BUCKINGHAM – During the February 11 meeting of the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors, Rod Manifold, Executive Director of Central Virginia Health Services, presented a funding request for the board's consideration in its FY 2014 budget.

He began his presentation with an overview of CVHS and the Central Virginia Community Health Center, which is one of 14 community health centers under the CVHS umbrella.

Reminding that CVCHC, which opened in 1970, is the state's original community health center, Manifold talked about the “dramatic changes” that have recently taken place at the health center including the new Beulah M. Wiley Wellness Center, named about the founder of CVCHC.

After extending a personal invitation to supervisors to tour the facility, located on Route 15 in New Canton, Manifold shared that among the thousands of clients served by CVCHC, over 4,000 of them are Buckingham County residents.

Referencing a letter he submitted to County Administrator Rebecca Carter, Manifold acknowledged that the letter does ask the board for money.

“I think it has been a long time since this board has looked at that possibility and I would like you to start looking at it,” encouraged Manifold.

“This is a very important organization for the community,” he offered, noting that CVHS is also one of the largest employers in the county.”

Manifold explained that about 28 to 29 percent of their budget comes from a federal grant that allows the center to offer services on a sliding fee scale. He added that the remaining funding is generated by insurance payments, patient payments, and charges for other services provided at CVCHC.

Sharing that there continues to be the misconception that the center is for the uninsured, Manifold said about 35 percent are uninsured and the rest have Medicare, Medicaid, FAMIS and third party insurance such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

In the letter, Manifold requested $8,850 as a line item in the county's FY 14 budget. The amount, he explained, is based on the 4,425 low-income patients from Buckingham who utilized CVCHC services in 2011.

“This amounts to only $2 per patient and will ensure our ability to offer exceptional health care to residents of our community,” he wrote.

Following Manifold's presentation Supervisor Cassandra Stish and Chairman Monroe Snoddy extended their gratitude for the services offered at CVCHC.

Zoning

Zoning Administrator/Planner Rebecca Cobb began her report with an update on Metal Movers, a junkyard that received a special use permit from the board in October. At that time, the board stipulated that the permit was for two years contingent on adherence to the conditions stated in the SUP.

Cobb explained that one of those conditions required the business to erect a privacy fence at least six-feet in height to block the view from the road and neighboring properties.

According to Cobb, the fence was not in place within the stipulated 60-days following the SUP approval. However, she said after she sent a letter advising them that the fence must be constructed by February 1, a portion of the fence was erected parallel to Route 60 but no additional fencing has been placed.

Cobb explained that the owners of the business said they work very close along their property line and putting a fence on that side of the property would interfere with their business because of a large truck that has to back-in.

When the zoning administrator asked supervisors how they would like her to proceed, Stish questioned if there had been any comments or complaints from the neighboring property owner. Cobb said no.

After some discussion, Stish moved, and the board unanimously concurred, to let Metal Movers continue operating for the two-year period stipulated in the SUP.

Revisiting her recommendation presented last month for a third-party review of the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and the Subdivision Ordinance, Cobb advised that she discussed the issue with the planning commission. She said that although one commissioner thought the cost was too great, no one stated that the third-party review was unwarranted.

Subsequently, the board, with a motion by Supervisor Joe Chambers, voted six to one, with Supervisor Bill Talbert opposing, to contract with Chandler Planning and Berkley Group to review the documents for a fee not to exceed $8,000.

Talbert, expressing confidence in the planning commission, said he had concerns about spending $8,000 “for somebody to tell us something we probably already know.”

RFP for New Vehicles Approved

Following a request from Sheriff William G. Kidd, supervisors, in a unanimous vote, authorized soliciting bids for two 2103 Ford Police Interceptor sedans and two 2013 Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicles.

Supervisors also unanimously approved Kidd's request to solicit bids for purchase and installation of equipment for those vehicles.

Health Department Lease Agreement Reviewed

Assistant County Administrator Karl Carter updated supervisors on a new lease agreement for office space with the Virginia Department of Health.

Subsequently, the board, in a unanimous vote, authorized the county administrator to sign the proposed lease agreement.

Carter said the new lease reflects the renovated space in the former county administration building that the health department will occupy.

He advised that the lease would be for a period of 15 years. The annual rent, said Carter, would increase from the current $26,280 to $50,000.

FY11-12 Financial Audit

The assistant county administrator, who serves as the county's finance officer, also reported that the 2011-12 fiscal year audit is complete but they had not received it from the auditors. He assured that they should have it for the March meeting.

Carter reminded that the board has the option of deciding whether to meet with Robinson, Farmer and Cox for an overview of the report on a two-at-a-time basis or as a board during a public presentation.

Supervisor Stish offered that last year they met two-a-time with the auditors followed by a public presentation. “I'd like to do that again,” she stated.

Subsequently, she moved to meet two-at-a-time with the auditors and then have them make a public presentation during the March 11 meeting.

CRC Annual Report

Mary Hickman, acting president and CEO of the Commonwealth Regional Council, provided supervisors with copies of CRC's annual report for July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012.

Offering an overview of the report, Hickman encouraged supervisors to look closely at the many local initiatives and projects that have been completed or are currently being implemented by the member jurisdictions of CRC.

She stated, “Each impacted either directly or indirectly in a positive way the region as a whole with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of the citizens not only of the member localities but also the region.”

Sharing a list of the direct benefits and services provided to Buckingham County during the reported timeframe, Hickman included CRC's grant writing services to the county for Phase II and III of the VDOT Enhancement program and to the Town of Dillwyn for its Phase IV and V.

“I'm happy to note that the county and the town received word in July, of this current fiscal year, that the projects were successfully funded,” stated Hickman.

Additionally, she said CRC continues to provide the town and the county with administrative services for those VDOT Enhancement grant funds. Likewise, she stated that CRC is providing administrative services to Dillwyn for its Business District Revitalization Project.

Continuing, Hickman said CRC successfully assisted the county in the implementation of Phase II of the Buckingham County/Dillwyn Regional Water Supply Planning Grant.

Regional efforts that involved Buckingham included a rural transportation planning program study and an update to the regional hazard mitigation plan, she reminded.

Describing CRC as “an arm of its member jurisdictions,” Hickman shared that CRC provides expertise and cost savings as well as improving coordination and communication within the region.

Emphasizing that the number one benefit to active members is being part of the regional community, Hickman said CRC also serves as an important voice for its members while closely monitoring key legislative and administrative state agency developments that affect the region's localities.

Additionally, Hickman stated that the CRC also has a Grants Clearinghouse Program that is updated regularly. Moreover, she said cost recovery for grant writing/grant administrative services to member localities are provided “at cost.”

Hickman noted that the CRC staff of five is a “staff of longevity” offering an average of 16 years experience.

Highlighting CRC's financial stability, Hickman shared that the nonprofit organization's assets are owned and controlled collectively by the member jurisdictions.

Stressing that the CRC is its member jurisdictions, she concluded, “On behalf of the Commonwealth Regional Council I would like to thank Buckingham County for your continued support and participation in our organization.”

In Other Action

After reviewing bids for eight new solid waste containers, supervisors, in a six-to-one, vote followed the recommendation of Carolyn Amos, solid waste supervisor, to award the contract to Wastequip with the high bid of $6836.

According to Karl Carter, Amos recommended Wastequip because the front of their containers are 50.5 inches high, for easier access by residents, as opposed to the other two bids with container fronts of 79 and 75 inches.

Supervisor Donnie Bryan cast the opposing vote. Prior to the board's action, he questioned if they had thought about repairing the old ones. Carter responded that they did that a few years ago and that by the time they paid for the painting and the welding there wasn't that much difference in the cost.

The board, with another six-to-one vote with Bryan opposing, agreed to purchase extra bricks from Morgan Dunnavant at a cost of $2,605, to be used in the event repairs to the retaining wall at the courthouse were needed, as they recently were when someone ran into a portion of the wall. .

According to Carter, Dunnavant constructed the retaining wall and had leftover bricks from that project

With a motion by Stish, the board unanimously approved a reimbursement of $3,350.70 to Integral Yoga Distribution Inc. for merchant's capital taxes paid in error during 2012.

Responding to a request from Historic Buckingham, Incorporated to use the Peter Francisco Auditorium in the new county administration building for its spring meeting on Sunday, April 28, at 2 p.m., the board unanimously agreed to the request.

However, the request prompted a discussion regarding the use of the auditorium. Along with discussing what agencies and/or organizations would have access to the building, supervisors also talked about whether to charge a fee for its use or possibly require a deposit, which would be returned if no cleaning or maintenance were required.

County Administrator Carter proposed that she and her staff would work on a policy regarding use of the auditorium and bring it back to the board for its review and input.

With a motion by Supervisor Bill Talbert, the board, in a unanimous vote, adopted a Resolution in Memoriam for Mildred Chambers, mother of Supervisor Chambers.