In case you missed the Feb. 22 Board of Supervisors meeting, here is a brief recap of items from the board’s monthly work session and business meeting:
ADVERTISEMENT OF LOCAL TAX RATES, PUBLIC HEARINGS ON BUDGET AND UTILITY RATES
The board authorized staff to advertise Chesterfield’s calendar year 2023 tax rates and set March 22 as the date of public hearings related to the fiscal year 2024 budget.
Chesterfield is advertising its maximum real estate tax rate for this year at 91 cents per $100 of assessed value – meaning the board can adopt any rate up to, but not exceeding the one advertised, when it finalizes the budget process in April.
That ensures county homeowners will receive at least a 1-cent reduction from the current 92-cent real estate tax rate.
Beginning at 6 p.m. on March 22, Chesterfield residents will have an opportunity to participate in public hearings on local tax rates, the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget, the proposed FY2024-2028 capital improvement program and proposed ordinance changes for FY2024 water and wastewater utility rates.
Fiscal year 2024 begins July 1.
FY2024 REVENUE WORK SESSION
Deputy County Administrator for Finance and Administration Matt Harris and Gerard Durkin, Chesterfield’s budget and management director, gave a presentation to the board on revenues to fund the county's fiscal year 2024 budget. You can watch the work session in its entirety by clicking on the video below.
CURBSIDE RECYCLING FEE WAIVER
The board adopted a resolution formally approving a waiver of Chesterfield’s $20.50 curbside recycling fee for the first six months of this year. That means eligible county households can remain in the program through June 30 at no charge.
Chesterfield is converting to a private sector-driven curbside recycling service model beginning July 1. To encourage continued strong participation in curbside recycling during the transition, staff recommended waiving the 2023 first-half recycling fee.
Any costs incurred above budgeted levels as a result of this action will be covered with part of the county’s fiscal year 2023 operating surplus.
UTILITIES WORK SESSION
George Hayes, director of Chesterfield’s Department of Utilities, briefed the board on its proposed fiscal year 2024 operating budget and FY2024-2033 capital improvement program. View his full presentation below.
PARTICIPATION IN SETTLEMENTS OF OPIOID-RELATED CLAIMS
The board approved Chesterfield’s participation in the proposed settlements of opioid-related claims against Teva, Allergan, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS.
Chesterfield is one of many localities, along with the Commonwealth of Virginia, currently engaged in litigation against multiple defendants seeking to recover costs already incurred, and that will be incurred in the future, in abating the opioid addiction epidemic.
Recently, retail pharmacies Walmart, Walgreens and CVS, as well as the opioid manufacturers Teva and Allergan, reached agreements on global settlements in the litigation that will provide monetary and injunctive relief to Chesterfield and the other plaintiffs.
These settlements can provide significant and much-needed resources to assist Chesterfield in the abatement of the opioid addiction epidemic. The county’s private opioid litigation counsel reviewed the proposed settlement plans and recommended its participation. The county attorney concurred with that recommendation.
