Assessment Is Presented On Comprehensive Cancer Needs
Published 4:29 pm Tuesday, June 12, 2012
BUCKINGHAM – During its May meeting, the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors listened to a presentation on a comprehensive cancer needs assessment for the Piedmont Health District.
Justine Young, a registered nurse with the Massie Cancer Center in Richmond, provided an overview of the findings of her research, funded through a Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission grant.
According to Young, the goals of the grant were to perform the needs assessment in four health districts located within the Southside/Southwest Tobacco Counties Area; and, to mobilize resources into those areas.
Young explained that she was hired to do the assessment for the Piedmont Health District. She noted that all seven counties in the Piedmont Health District are designated as medically underserved.
According to Young, the leading instances of cancer in the region are male genital system, which includes testicular and prostate cancer, female breast cancer, GI, and respiratory.
Using numerous graphs, Young talked about the lack of resources in the area; the affect of lifestyles including education, nutrition and exercise; uninsured and underinsured; and the need to promote early detection and screening by making it accessible and affordable.
According to Young, the parameters assessed included cancer burden; cancer care services-detection, treatment, survivorship; cancer care resources for patients and caregivers; community physician information; and population-based information.
She talked about the under-utilization of hospice services and the lack of an integrated system between the general practitioner and oncologists, home health, and hospice. “We do not have a cancer patient navigator,” Young added.
While sharing information on efforts to bring more resources to the area, Young said she applied for and received a grant from the Komen Foundation for $50,000. Through the grant program, free mammograms are available for area women ages 40 to 64 who are uninsured or underinsured.
“You do not have to have a doctor's note. All you have to do is call the radiology office at Southside Community Hospital and make an appointment,” said Young.
She added that she also applied for a grant for the YMCA for a 12-week program for cancer patients. Explaining that the staff is currently receiving training for the program, she said it would soon be available.
Young shared that she would like to see more grant money from sources such as the American Cancer Society, the Komen Foundation, and other organizations to get a Cancer Patient Navigator and Resource Center located in the Piedmont Health District. “So people would have one place to go when they have questions. It would be unaffiliated with any health care provider so it would be free to send people to the best location for them,” offered Young.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Supervisor Donnie Bryan asked if the presentation could be put on the county's website. Subsequently, the report has been posted and is available at www.buckinghamcounty.va.org.
Paul Imig, financial advisor for the school division, presented several revisions/adjustments for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 budgets.
The first request involved the current budget and several budgetary transfers from one category to another.
Supervisors concurred with the request and authorized the transfer of $300,000 from instruction to transportation; and, $150,000 from technology to $75,000 for attendance, administration, and health; and $75,000 for maintenance.
The second request focused on the 2012-13 budget. Imig explained that the school board finalized its budget inline with the revenue amount approved by the board of supervisors.
However, he said the revision includes additional state revenue as well as the additional $500,000 in local funding approved by the board of supervisors for the school division in the county's FY13 budget.
Subsequently, the board approved the amended $21,053,151 school budget for 2012-2013.
Imig explained that the last request deals with the school division's decision on the Virginia Retirement System's contribution rates and a resultant resolution required from the board of supervisors concurring with the rate.
According to Imig, the school board decided on an 8.55 percent rate for its employer contribution rate; and, the local governing body is asked to pass a resolution concurring with the rate elected by the school division.
Responding to the third request, supervisors unanimously approved the resolution as presented.
Imig added that the packet also included an informational copy of the school board's resolution regarding Member Contributions by Salary Reduction for School Divisions. Reminding that the VRS is now requiring an employee contribution of anywhere from one to five percent, Imig said the school division felt employees could afford the two percent for this coming year, with the employer paying three percent. However, employees hired during FY13 will pay the full five percent.
Supervisor Bryan questioning whether the money would be coming out of the employee's pocket, stated, “So they are losing money.”
Imig offered, “The way it was calculated is that a $50,000 employee will actually lose about $25 a month but when they retire, they will gain about $124 a month based upon that increased rate and their base pay.”
County Administrator Carter shared that it may be different for the school but she thought the legislation read that it had to be offset.
“The two percent is being offset. So we are giving the employees the two percent, which they are going to contribute to the VRS.”
Noting that the school division will pay the FICA on that two percent, Imig added that they would also be paying an increased contribution to VRS because the rate is going to go up.
Offering that the school budget was as “tight as it can be,” Imig said the two percent was the best they could do.
When Carter shared that she was told an additional $600,000 was put in the budget for retirement, Imig explained that was a couple of months ago and things changed.
He said that although they received additional funding, they added a pre-K class, which meant they needed another pre-K teacher and aide.
“In addition to that, when the board adopted the original budget in April, they were about $619,000 out of balance so we had to make up that $119,000 over and above what the county provided in that $500,000,” explained Imig.
Bryan stated, “So instead of getting a pay raise, teachers are getting a pay cut.”
Imig emphasized that was because of the state's mandate.
In similar action, supervisors approved a resolution for the employer contribution rates for county employees. However, the board, concurring with Assistant County Administrator Karl Carter, adopted the resolution with a 12.97 percent rate to be paid by the employer-Buckingham County Board of Supervisors.
During his presentation, Carter explained that the 12.97 percent rate is the rate the board used in its adopted budget and is also the rate certified by the VRS Board of Trustees. He said the 12.97 percent rate would be more stable than choosing a lower rate now and then having a large rate increase when the next actuarial is done.
Supervisors also concurred with Mr. Carter's request to approve the resolution regarding member contributions to reflect the employee paid contribution of five percent.
He explained that although new employees hired after July 1 do not have a choice and must contribute the five percent, current employees can contribute the five percent all at once or have their contribution phased in as long as the five percent is reached within the next five years.
According to the assistant county administrator, by adopting the resolution to show the employee contributing five percent and the county providing an offsetting pay increase, the county would be able to avoid the on-going paperwork nightmare of adjusting salaries and contributions rates.
Following a public hearing on a special use permit for operating a commercial equine facility, supervisors, in a unanimous vote, approved the SUP.
With the board's approval, Theresa McManus can proceed with plans to operate the equine facility at her property, Keymon Farm, located off Scotts Bottom Road, Route 632, on approximately 20 acres.
Two people spoke during the hearing. Both supported the application and shared very favorable comments on the conditions of Keymon Farm and the care of the horses.
Following an overview by Zoning Administrator Cobb on a request to rezone a parcel of property from A-1, Agricultural, to Rural Small Farm, RSA-1, supervisors scheduled a public hearing on the request for their June 11 meeting. The hearing will follow a hearing on the Six Year Plan for the county's secondary roads.
According to Cobb, the applicant, Silva Group LLC is requesting the rezoning for a proposed 10-lot subdivision on approximately 100 acres on Francisco Road and Apple Blossom Road.
Cobb shared that the planning commission held a public hearing on the request at its April 23 meeting and was recommending approval.
Ted McCormack, director of governmental affairs for the Virginia Association of Counties, provided an overview of VACO's ongoing efforts and activities. He also shared VACO's legislative successes this year and credited Buckingham County and the other 94 counties in the Commonwealth for their support in those initiatives.
Outlining how VACO was going to develop its legislative program for 2013, McCormack said, “We welcome your input into the document of the legislative program either by direct solicitation or through your county administrator or by your service on one of the VACO steering committees.”
Concurring with a recommendation from Thomas Ranson, who along with his responsibilities as building official also serves as building and grounds supervisor, the board agreed to seek RFPs, Request for Proposals, to harvest the hay on the approximately 40-acres of county-owned land next to the Dillwyn Recycling Site.
For the past several years, county staff has mowed the area. However, Ranson noted that harvesting the hay would be advantageous to the health of the field.
The board awarded the bid for fencing the Route 56 Solid Waste Site to Tripp Maxey Construction with a low bid of $9,245.
In a unanimous vote, the board accepted the low bid of $21,323 from Gilliam Motors for a 2012 Ford 150 pick-up truck for the Animal Control Department.
Following an update from County Attorney E. M. Wright on a $150,000 grant for an upgraded Geographical Information System with mapping, the board voted to authorize the county administrator to sign a $150,000 contract, upon its review by the county attorney, with Geo Comm. Inc., for services connected with the upgrade.
In related action, supervisors also authorized the county administrator to sign an addendum to the contract for an additional $8,000.
Jamie Shumaker, the county's information technology manager, explained that the added services would include a tax mapping system that provides an outline of the parcels on plats, information regarding the parcels, land value, and acreage-all of the information that the commissioner of revenue has on properties.
The project, noted both Wright and Shumaker, would benefit planning and zoning, the sheriff's office and dispatch center, commissioner of revenue, and taxpayers, who would also be able to access the information.
Supervisors approved an appropriation of $14,725.88, representing funds received through the Department of Health from the Four-For-Life program on vehicle registrations. In turn, the money, which must be used for emergency medical services, will be paid to the Buckingham County Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Concurring with a request by Sheriff William G. Kidd, the board approved the transfer of four surplus vehicles from the sheriff's office to the school division.
Supervisors unanimously approved a request from the Comprehensive Services Act Management Team for a supplemental appropriation of $46,312.41. As recommended by the county administrator, the appropriation will be taken from the reserve for contingency.
Agreeing with a recommendation by Assistant County Administrator Karl Carter, the board voted to give back to C&C Motors an old rescue squad unit that the business donated to the county for use as a mobile command center. Since 2008, the vehicle has been sitting in the impound lot.
In her report, County Administrator Carter shared that the recent Tire Day was a success and collected 1,641 tires for recycling.
Carter advised that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality would be advertising the notice regarding the request for the renewal of the VPDES Permit for the Buckingham County Water System/Dillwyn Sewage Treatment Plant.
Concluding her report, Carter announced that a new dental office is under construction; and, a new nail salon will be locating next to Food Lion.
