Stafford faces budget woes

STAFFORD — Closing the gap on the 2009 budget was a top subject at the Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Through a vote, six positions were reportedly eliminated in the planning and code departments.

A 30 percent cut in parks and recreation part-time employment was recommended, stating that the department contributed only 25 percent of revenues to the county budget.

Supervisor Harry Crisp, D-George Washington, stated that a cut in pay and increasing payment on those benefits constituted a “double whammy” on employees.

Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer, R-Garrsionville, said he felt that the current financial crisis offered officials an opportunity to “streamline” government and to rethink how it was run. He did not feel that maintaining the present work force as present while cutting their pay was the optimum alternative.

Land use was on the agenda as a resolution was passed by a 4-3 vote. Supervisors Dudenhefer, Paul Milde, R-Aquia, and Cord Sterling, R-Rock Hill cast the dissenting votes to repeal the Widewater area water and sewer master plan.

By doing so, water and sewer services would not be delivered to this area.

Sterling stated that the seepage from septic fields would eventually find their way to the river and that a move would be less than “ecologically responsible.”

Milde stated that this would open the door for by-right development: one to three acre homes dotting the countryside as opposed to denser development occupying less acreage, thus resulting in “sprawl.”

A joint work session took place between the school board and board of supervisors. School Board chairwoman Patricia Healy stated that Stafford teacher salaries lagged behind northern counties such as Loudon and Prince William but were projected to fall behind Spotsylvania.

Pat Mancini, George Washington Board member, stated that at a public hearing on Oct. 15 regarding the closing of schools, about 65 people asked that schools not be closed.

The board of supervisors also resolved to request that the school board cut $2 million from its budget.

The Stafford Regional Airport Authority was turned down in its request for a lower personal property tax rate.

Authority members felt that their location was in an excellent location to compete, but that the tax rates drove potential businesses to go elsewhere.

Their target was corporate clients, not personal aviation.

Jim Lawrence is a contributing writer at the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.