Travis Quesenberry The Gateway named King to Football George county Country... OUNTY administrator... Page 5 C Page 3 CONNECTIONS The Newsletter of the VACo 2008 VACo Virginia Association of Counties Annual welcomes Conference two associate Update...Page 5 members... October 15, 2008 Page 7 Virginia economy FTC Red Flag rules include local stalls and budget government accounts shortfall grows THE BUDGET By Phyllis Errico [email protected] Nov. 1 is the required compliance date for The Federal Trade Commission’s Red Flag Compliance rules. These rules arise from implementations of The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Deadline Act (“FACTA”) passed by Congress in 2003. November 1 Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s One of the principal purposes of FACTA is Revenue Reforecast and to combat the problem of identity theft. Red Flag rules apply to all financial institu- tions and creditors who offer covered accounts. Budget Plan If a locality operates a water and sewer department that bills customers for services already used, the FTC considers it to be a creditor with covered accounts By Dean Lynch because it is providing a service or property for later payment. [email protected] If a locality or authority operates some other office that provides a service or In a press conference to address goods to citizens who pay later, then the rules also apply. For example, if a locality Virginia’s Revenue Reforecast, Gov. operates a municipal airport that sells gas on account to based aircraft owners, the Timothy M. Kaine announced airport operations could be subject to the red flag rules. Thursday an executive spending The rules require entities to adopt identity theft prevention procedures designed reduction plan to meet the fiscal year to detect, prevent and mitigate identity theft in connection with these accounts. 2009 shortfall. A partial list of “red flags” spelled out by the FTC include : situations when an The governor’s plan reduces I.D. card appears to be forged or altered; notice from a credit reporting agency spending and the scope of some state about a customer; identifying information of a customer that is inconsistent with programs, while protecting K-12 other ID information; supplying the wrong address for billing; and breach of a education and other critical government utility’s computer system. functions. In order to comply with the rules, a locality must form a committee, name an The official revenue reforecast administrator, review current procedures and adopt policies and procedures to: projects a shortfall of $973.6 million for 1) Identify relevant red flags for covered accounts and incorporate those red flags FY09 and $1.54 billion for FY10, or into the program. just over $2.5 billion for the biennium. 2) Detect red flags that have been incorporated into the program. The resulting October forecast reduces 3) Respond appropriately to any red flags that are detected to prevent and mitigate total general fund revenues and identity theft. transfers for the 2008-2010 biennium by 4)Ensure the program is updated periodically to reflect changes in risks to $2.5 billion (minus-7.4 percent) from customers or to the safety and soundness of the creditor from identity theft. Penalties for failure to comply include civil penalties of up to $2,500. Budget More information and guidance can be found on the FTC information site: Continued on page 8 www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/10/redflag.shtm. COUNTY CONNECTIONS October 15, 2008 Name that County Courthouse! VACo Notes How times have changed. We found this gem in our history books. The League of Virginia Counties held its 1939 annual conference at the Hotel Danville. The banquet was enjoyed in the ball room on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The cost of a ticket was $1.50. Charles B. Godwin, Jr., commonwealth’s attorney for Nansemond County (which eventually merged with the City of Suffolk), presided over the event. Gov. James H. Price was the featured speaker, but was unable to attend. The Rev. Roland Wagner, pastor of Norfolk’s Central Baptist Church, spoke in Price’s place. The entertainment was presented by Sue Merritt, Evelyn Lewis and J. Howark (sic) Kalk. Don’t know? Merritt and Lewis sang duets and performed piano selections. Kalk amazed attendees with his Here are some hints. talents on the xylophone. An official check of registrations The county was formed in 1767 and was named for the Earl of showed that 166 delegates attended. Chatham. They represented 65 of the state’s 100 counties. Another part of the banquet It is the largest county in the Commonwealth, covering 982.98 program was John M. Rife, who pre- square miles. sented a lecture on the manufacture of synthetic materials. He demon- The land ranges from rolling to hilly with elevations averaging strated how yarn is made from milk, cloth made from glass and glass between 400 to 800 feet above sea level. made from coal, water and air. Among the many issues Still don’t know? discussed earlier in the day was vigorous opposition against any Here’s one more. diversion of state highway funds to other purposes. T. Coleman Andrews, first vice president of the The chairman of the Board of Supervisors is Coy E. Harville. Citizens’ Road League of Virginia, waged the strongest opposition. If you haven’t googled the answer, read the rest of County He said that Virginia’s highway Connections. system and traffic have developed to such an extent that the state soon would have superhighways and The answer is hidden somewhere among these pages. one-way traffic on state roads. He also added that the state has barely scratched the surface of road building. 2 COUNTY October 15, 2008 CONNECTIONS Local land use tools Travis Quesenberry under scrutiny named county administrator for By Ted McCormack [email protected] King George The 2008 Enforcement/Clarification of UDA General Assembly Statute) were headed by subcommittee created the Joint legislative members and included Commission to members from local government, the Study Development development community, environmental and Local Land Use groups and other interested parties. Tools (SJR 70/HJR All three work groups met prior to 178) to examine and the Oct. 9 meeting of the full monitor transition to subcommittee and reviewed a series of Del. Clay Athey channeling develop- questions concerning their respective was elected chairman of the ment into the Urban area of responsibility. Joint Commission Development Areas Reports of the work groups, as well to Study (UDAs required of as presentations by the homebuilders Development and 57 counties by HB and the Smithfield town manager, were Local Land Use Tools. 3202). heard by the full subcommittee on Oct. The commis- 9. Photo by Phyllis Cook/The Journal sion also was tasked to determine if Based on the subcommittee King George County’s Interim additional legislation is needed to help meetings to date, as well as the activities County Administrator Travis localities make that transition; and to of the work group, several main themes Quesenberry is taking over the evaluate all existing land use planning have emerged: administrative position permanently. tools and infrastructure financing On Oct. 7, the Board of options. * Incentives to developers and local Supervisors announced Quesenberry as At it first meeting in September, governments may be needed to foster the replacement for Bryan David, the Del. Clay Athey, patron of HJR 178 growth in UDAs. previous administrator, who left in May. and author of the UDA statute, was * State oversight/enforcement “I grew up in King George County elected chairman and Sen. Jill mechanism and technical assistance and this is certainly a great Holtzman Vogel, patron of SJR 70, was may be needed to ensure that UDAs are opportunity,” Quesenberry said. “I’m elected vice-chairman. implemented as intended by the humbled by the Board’s decision, and I VACo, the staff of the Commission General Assembly. look forward to working with the excel- and various environmental * State regulations and local ordinances lent staff, the citizens and the Board of organizations gave presentations at the may hamper implementation of UDAs. Supervisors.” initial meeting that highlighted * The UDA statutes may need some Quesenberry has been filling in opportunities and concerns with the additional flexibility to reflect state’s since that time and previously served as current land use “tool box” available to diverse localities. the county engineer. localities, including UDAs. These themes and others will be “It may or may not be unusual for From those presentations, Del. explored in subsequent meetings. The a county engineer to become county Athey identified several issues that full committee will meet on Nov. 13 in administrator,” Quesenberry said. “I warranted further study and appointed Richmond and are tentatively scheduled think the one thing the Board is clear three work groups to address those to discuss the impact of state on is that they wanted someone who items. regulations on UDAs. could get things done. Engineers have a The work groups (Proffers vs. The chairman has stated that he reputation of getting things done right Impact Fees; Cooperation with does not foresee that the subcommittee and on time.” State/Regional/Local Public will recommend any legislation prior to Supervisors agreed to pay him an Entities/Cooperation with Utilities; and its final report to the 2010 Session. annual salary of $140,000 with a $5,000 The answer to the Name that annual deferred compensation package. County Courthouse question is Pittsylvania. His promotion was effective immediately. 3 COUNTY CONNECTIONS October 15, 2008 2008 Annual Conference Update VACo’s Preliminary Nov. 9-11/The Homestead 2009 Legislative Program available online Conference update: Governor to speak 3 p.m.