By Ed Simmons, Jr.
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To balance the Proposed 2008-2009 $35.8 General Fund Budget, the County is looking to trim $212,000. "We're scrutinizing every area of spending," said County Administrator Percy Ashcraft.

For the June 17 Board of Supervisors Meeting, Ashcraft said he will be presenting a proposal for how the savings can be made. That proposal includes not funding a new librarian, which had been requested by the county’s libraries.

Contacted for comment, Library Director Kay Brooks said, "We ask for a new full-time person every year. With the new Dawn branch coming we are going to need to increase staff."

The new library to be built in Dawn is projected to open in October 2009.

Other cuts would include reducing funding at least 10 percent of the County's contributions to outside agencies such as the Health Alliance, the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter in Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence.

Kathryn Burruss of the Health Alliance said, "We are concerned about the future of the Alliance because our grant is running out and we will be relying on future grants and support of the county to keep it going."

Originally proposed in the budget was $20,000, which may now be reduced to $15,000.

Burruss said that the Alliance has raised people's awareness that they must be active to enjoy better health. She estimated that 700 people were involved in Alliance activities last year, the most recent being the Bowling Green 5K Run with 176 participants, which raised $1,066 for the American Cancer Society.

Alliance activities have also included smoking cessation at the middle and high school and a "Healthy Weight – Healthy Kid" program for all the County's second graders.

The Alliance has also supported sexual abstinence for the young.

At the Thurman Brisben Homeless Shelter, Director Bunny Melzer said, "All five of the jurisdictions (Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Fredericksburg) are having budget problems and are having to cut back. It's very unfortunate."

She said the shelter has other sources of income and does not anticipate cutting back services. "For this year," she stressed.

Caroline had written into its proposed budget a contribution of $5,000 to the shelter. If the cutbacks are approved, $500 or more would be made. For the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence, Ashcraft had originally written in a proposed contribution of $10,900. About $2,000 or more would be reduced, if approved.

There're also funds at the Economic Development Office that can be reduced, said Ashcraft.

"We're going back and reviewing every cost,” the county administrator said.

"We're thankful that we're not having to lay anybody off."

(There is no Board of Supervisors Meeting June 10 because Board Chairman Floyd Thomas will be out of town. The board will meet June 17 and 24.)