A suggestion by Stafford County Cultural Resource Specialist Nancy Kotting to review potential historic sites was tabled by the board of supervisors during Tuesday’s meeting.
So, instead of hearing Kotting’s full presentation on six properties under consideration, supervisors opted to have more informal discussions after conducting additional research.
Two of the proposals involved referrals to the planning commission to designate historic overlay districts at Sherwood Forest Farm and Clifton Chapel. The county’s Architectural Review Board also requested supervisors examine the Grizzle building at 60 Butler Road, a county-owned property that is deteriorating.
Kotting noted that it had been 15 years since a historic resource overlay district had been created in Stafford. The designation intends to protect and preserve historic areas, landmarks, buildings and land against destruction and encroachment.
A former plantation, the Sherwood Forest Farm property, off State Route 3, is a potential stop on a new African American heritage trail being developed by Discover Stafford, the University of Mary Washington and other local groups, Kotting said.
Clifton Chapel is a small church constructed pre-1850 and later restored in 1869 by the community. It is owned by St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, a Russian Orthodox community. A church member spoke during the public comment period of Tuesday’s meeting saying he had only recently been informed that the ARB wanted to pursue a Historic Overlay District designation.
Kotting told the board that an owner’s permission isn’t needed to pursue that designation but consent is required to to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kotting offered to help guide owners through that process.
At least two supervisors expressed concern about the designation potentially being placed on the church.
“If I was a gentleman sitting in the audience, I would be a little bit panicked,” said Supervisor Deuntay Diggs of the George Washington District. “I feel like someone should have sat down with [the church] and explained what this is and how it would impact them, before we even got to his point of it coming before the board.”
Kotting explained that her office had attempted to contact the church multiple times and finally was able to have a “good conversation” over the phone with a church representative.
“I will take as long as is needed to educate any owner of this process, as well as you supervisors. That is my job. Happy to do it anytime,” she said.
Aquia District Supervisor Monica Gary said she would not support action on the property. “I love history. Our history is great because we can learn from it, and I think something we should have learned is that government should not step in and impose something upon a faith community that has not asked for it.”
Board Chair Meg Bohmke of the Falmouth District remarked that she was “elated” Kotting had been hired and that people “learned a tremendous amount in 30 minutes.”
Bohmke then requested Kotting and Interim County Administrator Craig Meadows schedule two-on-two meetings so the supervisors could go through Kotting’s presentation in more detail and ask questions.
Pharmacy for EMS/Fire and Rescue
Hospitals across the country are changing medication policies due to the Drug Supply Chain Security Act of 2013 and the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017. The two acts mean that Stafford County Fire and Rescue and EMS can no longer be supplied medication by area hospitals.
First responders are now tasked with procuring and tracking medications, especially controlled substances. Hospitals have a November deadline to comply, which brought Ryland Kendrick, deputy chief of EMS of SCFR before the board Tuesday.
“Historically, the medications that EMS gets comes from the hospitals. An ambulance takes a patient to the hospital. The hospital purchases the medications for us,” Kendrick explained.
“Unfortunately, due to significant changes both on the federal and state level to pharmaceutical laws … major hospital systems are going to cease providing medications to us.”
Kendrick said that Virginia is one of the last states to make the transition and Stafford County will need a good bit of one-time investments to comply.
The county will need to fund and hire a dedicated EMS logistics coordinator to order, stock and track the medications used by first responders. Once procured, medications will be distributed among automated drug dispensing machines. A secure pharmacy van will also be needed, plus funds for the drugs. The implementation is estimated to cost $273,000.
The agency has already obtained its State Board of Pharmacy and DEA licenses, cooperative purchasing agreements for medications and equipment and completed “central pharmacy” storage at headquarters. The automated machines will be placed at four stations across the county. The annual needs will total $212,000, Kendrick said.
“As EMS, if we don’t have medications, we can’t treat diabetics. We can’t give epinephrine to allergy patients. A lot of what we do is medication-based,” he said.
Hartwood District Supervisor Darrell English asked if the moves came down to hospitals no longer wanting to “take the burden on anymore.”
“At the sheriff’s office, they won’t draw blood anymore for drunk drivers,” said English, who served with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office for 40 years. “We had to go out and get people trained for that. Now we’ve got this? I don’t get this.”
Kendrick noted that the Drug Supply Chain Security Act was a 10-year phased-in process to improve the quality and safety of drugs.
“They knew it was going to be a heavy lift for everybody because it affects manufacturers, supplies pharmacies—if you’re involved in drugs in any way, shape or form, you have to follow this law,” he said.
Andrea Light, chief director of the county’s budget and management department, said that funds will come out of money originally allocated for additional ambulances, plus some operating and vacancy savings, bringing the total bill down to $48,000.
The resolution passed by a 6-0 vote. Supervisor Crystal Vanuch was absent.
The final action of the evening was to approve a request from Parks, Recreation, Facilities and Tourism for $345,000 to purchase and install an agility and exercise course at John Lee Pratt Memorial Park from All Recreation of VA, Inc.
Brion Southall, director of parks, recreation, facilities and tourism, said the agility course will give older children something to do at the park.
“There’s an app. There’s also a timer,” he said. “I would love to see all the board members down there post their times on Facebook and challenge their constituents.”
Southall said after getting the purchase order, the equipment could be installed by the end of the year. The board voted 6-0 to approve the plan.
