No layoffs expected, says Hanover administrator

Hanover County's budget for the next year will be lean, but County Administrator Cecil R. "Rhu" Harris Jr. said he doesn't anticipate any layoffs.

Harris presented his proposed $394.3 million budget to the Board of Supervisors tonight. It's down 5.6 percent from the current $417.7 million budget.

Harris told the board that, under normal circumstances, he'd be presenting a budget that enhances county services.

"Today's message is different," he said. "Today's message is about maintaining our quality of life and service levels in an economic downturn."

Harris said the county's work force will be reduced by 28 positions for a savings of about $1.2 million. Of those, 21 are vacant positions that won't be filled. The remaining jobs, which currently aren't filled, have been eliminated.

The tax rate will remain at 81 cents, though water and sewer fees will increase by roughly $6.42 annually for county residents.

Budgets for training, small equipment and furniture, computers and community support have been cut 20 percent, Harris said. There will be no additional positions for fire and emergency services or the sheriff's office, including three positions for each that were already approved. Funding has been cut for one replacement fire truck.

Additionally, the replacement schedule for county vehicles will be pushed back, along with some road and airport improvements. A new courts building that was scheduled for completion by December 2011 will now wait until at least two years after an economic recovery has occurred.

Because no one knows when that will be, Harris said it has been put into the capital improvement plan for 2014 for now.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 1, and the board is expected to adopt a budget April 15.

In other news, the board unanimously approved plans for a 10-home subdivision in the historic Brown Grove community off Ashcake Road.

Supervisor Aubrey M. Stanley, who represents the Beaverdam district, said residents who had concerns about the project met several times with the developers and came to an agreement on issues such as the community's appearance and the buffers surrounding it.

"It all came out for the betterment of everybody," Stanley said.

Seven of the 10 homes would be built by Hometown Realty and priced between $225,000 and $260,000. Two others would be built by Habitat for Humanity and would be available for families that meet the organization's eligibility requirements. One existing home on the property would be renovated.

The board heard the case last year but referred it back to the Planning Commission after Brown Grove residents and those in the neighboring Cheroy Woods community voiced concerns.

They said clustering lowand moderate-income homes in one area increases crime, and said Ashcake Road cannot handle additional traffic without first being improved. The Planning Commission twice recommended approval for the project.

Contact Holly Prestidge at