Snowfall Closes Schools & Government

Jan 23, 2025

image of a frozen lake in Fords Colony and duckscrowding into small open space — Ducks squeeze in as this Fords Colony pond freezes over

Schools, government offices and libraries closed Wednesday after a heavier than expected snowfall left local roads covered in snow and ice. Fortunately, no major accidents were reported in the area.

Williamsburg and James City and York counties received between half an inch and 1.6 inches of snow overnight, the National Weather Service Office in Wakefield reported.

Snowfall was heavier to our south, with Norfolk and Virginia Beach receiving up to 4 inches and Bertie County, North Carolina getting 8 inches, according to the weather service’s snowfall report.

To the north, the city of Richmond received only a light dusting.

The weather service said temperatures should limp back to the mid 30s today before falling back to 17 degrees overnight.

James City County said its offices, the recreation center, convenience center, county parks and the library would return to normal operating hours today.

Schools Want More Local Funding

The school system may ask local taxpayers to increase their budget contribution by 13% next year, according to the preliminary budget reviewed Tuesday by the Williamsburg-James City County School Board.

Schools receive more than half of their budget from the city and county, with the rest coming largely from state funding, sales tax receipts and the lottery.

Much of the increase would be spent to give school employees a 3% pay raise, cover rising health insurance premiums and to add more teachers and staff.

The school system’s overall enrollment has remained basically flat for a decade as the area population ages.

But school spending increased steadily, from $141.9 million in 2018 to $198 million in the current budget year, which ends in June. For the 2026 fiscal year that starts in July, proposals from administrators could raise the budget above $200 million.

The school board reviewed the preliminary budget at its work session on Tuesday. School staff are working on finalizing a budget to present Feb. 18, and the school board will approve the final budget in March.

But that’s not the end of the funding gantlet for local schools.

Williamsburg and James City County have to agree on how much funding the schools will receive from them before a school budget can be finalized.

Schools take up a large chunk of each government’s spending. Williamsburg spends 22% of its budget on the school system. James City County spends nearly half its budget on schools.

James City County, with its larger population, pays nearly 90% of the total local contribution to the school budget.

The combined contribution from the two governments totaled $107.76 million this year. The 2916 preliminary budget would require an additional outlay of $13.9 million next year, an increase of 12.9%.

Schools Finance Director Renee Ewing told the school board that over the past decade, local contributions have increased an average of 2.9% a year. That pace increased in each of the last two years, with local contributions going up by 5.4% each year.

Forward this email to a friend!

Grease and Odor Fallout

Plat of proposed Z iegler site and diagram of odor control process — Ziegler says tree screens and biofilters will minimize odor

A greasy problem for the region’s sewers provided the impetus for a new compost operation in Greenmount Industrial Park, on James City County’s southeastern border with Newport News.

Ziegler Plumbing & Sewer Inc. received the go ahead for a recovery facility that will treat wastewater it collects from restaurant grease traps, septic tanks and sewer basins.

The facility separates biosolids from wastewater, then converts it into compost to sell to wholesalers.

The ingenious process spreads solid waste over a packed bed of biofilters in the conversion facility to make the compost. To control odor, massive fans blow air up from the bottom of the bed, where microorganisms remove smelly air pollutants from the waste.

The treated water is then discharged into the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) system.

The complex will be a new James City County presence for Ziegler, which is based in Newport News. The family-run company provides plumbing and sewer services to businesses and homes around the Peninsula. It was begun in 1969 by Kenny and Ruby Ziegler and is now run by the founders’ children and grandchildren.

James City County supervisors unanimously approved a special use permit allowing the company to proceed with construction of the facility, off Route 60 in Grove. No one spoke in opposition at last week’s public hearing.

Ziegler representatives said grease is a significant and growing threat for area sewers. HRSD has tripled the disposal fees customers pay to discharge industrial wastewater over the past five years.

Dump stations have become overburdened, they said, resulting in occasional closures and long wait times.

Supervisors voted to approve the project after receiving assurances the facility will not pose an odor or noise problem for the area.

The project proposed for 1671 Green Mount Parkway will use no more than seven of the 96.36 acres the company is buying.

Company representatives said this would allow most of the area to remain wooded, sheltering it from a residential area across the Newport News city line to the east.

It will take the county about a year to approve a site plan, and the company hopes to finalize construction about six months after that, Spokeswoman Jessica Lasris said.