The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved a spending plan for $51.6 million in CARES Act funding during its Aug. 26 meeting.
Deputy county administrator for finance Mark Harris said the supervisors had previously appropriated $10 million of federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, including $5 million for business grants and $500,000 for mortgage and rental assistance.
Harris presented what he called “a very thoughtful plan” to the supervisors. “We didn’t ask for this,necessarily, but it’s here,” he said of the funds. “We need to find ways to serve our community … and have a lasting impact.”
He noted that the funds need to be spent by Dec. 30.
The plan includes seven categories: schools, virus mitigation, business assistance, food insecurity, community assistance, telework/distancing efforts, and items previously programmed.
Some of the specific items on the list in schools include HVAC improvements, $11.2 million; personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, $6.1 million; Chromebooks and software, $5.2 million; buses to support social distancing, $3 million; and trailer repositioning to social distancing, $1.5 million.
Virus mitigation includes $2.1 million for six new ambulances, and $530,000 for converting libraries to support telework/social distance learning.
The county plans to spend $6.4 million for laptops for county employees to support telework. The amount includes deployment costs, Harris said.
Business assistance includes $3 million for day care support, including a YMCA program.
Satellite voting locations
The supervisors approved adding satellite absentee voting locations at the LaPrade and Meadowdale libraries. Harris said they would consider adding the North Courthouse Road and Matoaca libraries at a special meeting on Sept. 2.
Voter registrar Constance L. Hargrove said voting at the locations would likely open for two weeks prior to the Nov. 3 general election from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Worsley hiring approved
The supervisors hired parks and recreation director James D. Worsley as the new deputy county administrator for human services, effective Oct. 1. He will replace Sarah C. Sneade, who has been in the position since July 2010.
Worsley’s new annual salary will be $180,000, according to county spokeswoman Teresa Bonifas. He makes $142,631 in his current position.
County administrator Joe Casey said Worsley has been working for the county for four years, same as Casey.
“You’ve taken us to a level at Parks and Rec that we haven’t been before,” supervisor James Holland said.
More apartments
As part of the consent agenda, the supervisors approved a resolution in support of financing from the Virginia Housing Development Authority for The Station at Chester Village.
The proposed 201-unit apartment complex would be located on 6.7 acres north of Route 10 and west of Chester Road.
The developer, Wexler Chester LLC, plans to build 65 one-bedroom units, 126 two-bedroom units, and 10 three-bedroom units.
Under the application, the apartments would be required to rent at least 20 percent of the units to persons making less than $71,520 a year. A board document noted that the median household income for Chesterfield County is $89,400.
Contracts approved
The supervisors approved contracts to Southwood Building Systems for the renovation of Bensley Park athletic field and trails and a parking lot addition at the recreation center. The contracts are for $183,000 for the field and $207,000for the parking.
They also approved a $1.3 million contract to Manolis Painting Inc. to paint the exterior and interior of the Bermuda water storage tank. Manolis had the lowest of three bids.
Blighted properties
Upon the request of community enhancement director Daniel Cohen, the supervisors declared two properties “blighted:” 4731 Black Oak Road in the Dale District and 1358 Old Bon Air Road in the Clover Hill District. Holland (D-Dale) made the motion and Chris Winslow (R-Clover Hill) seconded it, and it passed unanimously.
Cohen said the Dale property has had 11 violations since 2012 and the Clover Hill property has had 26 violations since 2010.
“We really need to look at these issues,” Holland said.
Once the “blighted” declaration is made, the county may proceed with acquiring or repairing the property to cure the blight, a board document states.
