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[0:26] [Music] protect myself

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[1:02] um

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[1:18] thank you

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[1:49] [Music] it might be awesome

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[2:00] good evening it's a little after seven o'clock we'll go ahead and start the

[2:06] public hearing for the budget and taxes this time I'm going to ask a supervisor

[2:14] Baker who will do the invocation and let us in the Pledge of Allegiance

[2:22] let us Style our heavenly father would come to you

[2:26] today find such a beautiful day in the spring

[2:31] gives us a sense of New Hope everything

[2:35] growing those Apollo College school we ask that you be

[2:40] with the people here tonight as well we listen to what our constituents around

[2:44] for the Usos County allow us to do the rest that you need with the people that

[2:51] have had some hardship here will be tornadoes or other

[2:56] is a hard hard time support we also come to

[3:02] you in a special season of the year for years of your son has has crucified

[3:08] and came back and save us all for our sins please be with us tonight and

[3:13] always have a safe trip on the SCD same amen amen

[3:18] to the age of student flag of the United States of America and to the Republic

[3:24] for which it stands one nation under God the indivisible with liberty and justice

[3:30] for all thank you

[3:35] thank you Mr Speaker

[3:42] foreign [Music]

[3:52] supervisors of Shenandoah County will receive comments regarding the 2023 tax

[3:57] rates and a proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1st 2023 and

[4:02] ending June 30th 2024. the proposed budget includes the general fund

[4:07] Shenandoah County Public Schools operating in cafeteria funds Social

[4:11] Services operating from Children's Services act operating from arts and

[4:16] Recreation special Revenue Department Shenandoah County landfill fund

[4:20] Northwest wastewater treatment plant fund Stoney Creek Sanitary District and

[4:25] Thomas Brook Maritime Sanitary District is for informative and fiscal planning

[4:31] purposes only the proposed budget also includes an

[4:34] award will consider the following tax rate increases for 2023. ah for a real

[4:41] property including manufactured homes a tax rate increase of two cents per

[4:45] hundred of assessed value for personal property non-farm a tax

[4:50] rate increase of 25 cents per hundred of assessed value added to period for

[4:56] transient occupancy a tax rate increase to three percent of the total amount

[5:00] name for room or space rental following tonight's hearing a budget

[5:04] deliberations will continue next week with a work session on Tuesday April

[5:08] 11th at 1pm in the Board Room if needed the budget is expected to be considered

[5:13] for adoption in a special meeting held on April 18 2023

[5:18] at 4 pm at the 4 pm meeting of the board please direct your commentary to the

[5:24] board comments are limited to three minutes the timer will be founded at

[5:27] three minutes at which time we ask that you conclude your comments

[5:31] but one other thing is to please be conscious of speaking into the

[5:35] microphone so it will get picked up on YouTube we'll now open the public

[5:39] hearings first Marty helsley signed up to come and talk

[5:43] and then Cindy Walsh is the next one

[5:50] good evening uh chairman and members of the federal

[5:55] County County Board supervisors the road's a

[5:59] little reverse here um I want to thank you for your free

[6:03] support uh supporting the schools in

[6:08] 22-23 and I'm standing before you representing 50 5300 students

[6:15] and over a thousand employees that are doing an excellent job

[6:21] the school board initially uh planned for a seven percent increase at the

[6:26] general assembly and the governor supported by doing our discussion it

[6:32] started out as Amendment at five percent by colleagues and we compromised with

[6:37] the sixth and that's what you all have um

[6:42] the key thing about this year we're operating with uh over

[6:48] 20 vacancies we couldn't feel and as all of you know everything works

[6:54] by supplying to make it and the demand of teachers now outweigh

[7:01] the supply and a lot of that has to do with

[7:04] salaries not everything or whatever so

[7:10] um we got a look at the surrounding counties what they're giving

[7:14] and if a new teacher is coming from JMU if Rockingham gives uh six percent or

[7:21] seven percent Frederick gives seven and we only give six you can probably

[7:26] understand which uh County that individual will select

[7:33] okay another thing I'd like to uh talk about since unfortunately the the

[7:37] shooting in Nashville uh since our share had a planning of all

[7:43] three campuses we're going to upgrade the entrances in all three elementary

[7:48] schools and I think we're going to have metal detectors in those three

[7:53] facilities once the renovation is up those funds I think are going to be

[7:58] those projects are going to be funded by the carers apps so we are taking steps

[8:04] to try to get security as our number one safety our number one issue uh and last

[8:12] I'd like to close with uh

[8:16] some positive things that's happening I know you all hear about the negatives

[8:21] on Facebook we have problems our Administration is addressing them

[8:27] but each week our superintendent gives us some uh

[8:33] Friday notes last week

[8:36] she gave us some things I want to highlight some things that we're doing

[8:40] well uh Mike Dorman the French for Mountain

[8:45] View uh called Miss Shepherd they have a

[8:49] student Anita derlinger that got accepted into four Ivy League schools

[8:55] the school at uh college at Michigan and obviously UVA

[9:01] proud of that young lady also uh Mr Morrison I attended a

[9:07] function at triplet the more Trust Bank what I think Miss

[9:11] Walsh was there as well I talked to one of the students there in

[9:15] that program since I got there early

[9:19] this young man I asked how school was going and he made this and I will not

[9:24] forget this this program saved me

[9:28] this program saved

[9:33] and then we had a teacher uh Tiffany Roots at Honey Run

[9:41] got this email from a parent and I'm going to read it verbato

[9:47] I've been meaning to message the message you for both for a while and and life

[9:53] keeps interfering I want to show the appreciation gratitude I have for Mrs

[9:57] Fraser this year she has had her hands full with at least my child but I assume

[10:03] he more children as well she has been an absolute

[10:07] blessing to us she's been going above and beyond in my opinion to help Braylon

[10:13] not only him focus and understand and if he's having a rough day

[10:19] continue updates and check-ins for us for success

[10:23] extra help when needed and involving him when he needed extra attention

[10:29] I feel that she is ensured he succeeds this year and has been giving teaching

[10:36] and showing him vital tools for the coming years he is no longer needs extra

[10:41] help with reading and still very much enjoys coming to school

[10:46] we have one amazing teacher role model mentoring her and I thought we would all

[10:52] like to know how thankful we are as a whole family or to have her at Honey Run

[10:58] especially raelyn's teacher I strongly believe she deserves to have it going

[11:03] above all her hard work dedication she has put into the students and how the

[11:09] parents at least this set anyway feels about her thank you for your time and

[11:15] for having incredible staff for your children that is one teacher we got many

[11:20] that's making a difference second grade teacher second grade teacher

[11:27] uh and then finally I want to conclude um

[11:35] I was born and raised here I taught school here in this building

[11:40] and I've been trying to thank the superintendents I worked for

[11:45] and the two I've had since I've been on the school board

[11:49] and they served their roles elderly when they were superintendent

[11:54] but I'm challenged you now you cannot find a better one than mailed

[12:00] a shepherd and you need to do everything you can to

[12:04] keep her and one of the ways that you can help

[12:09] her is to fund our budget at least six percent

[12:13] thank you

[12:23] good evening my name is Cindy Walsh I live at 211 Manor Drive in Edinburgh

[12:29] I've been up here I think this is my eighth year I'm preparing with three

[12:33] children one in college one seventh grader and one 10th grader

[12:38] I appreciate this Lord's past support of the schools even in difficult times I

[12:43] know this is another challenging year and I have to do my yearly disclaimer

[12:47] that my advocating for the schools does not diminish in any way need for funding

[12:51] for other important Public Safety and County positions

[12:55] because of the convoluted way that schools are funded in Virginia so much

[12:59] of the budget process is out of the school board's hands not knowing what

[13:03] the Commonwealth of Virginia is ultimately going to fund also puts in us

[13:06] in a position of uncertainty is the state going to have a local

[13:10] matching requirement for any staff increases will that funding be

[13:15] accessible if we only match a portion of what the state is providing to school

[13:18] divisions we won't know those answers until the

[13:21] end of April at the earliest so any request from the school board is really

[13:25] more of a placeholder until we have those numbers

[13:28] Shepard presented a school presented a school board with her proposed 23-24

[13:33] budget earlier this year budget priorities focus on expanding

[13:37] learning opportunities for students recruiting and retaining staff and

[13:41] maintaining our facilities we know that Student Success and

[13:45] well-being is primarily influenced by the quality of teaching that they

[13:48] receive attracting and retaining highly

[13:51] qualified teachers and other Chef staff should be the number one priority when

[13:55] we look at the budget Miss Shepard proposed a seven percent

[13:59] salary increase plus a step the board ultimately decided to send to

[14:04] you a six percent salary increase I'm not sure whether it was intentional

[14:09] or not but that one person but that step was left out that evening and I don't

[14:14] know if my fellow board members meant to do that or if it was just because we

[14:17] were negotiating on the Fly um that's probably something that we'll

[14:22] have to address as a school board but I just wanted to let you know that the

[14:25] original request included a step and the one that was sent to you did not

[14:30] I know that salary is not the only thing but it is a very important thing to let

[14:35] our teachers and staff know their value there are other ways to show our

[14:38] appreciation but all things being considered salary is a real

[14:43] consideration for most teachers who are thinking about coming to Shenandoah

[14:46] County we lose newer teachers and Veteran

[14:49] teachers to other divisions that provide better salaries and benefits

[14:53] experienced teachers have the skills that are needed when dealing with

[14:56] students who are struggling academically emotionally or behaviorally

[15:00] classroom management is a learning skill and we need to keep our experienced

[15:04] teachers so that they can serve as mentors and examples for our newer

[15:08] teachers I was cautioned never to say that veteran teachers were better than

[15:12] newer teachers and I will tell you I know that my kids have had a lot of new

[15:15] teachers and they bring a lot of values to Shenandoah County

[15:19] for our administrators must also be a priority school principals and assistant

[15:23] principals are 12-month employees they're on call 24 hours a day seven

[15:27] days a week there are instructional leaders retaining highly qualified

[15:31] administrators is extremely important for Student Success and well-being Marty

[15:36] shared with you some of the positives so I'm not going to do that because I'm out

[15:39] of time but most of our students are doing well

[15:43] there's always room for improvement please be sure to consider that as you

[15:47] work through the budget thank you

[15:51] [Music] that's all I have on the list is there

[15:57] anyone out there Street Food

[16:03] start the clock now

[16:08] where did you get the the average home value

[16:11] before so how did you calculate that to Commissioner Revenue

[16:15] okay so she's good I should go to capitalize okay thank you that's all I

[16:21] have

[16:25] [Music] um

[16:32] I'm Susie glitter 11371 back road district five more Town

[16:38] Dennis Morris I wasn't planning on speaking otherwise I would dress better

[16:42] I really think you need to find your schools

[16:45] you are losing teachers left and right Frederick Loudon and Prince William

[16:51] I moved down here in December 2005 I continued to commute to Loudoun County

[16:56] for 10 years I work for them one day a week and you have no idea how much money

[16:59] I make you need your veteran teachers they're not as tech savvy as the new

[17:04] people that's great but we can handle discipline we have seen so many styles

[17:09] of teaching we can apply this this this this and you want to keep the older

[17:13] teachers like the senior citizens I mean but we know what we're doing

[17:18] my principal on Friday he's so happy to see me because he gives me all the

[17:23] discipline problems because he knows I can look at those children and the last

[17:27] thing they want to do is deal with me I don't even have to raise my voice they

[17:31] go can I go see Mr Robinson I go

[17:36] so I really am into finding your teachers salaries

[17:39] I am into school safety um I'm amazed here because if this were

[17:45] a budget meeting in Loudoun County we'd all be behind bulletproof glass

[17:49] but safety is a big thing and like I said you really want to keep new

[17:54] teachers are wonderful but you need your veteran teachers to show them the ropes

[17:59] and that's all I have to say because you'll be seeing me Tuesday

[18:03] thank you you're welcome

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[18:18] [Music] David Ferguson

[18:21] 489 good side record just a couple things one

[18:27] apologies for working on the budget to this point and the cuts that you've

[18:32] already made that you've done as far as personnel and

[18:37] adding additional personnel and additional operating expenses to the

[18:42] county budget that's that's commendable on your part

[18:46] I would only have a couple things one is the personal problem

[18:54] Vehicles during covet and

[18:58] a lack of chips and all the things that drove

[19:02] vehicles to go really hot and we had a personal property tax on it

[19:07] so guess what we we citizen Shannon County paid more

[19:12] because of that and we didn't get the benefit of what it used to be now the

[19:18] vehicles are falling back down and as they fall down boy wouldn't it be

[19:24] nice if the citizens got the benefit

[19:28] of the change in pricing of these vehicles back to a normal

[19:33] market value price I think it would be uh

[19:40] appropriate if any way you could possibly find in your

[19:45] budget to leave the personal property way it is and let those

[19:50] citizens have that

[19:54] benefit of return to true value of their vehicles that's that's one second only a

[20:01] second point I'd like to say is uh you're two percent

[20:09] I don't know where we are in this world today

[20:12] in fact I don't even like to watch the news anymore I don't know where we stand

[20:16] with Russia I don't know where we're staying with China I don't know where we

[20:19] stand uh with our economy I don't know where we stand with inflation geez don't

[20:25] ask me where I stand with my 401k because it is volatile everything about

[20:31] what's going on right now is negative impact on the citizens Nationwide not

[20:38] just here so if I was to say what's it going to be like

[20:43] six months from now I don't doubt anybody can really tell me I know my

[20:48] financial advisor can't tell me uh so if there's any time

[20:55] that you could keep the race what they are

[21:00] by finding something that you can cut the million four million three that's

[21:05] there that's going to generate the two cent increase I would just ask that you

[21:11] try to do it I know how hard it is and you've done a great job so far boy you

[21:17] could pull that other two cents someplace

[21:21] during this time of uncertainty it would be good thank you

[21:26] thank you

[21:38] good evening Florida supervisors chairman thank you allowing me to speak

[21:43] tonight all I want to say is that we we don't

[21:46] get some type of industry in here to get the tax base up then you're not going

[21:51] we're not going to have anything we go through well too many times it's going

[21:54] to be dry and I think that's what's getting ready to happen just my opinion

[21:59] like could you could you see Charles Street that's the one who liked it

[22:09] is there anything else you would like to speak

[22:15] [Music]

[22:20] uh here no one else here wishes to speak we were going to close this public here

[22:25] and thank you all for coming up appreciate it very much

[22:31] [Music]

[22:40] foreign

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[22:53] [Music]

Shenandoah County BOS Public Hearing on Budget

Transcript