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Lunenburg supervisors approve $25,000 for regional homeless housing, early courthouse debt payment and set budget hearing
Summary
At its May 9 meeting the Board unanimously approved $25,000 in ARPA funds for STEPS, Inc., authorized a $506,568.22 early debt payment on the courthouse using $224,089.51 in bond funds, approved smaller budget transfers and change orders, and moved to advertise the FY2024–25 budget with a May 23 public hearing.
The Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors on May 9 unanimously approved several financial and administrative measures, including a $25,000 ARPA contribution to a regional long-term housing initiative, an early debt service payment for the county courthouse and the advertisement of the proposed FY2024–25 budget.
Patricia Harper-Tunley, who represents the county on the STEPS, Inc. board, asked supervisors to reduce an earlier $50,000 request to $25,000 to move forward with construction of a regional, multi-unit facility. Harper-Tunley said that, if Lunenburg participates, "six housing units would be dedicated to Lunenburg residents." The Board approved the ARPA payment by unanimous vote.
County Administrator Tracy M. Gee asked the Board to appropriate $506,600 to complete the courthouse debt service nine months early; she said doing so would save the county about $7,400 in interest. Gee also proposed applying remaining bonded funds from the Radio System project—stated in the request as $139,510.22 plus accrued interest, totaling $224,089.51—toward the payment. The Board authorized payment to Benchmark Bank of $506,568.22 on May 10 and accepted the use of $224,089.51 in bond funds toward debt expense.
The Board also approved financial housekeeping items: a transfer of $8,070.25 from Comp Board vacancy savings with $2,000 moved to postage and $6,075.25 to office supplies for the Treasurer’s Office, and Change Order 5 from CTA Consultants to set billing rates for general communications consulting services. All motions on these items were approved unanimously.
Administrator Gee reviewed the proposed FY2024–25 budget and the Board voted to advertise the proposal and hold a public hearing on May 23, 2024 at 6 p.m. Gee told supervisors the proposal includes projected increases in real estate and personal property tax revenue, interest income and landfill host fees, a proposed 3% COLA from the Compensation Board and the use of $1.2 million in reserve funds. She listed expense pressures including elections, additional Sheriff’s Office and EMS staffing, health insurance and school funding, and noted the Commonwealth’s budget had not been finalized.
Other administrative actions approved included the Board’s unanimous appointment of Beverley Hawthorne as Interim Planning Commission Clerk and James Tuck as Interim Deputy Zoning Administrator for the period that Planning/Zoning Administrator Taylor King is on extended medical leave.
The Board continued the meeting to its next session on May 23, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.; the budget public hearing is scheduled for that date.
