[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6358746,"mediaKeyId","2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96","parentId",2211543,"title","Staunton council adds River Oak Drive to VDOT inventory, formalizes 2.7% tourism share of occupancy tax","audioSeconds",175,"startMs",4864000,"endMs",5039000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96&start=4864&end=5039","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96/thumbnail_4864000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6358746/Staunton-City/Virginia/Staunton-council-adds-River-Oak-Drive-to-VDOT-inventory-formalizes-27-tourism-share-of-occupancy-tax","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6358746-ebfd78d82a0007cee1506fe6c2b4988d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433399&Signature=dciGpzbBWjIcK9zdsR5UvPPNK60ei08azC27kld-oGuCUDcC-CdHLr-9Fs0jyZaTujkBsfcHVkCMCILooN0fM7cE9Oe0MxdxIMhyByDCIvddJWpHKC7Rn2c0MHIoTT6kyeSRQpVGGHAuogAD8TzauvW~lkPszXn8vqN8nSGN-woUEBYQeCtgqhCLIMf3v7DxwgAX-4qy-wZh0jmctJlDwMg-aXb-QLFClRrSi5mh5SUbTPgY1dJlFWRf6QdrT1NFv~wE4MFsGOGe-yvnyBleH-Tx0vptPKu0CgPgrSczcCqceN5R1jXOQqM0aqr1a834uOk7JW0uTJm7sjGdBqO2yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-31T19:10:40Z","article","Staunton City Council voted on Jan. 23 to add a newly completed subdivision street to the city’s VDOT-maintained local road system and to codify longstanding practice allocating part of the city’s transient-occupancy tax to tourism operations.

City Engineer Lisle Hart told council the public infrastructure for Red Oaks Subdivision Section 7 — River Oak Drive — was completed and accepted by the city in December and now qualifies for inclusion in the local system registered with the Virginia Department of Transportation. Vice Mayor Brad Arrowood moved the resolution to add River Oak Drive to the city’s local system; the motion passed unanimously on a roll-call vote.

Later in the meeting Amanda Kaufman, assistant city manager, presented a cleanup resolution to clarify the allocation of Staunton’s transient-occupancy tax. The city’s tax rate is 6.7% of an overnight room rental. Kaufman told council that in practice 2.7 percentage points of that total have been committed to tourism operations and marketing; the adopted resolution makes that allocation explicit in city code. Councilor Jeff Oberholtzer moved adoption of the resolution; council approved it unanimously on a roll-call vote.

Votes at a glance:

- River Oak Drive (Red Oaks Subdivision Sec. 7): Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing VDOT to add River Oak Drive to the city’s local road system; mover — Vice Mayor Brad Arrowood; second — Councilor (record shows a second); roll-call: Park Aye; Shepherd Aye; Woods Aye; Campbell Aye; Overholtzer Aye; Arrowood Aye; Mayor Edwards Aye; outcome — adopted.

- Transient-occupancy tax resolution: Motion to adopt proposed resolution clarifying the portion of the 6.7% transient-occupancy tax dedicated to tourism promotion and marketing; mover — Councilor Jeff Oberholtzer; second — Councilor Alice Woods; roll-call: Park Aye; Overholtzer Aye; Campbell Aye; Woods Aye; Shepherd Aye; Arrowood Aye; Mayor Edwards Aye; outcome — adopted.

Nut graf: Both actions were routine, unanimous council votes. The roadway addition qualifies River Oak Drive for VDOT maintenance reimbursement; the occupancy-tax clarification aligns the municipal code with a practice that has directed 2.7 percentage points of the tax toward tourism operations and marketing funding for several years.

Ending: Council took the measures as part of its regular meeting business; the inventory addition will be forwarded to VDOT and the tax-allocation resolution will be codified in city records.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 23, 2025 Work Session and Regular Meeting of Staunton City Council","oneSentenceSummary","On Jan. 23 Staunton City Council voted unanimously to add River Oak Drive (Red Oaks Subdivision Section 7) to the city’s VDOT-maintained local road inventory and adopted a resolution clarifying that 2.7 percentage points of the 6.7% transient-occupancy tax are dedicated to tourism promotion and marketing.","taxTitle","Staunton City, Virginia","taxId",60274,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6358751,"Bryte transit reports ridership gains, Lewis Street hub upgrade and paratransit expansion",711,3063000,3774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96&start=3063&end=3774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96/thumbnail_3063000.jpg","/articles/6358751/Staunton-City/Virginia/Bryte-transit-reports-ridership-gains-Lewis-Street-hub-upgrade-and-paratransit-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6358751-9149f3cf050b0943eb2ea2381633dd1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433399&Signature=KBgw7TvJeKoW~H5aZiCcphG3S2TPREoPADFel~Yhze~SMZ5PSK3i5a99IotBLSBjipU21KmoTHhuQ12DDXTgG1BYThi9ZKxpmaZtOdYnZmLdD0p8Hzi-NjZEbHcrTJQkk2JB6VhGCiHqXYThLN2~rBk5A1E-udnfy9Hv05kBylWdl89AyGxhyMx42RWQFBOXRFsjL3s1IIIQV4cA1ZLyh1OO3tVwPNmXwcCuHn353wZjIuLQhJe3p7-6LTp7REI1n3umY1Taat62nwBo1GDSFbeGQTU3-MVATmqmV~H4NweaCK1V7tUEXt7iJ43CUoF3I96YbBWlI-hTMX-z0DQtSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) told Staunton City Council on Jan. 23 that the region’s Bryte transit system has added service improvements and infrastructure upgrades intended to increase reliability and ridership.

“Bryte is a small urban and rural system that serves two cities with connections in between,” said Devon Thompson, transit program manager at the CSPDC. Thompson and Danielle Gannon, transit planner at the CSPDC, described fixed routes that include the West/North Loops, a Downtown Trolley (including a Saturday Night Trolley), a Route 250 connector, a Waynesboro circulator, a Blue Ridge Community College shuttle and the Stewart’s Draft Link, plus the Afton Express commuter route to Charlottesville.

Gannon said route-level ridership is concentrated on a few routes: the Downtown Trolley averages roughly 1,500 passenger trips per month, while the West/North Loop averages about 2,500 trips per month. Fares for the Afton Express commuter service are $3 each way, with 10-ride fare cards priced at $25.

The presentation highlighted recent operational and infrastructure changes. Bryte added a bus stop to serve Middlebrook Chase Apartments and adjusted the West/North Loop’s hours, starting two hours earlier in the morning to improve connections to employment via the 250 connector. Paratransit capacity has been increased: Bryte operates three ADA-complementary paratransit vehicles and added weekday service hours with a third vehicle during peak reservation times to respond to rising demand.

“We implemented a stop at Valley Community Services Board at Sanger’s Lane three times per day to coordinate with programming there,” Thompson said, noting an expanded partnership and funder support.

On infrastructure, the CSPDC funded a Lewis Street Hub rehabilitation with a federal Bus and Bus Facilities grant and state matching funds; the project cost was presented as approximately $160,000. Upgrades included a dedicated bus lane and parking, ADA curb ramps, sidewalks, crosswalks, security lighting, additional bike racks, repurposed shelters and landscaping. Technology upgrades included a mobile data collection system and real-time GPS tracking, which the CSPDC said can later be used to integrate a “Where’s My Bus” app for riders.

Councilors asked about on-site wayfinding and printed schedules at the Lewis Street Hub; the transit presenters said they plan to add QR-coded signage and make printed brochures available on request. They also noted a trip planner is embedded on Bryte’s website and routes are loaded into Google’s transit feed.

Nut graf: CSPDC staff told council the Bryte system is increasing service reliability and rider information through infrastructure, technology and schedule adjustments that target employment connections and paratransit demand.

The CSPDC staff invited council and community members to attend transit advisory committee meetings and offered to do outreach and rider education sessions for residents who need help using the system’s trip planner.

Ending: CSPDC staff said they will continue to refine schedules and pursue funding to expand hours; council members thanked the presenters and several asked for printed materials for elderly or non-digital riders.","Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission staff updated Staunton council on Bryte regional transit services, reporting route-level ridership, a $160,000 Lewis Street hub rehabilitation, real-time GPS deployment and plans to expand weekday paratransit hours with a third vehicle.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6358756,"Staunton schools press city for staff raises, warn Shelburne addition funding shortfall",2497,221000,2718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96&start=221&end=2718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2211543-10343222b9538f8dbc695d8f65551d96/thumbnail_221000.jpg","/articles/6358756/Staunton-City/Virginia/Staunton-schools-press-city-for-staff-raises-warn-Shelburne-addition-funding-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6358756-da3fa679e773863afb781e95dfb8dfc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775433399&Signature=ZarkMzjf1A2H6G0WArh32vYMC1iebnNW-zNC4oqgGaq8~bDnC6r56RR8xCvh~rzUkqMUBv5lnV~I0wjhoaAwDbmkqdsoj622XjwslcuIHiXd5vk2bhxVEKzLG0D1Yx0fQLQxXHQGHNjonxQlQg23STWM8i8VOzRlp43eLBzkFcxmbr1O9hy0km7S7H-NVTCpUPix6qT4S9ByCTNrPnzLkvdD5WNdv4rUzQAxeZDdkU1gRRQVaqEBNcgOV4JUtVWH4CM-XvJ5Voncs-7wJjVjrevmnvh7cP93bJ3STv2Rbn7nVVSXxmSroreqCSfWZxVnKzKJsRP6d6UUlU0DkHJ9-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Staunton City Schools officials told a joint budget work session on Jan. 23 that the division’s immediate budget priority is raises for teachers and staff and that recent cost pressures leave little room for other spending.

“Right now we really have one priority for our budget this year and that's raises for our staff,” said Dr. Garrett Smith, superintendent of Staunton City Schools, explaining that salary commitments plus the division’s share of higher insurance premiums consume nearly all of the school division’s guaranteed revenue-share from the city.

The schools’ presentation to Staunton City Council and city staff outlined three reasons for pressure on the division’s budget: an outdated state staffing-based funding formula that the superintendent said does not fully fund state “standards of quality,” recent changes increasing required English-language learner staffing ratios, and post-pandemic growth in students with intensive needs. Dr. Smith described how state proposals that reference a uniform “3% raise” for teachers translate to far smaller increases locally because the commonwealth does not fully fund the workforce the state expects divisions to maintain.

That fiscal squeeze is complicating plans for the Shelburne addition, a multi-phase construction project the school division says has escalated in estimated cost from roughly $10–$11 million at initial planning to $14–$15 million as construction costs rose. Dr. Smith and other board members told council the city funds school capital projects through the city’s capital improvement plan (CIP) and that the schools lack the carryover balances to fill significant gaps. The superintendent said the division’s carryover has fallen: “the year before last it was $139,000; last year was minus $500,000,” and “we don't have $7½ million to contribute” if the project requires that amount.

Council and school staff discussed procurement and bidding. School board members said the Shelburne work was bid in phases and that, when re-bid, market conditions and the end of contractors’ on-site economies can push estimated costs higher. Council members pressed whether updated estimates or rebidding could be undertaken; city staff said an updated estimate review is possible but cautioned that without committed funding the project cannot be put back out to full competitive bid.

Enrollment pressure from recent housing developments was another focus. Dr. Smith said recent apartment and subdivision buildout has already produced measurable student growth: “Bessie Weller numbers…picked up about 20 extra students so far.” School and city staff agreed that additional housing in areas such as South Butte and Middlebrook could increase demand on already crowded elementary schools, particularly McSwain, which the superintendent said is “already over capacity.”

Rodney Rhodes, Staunton’s community development director, explained how development approvals are processed: master plans and phased plats approved years earlier can come forward for final plat approvals, and by-right projects under the zoning ordinance do not go to council-level review. “Rezoning is the time when we could look at...the impacts on the school system,” Rhodes said, adding that analysis of impacts at the staff level is limited and that some assessments would likely need to be contracted out.

School officials asked for clearer, earlier data-sharing from planning staff so the division can forecast bus, staffing and space needs sooner in the development timeline. Leslie Beauregard, Staunton’s city manager, offered to include school staff on relevant mailings and to continue the joint budget conversations through the spring. She also noted the city’s CIP funding decisions and carryover balances will be part of the budget deliberations between now and the budget adoption date.

Board members reiterated that improving teacher pay is critical to sustaining recent gains in student outcomes. Dr. Smith highlighted the division’s priorities beyond salaries — including special education requirements (IEPs), boiler replacement needs at cost estimates presented as high — but emphasized that dollars available from the revenue-share largely will be dedicated to personnel costs unless the city can allocate additional CIP funds or the schools find outside grant funding.

The session included an inventory of possible collaboration areas: shared communications (the city and schools have discussed sharing newsletters and promotional materials), shared purchasing or combined infrastructure projects such as solar panel procurement to capture economies of scale, and staff-level sharing where appropriate. School board members endorsed continued coordination of communications and indicated they will work with city communications staff on a scope for shared items.

The joint session occurred ahead of an unrelated public hearing later that night: the city’s CFO, Jesse Moyers, told council a major budget amendment totaling $36,126,671 will be formally considered by council on Feb. 13; many of the amendment’s appropriations reflect grant carryovers and capital program adjustments. No formal council action on the school requests was taken at the work session; council members and school officials agreed to continue discussions through the budget season.

Nut graf: Staunton’s schools told city leaders that unless the city provides additional CIP funds or state funding is increased, the division will prioritize staff raises over other projects, while rising construction and enrollment pressures leave the Shelburne addition and classroom capacity at risk.

Questions raised by council about timing, rebidding, and whether the city can use carryover or targeted CIP support all point to decisions that must be made during the city’s budget process this winter and spring. The council and school board agreed to keep communication channels open and to pursue more precise enrollment-impact analysis for new housing projects.

Ending: Council and school board members scheduled further budget conversations during the city budget season; the schools will provide requested planning and enrollment materials, and the city will detail CIP carryover and potential funds available to consider for the Shelburne project and other capital needs.","Staunton City Schools told a joint Jan. 23 work session with Staunton City Council that its top budget priority is staff raises and that a combination of state underfunding and rising construction costs leaves the district unable to cover the full cost of the Shelburne addition without city funds or outside grants.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Staunton council adds River Oak Drive to VDOT inventory, formalizes 2.7% tourism share of occupancy tax

Bryte transit reports ridership gains, Lewis Street hub upgrade and paratransit expansion

Staunton schools press city for staff raises, warn Shelburne addition funding shortfall