By DAN TELVOCK
The Virginia Railway Express Operations Board has sent a letter to Spotsylvania County supervisors saying it won't make major changes to the master agreement to get the county to join.
But Operations Board members did budge on a few items, including removing the requirement that Spotsylvania build a VRE station in order to join the commuter rail service that runs from Fredericksburg and Manassas to Washington.
Two weeks ago the Operations Board met in closed session to discuss an April 17 letter from Spotsylvania County Attorney Jacob Stroman, who outlined the changes to the master agreement that county supervisors want.
The Board of Supervisors has met in numerous closed sessions this year to discuss the VRE master agreement.
The Free Lance-Star obtained a copy of the Operation Board's letter, which was sent to Spotsylvania officials Thursday.
VRE is supported by the cities of Alexandria, Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg and the counties of Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William and Stafford. The Operations Board is made up of elected officials from those localities, which pay for VRE.
Stafford and Fredericksburg officials have complained that they are subsidizing the approximate 1,000 Spotsylvania residents who board the trains at their stations.
In its letter, the Operations Board responded to the four changes to the master agreement sought by Spotsylvania supervisors:
Regarding the addition of an exit clause, the Operations Board said that currently the master agreement allows for a member jurisdiction to withdraw, but the process is not defined and it must be agreed upon unanimously by the Operations Board. The Operations Board said that because the circumstances of a withdrawal request cannot be predicted, an exit clause cannot be pre-negotiated. An exit process was not included in the agreement because it could undermine VRE's chances of getting credit to buy new equipment and locomotives.
Spotsylvania County will not have to build a VRE station, but if it does the county is responsible for the cost. The VRE Operations Board said it will help the county obtain grants but the cost of a station cannot be borne by the other eight member jurisdictions. The requirement to build a station can be waived. Meanwhile, VRE is proceeding with adding a third set of tracks so a station could be built in the Crossroads Business Park off the U.S. 17 bypass.
The county wants to ensure the 2 percent gasoline tax will always be enough to fund Spotsylvania's share of the VRE subsidy. The Operations Board said the master agreement would be greatly weakened if they put a cap on appropriations tied to an uncertain revenue source such as gas-tax revenues, which vary depending on consumption and the cost of gas.
The Operations Board said it cannot defer Spotsylvania's VRE payments. That issue would have to be negotiated after the county joins. The Operations Board also said the member jurisdictions should not be expected to forgo any payments by the county so all of the county's gas tax can be devoted to other transportation projects.
Supervisor Jerry Logan, who is the swing vote on the seven-member Board of Supervisors, said removing the requirement that the county must build a station is a major concession.
Logan said he also likes the idea that a VRE budget can pass only if approved by all member jurisdictions. One nay vote can hold up the budget process.
"I didn't find anything in the letter that would be a deal breaker," Logan said. "I think they are trying, as they said in the letter, very, very hard to accommodate us. I think the concession they made on the station is a major concession."
The Operations Board letter states that all member jurisdictions want Spotsylvania to join VRE, and they understand why elected leaders want to minimize the risks of joining.
"However, the provision of any essential public service carries some form of risk and should not be the reason to provide the service," the letter states. "As such, the VRE Operations Board felt that the county's effort to remove all of its risk from the agreement was simply not realistic and could not be accommodated."
Spotsylvania Supervisor Hap Connors, who supports joining VRE, said he does not think the Operations Board's decision should deter the county from joining.
"These are all red-herring issues to begin with," he said. "The vote is not so much about VRE; the vote is about the future of Spotsylvania County and our transportation needs."
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
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The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors will have a public hearing on joining VRE at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Courtland High School. For the county to join VRE, four of the seven supervisors must vote in favor. |