Welcome to the podcast of meeting highlights for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on August 6, 2007.
The Board took action to improve water quality by adopting the Cameron Run Watershed Management Plan and awarding a contract for the development of watershed plans for Pohick Creek, Lower Occoquan, Sugarland Run, Horsepen Creek, Nichol Run and Pond Branch.
The Board authorized a public hearing on Sept. 24 to establish a workforce housing program to administer proffered dwelling units affordable to households earning tiered ranges of income of not more than 120% of the Metropolitan Statistical Area Median Income.
The Board re-affirmed and approved budget guidelines for FY 2009:
• The financial forecast shows overall county revenues are projected to
be flat in FY 2009
• The Board directed that the School Board and the Superintendent of
Schools be provided with a FY 2009 county transfer to the school
operating fund which matches revenue growth of 0%, resulting in a school
transfer for operations that will remain at the FY 2008 level.
• Balances at the FY 2007 Carryover Review and during the current FY
2008 be held in reserve to fund expenses in FY 2009 ensuring that
non-recurring funding is dedicated to non-recurring expenditures.
• The Board will approve the final FY 2007 Carryover Budget package at
their meeting on September 10.
House Bill 3202 which was enacted into law during the past session of the VA General Assembly allows the Board to adopt an additional tax rate on certain commercial and industrial property, and the funds collected from this add-on tax would be used for transportation purposes benefiting the county. Although the actual tax rate can be set during the FY 2009 budget deliberations, the Board must first adopt a local ordinance establishing the new class of property for taxation purposes. The Board approved this ordinance to come to public hearing at the Sept. 10 board meeting.
Recognizing that providing a living wage for county employees produces positive transportation and environmental pollution reduction benefits for the community at large, while noting that actual costs of living in a region are not adequately addressed by minimum wage guidelines, the Board declared that it shall be the policy of Fairfax County that all county merit employees will be paid a living wage, and directed staff to return to the Board on Sept. 10 when the Fiscal Year 2007 Carryover will be considered with an implementation schedule for this action. The Board also encouraged all county vendors and all employers located within the county to similarly adopt a living wage for their employees.
That’s all for this podcast of meeting highlights for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, thanks for listening. For more information about the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, including full meeting minutes and documents, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board. This podcast is produced by the Fairfax County, VA, government.