Board of Supervisors - Special Meeting

Okay, I'm going to go ahead and call to order this meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors on Monday, April 20th, 2026. First item of business this evening is our moment of silence and pled pledge of allegiance led by our county administrator, Angie Hill. Please rise as you're able for a moment of silence and then join me as I lead us in the pledge.

Let us pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Thank you, Angie. Um the next item on our agenda is public address this evening. And we do um have some guidelines for public address. We did have a signup sheet available outside the meeting room in the hallway for people to provide their name, where in the county they reside, and the subject matter that they wanted to to discuss this evening. Following the names on the signup sheet, other speakers will be allowed. Each speaker has four minutes whether speaking as an individual or representative and all comments must be directed to the chair and other supervisors from the speakers le speakers speaker lectern at the front of the room. Please begin by stating your name and where you reside and debate between speakers and members of the audience will not be allowed. Speakers may leave any written statements and/or comments to the supervisors with the board clerk, and speakers will be judged out of order should they engage in personal attacks, use profanity or abusive language, or debate with the audience, and not address the supervisors. Accepted etiquette is to not applaud or make loud responses. We did not have anybody sign up on the signup sheet in the hallway. Um, so anybody in the room is welcome to come forward at this time for public address. Seeing nobody come forward, I'm going to close public address. Next item is to go into work session. Uh we're going to enter into work session to discuss the county's fiscal year 2027 budget and tax rates. Is there a motion?

So move. Second. Okay. Madame clerk, if you'll call the role, please. Mr. Kits. I. Mr. King. I. Mr. Fijicowski. I. Miss Biggs. I. Mr. Gravsky. Hi. Miss Karan. Hi. Chair Deontz. I seven I's

okay. We do not have a presentation during this work session this evening. Um but this is an opportunity for supervisors to ask any additional questions or make any statements regarding uh the fiscal year 27 budget. So we'll go ahead and get things started. Does anybody have any questions, comments, or concerns that they would like to bring up? Okay, Supervisor King,

I was going to let anybody go first, but it'd be up to me. As I stated last time, we're talking about the budget. People are struggling. I'd like to see this board at least set back for this year and give the citizens time to catch up with the economy. As I stated at last meeting, I don't think this is the time to hire new people. It's been stated that we and the school side cannot afford to give them payraises this year. If a school side hires 20 and a half people, the county hires 6.75 people, we're going to be in worse shape next year if economy don't pick up. I I've been talking to people out here in the community. It they're just struggling. You got people out here is working two jobs. I mean, we're talking about free lunch and breakfast in the schools. What's this going to do to their house budget for their suppers and on the weekends? I just do not feel this is the time to raise taxes. Thank you. Would anybody else like to make any comments or ask any questions about the budget? Okay, seeing nobody else making any comments or asking any questions, is there a motion to come out of work session?

So moved. Second. Okay. Is there any discussion? Madame clerk, if you'll call the role, please. Mr. King, I. Mr. Fitchikowski, I. Miss B. I. Mr. Graky. I. Miss Karan. I. Mr. Kits. Hi. Chair Dematz. I. Seven eyes.

Moving on to new business. Uh, our first, excuse me, our first item of new business this evening is to adopt the real estate tax rate and other property tax rates. Uh, the following rates were our advertised rates. Real estate property tax, excuse me, real estate property tax levy increased from 76 cents to 81 cents per $100 of assessed value. Personal property tax levy remains at $255 per $100 of assessed value. Machinery and tools tax levy remains at $182 per $100 of assessed value. mobile homes tax levy increased from 76 cents to 81 cents per $100 of assessed value and the aircraft tax levy remains at $123 per $100 of assessed value. Is there a motion?

So moved. Second. Okay. Is there any discussion? I think the only discussion is that this is a very challenging time and we only have as we have said we only have $1 million of expected new revenue to come. And so when you look at the budget, I think I've said this before, when you look at the county side and the school side, um this addresses needs, not wants, this addresses needs on both sides. And so, um, that's why I'm supporting it.

Thank you. Any other comments before the vote?

I'll I'll just add on, uh, to what Supervisor Biggs said there, and and I've said this previously, right, is is when you start to to peel back the layers of this budget. Um, you know, we've got $4.1 million allocated to the schools. Um, you know, unfortunately, there's just a lot of fixed overhead involved in running a a school district. Uh so despite having fewer kids uh or anticipating fewer uh kids in in our district in the coming year, you know, their needs are increasing. Uh the costs of delivering education and meeting, you know, the various requirements at the state and federal level are increasing. Um but you know so we've got 4.1 which is you know maybe half less than half of what the original ask uh for the school board or from the school board. Uh so I think we've done a a pretty good job of of trying to navigate uh their requests and and what you know is possible with uh the monies we've got. Um and then you look at and you know where's that money going, right? It's it's catching up the um the non uh faculty staff uh where you know teachers uh we we did a lot on the pay scale last year and so now we're going to be bringing the rest uh of the of the support staff up with them. I think that's fantastic. You know, these are the same folks who are who are struggling right now, right? And and you know, I don't think that we should be leaving them behind either. Um, and then, you know, flip it over to the the um county side. Same for our staff. Um, making sure that we're investing in our staff. And then really there's there's less than a million dollars in kind of new things being invested for

the county above and beyond, you know, staff raises um on both sides. So, while yes, you know, we don't like the the feeling of of raising taxes and and I hate that it does fall on the backs of our residents, you know, this is just kind of one of those growing pains that I think we're going to have to navigate this year

and that's why I support it. And to add to what um Supervisor Gravky said, you know, again, we've said this over and over, this is the only way the state gives us to raise revenue to fund services at the local level, real estate property tax and personal property tax. And yet the state still does not have a plan on how they're going to address funding education from the JARK study. So we're sort of caught in that we have a limited way to do things and um if we want to make sure that we are covering the basic needs then this is how we have to do it. And I'd only add to that that I'm hoping that for next year, you all have heard me say this, that our schools and county administration can work closely together to identify some of these needs and we talk about them before we ever get to budget time.

Are there any other comments? So, I'm going to pick you. Oh, go ahead. You go ahead. No, you go ahead. This is why I should call people by name. I know.

Very polite. Um, you know, I think most of the uh things I said it last time around too, obviously I'm in agreement with Supervisor Ky and Supervisor Biggs. Um, and I see this personally is the uh lowering taxes 16 cents in 2023. is pretty much catching up with us with the rising costs of both schools and county. So we are really doing almost like what is needed uh at this time to be able to at least give the salary increases of you know both county side and the school side. Nothing you know nothing more. Um I think the both side sides um what they you know one of the uh accomplish is almost like 16 million alto together with a 1 million revenue at hand. So I don't think you know unless you have a magic wand there is no other way to accomplishing the the minimum but raising the tax and if we wanted to do all the required um 16 million uh as you know that will be a 12 cents tax increase and last time we did when Blackburg High School roof collapsed so hopefully we will never be at that point but again we have to realize that we kept the tax constant from 2014 to 2023. So that's a 9 years straight 89 cents. So I will still um look at the county as a you know very uh conservative how they spend their money and how they uh allocate their their money. So I think this is like a really an unfortunate times due to state state not supporting federal government not supporting and having very limited taxable land. Um so uh definitely

support the five cents supervisor kits.

So I've been jotting down some notes kind of listening and piggyback what everybody else said. So one of the things that came up was the 20 20 and a half positions that the schools are doing. Well, that's on the schools and they figured it within the budget that they have. So, it really doesn't fall upon us because the money is coming in a set pot and they're going to be able to do what they need to do and they'll make their decisions from there. So, on that side, the additional 4.1 million that we have listed going to schools is the cost of living and inflation. It's not funding other needs or wants. It's cost of living and inflation. And we've talked to them. They knew what was coming up. We've been very open about this since we realized we were going to have this tight of a budget this year. But then I glance around and I look at all the counties around us and how their taxes are going up and how they're struggling to meet just the the basics and they're fighting with that. They don't want to raise taxes either. So this is the third budget I voted for. I have gone for I voted against the first one. I've gone for a penny on the second one. But I support this one because there is such a discrepancy in in the needs that we have. People need to understand that this doesn't come whimsically out of out of left field because this county has been recognized repeatedly as a gold standard under the what's it? GFOA the what's it? What's that Angie?

Government Government Finance Officers Association.

Yeah. As Thank you. So I look at it like this. I've been through the budget page by page by page. I've gone through it. I recognize the problems going on around us. I recognize the problems within for our citizens and I recognized that I was in a meeting this morning and social services was talking about how they would have to be careful on how they traveled because of fuel costs and how they were going to have to worry about, you know, where do they take children and things like that. And these are some of those costs that rack up that we didn't account for early on. Yeah. It's it's a super difficult time for everyone. And something that that you said, Chair Mont, is that we're looking for other revenue sources. These are things that we have to do because as you look in the mirror, we don't have to like what we see, but we know what we're going towards. It's difficult for me to support this, but I I am because I've been through it and I looked at the budget and I know there's not a lot of fluff in there and we're the schools as much as everybody likes to say what they say, they're getting a fixed pot of money and they're going to be able to do what they need to do with it and they'll have to make those tough decisions. So, I'm in support of this, but I do think that we desperately need to start looking at the growing of other revenue sources, i.e. more industrial areas, more commercial areas, things that we have to do to bring businesses here because I know we're kind of landlocked on this and we're running out of spaces, but these are things that we need to discuss. Um, and again, that's why I'm supporting this. It's just a very I've got it. I've got more more for it than against it,

but the against are so passionate and you're like, you know, I understand and I I don't like it. I don't. But it's one of those things that we we're kind of we don't want to put ourselves in a position where later on it's it's going to be even more. So, thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? Yeah, I I don't like it either. That's why I'm going to vote against it. Thank you. Okay. Just one thing. Sure.

Each one of you know when we have meetings with the school board, joint meeting, how many times have you heard me say we need to go to Richmond when they're in session and demand they pay their fair share? And that's what we need to do. I've said that many of times. It's so easy to sit here and take it from just the county residents. The state owes us money, too. I agree with Supervisor King and I'll add um I won't pile on because I do agree with a lot of what's already been said, but specifically looking at other areas um of opportunity for tax revenue. Um and I mentioned this at our last meeting and I'll mention it again. um looking at the tools in our toolbox such as the merchants capital tax or other uh revenue growth areas that we're not currently taking advantage of. I think that possibly in the future we could maybe schedule a work session or look into some of those various opportunities and see if there's stuff that we need to talk about or want to talk about. Um are there any other comments before the vote? Seeing none, madame clerk, if you'll call the role, please. Mr. Ficowski,

no. Miss BGS, I Mr. Gravski, I Miss Karan, I Mr. Kits, I Mr. King, no. Chair Deamont, I have five eyes to no.

Okay. The next item on our business is uh the resolution establishing the fiscal year 2627 budget. And I'll read the resolution. It's short. Uh be it resolved by the board of supervisors in Montgomery County, Virginia, that the ad annual budget for fiscal year 2026 2027 B and the same is adopted in the amount of $285,739,377 which except in the case of the public school budget shall be for informative and fiscal planning purposes only. Is there a motion? So moved. Second. Any discussion? Madame clerk, if you'll call the role, please. Miss Biggs,

I. Mr. Gravki, I. Miss Karan, I. Mr. Kits, I. Mr. King, no. Mr. Fijicowski, no. Chair Deontz, I. Five eyes, two no. Okay. And uh that concludes our agenda. That is the end of the meeting. Our next uh reg regularly scheduled board of supervisors meeting will be Monday, April 27th, 2026. We are adjourned.