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Finance committee agrees to apply NETC millage to solid-waste fee and halt direct NETC funding pending presentation
Summary
Chesterfield County Finance Committee voted to move half of the NETC millage to the county’s solid-waste fee structure and to stop direct NETC funding until NETC leadership presents a plan to the committee.
The Chesterfield County Finance Committee on May 7 agreed to apply the county’s NETC millage to reduce a proposed residential solid-waste fee and to stop sending direct millage funding to the NETC (Northeast Technical Center) until NETC leadership appears before the committee.
Committee chair Ms. Burns said staff had modeled two scenarios: applying half the NETC millage would set the solid-waste fee at $38 for unincorporated parcels and $13 for town parcels; applying the full amount would set fees at $30 and $10, respectively. Members discussed inspector general findings related to NETC funding and whether continued automatic millage transfers are appropriate.
The committee’s discussions focused on accountability and taxpayer impact. Several members cited inspector general reports alleging irregularities in NETC enrollment records, salary decisions and charges for classes; one member said those findings raised concerns about “where’s our taxpayer money going?” Committee members also weighed NETC’s currently strong grant funding and the risk of harming workforce development or economic development partnerships if the county ceased support entirely.
After debate, members coalesced around keeping half the millage internally as a contingency for county use (setting the fee at $38/$13) and stopping the automatic NETC transfer. Committee members directed that if NETC has specific projects or needs, NETC must present those projects to the committee for individual consideration and possible funding. The committee also asked staff to ensure tax notices and public communications clearly reflect that the NETC millage line will no longer appear on tax bills for residents.
Committee members raised practical enforcement issues for the new solid-waste fee, including whether improved properties only would be billed, how to treat property owners who live out of state but own property in the county, and enforcement of residential stickers or proof of residency at county disposal sites. Staff said the fee would apply to improved residential properties; raw land would be excluded.
Staff told the committee the solid-waste fee would take effect July 1 for the coming budget year. Members said the county must coordinate communication with the auditor’s office and the tax office so that taxpayers understand the change and that small towns that do not provide local curbside service be treated appropriately.
No formal roll-call vote on the NETC transfer was recorded in the committee minutes; committee members indicated consensus during discussion and verbal agreement to proceed with the half-allocation option while withholding automatic NETC funding until NETC presents specific proposals.
