Thursday, March 6, 2008 • Kilmarnock, Virginia • Ninety-first Year • Number 22 • Three Sections • 50¢ Supervisors want schools to operate like a business by Audrey Thomasson include shortening the length of some person- KILMARNOCK—When the board of super- nel contracts, eliminating programs and cutting visors met with the school board last Monday positions through attrition. By renegotiating a over an impending school budget deficit of contract, one special math program was saved $174,000 for the current school year and a pre- for the remainder of the year but will be cut next dicted shortfall of up to $1.546 million for the year. next, their message was clear—start managing In another cost-cutting decision, the school the schools like a business. board recently voted to close the alternative Financial problems for the current year are school and join a regional program. a result of a loss of rev- The shortfall in the 2009 enue from two government fiscal year budget mostly sources and an expected stems from changes in the $67,000 deficit in the school School budget Virginia Department of lunch program, which is Education’s new composite contracted through private public hearing index. supplier Aramark, accord- “We were hit with a ing to school superintendent set for Monday double whammy: a decline Susan Sciabbarrasi. in student enrollment and The school system was Citizens will have an oppor- an increase in the composite $500 ahead of budget until tunity to voice their opinions index,” Sciabbarrasi said.” Monday when school offi- on the 2009 fiscal year budget She speculated that the cials were notified that for Lancaster schools in a public decline in student enroll- expected federal funding hearing at 5:30 p.m. Monday, ment was probably due to a will fall short of predictions March 10, in the middle school lack of affordable housing by $60,000. In addition, media center. in the area, causing young the state Senate is debating The regular school board families to relocate to other an amendment that could meeting will follow at 6:30 p.m. counties. result in cancellation of Aramark is expected to report The composite index is approximately $40,000 in on its food service contract. updated every two years state funding. and is based on local prop- “We are favorable in our erty taxes, adjusted gross expenses with the exception of food services,” income, population and taxable retail sales. said Sue Salg, the school division’s director of The most recent index figures will result in a budget and finance. $911,000 decrease in state funding for Lan- Salg explained that several items including caster schools compared to 2008 and will place fuel and utilities were not budgeted properly over 78 percent of school funding on county for the current fiscal year, prior to Sciabbarrasi taxpayers. Spring comes early taking over as superintendent. The board of supervisors conceded that many Dee Byrne, Donna Swinney, Karen Mullens and Lynn Georgiadis could not resist “She has been doing so much work in cutting of the management problems occurred during last Tuesday’s “fare” weather. The foursome decided to take advantage of the day’s expenses since the beginning of the school year,” the past administration. However, they pointed 70-degree temperatures and light breeze on the Indian Creek greens. According to the Salg said. “She’s constantly looking at things out that more tough decisions have to be made. calendar, spring officialy begins March 20. (Photo by Reid Pierce Armstrong) and always asking what we can do better.” “If you’re going to reduce the budget, you’re Some of the adjustments made this year (continued on page A15) Board authorizes legal action to recover ‘inappropriate’ payout by Reid Pierce Armstrong unused leave accumulated during payout); transportation, $84,287; effectively shorted spending on the county know that the amount the school division. LANCASTER—County his tenure. maintenance, $37,345 and food instruction by nearly $400,000, of vacation time he had accrued Lee reported several other con- leaders have not forgotten nor “The biggest problem I see is service, $172,023. said county administrator Bill was larger than what was being cerns with the school division’s forgiven the $208,000 paid to that the school board itself didn’t Lee said the overages are a Pennell. reported in the audit. audit. He said the school board former school superintendent approve the payment,” Lee said. serious offense. Lee said his firm found docu- Following a closed session at has $400 on the books in petty Randolph Latimore upon his “A payment of that size mer- “That budget was allocated by mentation to support Latimore’s the end of the evening, the board cash, but when the field audi- departure last June. ited a vote, but there wasn’t one category,” he said. “If the school calculation of his unused vaca- voted 4-0 to authorize legal action tors counted the actual petty cash Apparently seeking fodder recorded in the minutes.” board moved funds from one tion time, but that accrued time to recover what it considers an drawer, they found only $14. for legal recourse, the board of Lee also criticized the school category to another, then that has was not reported correctly on the “inappropriate” final payout of “That money either needs supervisors grilled county audi- board for overspending its alloca- legal implications.” 2006 audit. unused leave benefits. Supervi- to be replaced or the petty cash tor Paul Lee last Thursday night tion in four areas: administration, By overspending these other Supervisor Butch Jenkins said sor Ernest Palin Jr. abstained drawer needs to be done away on the subject of Latimore’s $257,202 (including Latimore’s categories, the school division Latimore had an obligation to let because of his employment with (continued on page A15) County seeks adjoining Town ballots parcels for judicial center draw full slate by Robert Mason Jr. courthouse and to the the left of candidates of the sheriff’s annex, he said. LANCASTER—County by Audrey Thomasson supervisors envision a new The new facility would judicial administration build- house the Circuit, General Dis- LANCASTER—Tuesday’s ing on farm land adjacent to trict and Juvenile and Domes- deadline for citizens declaring the existing courthouse com- tic Relations courtrooms as their candidacy for town elec- plex. well as clerks’ offices, judges’ tions resulted in some new faces Following a closed session chambers and other court- alongside a few seeking reelec- last week, the board of super- related functions, said Pennell. tion when voters go to the polls visors authorized the county Based on needs assessments May 6. administrator and county and preliminary estimates, the Lancaster County registrar attorney to offer the trustees cost could be in the $8 million Peggy Harding reported receiv- of the George Sarofeen estate range, he said. ing declaration forms from the $198,000 for two parcels total- The board has scheduled a following candidates: ing some 27 acres. work session with the county Kilmarnock This acquisition will enable attorney March 19 at 7 p.m. in There are four candidates run- the county to proceed with the General District courtroom ning for three seats on Kilmar- design and construction of a to discuss financing strate- nock’s town council. They include new building to resolve exist- gies. The meeting will not be Tara Ellen Donahue, Rebecca ing security and space needs a public hearing, but the public Tabbs Nunn, John “Johnny” A. at the current courthouse, said can attend and hear the discus- Smith and Paul Jones, the only county administrator Bill Pen- sion, said Pennell. incumbent seeking reelection. nell. After the courts are relocated White Stone County attorney Jim Corn- to the new judicial administra- Six candidates will be vying well will be making this con- tion building, remaining county for four council positions in tract presentation in the very departments and constitutional White Stone. New contenders near future, said Pennell. offices will utilize the existing include Dennis Martin, Luther E. The property includes a field space in the courthouse, said “Bay” Rowe, Jennifer D. Hodges, and wooded parcel behind the Pennell. Tina B. Davis and Scott Hudson. David A. Jones is seeking reelec- tion. Irvington Grasping for state berth There are four candidates seek- Sam Frere (on top) went 3-0 as the Region A champion and was named the region ing three open seats in Irving- Inside tournament’s most outstanding wrestler last Saturday in Northampton. Frere, along ton. New contenders Gene H. with Lancaster’s Robert Wineland, Robert Lally, Ibraheem Bullock, Renan Beltran and Edmonds, Jimmy Lee Crocket n State rounds: Charles Miller, will compete in this weekend’s Group A State tournament in Salem. and Robert H. Fleet III join The Red Devils girls varsity Lancaster had four regional champions. For more Region A tournament coverage, see incumbent Kathleen Pollard, who team finishes first in region page A10. (Photo by Dr. Rick Wineland) is seeking reelection. Incumbent Alexander Fleet is basketball and advances to running unopposed for another State Group A tourney......A11 term as mayor. n Rezoning: Lancaster supervisors rezone Barking on council’s hearing agenda parcel and issue special Jump Rope WHITE STONE—Town before taking action. stated in the past that it would exception for a pool hall and council will meet tonight, After a year, Mayor Lloyd hold an informational meeting sports bar on Route 200 near for Heart: A15 March 6, for the second reading B. Hubbard has put bound- with residents in the affected Good Luck Road............A15 and final vote on text amend- ary line adjustments back on areas before taking any action.