Accomack To Consider Budget in Electronic Meeting

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By Carol Vaughn —

The Accomack County Board of Supervisors will consider approving the county’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget at a meeting to be held electronically Monday, April 6, at 6 p.m.
Because of restrictions on gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the board met via teleconference on March 30 for a public hearing on the budget and proposed tax rates. Comments from the public were solicited beforehand in writing. One comment was read into the record.
Mary and Bill Burnham, of Onancock, owners of Burnham Guides Paddling Adventures, asked officials to consider delaying payment of personal property taxes for at least three months because of the pandemic, or to allow taxpayers to set up payment plans with no interest or penalties.
“Many county businesses and residents are in desperate financial crisis during this COVID-19 crisis,” they wrote, adding, “Everyone is being affected by closures. For us self-employed business owners, we have lost 100% of our income, and are not eligible for unemployment.”
The county’s $65 million 2021 budget represents an 11.5% increase in expenditures over this year.
The majority of the increase is for capital expenses, including construction of a required new cell at the landfill. Around $4.3 million in capital expenditures is budgeted for next year, compared to just under $2 million this year.
The amount includes $994,000 for ramps and dock improvements; $180,000 for Clerk’s Office fire suppression; and $1.8 million for landfill cell construction.
The operating budget also is up 5.9% — from $52.6 million this year to nearly $55.7 million in the proposed 2021 budget. The increase is due in large part to an increased contribution to the public schools — $1.04 million in additional local money will go to the schools next year under the proposed budget.
The budget also includes a $500,000 transfer to the county’s rainy day fund.
No change in landfill tipping fees is proposed.
In view of the potential economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and unknown effects of several related pending pieces of federal legislation, Accomack County Administrator Michael Mason advised the board to consider appropriating budgeted funds on a quarterly basis, rather than the typical annual appropriation.
“The budget is just a plan,” he said, noting the authority to spend money is through a resolution appropriating funds.
Additionally, Mason asked the board to consider delaying appropriating money for non-critical capital projects until the second half of next year; to consider linking any employee pay raises to the availability of funds; and to consider whether to approve an ordinance deferring the due date of property taxes, typically due June 5, in order to give temporary relief to taxpayers.
“There is a lot of uncertainty out there,” Mason said.

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