Citizen engagement

 

On March 25 about 75 citizens gathered at Salem Baptist Church for the spring District 4 Town Hall. It was the first meeting in D4 since last May’s disastrous presentation of the last—and worst—version of a proposed Centerville small area plan. Drastic changes made to the proposed plan with no explanation or justification that ignored more than a year of thoughtful constructive citizen feedback generated such vigorous opposition that the supervisors rejected its adoption.

Town hall meetings were held across the county during March and followed the same basic format (recordings of each are archived on the county website, goochlandva.us, under the “watch county meetings tab). These sessions provide a casual way for Goochlanders to interact with their elected and appointed officials to learn about the activities of local government.

County Administrator Vic Carpenter presented a summary of the proposed budget for FY25, which begins on July 1. It prioritizes public safety—law enforcement, animal protection, fire-rescue—and education. He thanked the attendees for their interest that makes Goochland a great place to live.

The budget process takes a conservative approach, explained Carpenter, to enable the county to withstand negative impacts of unknowns like a possible recession. Most of the county’s revenue comes from property taxes. While assessed valuations have increased, so has inflation complicating the process. He also touted our “triple triple,” three AAA bond ratings, making Goochland the smallest county population wise to earn this designation of fiscal health. The 53 cents per $100 of valuation has been in place since 2007, but rising demands for service and cost to provide them highlight the need for revenues from commercial development.

Carpenter outlined upcoming road projects (see the transportation tab on the county website). He reiterated that the signalized intersection of Hockett and Broad Street Road will not change after the realignment of Hockett and Ashland Road.

Goochland is growing and graying, the average age of our population is over 65, said Carpenter. This increases demand for emergency medical service, whose costs are also rising. Aside from the burgeoning price tags on fire trucks and ambulances, gone are the days when dedicated and well-trained fire-rescue volunteers gave freely of their time and talents to save lives and protect property, saving the county millions of dollars.

In response to a question, Carpenter acknowledged that there are no parks greenspace, or a convenience center in the east end. He said that “conversations” about public amenities there are underway but did not elaborate.

Carpenter introduced Josh Gillespie, who was recently hired as deputy county administrator and will start work in April.

Board of Supervisors’ chair Charlie Vaughters D4 thanked county staff for all the work they put in to hold the town hall meetings. He said the notion of “graceful growth” is too soft. “Goochland wants the best growth unequivocally. What happens 50 feet across the county line in Henrico is not what happens in Goochland.”

Vaughters contended that Goochland can have the best growth, provide the best services, and live up to a best-in-class mentality. Vaughters said he hopes that citizens appreciate that county resources are the result of individuals who work hard to make it happen and hopes “that we can continue to grow on that.”

Superintendent of Goochland Schools Michael Cromartie, Ed. D. shared the accomplishments of our wonderful school division, which has been rated number one in the Richmond Region by Niche.com for seven consecutive years. He discussed the challenges of recruiting and retaining the teachers and staff that provide exceptional learning opportunities for our children. Increasing teacher salaries to the regional mean would help Goochland compete with the deep pockets of neighboring jurisdictions.

Cromartie said that excellent schools have a positive impact on local property values. Home prices in Goochland are the highest in the region, which adds another layer of complication to the recruitment and retention issue. Teachers cannot afford to live in Goochland, and many have long commutes.

Considered by the state to be an affluent county, Goochland pays 80 percent of the cost of public education, the remainder coming from the state. Henrico receives a much higher percentage of support from the Commonwealth and also levies a meals tax to fund education, that Goochlanders pay when dining out east of the border.

Cromartie did not mention the $1.4 million he requested above the approved school budget to close the salary gaps, or that the school division may need to forego purchase of a school bus to cover a larger than anticipated increase in health insurance premiums.

The supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget and fee increases at 6 p.m. on Tuesday April 2. It will be interesting to see if there will be revision to enhance salaries to help our law enforcement, fire-rescue, and schools can compete for the best people with our deep pocked neighbors. Final adoption and setting of tax rates and fees for calendar year 2024 will take place on April 16.