The highlight of the BOCS meeting tomorrow will be the announcement of the new county executive officer. All lips are sealed as to who will lead the county. According to the Manassas News and Messenger:
Craig Gerhart left the position months ago for a contract job with Amtrak. Assistant county executive Susan Roltsch has since filled the shoes. Following an extensive and nationwide search, and interview of a select few at Old Hickory Golf Course a few weeks ago, supervisors have found a permanent replacement.
The 3 p.m. announcement interrupts the supervisors’ regular board meeting, which includes discussion of the county’s 2010 legislative priorities and two Fire and Rescue Dept. issues – the quarterly report from the Fire and Rescue Association and whether to move to the next stage of a policy that would charge users for medical emergency transport.
Craig Gerhart announced his resignation last spring, so the county has taken its good sweet time locating a replacement. I heard a rumor that Corey himself had applied for the job but I didn’t believe it. He did say there was no heir apparent, if that gives us any clues.
On a serious note, will the new CXO be someone from inside or will the new person be an outsider? Will the person come in and clean house or will things be status quo? Will the new CXO walk softly, carry a big stick for a while, get the lay of the land and then make changes or will there be Operation Clean Sweep down at Complex 1? Will trumpets blare as Corey Stewart makes his announcement? Why will the announcement be made at 3 pm? Such ceremony. Are we to expect a coronation to follow? (Where is MoM when we need him!)
The good news is, this decision took less time than deciding the outcome of Silver Lake.
Update: Corey Stewart also plans to present a resoltuion to address school over-crowding in the Linton Hall area where all schools are over capacity. Details are from the Manassas News and Messenger:
LINTON HALL, Va.—Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart plans to present a resolution today aimed at addressing school overcrowding in the Linton Hall area.
In an e-mail sent to Bristow residents, Stewart said he plans to ask the board today to adopt a new policy requiring three news schools be opened and sites acquired for two more before “a single new occupancy permit is issued for a house in a new rezoning” in the Linton Hall area.
“I have received many e-mails, phone calls and visits from you concerning schools in your neighborhood,“ Stewart said in the e-mail addressed to Bristow residents. “You have told me that school overcrowding, particularly in elementary schools, is a top priority… You would like to have new school sites located in the Linton Hall area, not several miles away in a different neighborhood.“
His resolution specifically calls for two new elementary schools and a new high school in the Linton Hall area to be built and opened, and sites for a third new elementary school and a new middle school in the same area be acquired before new homes are built.
Stewart said the proposed new policy “would require that school overcrowding be addressed” before any new houses come to the Linton Hall area and “would also create a strong incentive for new school sites to be located in the Linton Hall Road area.“
Is this resolution crossing over into School Board territory? While most of us agree that there should be schools for all new houses, the unholy alliance between local jurisdictions and their school boards is somewhat difficult to understand. Basically each school board is independent but it have no means to raise revenue. All of its money must come from the jurisdiction.
Saw an interview with Corey on TV-8 today where he mentioned an
important issue for local school funding – the state’s “composite index”
formula for school systems. Virginia uses this system
to allocate money to juriisdictions based on “ability to pay”.
For years, being wealthier meant that NoVa would get a smaller cut
while poorer areas would get more financial support per child –
the formula was adjusted every two years. Now, due to the recession,
for the first time in over a decade, NoVa, while still wealthier that most
of Virginia, has seen the gap narrow and consequently should
get a bigger piece of the pie — that would help PWC and the two cities,
except former Gov. Kaine, backed by the down state crowd, moved
to have it frozen and not readjusted this year.
Gov, Bob McDonnell, we trust, will overturn this wrong.
(The local composite decreased in 31 jurisdictions – while increasing in 97.
Manassas had the largest decrease of any of the cities).
I have never liked that our money often went down state.
I remember the days before that happened. There is only so much robbing from the rich and giving to the poor I am going to go along with before hollering ‘uncle.’
Keep us posted on this subject, PR.
I’m hoping for a Sherriff Joe.
Sheriff Joe for CXO?
What are you smoking over there, Rick?
I support Corey Stewart’s resolution. No more housing permits should be issued until the county addresses school overcrowding. This is a very important issue.
There are few “public servants” with the integrity, honor, and cajones of Sherriff Joe. We would never get that lucky.
Amen!
Add me to the list, as someone who lives in the Linton Hall Road corridor. Glenkirk ES saw a whole bunch (I think 7) trailers put in before the current school year.
In case you haven’t been following this, the County is trying to build a new subdivision.
The proposed Avendale subdivision would sit on about 125 acres near the intersection of Vint Hill and Nokesville roads. The project also included a proposal to realign Vint Hill Road.
The BOCS put off a vote last week and apparently is trying to vote on it this week (today) even though it has not been announcened as an agenda item.
Here’s the background: http://www2.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/bristow/article/prince_william_postpones_avendale_vote/50286/
If you wish to take action, please see the email below. Thank you.
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
—– Original Message —–
From: Michelle Trenum
Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 11:14 PM
Subject: Emergency: Second Avendale vote tomorrow, please send email by Jan. 19 2 pm
Please send a quick short email (sample below) ASAP to [email protected] (this address goes to all 8 supervisors) RIGHT AWAY. It will only take a second. The BOCS meeting is at 2 pm, January 19. Please forward this to anyone who might be able to email before 2 pm. We need a quick response as I just found out tonight. Beg your neighbors and friends to email right away.
I am so very disappointed that they would try to sneak a vote in like this which was not advertised in any way. It is despicable. It is not even listed on the agenda so the public has no way of knowing about the vote. In fact I would not know, had not a supervisor called and given me a warning. They are proposing a new policy which at first appears to address overcrowding but without capacity language allows them to build build build without addressing overcrowding. It is a ruse to make it look like they are cleaning up the problem when in reality it makes things worse.
Here is an email if you don’t want to construct your own: Subject: NO AVENDALE
Please do not approve Avendale. Why would the board want to take a vote on an item which isn’t even on the agenda or available for the public to view? It goes against every aspect of transparency, especially since the vote concerns land use. We have overcrowded schools. We want to protect the rural crescent. Avendale makes both of these problems worse.
The suggested Linton Hall policy wording does not go far enough because it does not address capacity which is crucial to solving the problem. Without capacity, the situation would be the same as if you have voted for Avendale last Tuesday. Please keep the rural crescent line where it currently stands and DO NOT approve Avendale. Please do not schedule votes on large land use issues without giving the public any notice. We want to keep the process at the Board of Supervisor’s meetings transparent which makes for good government that serves the public.
Thank you
Can you take my comment out of moderation please?
Dumb question, but I’m trying to understand. Is the schools resolution tied to the rezoning? In other words, we will pass this resolution to build these schools as long as the rezoning is also passed? Or we are passing this schools resolution, so pay no attention to the other resolution being passed at the same time? Why did it take citizens getting up to speak at a meeting to get the logjam on unbuilt schools on the table?
Captain Soundbyte strikes again. I would note a couple of things:
1. I doubt the resolution is enforceable given Virgina statutes and precedents.
2. The issue is more appropriately addressed in the Comp Plan and specifically in the Land Use section as that largely controls rezoning opportunities. (What a concept, draft a Land Use Plan that actually addresses the future)
3. The resolutions is tied occupancy permits issued for houses in new rezonings, thus it doesn’t mean that they won’t add more houses, they want to require more schools before they let people move in.
4. The resolution doesn’t address who will pay for the sites, construction or staffing. I can damn near guarantee it won’t be a developer.
5. Why stop at just schools? (could this merely be playing the “its all about the kids” card again) What about requiring completed roads, firestations, hiring additional police, water towers, completed parks, etc., etc.
Just another example of hard questions and bad press making the monkey jump.
Captain Soundbyte. LOL I can’t stand it. MoM, you now how to get me every time. (Mom knows when I have just taken a big swig of something….that ends up on the screen)
That resolution sounds to me like the BOCS has total control over the schools. It does not. Thus, the unholy alliance. I am not sure there can be any teeth in the resolution or if it is even legal. Who knows? I smell a rat. Perhaps it is Captain Soundbyte….Where is our cartoonist?????
I feel a new series coming about.
Cindy, I am confused also. There is just some cross pollination going on here that I don’t think is legal or in the total purview of the BOCS.
It isn’t that I don’t agree, I am just strongly suspicious of such a resolution. How can the BOCS oppose or not oppose approval of new home sites or occupancy permits based on schools? Schools are never built before the houses on the chance someone might move into those houses. The resolution just sounds empty to me. (and somewhat illegal)
Soundbyte-Man, Soundebyte-Man
Creates a Linton Hall Housing Ban
Takes a stance, to patronize
Then gets caught in his lies
Look out! Here comes the Soundbyte-Man
I need a tune! I need a tune! A certain contributor is singing in my ear on the phone.
@Mom
Care to share your prediction of our new CXO may be?
Nice work with theme song.
No idea.
If Corey has his way it could be Kukla, Fran, Ollie, Bert, Ernie, Kermit or a blow-up doll.
Stewart’s resolution is a waste of paper. It ONLY applies until two new elementary schools can be built and does nothing to address the fact that the school systems planning office is staffed by a bunch of buffoons. Schools in the Linton Hall area have been overcrowded (120 – 140% overcapacity) for over 9 years. Every new elementary school built in the area in the last 9 years was supposed to relieve the overcrowding. None did. At the last BOCS meeting the PWCS planning office staff failed to mention that a new school on the proffered land at Avendale would be at least 7 – 9 years away and wouldn’t be sufficient.
Forget a stupid useless resolution. Someone should be fired.
What elementary schools have been in the Linton Hall area (whatever that really means) longer than 9 years?
For years and years the western end of the county’s schools were under capacity. Meanwhile the eastern end couldn’t keep up. In the early 70’s the eastern end schools had to go year round to pick up the slack. The plan was a failure.
Apparently not much was learned from the eastern end over the decades. For all the school board bashing, they aren’t the ones issuing the zoning and development approval. They must react and they sure can’t build schools as each new development is put in. They houses have to be there first.
Great points ABC. Corey hopes this will create cover for him voting in favor of Avendale. Does he think citizens are THAT stupid they won’t notice his breaking of the pledge or his last minute agenda additon of Avendale?
So how many people in these forums that are against Avendale live in one of the same cookie cutter communities that have sprouted up in the past 10 years in Bristow/Brentsville/Haymarket? Didn’t you notice those areas were a CF to begin with? What’s one more “planned” community?
Seems hypocritical to me.
Thanks of it this way -> you’ll have more anti’s if Avendale is built.
Hi Mando, Haven’t seen you around lately.
I think each of us comes in to this with a different degree of intensity. I don’t live in that area so I am not going to fall on my sword on it like someone who lives out that way. I would see it as an area of compromise after 12 years. I don’t want my county to be wall to wall concrete and shopping malls but I don’t think we can expect a complete stand still for the rest of eternity. b
Does that address your issues from an ‘in town’ point of view? If memory serves me, you are county also, but inside 66 as I am?
Re: new CXO. It will be Melissa Peacor
That is good news. She is very competent.
Great choice.
So there was an heir apparent.
You and I must have very, very different definitions of competent.
MoM, I expect it has to do with how close one deals. I am definitely John Q. Public.
It has been my experience that when one is allowed to chart one’s own course, rather than having to be a yes man or woman, things come down quite differently. I was also going along with what my mother taught me….
Moon, with all due respect, I agree with Mom. There’s a lot going on with Peacor that you are not aware of. She represents all of Gerhart’s corruption and duplicity, with none of his intelligence. She was also nothing more than Gerhart’s “hatchet-man” and has been helping Griffin, Utz and the others turn PWC over to the developers. If Corey supports her becoming County Exec, he’s gone completely over to the dark side. Keep your heads down when the excrement starts to fly if she is indeed appointed. This is going to be worse than the OIT scandal, and Corey will pay the price for it.
OMG NTK – you couldn’t be more wrong. Gerhart and Peacor are two very different people. She is the brains of the county. Once he left it was very clear even to outsiders. No one could be in a better position that Stewart to watch and listen. And I’m on record as not being a Stewart fan. If Fontbonne is correct, this is a good thing.
I’d say that there’s “a lot going on that you are not aware of”!!!
OK, having just listened to the Fire Chief, I give up. The BOCS members are either disingenuous, stupid, comatose or have the attention spans of gnats. I have been screaming for years that the capacity of the fire service in PWC is grossly overstretched, generally when opposing some development plan or another that relied on unbuilt stations. The Planning Office has consistently found them to be in compliance with the County Plans despite locations outside the recomended response times or reliance on overburdened stations. The only response in recent years, change the formula for calculating the stations call burden. Well, now the Chief has laid it all out in black and white and suddenly its unacceptable. Newsflash, its been unacceptable for years, MORONS.
With you on that one Mom. We are an urban county operating with a rural mentality and fire department.
We need a full time career Fire Department. Just like on TV.
juturna – Meaning no disresepct to you, but you would be absolutely astounded if you knew what I know. I’m not talking about rumors but documentation and many first-hand accounts of how corrupt and incompetent she is. PWC led by Peacor, Griffin and Utz is the worst scenario I can imagine.
NTK has it nailed, and I speak from first-hand experience.
Gee, since we are anonymous hard to tell who’s “really in the know” now isnt it. I find it amusing.
juturna – I would be perfectly willing to participate in a meeting where we all meet face-to-face and exchange what we know, including you, Mom, me, and anyone else here who agrees that our blog names remain private outside that meeting. You would walk away from that meeting with a vastly different perspective of our senior County leaders. If Elena wants to try to organize that meeting, she’s got my go-ahead.
I agree on the fire dept. I heard the presentation last year. It was unacceptable last year. Why are the BOCS acting like apes discovering fire?
Different people will probably come away with different opinions on all county employees. Different people have different experiences. I have always heard good things about Ms. Peacor and especially from those who work with her.
I am most uncomfortable saying someone who is not a public figure is corrupt.
I am not in this fight, however. I just want to remind everyone that the blog is public and since no names were announced, I believe the person getting bashed really isn’t a public figure–yet. And the bottom line is, everyone will just have to agree to disagree.
No, I can’t do a face to face – even based on a promise. Sorry. I just think we should stick to opinion and not call things facts unless we do choose to out ourselves.
I’ve followed the Utz/Griffith thing. I think that only one side has been presented. I would suggest that if there was a good case to be made against the county than on the behalf of women, then Sharon Pandak would take it pro bono.
Have you or those involved contacted her?
Peacor is Gerhart in a skirt, minus the charm. If you keep doing what you been doing, you’re going to get what you always got.
And make no mistake, there is always an heir-apparent in Gerhartland.
Wow. Disgruntled employee or what!!!
Oh well, IF it’s true we will find out in two weeks.
Isn’t this fun?!!!
I have a lot of respect for Sharon – good idea juturna. If Sharon is reading please contact Elena and let’s talk.
Gerhart in a skirt? – I was going to have dinner soon. Just lost my appetite.
This info is still at the rumor stage.
I can’t see what Anti-bvbl would stand to gain putting a dog in this fight.
Agree, MH. Best just to wait and see. Facts are good. Rumor is fun. So, let’s just call this all fun and enjoy it!!
NTK – I would think that Sharon Pandak would/could put the issue to rest. From what I know of her I would trust her judgement – rude behavior or harassment. That needs to be sorted out.
How is that reading course coming along with Antireporter and Patty? Make sure you read carefully. Try comment 9. That tells you all you need to know and also where the rumor came from. Now whose what is bigger than their mouth? If you do your homework and read more than the headlines you might keep yourself from sounding ignorant.
BVR, Obvioiusly they did NOT even bother to read the words of their blogmiester. Attack mode is the approach of choice by some posters over there. Very telling.
“Disgruntled employee”
That’s an interesting comment.
There are disgruntled employees everywhere. Why do you think it is remarkable in this instance, fontbonne?
Lafayette, typical attack dog?