Stafford County could see two new fire stations, a new library and renovations to a parched athletic field in the next few years.
During its meeting yesterday, the Board of Supervisors approved the county's Capital Improvements Program, a five-year plan for upgrading government services, schools, equipment and buildings.
In a special meeting last week, the board had requested the Economic Development Authority issue revenue bonds to finance specific time-sensitive projects, such as upgrades to county fields and a new radio and communication system for the Sheriff's Office and Fire and Rescue Department.
The two Smith Lake Park fields will be renovated with synthetic turf, which would cost about $900,000 each.
The county's first responders will get a $27 million radio communication system under the plan. The radio system in place now has spotty coverage, which has led to a breakdown in communication. A recent independent report analyzing firefighters' response to a May 15 house fire found that there was poor communication at the scene.
Other CIP items include a new fire station near the Stafford Regional Airport, and another station in North Stafford. The Fire and Rescue Department will also receive a training center for firefighters and the southern end of the county will get a new public library, planned off U.S. 17.
The CIP will also make upgrades to some county schools, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courthouse and the Courthouse basement.
The entire CIP is being paid for with bonds and will cost $285.5 million over the next five years, leaving $46 million toward the county's borrowing limit.
In other board news, George Washington District Supervisor Pete Fields proposed an emergency resolution to stop the board from making land-use decisions until January 2008, when three new supervisors join the board.
But the proposal never made it onto the board agenda. Supervisors who opposed discussing the resolution viewed it as an attempt to block exiting supervisors from making land-use decisions before their terms expire at the end of the year. Fields and Rock Hill District Supervisor Robert Gibbons did not seek re-election and will be replaced by Democrat Harry Crisp and Republican Cord Sterling. Board Chairman Jack Cavalier lost his re-election bid to Democrat Bob Woodson for the Griffis-Widewater seat.
"It's strictly a political ploy," said Garrisonville District Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer. "I don't see this as an emergency."
But Fields said land-use decisions have "far-reaching implications" and should not be rushed.
Hartwood District Supervisor Joe Brito said he thought the resolution was worth discussing. "I think that the emergency here is the land-use decisions that will gobble up the water taps that we have here," he said.
Fields, Brito and Falmouth Supervisor George Schwartz voted to add the resolution to the agenda. Dudenhefer, Gibbons and Aquia District Supervisor Paul Milde voted against it. Cavalier was absent, which resulted in a tie vote. Since a supervisor was absent during a tie vote, the resolution was deferred to the next board meeting in December.
The board was to discuss a Business, Professional, Occupational and License Tax deferred from an April board meeting. However, in a 6-0 vote, with Cavalier absent, supervisors voted to defer BPOL discussions indefinitely.
Kafia Hosh: 540/735-1977