks the Board of Supervisors needs to consider raising Augusta's real estate tax rate from 48 cents per $100 of assessed value to as high as 51 cents per $100. Supervisors are also considering increasing the car tax rate from $2.25 per $100 of assessed value to $2.57.

The board is scheduled to get public input on the proposals at an April 18 hearing. The suggested rates can be adjusted downward.

Karaffa and most others who make up a majority on the Board of Supervisors don't want to dip into the county's reserve accounts to cover county expenses and would prefer brining tax rates up to match the cost of running the local government.

Drawing down the county's capital reserves will force supervisors to take out loans for equipment, maintenance, infrastructure and other items the locality needs, he said during his talk.

Godfrey talked about the $5 million deficit projected for the School Board next year that was closed with $3 million of help from supervisors.

Adjusting the Tax-rate to match the budget?...

Supervisor Karaffa held his first Townhall meeting since being elected as the Supervisor of Beverley Manor district and it seems that he now understands that the Tax-rate can be adjusted to meet budget demands. A option and tactic that Karaffa, along with many of the "Gang of Four", could\would not admit during the BOS campaigns where they made the "reassessment issue" the cornerstone of their attacks against the then sitting BOS board of Supervisors...

VERONA, Va. -- NewsVirginian
Beverley Manor District Supervisor David Karaffa met with constituents Tuesday night to get their input on a possible increase in real estate and personal property taxes to meet Augusta County’s 2012-13 budget needs.

A public hearing on the tax rate and Augusta County budget is set for next Wednesday at the Augusta County Government Center.

After 90 minutes of answering questions Tuesday night, Karaffa said he is still weighing a potential 3-cent increase in real estate taxes, and a 32-cent increase in personal property taxes on cars and trucks.

“I need to think about what is in the best interest of the people I represent,’’ he said. Karaffa said he would like to see added cuts in the 2012-13 budget. The suggested alternative to a tax increase concerns Karaffa.

He has doubts about dipping into capital accounts the county has for major building projects, depreciation and infrastructure needs to fund another $2.4 million for county schools and about $1 million for added firefighters, Sheriff’s deputies and other spending identified at recent budget work sessions.

“Pulling money out of the capital accounts is having faith the economy will turn around in the next couple of years,’’ Karaffa said.

Beverley Manor School Board member Lee Godfrey was also in attendance at Tuesday’s town hall. She said the School Board is grateful for the financial help from the Board of Supervisors. Godfrey said the added support means programs such as the Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School would continue.

Godfrey said while increasing taxes is never easy, she knows when she pays her Augusta County taxes that “I can show you where the money goes. The local money stays here. That is the beauty as opposed to the state and Washington.”

Karaffa told the audience he has confidence in the company just hired to do the county reassessment, Wingate and Associates of Roanoke.

Should property values decrease with the reassessment, Karaffa said the tax rate might have to be increased to not lose revenue.

“But we won’t know that until January 2014,’’ he said of the completed reassessment date.

Where to find the money...

The NewsVirginian has an article about the potential tax rate increase in Augusta County to cover the budget shortfalls that they have had to cover recently. $2,4 million to cover the school issue and another $1 million for Police & Firefighter coverage... Now comes the shell-game to find the additional funds or raise the tax-rate across the board for the county residents...

Taxes could go up next year in Augusta County, but that decision won’t be made until supervisors meet next week for another budget work session.

Supervisors have committed an additional $2.4 million to the county schools in next year’s budget above county growth revenue, and reached a consensus Wednesday on an additional $1 million in other obligations that include two additional sheriff’s deputies and three new firefighters in Mount Solon.


Wills said he did not see the budget as balanced if the county is borrowing money from other funds to meet operating needs. He said he was reluctant to take money from capital accounts when the county might need those funds to repair a dam or for economic development. He described “big dollars” as being needed for a potential major economic development project.


If necessary, he said, supervisors should “step up to the plate” and tell Augusta County residents a tax increase is needed to fund the 2012-13 budget. The current real-estate tax rate is 48 cents per $100 of assessed value.


North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie, on the other hand, said he was not opposed to using the capital accounts to get the county through the remainder of a difficult economic cycle.

Pattie said real property values in his district increased 47 percent during the last reassessment, and he would not like to add a tax increase to that.

And Pattie said there is additional revenue on the horizon for Augusta County, with the anticipation at some point of the Augusta Marketplace retail project opening inVerona.

Read more at: NewsVirginian

Timing the next reassessment...

The NewsVirginian reports that the BOS will be taking up the timing and method for the next re-assessment for the county in a meeting on Monday.....

The provider of Augusta County’s next real estate reassessment and the timing of it will be discussed when the Augusta County Board of Supervisors meet for an afternoon briefing on Monday.

The board’s reassessment committee will offer a recommendation about how supervisors should proceed, said Middle River Supervisor Larry Wills.

Wills, a member of the reassessment committee, said there have been four proposals from private firms to perform the reassessment. Supervisors will also receive an estimate on Monday of the cost to the county if the reassessment was performed in-house.
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“A tremendous amount of work has gone into this,’’ said Wills, who anticipates a lengthy discussion by the board at Monday’s meeting.


“This is a good team of people on work on things,’’ Pyles said.

“This is a group able to assimilate a group of facts and issues and make decisions.”

One of the considerations is the timing of the reassessment, Pyles said.

He said it is possible the work could be done in less than a year and be completed by January 2013. Another option is to finish the work a year later.

Karaffa said he is concerned about doing an assessment by January of next year.

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“I think January 2014 is the date we have to aim for,’’ he said.

Maybe the NewsLeader has noticed?....

The NewsLeader has a in-depth article about the recent changes over at the Yancey Volunteer Fire department were it was recently reported would now be under control of the Augusta County government control. This article goes into the changes that have occurred over the years and how this community has gone away from citizens stepping up and becoming part of the "volunteer" staff to serve their community.

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Good information and interesting reading. Only hoped that the NewsLeader would have done a article like this back during the recent Board of Supervisors campaign\election were this issue was used as a campaign issue by one of the candidates and it would have been obvious that it was only being used as a "Campaign Issue".....

In the late 1970s, there was no Emerald Hills, no Teaverton, no sprawling suburban-like development, recalled native Larry Swisher.

"Fishersville was a little crossroads community," Swisher said. "Everybody knew everybody because they were related, or they were friends and went to school together. There was a strong sense of community."

Back then, momentum for the idea gathered quickly, and the community of friends and relatives made it happen: The Preston L. Yancey Volunteer Fire Company sprouted from all the talk and fundraising, and volunteers took turns listening out for emergencies to answer calls.

In what eventually became an unfortunate, but increasingly typical paradox being played out around the country, Fishersville grew, but fewer people were willing fill volunteer ranks to fight fires. Now, years of unreliable volunteer fire coverage has forced the department to fold into Augusta County control.

A vital community service that had been provided through civic spirit and charitable donations is now offered by paid professionals who are part of a growing portion of the county's regular expenses.

The population of 9,000 mostly newcomers in the high-growth area is hardly close-knit.

Civic involvement in Fishersville didn't keep pace with the population boom. Despite all Yancey members' recruiting efforts, the company found itself in recent years trying to cover emergency calls in the area with 15 to 20 volunteers, about half of whom are active regulars, Swisher said.

Nearly two years ago, the Insurance Service Office, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Versick Analytics, whose analysis is used by companies to set premiums for property owners, gave Preston Yancey a 10 rating for fire protection. It is the lowest possible score a fire department can receive — given to areas with no fire departments serving them.

Since then, inadequate volunteer staffing — a longtime problem — continued to plague the company, which serves the fastest growing community in Augusta County since 2000.
Volunteer issues, however, are not limited to just Preston Yancey.

"People now, they would rather sit at home and pay somebody else to do the job that they used to be willing to get out and do on their own," Swisher said.

Augusta County Board of Supervisors Watch

Link added to take you directly to a new site that provides the text of the BOS Board of Supervisors meetings. So if you miss the actual meetings you can read what was said at the BOS meeting and by who... This site was developed by "John Galt" who is a visitor \ commentator to Operation Drumbeat and provided a valuable assest to the Citizens of Augusta County...

Thanks "John Galt"....

click on Augusta County BOS meeting minutes--->

Higher rating for Yancey Fire Department....

The NewsLeader reports that with the recent improvements and additional paid staff to the Yancey Fire Department has raised the area's service rating which will decrease the insurance rates for "some property owners" in the area. This after a very active campaign by some from the Wayne district to draw attention to their increased insurance rates and that the BOS had allowed the rating to fall.

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In fact this became a campaign issue used by some in hopes to install a "gang of four" to the board of supervisors that could favor this issue. Media events were held to draw attention to the higher insurance rates and the "failure of the BOS" to prevent this, but these events also failed to increase the amount of local citizens volunteering to correct this situation. The NewsLeader also reported that the Yancey fire department was
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"Unable to recruit enough volunteer firefighters to respond to calls, Yancey eventually decided to fold and officially become part of Staunton-based Company 10."

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VERONA — Improvements to emergency services in Fishersville have persuaded the firm that studies fire protection to upgrade the area's service rating, which should mean lower insurance costs for some property owners.

The New Jersey-based Insurance Service Office has revised the area's rating from the worst-possible 10 to a range of 5 to 8, county Fire-Rescue Chief Carson Holloway announced Wednesday..

The rating applies to Fishersville and to the area just outside of Staunton covered by the county's Fire Department Company 10, which is based within city the limits.
Last year, the county merged the area covered by Fishersville's Preston L. Yancey Volunteer Fire Company with Company 10. The move was one of many the county made since 2010 to improve fire protection in Fishersville. The local government also agreed to pay for additional firefighters to work out of Yancey, which is now dissolving as an independent department to come under county administration.

At supervisors' regular meeting Wednesday, Holloway congratulated the county government for the help provided to address the issue.

"This was a unified effort of many people working here in this building," Holloway said, referring to the Government Center. The improved fire rating will officially take effect July 1, the chief said. The bottom-of-the-barrel insurance rating given two years ago for the Fishersville area signaled the demise of Yancey as an independent company.

A the time, ISO cited inadequate training and equipment at Yancey, but the lack of volunteers has been especially dogging the department.

A rating of 10 is the equivalent of not having a fire department service in the area at all, Holloway said. That grade sent some homeowners' insurance soaring.

The county eventually beefed up the number of paid firefighters to answer calls in Augusta County's fastest-growing area. Supervisors later agreed to have Company 10 answer calls out of Fishersville automatically and signed a deal to quicken responses from the Waynesboro Fire Department.

Unable to recruit enough volunteer firefighters to respond to calls, Yancey eventually decided to fold and officially become part of Staunton-based Company 10.

Augusta County takes control of Yancey VFD...

The NewsLeader has coverage of the County taking over control of the Yancey Volunteer Fire Department... Several people have observed how this district of the county has gotten the extra attention of the BOS since the Wayne district citizens rallied after their insurance rates increased due to a poor rating for the Yancey FD. Many observed how the folks over in Wayne were able and willing to petition and pressure the BOS for a paid staff at Yancey but not to volunteer or help out at the same FD they were complaining about. Some from this district even made it a campaign issue this past fall. Numerous other districts in Augusta have volunteer staffs that carry most of the weight and respond to the call of their neighbors. These same volunteers, besides carrying the weight of their locales, are now paying the taxes and salaries of the majority paid staff over at Yancey...


VERONA — The end of a more than three-decade-old tradition of an independent volunteer fire department in Fishersville won't change who responds or how they respond, Augusta County and Preston L. Yancey Volunteer Fire Department officials promise.

The Yancey company's decision to turn itself over to the county mostly means the county will assume the administrative headaches of running a fire company along with its equipment and station, which will remain in place, said Tracy Pyles, chairman of the board of supervisors.

"It doesn't matter whether it is a career patch or a volunteer patch on a firefighter's shoulder," he added.

Augusta County already stations 12 paid firefighters at Yancey, for round-the-clock staffing by four county employees.

The county will not need to station more paid firefighters at Yancey and the takeover should not affect the budget, Pyles said.

"It's like squeezing the balloon," he said. Any additional expense the county incurs taking over the administrative and business functions of the company will be offset by a lower payment to the volunteers who will continue to respond to calls, he said.

The county has stepped up support for Yancey over the past year and a half after an insurance rating agency gave the company a failing grade. In addition to assigning more paid firefighters to the Fishersville station, the county decided to automatically dispatch Company 10 and Waynesboro Fire Department to calls in Fishersville alongside the volunteer department.

But Yancey has seen a decline in the time people can commit to volunteering, even as it served one of the county's fastest-growing areas. It has recently averaged one volunteer firefighter responding per call, and had averaged three in 2010. The insurance rating body that gave the company a failing grade says a minimum of four firefighters are needed on a call.

But where will they work?....

The NewsLeader has coverage of the Augusta BOS approving by way of a split vote, the plans for a 775 unit housing development in the county at a time when there are efforts to find millions of dollars to fill the shortfall in education funds. This development, which is more than the 692 in the comprehensive plan, will only produce "dozens of jobs" and put further strain on the county budget if additional jobs are not brought to the area...

VERONA — Members of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors decided on a split vote Wednesday to grant a rezoning request for a 755-unit housing development planned off Barterbrook Road just outside Staunton's city limits.

One of the largest planned housing construction projects in recent times divided the board membership with a 4-3 vote. Opposing the plan were Chairman Tracy Pyles, who represents the Pastures District, North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie and Riverheads Supervisor Michael Shull.

Beverley Manor District Supervisor David Karaffa, who represents the area, supported the project, which he said would bring a $110 million investment to the county while creating dozens of jobs.

The area has been designated for growth in the county's comprehensive land use plan, but supervisors who voted in opposition noted that the number of residences to be included exceeds the 692 the comprehensive plan recommends for the area.

Some residents nearby voiced concerns during a public hearing for the rezoning request about traffic safety with the new cars the homes and apartments would bring and about construction noise and pollution to nearby Christians Creek.
One neighbor owner told supervisors Wednesday that she feared the apartment complex could lower property values.

Dubbed in planning records as "The Villages of Vista Ridge," the development plan calls for Boyd Homes to build as many as 400 apartments, 270 townhomes and duplexes and at least 85 homes. The community would be built in phases over 10 years, and the developer plans to make improvements to Barterbrook Road to deal with the added traffic.

We could come up with our own numbers !...

The NewsLeader has an interesting story on the efforts of the BOS regarding the possibility of going back and reassessing the reassessments that became such a campaign issue for several of the now Supervisors...

The Augusta County government has sent out a formal request to companies to assess home values in a way that could provide some tax relief fast to citizens and possibly more financial help from the state to pay for public school costs.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles of the Pastures District, along with newcomers David Karaffa of Beverley Manor and North River's Marshall Pattie, made Augusta's much-reviled 2009 assessment a central campaign theme for November elections. That reassessment raised property values and pushed homeowners' taxes higher during the worst of the recession.

However, Karaffa served on a board committee that explored Augusta's options on completing a reassessment soon, and they reported that the county's huge and diverse geography made an assessment study within a year nearly impossible.

With no chance at getting new taxable values within a year, Pyles said Tuesday he'd prefer setting up an in-house assessment department. Augusta could learn how Rockingham County is able to do it at the same price Augusta pays for the Commissioner of the Revenue's office, Pyles said.

If the desired immediate reassessment is so daunting that the county may not get any bids or responses from established professional services, what makes the BOS think they can do the same job "in-house" and better?

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Bob Stuart over at the NewsVirginian has coverage of last nights BOS meeting and the topic of possible cuts to the funding of the Shenandoah Governors School...

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors were confronted Wednesday night with a strong lobby from supporters of the Augusta County Schools, worried about potential budget cuts, including the possible elimination of the Shenandoah Valley Governor's School.
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Supervisors cautioned the speakers and audience to be patient. They said it was early in the 2012-13 budget process, and asked the audience to contact state legislators and asked for help with the budget needs. A $3.4 million gap in the Augusta County schools 2012-13 budget includes potential cuts in Governor's School funding that could eliminate the program in specialized math, science, technology and arts and humanities instruction. The Governor's School is in Tier 3 of the potential cuts in next year's budget by the school district.
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The budget problems are complicated, Pyles said. He said the county has lost enrollment in
recent years, and said the state has decided to ask localities to pay increased Virginia Retirement System rates in next year's budget.
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Pyles said he and other supervisors will meet with the area's legislative delegation today
and ask for help with the increased VRS rates. "If you want to do something, tell the delegates they need to represent you,'' Pyles said to the audience. He said the county does not want to lose the Governor's School and does not want other programs eliminated.

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Interesting how it is the Governor's school to be highlighted so early in the process....

Economic development...

Bob Stuart over at the NewsVirginian has coverage of the meeting between the Augusta BOS and economic development officials from Waynesboro and Staunton...

"Elected and economic development officials from the localities came together Wednesday at The Club At Ironwood to discuss how area job creation benefits all three jurisdictions. They also heard strategies from a state economic development leader on how to maximize the cooperation and leverage the region’s assets."
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"When Augusta County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles and new supervisors Marshall Pattie and David Karaffa ran in last fall’s county elections, they spoke of the need for regional economic development efforts and for pooling of resources."
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Pyles said the regional efforts are “all about having a vision and people getting along,” and he spoke of creating jobs for “our folks in Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County.”

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"Lehmkuhler showed numerous industrial sites in the Old Dominion that have been developed
as a joint project of a county and city. He said that when a major company comes calling, it’s looking for a site and infrastructure that is already developed as well as location. The incentive package also likely would include donated land, he said."
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"A Toyota plant that Augusta County fell out of contention for six years ago eventually went to Mississippi, where three localities gambled by purchasing $30 million in bonds. While the plant was put on hold when the recession hit, it’s now open and expects to eventually employ 2,000 people."
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"Pyles said Augusta was unprepared for Toyota. Obstacles included difficult negotiations with a major landowner in the northern part of the county and resistance from residents who did not like the idea of the footprint of a large auto manufacturer."
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"For future economic development, Pyles said the county needs to have the pieces in place.
That development that could impact the region might not be a Toyota-sized operation, he said, but perhaps a 500-employee plant on 500 acres."
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