SSentinel.com Serving Middlesex County and adjacent areas of the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck since 1896 Vol. 117, No. 1 Urbanna, Virginia 23175 • April 7, 2011 Two Sections • 75¢ Budget calls for no tax increases by Larry S. Chowning Technical Education (CTE) class- rooms at the high school. The Middlesex Board of Super- School offi cials had earlier visors voted on March 29 to hold a requested $485,952 for capital public hearing on a proposed $19.5 improvements, which included million 2011-12 (FY12) county $300,952 for electrical service to budget. the east wing and CTE classrooms, The hearing will be on Tues- and $185,000 for two new buses. day, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Overall, the school board had historic courtroom in Saluda. The requested $7,610,882 in local proposed budget calls for no tax funds. In the proposed budget, it increases. received $7,271,109—$339,773 Supervisors will adopt a budget less than requested. at a special 2 p.m. meeting on The school board’s proposed Tuesday, April 26. budget also called for a 2.26% If approved, the real estate tax salary increase for teachers and a rate will remain at 43 cents per 1% raise for all other employees. $100 of value, and the personal However, it is unclear if these pro- property rate will remain at $3.50 posed pay raises will be met. per $100 of value. The expenditure side of the In FY11, supervisors approved county’s proposed FY12 budget, a 22% real estate hike—one of the is up 5.65% or $1,047,106. This largest in county history. is largely due to the $285,000 The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors is proposing to change the county’s three voting dis- The proposed local funding for for capital improvements for the tricts into fi ve districts, with one supervisor and one school board member representing each of the schools is $7,271,109, which is schools; $451,224 for county capi- fi ve districts. On the map above, the proposed Jamaica District is in blue, Saluda District in pink, $273,414 over the current year’s tal projects that include install- Harmony Village District in purple, Hartfi eld District in green, and Pinetop District in brown. $6,997,695. This increase is pri- ing an elevator in the Woodward marily due to $285,000 that super- Building, erecting an E-911 visors have allocated in the school tower in Deltaville, demolition of capital improvements fund. This is part of old Rappahannock Cen- Five voting districts proposed the fi rst time in several years funds tral Elementary School at Cooks have been budgeted for school capi- Corner, fi xing drainage problems by Larry S. Chowning not allow any dilution of the white/black vote in that tal improvements. Of the $285,000, occurring on county land behind district. Jamaica District also has not grown much in $185,000 will pay for two new the Middlesex YMCA, an E-911 The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors has population since 2000. school buses, and $100,000 is ear- equipment upgrade, and other scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, May 10, at The proposed Jamaica District is the largest geo- marked for electrical service to 7:30 p.m. to discuss redistricting the county into fi ve graphic district, and runs from Laneview to Town the east wing at the and the Career (See Budget, page A2) voting districts. Bridge Road (Route 616) near Saluda and Urbanna, The proposed redistricting is in response to 2010 but does not take in the Remlik area. According to census data. the 2010 census, the proposed Jamaica District has a Currently, Middlesex County has three voting dis- total population of 2,237 with 1,398 whites and 779 Judge tells plaintiff to provide tricts—Jamaica, Saluda and Pinetop. Saluda and Pin- blacks. etop districts are each represented by two supervisors The proposal calls for splitting the current Saluda condo lawsuit documents and two school board members, and Jamaica District District into two districts. The new Saluda District is represented by one supervisor and one school board would start at Remlik and include Urbanna, Saluda, by Tom Chillemi lion lawsuit after the town council member. Cooks Corner and portions of Stormont. If approved, rejected its site plan for 14 con- Supervisors are considering creating two new dis- the new Saluda District would be the smallest dis- Potomac Timber Investments dominiums proposed for Urbanna tricts out of the current Saluda and Pinetop districts. trict, both in area and population. The district would has until April 21 to provide all Yachting Center near the Urbanna Populations in each district must not be greater have a population of 2,107 with 1,613 whites and 434 requested documents relating to its bridge. or less than 5% of the other districts to maintain the blacks. lawsuit against the Urbanna Town Town attorney John Conrad of required “one man-one vote” policy. This is man- The proposal calls for creating a new Harmony Vil- Council, ruled Middlesex Circuit the Virginia Municipal League dated by state and federal law. lage District starting near Cooks Corner and include Court Judge R. Bruce Long at a argued that the case has been set Jamaica District is not changing a great deal the Healys area, and all of Harmony Village to Grey’s March 28 hearing. because it is considered the county’s “minority dis- Potomac Timber fi led a $4.5 mil- (See Lawsuit, page A2) trict,” and the United States Justice Department will (See Five districts, page A2) Halls praised for’making a difference’ by Tom Chillemi ers and their families and, as we grow up, to our community. In this It’s not often that the commit- way, they have given more to the ment to helping others results in community in a personal and long- people being called “prophets.” lasting way than anyone I know,” But that’s how Bob Phipps, former she said. headmaster of Christchurch Although Becker didn’t meet the School, referred to Aubrey and Halls until she was 9 years old, she Margie Hall, founders of the refers to them as her godparents. non-profi t Jacob’s Ladder student “I do not doubt for one second that enrichment program. they were God’s instrument in my The Halls were honored for life,” she said. their dedication to youth by the Fred Gaskins, who is a neighbor Rotary Club of Middlesex during and friend of the Halls, told the its annual Pride of Middlesex cer- audience Aubrey has been choir emony Saturday night. director at the Urbanna Baptist Jacob’s Ladder helps gifted chil- Church for 43 years. “I can’t imag- dren whose life situations make ine how my spiritual life would it diffi cult for them to succeed. be without the Urbanna Baptist Jacob’s Ladder is a year-around, Church Choir, particularly because highly-structured academic and of its director.” life-skill mentoring program that Aubrey was one of the four includes a summer residential pro- original coaches in the Middlesex gram for its young participants, Youth Basketball League and won who are known as “climbers.” Middlesex Rotary Club president Burt Alexander (right) presents the Pride of Middlesex award to the fi rst championship in 1977, Phipps told the audience gath- Jacob’s Ladder founders Aubrey Hall and his wife Margie. Joining them is Olivia Becker (left), the noted Gaskins. ered in the Christchurch School very fi rst “climber” chosen to participate in the Jacob’s Ladder program. (Photo by Tom Chillemi) “I’ve heard a saying, ‘Once dining room that in 1991 Aubrey a coach always a coach.’ Coach came back from a mission trip to fun” and helps the kids bond and Jacob’s Ladder cannot be separated had potential and therefore we had Hall is still analyzing his offensive the Eastern Shore energized after create supportive families. from the virtues of its creators,” responsibility to ourselves and to moves while fi guring how to over- he met bright children of migrant Ruffa summed up the Halls’ for- said Becker. “They saw a raw need our community. And most impor- come obstacles,” said Gaskins. workers. Knowing the children mula for success as “potential plus in the lives of certain children. tant, we learned to have spirits of “When he and Margie observed had little chance of breaking away opportunity equals success.” The And, while so many could recog- hope and to live with faith and to bright children among the migrant from their bleak situation, Aubrey Halls identify potential in the chil- nize this need, they actually set out look to our futures with excitement worker families and realized their and Margie approached Phipps, dren and provide as many opportu- to do something about it. They put and positive expectations.” outlook was pretty much hopeless, who happily allowed the Halls to nities as they can, she said. Jacob’s Ladder together rung by In the 20 years she has known a game plan began buzzing in their use Christchurch School during On behalf of the Jacob’s Ladder rung and they created something the Halls, Becker said “they have heads and hearts. Team Jacob’s the summer for the program that staff, Ruffa said, “I thank you for extraordinary. been remarkable role models. The Ladder was about to form.” would evolve into Jacob’s Ladder. believing in us. Twenty years ago “I for one cannot even imagine depth of their generosity and kind- The Halls “accepted a calling Phipps said when he and his you planted some seed, you’ve what my life would look like if it ness has touched so many.” and have made a huge difference wife were moving back to Texas he seen many fruits of your labor, had not been for Jacob’s Ladder,” Becker said even when she in the lives of hundreds of kids.