The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved an annual increase in the curbside recycling fee during their Feb. 19 meeting.
The action came as part of the consent agenda and will result in an annual fee of $40. It will go into effect June 5. The old rate was $25 a year.
Clay Bowles, the county’s director of general services, said that the $15 annual increase takes into account an expected 3-percent decline in enrollment. It also factors in annual increases of two percent in the Consumer Price Index.
The county recycles over 14,000 tons a year, Bowles said.
Utility increase
Also as part of the consent agenda, supervisors authorized advertisement of an increase in the water and wastewater rates that would result in the typical residential customer paying $1.29 more a month, according to director of utilities George Hayes and director of budget and management Andrea Peeks.
The typical bill would go from $57.17 a month to $58.96 under the proposal.
The increase will be considered as part of a hearing on proposed tax rates and the budget at 6 p.m. March 25. The proposed real estate and personal property tax rates would remain at 95 cents and $3.60 per $100 of assessed value.
Teacher study
Supervisors approved an expenditure of $100,000 to study teacher recruitment, retention and salary as part of the consent agenda.
During public comment near the end of the meeting, several people spoke in support of teachers and schools. The meeting ended with a chant of “Fund our schools!”
DuPont grant
The supervisors also approved a grant agreement with DuPont Specialty Products USA LLC that will result in the company getting $250,000 from the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund along with a match from the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority.
DuPont plans to build a new facility near its current facility at 5401 Jefferson Davis Highway at a cost of some $110 million, according to EDA director Garrett Hart. He said that the expansion would result in the addition of 60 new jobs.
The county would refund a marginal increase in the machinery and tools tax to DuPont based on some $103.9 million in investment in machinery and tools from the 2019, 2020, and 2021 fiscal years, Hart said.
EDA lease
The supervisors agreed to a renewed lease of 4,741 square feet at Centre Court for use by the EDA.
The new lease with Family Holdings LC at 9401 Courthouse Road will be for $6,945.50 a month, or $83,346 a year. The current lease — which expires March 31 — is $7,340.58 a month, or $88,087 a year. The new contract would run through Jan. 31, 2023 and include 3-percent annual increases.
Legislative update
During a work session on Feb. 19, Mary Ann Curtin, the county’s legislative liaison, updated the supervisors on happenings at the General Assembly.
Curtin said that more than 600 conference committees will be created to deal with bills that passed the House and Senate during the first half of the session.
The big issues, at least from the county perspective, include potential changes to local taxing authority, collective bargaining and the minimum wage.
Another item of note is a possible change to “599” law enforcement grants, she said, noting the Senate passed an increase in such funds, but the House didn’t.
The supervisors will next meet March 11.
