James City County is moving forward with plans to construct a new government center.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved up to $46 million to begin plumbing, electrical and HVAC work, lay concrete and pre-order steel. The board in October approved $16 million to prepare the site, which will be next to the James City County Recreation Center.
It approved another $1.7 million for Henderson Inc./Gilbane to oversee the work.
Some residents, though, believe the price tag is too high. Local attorney Christopher Woodfin filed a lawsuit to stop the project until the county holds a referendum. A judge denied an emergency injunction in November.
James City County leaders expect the cost to top out at $179 million, excluding interest and furnishing expenses. The project has grown from initial proposals, now including 25,000 square feet for a Williamsburg Regional Library branch, which is likely to push the base cost over $200 million.
The county expects to have a maximum price when the final construction project comes before the board next year.
The administration says expansion is needed to serve the population, projected to increase by more than 40% by 2050. A 2020 space needs study found county staff had outgrown its facilities and would need an additional 200,000 square feet by 2040.
“An office that was built for one now houses two, maybe three, maybe four,” said Scott Stevens, county administrator. “It really suited the county in the '70s, not so much probably today and into the future.”
Stevens said the alternative, expansion and renovation, is also costly at about $140 million. He argues the center also moves county staff to a more central location and employees under one roof.
Opponents, however, say the money could go toward housing needs and increasing teacher pay, among other initiatives.
“We have all kinds of problems, but yet we’re going to build a monument that nobody’s going to use because everybody’s on the internet doing their business with the county,” said resident Chris Henderson.
Stevens contends James City County isn’t overextending itself.
“We can’t do another $200 million project in three years,” he said. “It’s a lot of money, but in terms of impact to the overall budget, it's a very incremental and small year-to-year impact.”
Board members also approved $3.7 million in 2027 to replace police body cameras and interview equipment. The five-year contract will also provide data storage, software and AI tools to streamline evidence management and reduce administrative work.
Separately, the board adopted a new strategic plan, an update from the county's first plan in 2016. It details principles and action items to prioritize during a five–to-10-year span.
The plan introduces two new goals for the county, one being recruiting and retaining employees. Assistant County Administrator Jason Purse said the county, like many localities in the region, struggled with staffing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan prioritizes retention programs and keeping compensation competitive.
It also focuses on attainable housing. Housing affordability is a concern in the county, where more than a quarter of residents are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than a third of their income on housing.
The plan prioritizes converting old commercial spaces into housing, considering housing on public land near new public buildings and purchasing land to make it available for workforce housing. It also includes addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness and collaborating with groups providing rental assistance.
Attainability is not just about affordability, Purse said, but also making it possible for older adults to stay in their homes. He said that could mean inclusive housing projects to ensure older homes meet Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and promoting assisted or independent living.
