Various organizations in Cumberland County and throughout the Heart of Virginia presented budget requests to the county during a budget work session held Feb. 21-22, according to documentation provided by Cumberland County Administration and Cumberland County Public Schools (CUCPS).

Among the organizations requesting increases include STEPS, the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Office and Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department.

An application of STEPS requested the level funding of $10,590 it received last year from the county, in addition to $3,750 for Piedmont Regional Transit, which operates a route in Cumberland, the application noted.

An application from Chesterfield County requested $400 to support a MedFlight program that is funded through Chesterfield Fire & EMS, Virginia State Police, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the Virginia Department of Health.

The letter cited that 36 missions in Cumberland County took place through the program, accounting for 1.51 percent of the total missions in the region.

“This per-capita based amount will help Chesterfield County to continue supporting the excellent aero-medical services your community has come to expect,” the application noted.

The Cumberland County Cooperative Extension requested an increase of $1,684 for potential salary raises for agents and fringe benefits.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney Office requested an increase of $25,600 for the wages of the part time assistant commonwealth’s attorney and part time administrative assistant. Reasons for increases in other expenses include increases in membership dues, increased printing/ink and increased publication costs for books.

Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department requested an increase of $5,000 for the 2018 Fiscal Year, citing a 2017 repair bill for tanker 22 that cost approximately $62,165.60.

“This repair had to be financed through New Horizon Bank for a five-year term,” the application cited.

Members of County Administration and Cumberland County Public Schools (CUCPS) Superintendent Dr. Amy Griffin held a joint work session where Griffin gave a presentation of the budget for the 2018 fiscal year.

The presentation cited an increase of 2.05 percent to the Total General School Fund Revenue for the 2018-2019 proposed budget, differing from the 2017-2018 approved budget.

The 2018-2019 proposed budget does not cite increases to county funds, with a level “request” of $3,905,419.

The proposed budget cites additional health insurance costs, developing a more competitive teacher salary scale, prioritizing bus repairs and utilities, updating accounting software and hiring four new positions, including a special education paraprofessional, a career development counselor, a behavioral specialist and a band paraprofessional as goals for the upcoming fiscal year. The presentation cited that two teaching elementary positions may potentially be eliminated.

A second budget work session will take place March 20-22, where approval of budget, tax rates, and capital improvement program for publication will take place.

A public hearing on the proposed budget, tax rates, and capital improvement program will take place during the Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting on April 3.