Spotsylvania supervisors passed resolutions last night to recognize English as the county's official language and to join a coalition of governments that will study legislative solutions to illegal immigration.
Spotsylvania Supervisor Chris Yakabouski, who is running for the state senate against Sen. Edd Houck (D-Spotsylvania), brought forward both resolutions, which passed on 7-0 votes. Supervisors met later in closed session to get advice from legal counsel "on issues affecting local regulations on illegal immigration."
The coalition resolution states illegal immigrants "may cause an increased burden on county-provided services, increased cost to the county and a potential increase in crime rates."
The Culpeper Board of Supervisors initiated the coalition. Spotsylvania is the first to join among nine other counties, three towns and two city governments that have been invited, said Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio. The coalition will brainstorm and then recommend legislative solutions to the General Assembly's commission studying illegal immigration.
Supervisor Hap Connors had added to the coalition resolution that the state government reimburse localities for the management and law enforcement costs "incurred by mandates from the General Assembly and as a result of the failure of both the Federal and State government to adequately address this issue."
"I do agree with you," Yakabouski told Connors. "This is another place where we have to take a leadership role and do what we can. I hope more localities will join with us in tackling this issue."
The resolution making English the official language, which is already state law, is largely a political statement. The resolution states that no county agency is required by law to provide translators or information and documents that are in any other language but English.
On another matter, supervisors voted 7-0 to amend a special-use permit that will allow the elementary school on Massaponax Church Road to open by fall of 2008. The permit had required the School Board to fund improvements to Massaponax Church from the U.S. 17 Bypass to the intersection with Hickory Hill Drive before the school can open.
When the costs to improve the road as indicated in the permit doubled to $8 million, school officials returned to ask for an amendment to the permit.
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438| Supervisors passed on a 7-0 vote a third resolution requesting that the Cafaro Co. work with the Virginia Department of Transportation to examine alternative alignments to the Harrison Connector Road. The current alignment is engulfed in controversy, with a group of nearby landowners opposing it because of its proximity to their homes. The resolution asks Cafaro Co. and VDOT to agree on a design that is closer to Interstate 95 and farther away from the homes and neighborhoods that oppose its current proposed alignment.
Voted 7-0, on a motion by Supervisor Vince Onorato, to create a task force comprised of at least officials in Social Services, the school system and the Sheriff's Office to report in six months on how the county can better serve disadvantaged youth. Onorato said the idea of the task force came to him after two recent tragic, and fatal, domestic violence incidents in Spotsylvania County involving teenagers and their families. Adopted portions of the Virginia Uniform Property Maintenance Code that dictates room sizes per occupant. This action helps the code enforcement inspectors address overcrowding complaints, said County Attorney Jacob Stroman. Supervisors passed zoning amendment to define "family" to one or more persons related by blood or marriage together with any number of children, and no more than two roomers or boarders; or no more than three unrelated persons (eight if handicapped). Tabled for 30 days a zoning ordinance amendment that would have prohibited the parking of commercial trucks above 12,000 gross pounds in most residential subdivisions in the Primary Settlement District. |