At their October 1st meeting, the
Campbell County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution objecting to the
recent votes from the Nelson County and Appomattox County representatives to
the Region 2000 Services Authority. At the September 25th meeting of the Region
2000 Service Authority, the representatives from Nelson and Appomattox voted
against releasing the annual payments that are due to Campbell County and the
City of Lynchburg for the air space consumed over the prior budget year.
This
unprecedented vote withheld $976,871 from Campbell County and $430,724 from the
City of Lynchburg. In the absence of this funding, local funds will be required
to fill the budget gap. In every prior year of the Authority’s existence, both
Campbell County and the City have been compensated for that year’s air space.
The Authority’s failure to award these annual payments represents a complete
disregard for the spirit of the regional collaboration and places an adverse
financial effect on the citizens of Campbell County (and the residents of
Lynchburg, respectively).
Campbell
County and the City of Lynchburg have each provided landfill airspace to the
regional authority. As this air space is consumed over time, each contributing
locality should receive an annual payment based upon the share of air space
they contribute to the regional partnership. Neither Nelson nor Appomattox
contribute any air space to the regional effort. By not awarding the payment,
Nelson County and Appomattox County are effectively consuming an asset without
paying for it. This defies the premise and intent of the regional partnership.
“Campbell County has a proud
history of working collaboratively with our neighbors on matters of joint
concern. It is highly disappointing to the Board of Supervisors that both
Nelson and Appomattox have turned their backs on this collaborative history and
denied these payments,” said Frank Rogers, Campbell County Administrator. “It
is all the more disturbing in light of the fact that 99% of the revenues
collected to pay Campbell County and Lynchburg are derived from Campbell County
and Lynchburg commercial haulers.”
“Campbell and
Lynchburg provide the space. Businesses in Campbell and Lynchburg pay to use
the space. Nonetheless, Nelson and Appomattox have denied the payment for use
of the space that is due to Campbell and the City."
In response to this
disappointing action, the Board of Supervisors has directed staff to pursue any
and all measures to convey Campbell County’s dissatisfaction and to pursue all
legal avenues for the County’s proper compensation.
Attachments: Board Resolution
Excess Revenue Fact Sheet