Lifetime licenses for dogs approved
By Heather Michon
Correspondent
The Fluvanna Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday (July 2) for its traditional double meeting, conducting a month’s worth of business in one night in return for the rest of the month off.
The most extended discussion of the evening focused on a proposed water rate increase for customers of the Fork Union Sanitary District (FUSD), which is facing a potential $125,000 budget shortfall and increased repair costs to maintain its now decades-old infrastructure.
The district’s 444 customers—many of whom live on fixed incomes—face increased costs as repairs to water mains and pumps continue to escalate. At the same time, revenue has declined, partly due to conservation efforts by the system’s large users like the Fork Union Military Academy and Dominion Power.
Under the proposed changes, the base monthly charge would rise from $24 to $27, and the cost per 1000 for usage over 2000 per month would increase from $11.22 to $12.50. The projected revenue increase for these changes would be around $20,000 per year.
Mike Goad, supervisor for the Fork Union district, pushed for a long-term plan to address the issues instead of periodic increases in base and usage rates. There was discussion of shifting more of the financial burden onto the district’s higher-volume users and protecting the low-use households.
If approved following a public hearing on Aug. 20, the new rates will take effect on Oct. 1 and be reflected in the November billing.
Tax report
Treasurer Deborah Rittenhouse gave an update on her office’s activities in recent weeks.
She said that approximately 89 percent of 2025 personal property taxes had been collected, with total revenues at around $2.1 million to date. Rittenhouse said many residents were opting to pay in full for the year, rather than just the half-year bill. “I don’t know if they’re scared of me…I have no idea. But, they’re paying.”
A standout figure in the report was the county’s VIP investment fund, which earned $127,000 in interest in June alone, a significant increase from its historic monthly earnings of $2,000 to $3,000.
Rittenhouse also noted about 80 active tax payment plans and 62 parcels currently in litigation, totaling nearly $1 million in delinquent amounts. Residents can monitor tax sale properties via TAXVA.com, where alerts are available.
Other Items
The special use permit for the Fork Union Drive-In was approved. Owners are planning a soft launch in the fall and movies to begin next spring;
Supervisors approved an ordinance change to allow lifetime dog licenses, rather than annual tags. The cost of the license will be $10 for the life of the animal. The new licenses will be available starting in August.
