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School board Aquia Towne Center saves thousands looking for tax breaks on copier service
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FARMERS’ MARKET
Some residents were not so sure. Stafford resident Alane Callander tbell@insidenova.com noted: “It’s very troubling that Mosaic he Stafford County Board is now asking for 30 years of tax breaks. of Supervisors heard from he Stafford County School Board I think it would be crazy for Stafford county residents Tuesday agreed Tuesday to a $588,000 fourCounty to give in to that request.” about a proposed award of year contract with Ricoh USA of Others urged caution in deciding or future incremental taxes to Chicago for copier services beginning in said they could see the bigger picture. afiscal developer in order to incentivize the 2017. Maya Guy of Stafford asked the redevelopment of Aquia Towne Center. The initial proposed contract was for board for a better job communicating Th e developer, Mosaic Aquia Capital, $650,000. LLC, to bring aXerox Harris representative Teeter gro- with the public about what is going A seeks competing on. She didn’t want money to be taken cery store to the plaza, but when prior this attended four school board meetings from the schools but reasoned that the plans with the anchor stalled fi nancialspring urging the board to consider using ly,Xerox, it requested the tax incentives. which produced the lowest bid. proposal will likely add money to the schools. Th e board is expected to vote on theused Stafford County Public Schools matter at its next meeting, set for July 5. Ricoh for the past 10 years and has used “We’re making nothing now,” she AquiainTowne Center has been in an said. Xerox the past. Stafford Supervisor Jack Cavalier, underdeveloped for more thanchoose a School board state members did not R-Griffi s-Widewater, said: “For those decade. Xerox, but thanked its representative of you who think this is a bad deal More recently, plans for a revived for saving the schools $250,000 over for the schools, you’re dead wrong. … Town Center at Aquia stalled. four years based on its lower bid and for A prior memorandum of under- Sometimes you have to spend money providing information that helped the standing allows for financial assis- to make money. …Don’t be fooled by board save money. tance through a portion of taxes paid some of the comments you see on these S cho ol b o ard memb ers and being returned to Mosaic to allow for social media sites.” Superintendent Bruce Benson expressed Stafford Supervisor Paul Milde, Rthe development of the commercial disappointment in the way the school side of the project. Mosaic now seeks a Aquia, agreed. system handled the matter, but said it “Be careful where you get your inboost in its future incremental tax revwould cause them to look more closely at enue from the current $6.25 million to formation from,” he told the public, futuremillion business dealings. noting potential political agendas on $18.25 over a span of 30 years. “I think we could’ve been clearerRein our social media and websites that discuss An external financial consultant, communication with our vendors,” local issues. naissance Planning Group, estimated said Benson. Aquia Harbour resident Jo Knight that the tax revenues from the proIn April, the board deferred decision said: “We are in a predicament. … We posed development could be morea than on million which over copier to use and really need this improvement. I think $71 the company next 30 years. decided to further review its The project would increase the options. real Mosaic’s being a little greedy to be honThereand were five property bidding tax companies estate personal rev- est with you. …” involved. But, she said she enue, as well as increase the sales and There, school by board meals tax collected shopping and hoped that the board AQUIA member businesses, Patricia Healy, restaurant according toSCHOOL the would give the proposal TOWNE PAGE 13 PAGE 8 R-Rock Hill, challenged a lot of consideration board. BY TRACY BELL tbell@insidenova.com TRACY BELL
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ets prime display as crowds browse and shop the stand operated by C&T Produce at the North is year the total number of vendors has increased to around 30 at the same location, the parkal Pavilion on the Stafford Hospital campus. The market is open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. ALEKS DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA
ord seeks funding 100 body cameras
of approval. The grant works as a 50 internal investigations and compercent match with local funding plaints is significant,” Decatur said. nty Sheriff ’s from the county. The cost to Staf- “Body-worn cameras are a psychod for a U.S. ford is $400,000 a year for five years. logical deterrent to misbehavior on ustice grant Stafford County Sheriff Da- both sides of the lens. The benefits 100 of its vid Decatur told InsideNoVa that exceed the drawbacks associated body cam- implementing a body-camera pro- with the cost and time to manage gram is a vast undertaking. The goal the program.” ding of the of the program is to achieve a high Using the technology in the deuties in the level of transparency with the com- partment’s field operations division division to munity while protecting the rights would allow for the most immediof citizens and deputies alike, he ate and expansive contact with the applied for said. community served, DeStudents, familiesbenefit and friends a historic moment June 17 ord County catur said.in the lives of local students “…The of celebrated having video CAMERA as the five public high schools in Stafford County graduated the Class of 2017. Above, diplomas PAGE 13 St af ford C ounty footage for prosecution, training, ve its stamp await the graduates at Mountain View High School. For photos of other ceremonies, see Page 12. Aleks Dolzenko/InsideNoVa
STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
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