Cumberland County Administration presented an overview of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-2020 budget, tax rates and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) during a meeting Tuesday.

Three public hearings were held for the budget overview, tax rates and CIP projects. No members of the public spoke during the hearings.

County Administrator and County Attorney Vivian Seay Giles presented the items.

She noted the challenge of balancing each need of the county, including state mandates, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

The total proposed budget for FY 2019-2020 is $34,104,064, according to a memorandum from the county dated April 2.

Tax levies for Cumberland’s FY 2019-2020 budget remain the same from the previous FY’s budget, according to the presentation. The rates account for every $100 of valuation. The tax levies include 78 cents for real estate and manufacturing homes tax; $4.50 of personal property tax; $4.50 personal property tax – emergency services; 1 cent for personal property tax – disabled veterans; 50 cents airplanes tax; $3.75 for machinery and tools tax; $3.75 for heavy construction material tax and 78 cents for public service corporations tax.

Per penny yields are estimated to be approximately $77, 371 for combined real estate property and approximately $7,856 for personal property.

Proposed CIP projects for FY 2019-2020 are expected to include replacing flooring at Cumberland County Elementary School, which is estimated to be 20 years old, moving the water line on Route 13 and updating the mobile hardware units, which include laptops, mounts and wireless connectivity for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

The county’s reserve balance is at a healthy level, at approximately 15 percent of the total budget, Giles said.

Debt service, Giles said, is expected to stay at $3.1 million for the next 11 years, until 2030, during which it is scheduled to be paid in full. The debt was restructured in 2016 due to cash flow objectives, Giles said. This was done without having to extend the debt repayment window, Giles said.

Features of the FY 2019- 2020 budget include level funding for Cumberland County Public Schools of approximately $3.9 million from the county, level funding for health insurance premiums and a 3-percent increase for county employees by the state, which would come to an amount of $53,000.

Expenditure increases, according to the presentation, include a 10-percent increase of $60,000 in solid waste disposal due to the contract signed with Container Rentals LLC, owned by van der Linde Recycling & Container Rentals in 2018.

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services also requested an approximately 11 percent increase of $37,565 due to expenses related to Medicaid expansion, and general expansion of federally mandated programs.

District Five Supervisor Parker Wheeler recommended a 2-percent salary increase, totaling approximately $20,000, for sheriff office deputies in the county to maintain the current employees.

District Three Supervisor Kevin Ingle recommended paving the parking lot of the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, citing that paving could ease navigation for those with disabilities or challenges in mobility.

The proposed allocation for the area fire departments and rescue squads in the county, as well as to the Emergency Services Committee (ESC) is $164,470.

Board Chairman David Meinhard requested that the county increase its allocation toward the Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad. According to Meinhard, Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad representative Brian Butler attended a recent Cumberland budget session and gave information about the squad’s needs.

Meinhard said the county currently allocates $10,000 annually, and he recommended that the county increase its allocation toward the rescue squad to $50,000.

Meinhard said the Prince Edward Rescue Squad plays a role in serving the majority of the 4th and 5th District of Cumberland.

Giles said the main revenue sources, which remain largely unchanged from previous years, include real estate taxes, which make up 44 percent of the revenue source. State and federal funding consist of 17 percent of the revenue source. Personal property taxes also make up 17 percent of the revenue source. Local sales, use, utility and licensing taxes make up 8 percent of the county’s revenue. Cobb’s creek reservoir makes up 7 percent of the revenue source.

The presentation cited that 50 cents of every dollar spent in the county goes to school operations and school debt service. County departments such as administration, regulatory compliance, courts, boards and commissions, maintenance (including schools) and utilities, solid waste, the health department, community services board, recreation, library, planning and zoning, development, extension and community organizations make up 22 cents for every dollar received.

Six cents of every dollar is spent on debt service, not including utility loans. Fourteen cents of every dollar is allocated to the sheriff’s office.

Emergency services receives 4 cents of every dollar. Child Services Act receives 2 cents of every dollar. Juvenile detention and Piedmont Regional Jail also receives 2 cents of every dollar.

Giles said the county is continuing to pursue economic development opportunities, including citing meetings with two individuals with companies concerning the shell building located at Commerce Road.

Giles said the county is waiting on response from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) about the Green Ridge landfill.

Giles said the county is also expected to receive revenue from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) if or when construction is expected to restart. Once the ACP is completed, Giles said Cumberland County could receive approximately $400,000 a year for the project.

She noted that expenses related to Piedmont Regional Jail (PRJ), due to the jail recently switching to a new medical care provider, could see a significant increase hike for Cumberland County.

She said the superintendent’s recommended budget for PRJ has an increase of approximately $1.8 million from the previous year. Cumberland County’s portion, if the increase is unavoidable, could increase by approximately $180,000 in addition to the $270,000 that the county currently budgets, Giles said.

Giles said the board is expected to take a vote on the budget, tax rates and CIP projects during its regular board meeting scheduled for at 7 p.m.

Article has been corrected from its original version.