FINANCE COMMITTEE HOLDS OFF ON 3 GROUPS' PLEA

by Drew Houff
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER, WVA — Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., the Youth Development Center Inc., and the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum must wait at least a month to learn if any of their funding requests will be granted by Frederick County officials.

The county Finance Committee started its Wednesday meeting by rejecting Celebrating Patsy Cline’s request for $350,000 over a three-year period.

Committee member James R. "Richie" Wilkins III said the request should be denied now, but should be reconsidered after all of the county’s year-end expenses are compiled and a better financial picture has been determined.

The committee members subsequently tabled a supplemental $250,000 request for the Youth Development Center and a $700,000 request for the Discovery Museum.

"I’d like to see the books closed before we add in all of these supplemental requests," said county Treasurer C. William Orndoff Jr., a non-voting Finance Committee member.

After the meeting, County Administrator John R. Riley Jr. said each of the three requests would get additional consideration.

"I think what they’ll do with those three is, once they determine what the year-end fund balance is, then they will weigh all three of those and put them back on the agenda to see what the feasibility is for any or all of them," he said.

"We need to determine what our financial standing is at the end of fiscal year ’07, and those numbers should be ready shortly," he said. The fiscal year ended on June 30. "Then this committee will have a better idea whether these are things we can afford or whether we can fund them a little bit."

The Finance Committee did approve three supplemental funding requests.

One would provide $128,140 for the public safety director to hire a radio technician and upgrade associated equipment.

LeeAnna Pyles, director of public safety communications, said the technician would handle maintenance and upgrades on equipment.

Orndoff said the person working in the position should be able to work a flexible schedule. He asked if that was part of the consideration in hiring a person for the post.

"If we can do it, yes," Riley replied, adding that a surplus vehicle from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office likely would be used in the job.

Finance Committee member and Stonewall District Supervisor Charles S. DeHaven Jr. said the need for care and upgrading of public safety equipment was necessary. "Certainly maintenance has been lacking," he said.

In other business, Finance Committee members:

* Approved a fiscal year 2007-08 supplemental appropriation of $26,000 for a subscription to eCivis, a grants management service.

Riley said the cost was $36,000. The additional $10,000 will come from local organizations and schools that wish to use the program to locate possible grants. He said the service was cheaper than hiring a grants coordinator.

* Approved a FY 2008 supplemental appropriation of $120,000 for the expenses, salaries, and benefits to hire a county attorney and one support position.

Riley said those funds would represent a portion of the annual cost, but would allow county officials to begin the search for a new county attorney.

"It will be a difficult position to fill, based on our needs," he said. "The timing is of essence to move forward."

Attending the meeting at the Frederick County Office Complex were DeHaven, Orndoff, Wilkins, Bill M. Ewing, Ronald E. Hottle, Ellen Murphy, and Gary A. Lofton. Richard C. Shickle Sr. was absent.