King and Queen County departments present budget requests; schools seek about $176,000

KING AND QUEEN COUNTY, Va. — County department heads and constitutional officers presented their budget requests to the King and Queen County Board of Supervisors at a regular meeting Tuesday evening, with the school division seeking roughly $176,000 in additional local funding and other departments asking for new staff and equipment.

Dr. Carol Carter, school superintendent, asked the board for approximately $176,000 in additional local funds to support salary increases for school staff and to continue planned capital improvements at county schools.

Vanessa Porter, clerk of the circuit court, requested an additional position that the Compensation Board has funded; Porter asked the county to cover the local cost of benefits for that post. Kelly Lumpkin, commissioner of revenue, said the increases in her office’s request reflect general rising costs but did not identify a specific dollar amount in the minutes.

Diane Klausen, general registrar, told the board that the State Board of Elections has increased Electoral Board salaries and requested a new dedicated line item for election supplies to improve transparency in how general supplies are used.

Donna Sprouse, director of community development, said she is running for clerk of the circuit court in the November election and requested an additional permanent staff position for her department to help manage workload and support any transition.

Betty Dougherty, director of social services, said she initially requested a reduction in local funding but cautioned that recommendations from the General Assembly could require the department to seek level funding instead. Dougherty and Tina Ammons, identified in the minutes as involved with human resources, recommended carving out human resources from the County Administrator’s budget and forming a separate HR department; they asked for additional funding for continuing education and required training for department heads and employees.

Tina Ammons, noted later in the minutes as director of finance, said the finance office’s only requested increase is funding for an assistant to support her pursuit of both the finance officer certification and the state procurement certification.

Quentin Mascari, building official and director of maintenance and capital projects, updated the board on facility needs and requested a trailer to haul lawn equipment and a storage building for equipment.

Rob Balderson, sheriff, presented the public safety and animal control budgets and requested four additional deputy positions, salary-scale adjustments for dispatchers, a full-time animal control officer, an administrative support position and a salary-scale adjustment for the office manager. Balderson also updated the board on departmental changes since the retirement of Sheriff Charboneau.

County Administrator Vivian Seay advised the board about several additional items, including the regional animal shelter and potential staffing changes that could result from the upcoming elections. The board adjourned at 7:40 p.m. after a motion by Mr. Burns and a second from Mr. Simpkins.

The presentations recorded in the minutes will inform the county’s budget process; no final appropriations or formal votes on the requests were recorded in the minutes of this meeting.