Bids for two synthetic turf fields in Louisa County come in over budget 

The seven-member Board of Supervisors in Louisa County returns after a mid-July break with a meeting that begins with a closed session at 5 p.m. They convene in the Louisa County Public Meeting Room with a regular session beginning at 6 p.m. (agenda)

There are some items on the consent agenda worth reviewing. This is where you can track the interconnected nature of federal, state, and local governments through a series of well-established grant programs. 

• Supervisors will consider a resolution declaring a drought disaster, clearing the way for affected property owners to apply for federal relief funds from the United States Department of Agriculture. (learn more)
• Louisa Supervisors will also allocate over $1,184,826.50 in unused federal COVID relief funds for several building renovation projects. (learn more)
• Supervisors will appropriate $46,555.60 in funding from Virginia’s Office of Emergency Medical Services for training of EMS Personnel. (learn more)
• Supervisors will adopt a resolution recognizing J. Douglas “Doug” Straley II as the 2024 Virginia Superintendent of the Year as recognized in April by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents. (learn more)
• Supervisors will accept $69,318 in grant money from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for the Victim Witness Assistance Program. (learn more)
• There’s another $100,455 in federal funds passing through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services for the Strengthening Families program. (learn more)
• There’s a resolution marking the Louisa County Animal Shelter being recognized by the organization Best Friends for having a “save rate of 90 percent” or more for cats and dogs, ensuring that only animals with irreparable medical or behavioral issues were humanely euthanized.” (learn more)
• Supervisors will approve $55,000 that the General Services Department plans to use to update existing fluorescent light fixtures with more energy efficient LED fixtures at the Ogg Building. (learn more)
• Supervisors will approve $100,000 to replace the cooling system at the Louisa Branch of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library. (learn more)
• There’s also an approval to spend $121,311.79 from the FY25 budget on replacement of motor vehicles. (learn more)
• Supervisors will ask the Virginia Department of Transportation for a speed study on Belle Meade Road, the first step toward a reduction in the speed limit. (learn more)
• Supervisors will approve a letter of support for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission for funding they are seeking for a housing needs assessment. (learn more)

Under regular business, there will be a presentation from Lake Anna Rescue. There are no advance materials, but I learned the service dates back to 1998 and originally operated out a barn with one ambulance. 

There are four action items.

• Supervisors will approve a total of $550,000 to the Louisa County Water Authority for two projects. One is $350,000 for a Sludge Vac System for the Northeast Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and $200,000 for the James River Water Authority for right-of-way maintenance. (resolution)
• The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office received accreditation in FY2024. That requires more documentation to be kept about department activities and there is a request to purchase software from Neogov called PowerDMS for $20,438. The source of funds would come from assets seized by the departments. (learn more)
• Louisa Supervisors recently raised the transient occupancy tax rate to seven percent and a portion of that revenue must go to tourism-related activities. There’s a resolution to formally set aside that revenue into its own fund in the county budget. (learn more)
• There will be a briefing on a budget shortfall related to construction of two synthetic turf fields at Louisa County Middle School. Supervisors allocated $3,556,830 to the project and so far $328,395 has been spent on engineering, purchase of nutrient credits, and project bonding.
  
  Bids have come in over the $3,228,435 left remaining and Supervisors will be asked to select between two options going forward including reducing the project to one field. (read the recommendation)

There are two public hearings:

• Supervisors will take public comment and potential action on an increase in various fees charged by the Community Development Department. The Planning Commission recommended denial for a variety of reasons. (memo)
• There will be a public hearing on a rezoning for Louisa Mini-Storage related to the type of vegetation that can be used in a required landscape buffer. The Planning Commission will take up changes on Thursday to the overall ordinance to allow more flexibility on this topic. (memo)

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the August 5, 2024 Week Ahead edition of the newsletter.