The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors meeting discussed several items: 1) Supervisor Phil Bazzani presented a proposal to outsource non-educational school functions like transportation, custodial services, and cafeterias to private contractors to potentially save costs. 2) The Economic Development Authority director updated the Board on business development activities in the county and obstacles like the Highway Overlay ordinance. 3) The Board asked the Planning Commission to do more work reviewing the Highway Overlay ordinance that has hindered business growth and caused some companies to locate elsewhere. 4) The Board delayed sewer expansion funding and asked for more clarity on costs and benefits as initial bids came in much higher than estimated.

1. March
19,
2014
“A
publication
for
the
good
citizens
of
the
York
District”
Issue
No.
2014-­‐5
The
York
District
Herald
After
all
…
It’s
Your
Tax
Money!
What
went
on
during
our
3/18/14
Board
Meeting
…
A Suggestion to
Privatize the Non-
Educational Functions
at the Schools
I did a presentation suggesting to the School Board (and the County for that matter) to look into
outsourcing some school functions that have nothing to do with educating our children. Members of
the school system presented their views on the idea before I presented. I proposed last night that the
School System look at our transportation, custodial and cafeteria functions as candidates for
outsourcing. The goal here is to save costs and use those savings to help our teachers in the county. I
discussed many localities in the Tidewater area who are doing just that very thing because their
budget shortfalls, and I asked the school system to “benchmark” these localities and issue RFP’s to
determine if there are real savings. Watch me on
http://gloucester.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=755 and select Item VII.B on the
left side of your screen. What do you think? Email me at friendsofphilbazzani@gmail.com. A copy of
my presentation was sent to you in the email for this Newsletter.
Presentation on
Economic
Development
Activities
The Director of the Economic Development Authority (EDA) provided us with a presentation on
business development activities here in Gloucester County. Aside from what has happened in the
past, many of us asked questions related to how much money we spend on EDA activities and the
results we get from that. We were dismayed when we heard that the Highway Overlay has hindered
business growth in Gloucester County for the past few years. It was the primary cause for a multi-million
dollar high-tech business to leave Gloucester County for York County. Now York County will receive
the economic benefits. I provided some ideas to help the EDA solicit interest from businesses who may
wish to locate to Gloucester County. But, the Highway Overlay must be drastically changed in order
to do that (see next topic below).
A Little More
Homework for the
Planning
Commission’s
Recommendation on
the Highway Overlay
At our January 23rd meeting, the Board of Supervisors directed the Planning Commission to review the
Highway Corridor Overlay District (HCOD) Ordinance and report back in 100 days with
recommendations for minimizing the scope and impact of the ordinance. The Highway Overlay
imposes over-reaching restrictions for how business can locate and do businesses along Highway 17.
We lost a high tech company just recently because of it. This ordinance has outlived its purpose and
usefulness. The Planning Commission did not go far enough to lessen its impact and we asked that we
meet with the Planning Commission to specifically discuss what we find objectionable about the
ordinance. We will invite businesses in Gloucester to voice their opinion as well. This ordinance has hurt
this County for a very long time – more homework needs to be done here.
A Better Accounting
for the Utility
Development Fund
We have delayed the funding to expand the County sewer system into the Terrapin Cove areas of
Gloucester. As you know from my third newsletter, the Utilities Department was surprised when they
received bids to expand the sewer at more that twice what was estimated. Moreover, it is still unclear
how many households intend to commit and hookup to the system if installed. We are still waiting for a
cost versus benefit analysis. But even more surprising is that the Development Fund contained within
the Utility Fund does not have sufficient money to pay for this project because of the accounting
method used to track it. The accounting treatment for this fund is confusing. We therefore asked the
County Administrator to treat the Development Fund as a separate account to allow more visibility as
to what can be spent. We can then determine if we have enough money for Terrapin Cove. But first,
there still needs to be a strategic plan for sewer expansion in Gloucester – something that currently
does not exist.
Next Scheduled
Meeting
The next scheduled meeting for the Board will be on March 24. Please come out and participate,
speak out, be a part of the decision making process!
PHIL BAZZANI – YORK DISTRICT SUPERVISOR www.philbazz.com
Ladies and Gentlemen: My goal with this newsletter is to keep you informed. Therefore, please send me your
email address at www.friendsofphilbazzani@gmail.com or my website at www.philbazz.com so you too can get a
copy of this Newsletter. And please forward this Newsletter to your friends and family!