The Neighbors Drive construction project may end up costing James City County taxpayers less if the county receives funding from the Virginia Department of Transportation through its Revenue Sharing Program.
The James City County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1, with Mary Jones (Berkeley), opposed to apply for up to $465,000 from VDOT’s Revenue Sharing Program at Tuesday’s meeting. The funds would be used toward the ongoing Neighbors Drive project, which is likely to cost the county millions unless funding is offset grants.
If the county receives funds from VDOT, the funding will require a match. Rather than using county funds, a grant the county received from the state will be applied to the match. That would mean a total of $930,000 for the project would not be funded by county taxpayers. According to a staff memo to the board, the estimated cost of the proposed improvements to Neighbors Drive would cost $930,000.
The board was originally slated to vote on the application at its Nov. 12 meeting, but Michael Hipple (Powhatan) asked for a deferral so he could get up to speed on the project. Because the issue had been brought forward earlier in the month, it was approved with no discussion and county staff did not give an in-depth presentation.
In the memo to the board, staff outlines the three project types eligible for VDOT funding:
- Priority 1: Projects involved in a Six-Year Improvement Plan or capital plan
- Priority 2: Projects on roads with poor surfaces as determined by VDOT criteria
- Priority 3: Projects that don’t fall under priority 1 or 2 criteria.
The Neighbors Drive reconstruction project would be a priority 3 project under the Revenue Sharing Program.
“Neighbors Drive currently exists as a dirt street and is in poor repair. This road has been identified for improvement … As part of this project, Neighbors Drive will be reconstructed to meet VDOT standards for acceptance in the state system of secondary roads,” reads the staff memo to the board.
Other Board Business
The board voted unanimously to approve a temporary police over-hire to fill a gap left vacant after an officer was injured in the line of duty in May. The officer was pinned between his patrol car and another man’s car after a fight between roommates at a senior living center. The officer shot and killed the man who struck him after the man drove away, came back on foot and threatened to kill the officer.
According to the staff memo to the Board of Supervisors, the officer “has been unable to return to work and his status for returning to work in full capacity is uncertain.”
The officer was assigned to work the evening shift, which has now been operating one man short for six months.
Because the injured officer is being paid through worker’s compensation, the police department is saving funds; those funds will be appropriated toward the over-hire officer. If the injured officer does not return to work, the over-hire officer will become permanent. If the officer does return to work, the temporary officer will be kept on board for several months or until a permanent position opens.