Nuts and bolts of local government

 

Monthly meeting agendas of the Goochland Board of Supervisors typically include many topics, and housekeeping matters that require their formal approval. October 6 was no different. Go to https://goochlandcova.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3418/media for a video of the meeting.

Following are some highlights.

Board Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1, commended the Goochland Sheriff’s Office for partnering with schools and the county to create The School Safety Task Force to ensure that our students have a safe environment in which to learn.

He invited all to attend the countywide town hall meeting on Wednesday, October 21 starting at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. The meeting, which will be livestreamed, will share updates on schools, county finances, and other topics.

County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley, Ed. D. announced that the Fall Festival will be held on October 24 from 11 to 2 on the “old GES field” on  River Road West past the administration building. Trick or Treat will be held at the admin building on October 30 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

County offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 4 for election day.

The supervisors approved a resolution recognizing October 2026 as domestic violence awareness month. Representatives of GoochlandCares https://goochlandcares.org/ which offers sexual and domestic violences services, reported that in the past year, the organization handled 62 cases. Neil Spoonhower, District 2 said that he was on the GoochlandCares board when the service began and noted that, while Goochland seems to be safe place, the 62 cases are more than one per week.

New employees were introduced and welcomed to team Goochland. Among them were seven new career fire-rescue providers. Employee quarterly award winners were announced.  It is nice to see the county celebrating the hard and excellent work of the people who make local government efficient, effective, and responsive.

Information technology was named team of the quarter, a well-deserved accolade. IT is responsible for the live stream and archiving of public meetings, Also, they maintain, troubleshoot and optimize all County computers, desk phones and audio-visual equipment, handle  public transparency and AV operations, fulfill FOIA requests, manage our live recordings, and providing technical support for all County meetings and public town halls. Our graphic information systems or GIS team is also a part of the IT department. They manage and update GIS mapping services to support spatial data analysis, workflows and public mapping applications.

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Andy Armstrong gave an update on the excellent work our schools are doing to help prepare our children for successful and satisfying lives. He reported, in response to a question posed at the October 4 town hall meeting, that of the 97 2026 Goochland High School graduates who earned an associate’s degree from Reynolds Community College, at least 90 are currently enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs as third year students, having completed their general education requirements, and saving two years’ worth of tuition.

During his comments, Armstrong issued an invitation to the “The Play that Goes Wrong” the latest production by the excellent high school drama department from Thursday October 15 through Sunday, October 18 at the high school. Go to https://sites.google.com/glnd.k12.va.us/goochland-drama-dept/home for details and to buy tickets.

As the budget process for FY28, which begins next July 1, is gearing up, reports by department heads will be included in board agendas.

General Services

Scott Foster, Director of General Services, began his presentation with a list of functions his department oversees. These include facilities management; convenience centers; project management; security card and key access; fuel management; vehicle replacements; renovations; street signs; pole banners; and voting machine delivery and pickup. The facilities team, consisting of 2/12 employees—one works half time on administrative tasks, responds to more than 220 work tickets a month.

Key projects facilities management is working on include renovation of the community development space; the implementation of energy management software; construction of Sandy Hook Fire-Rescue Station 8 and design of West Creek Fire-Rescue Station 7; cleaning up right of way signage; the new courthouse; and development of a safety and risk program.

Facilities management hosts several annual events, including shredding and tire amnesty—the next is scheduled for November 14—this includes agricultural tires. Foster said that the tire amnesty program would not be possible without the help of the high school’s Marine Corps Jr. ROTC cadets. Last year, the program processed  more than 520 tires and 10k pounds of shredded material.

Foster said that he regularly fields citizen queries about when a convenience center in the east end will be built. This is still on the ‘wish” list.

Challenges to his department include providing workspaces for an evolving workforce and hiring staff to handle increased facilities.

Transportation

County Engineer Austin Goyne, who oversees transportation, and environmental matters in community development, gave the board un update on transportation projects in the county.

He explained that his department’s mission is to provide safe and efficient road networks, which serve all of Goochland County, to serve the businesses and the residents through road improvements funded by state, local, and federal sources. “The key thing I want to point out  is that we have over $302 million in funding committed to road projects throughout the County. That is an absolutely remarkable accomplishment, and one of our recent accomplishments is in smart scale dating back to 2024.”

Spoonhower, who works with Goyne on the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA), said that until the county created a position to concentrate on roads, filled mostly by Goyne, Goochland had little success competing for these funds.

Goyne  pointed out that Goochland County has been very successful in securing funding for transportation projects from various sources, which include regional gas tax, state and federal sources such as smart scale; funds that the board appropriates out of the general fund; and transportation proffers. Through June of 2026 funds totaled almost $16 million from Central Virginia Transportation Authority local: CVTA regional, a little over $67 million, and then state and federal sources just shy of $223 million.

The CVTA was created in 2020 when nine localities in the Richmond region entered into an agreement to distribute the gas funds, gas tax funds collected in the region; 50% gas taxes collected here come back to Goochland County. This translates into approximately $300,000 in revenue reported in the last fiscal year, almost $16 million since 2020. Goyne urged people to buy gas at one of the county’s 16 gas stations. About seven cents per gallon of gas purchased here comes back to Goochland.

He then explained how transportation dollars are being spent. The number one project is the Ashland Road diverging diamond over I64. This has a fixed completion date of 2029. Goyne expects “dirt to be moving” in August of 2027. He will be asking the supervisors to fund making Ashland Road four lanes from the interstate to the Amazon facility to ease congestion.

The Fairground Road extension from Sandy Hook Roud to Route 6 is expected to go to bid next spring with completion in early 2029.

Bids for the  Oilville Road roundabout on the westbound I64 off ramp came in about $240k over allocated funds. VDOT is willing to split the overage 50/50 with the county. Discussions about fund allocations are underway with completion expected in 2028. The Fairground/Maidens Roads roundabout recommended by a safety study, is in very preliminary engineering studies, with completion perhaps in 2030.

The Hockett Road extension has been renamed Ashland Road and is in the process of yet another reconfiguration to address topographical issues at the entrance to the emergency vet. Completion might be in 2029.

Pedestrian connectivity—read sidewalks—in Courthouse Village to connect Swann’s Inn with the commercial hub is in process. Goyne gave no estimate of a completion date. This will be completed in phases with the goal of having sidewalks on both sides of River Road West. Securing rights of way across private property and utility easements are complicating factors.

Other transportation improvements on the radar screen include a realignment of Rockville Road, and signalization of the Broad Branch Drive/West Creek Parkway intersection as the Lilly project moves forward. Discussions with VDOT to replace three failing bridges in the county that are unable to support the weight of fire-rescue apparatus, which increases emergency response time.

Go to about the 1:50 minute mark on the video to listen to Goyne’s full presentation.

Weekend early voting begins October 18.

 Early voting hours will be offered  at voting at the Goochland Sports Complex, located at 1800 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, VA 23063 on the following dates:

• Sunday, October 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, October 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebuttal

 

October 6 Board of Supervisors’ meeting. (Media for the meeting, which includes a closed caption video and transcript, is available at the “watch county meetings” tab on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/)

The supervisors voted 4-1, Tom Winfree, District 3, recused himself from the matter, to grant a deferral,  requested by applicant Virginia Sports Parks and Training Center, until February 2, 2027, for a public hearing on a conditional use permit to allow a shooting range on property near Hadensville just north of I-64.

The board also unanimously approved a resolution extending the time given to the planning commission’s consideration of proposed  amendments to the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance provisions related to the Technology Overlay District and Technology Zone to January 22, 2027. Proposed language will be shared at a community meeting before proceeding to a public hearing before the planning commission.

There will be a county-wide town hall meeting on Wednesday, October 21 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Goochland High School auditorium beginning at 6:30 p.m. These meetings typically share information about a wide range of local government related topics.

An opportunity for supervisors to respond to citizen comment period was added to the agenda. This was long overdue. Since the Technology overlay district and technology zone were created, citizen comment at every public meeting has been robust. The October 6 evening citizen comment period was no exception. Opponents of data centers, especially the pending conditional use permit proposal for a data center campus adjacent to Mosaic, the proposed shooting range, and sprawl caused by development, made their views known.

During the audit and finance committee meeting held earlier that afternoon, County Administrator Jeremy Raley, Ed.D. presented a snapshot of the county’s financial position that included a list of capital improvement projects totaling about half a billion dollars. Going forward, at current tax rates, the county could have an approximately $44 million dollar deficit by 2036 as expenses exceed revenue at current levels.

He also discussed the county goal of a tax revenue ratio of 30 percent residential to 70 percent commercial. Currently, the ratio is 82/18, hence the initiative to attract more significant economic development.

There have been several entreaties by vocal newcomers, about 1/28^th of the county population, to raise their taxes to cover the shortfall. The supervisors expressed opposition, contending that they want to keep those dollars in the  pockets of citizens.

Board Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1, said that raising tax rates is not an easy decision, especially in District 1. He recalled “door knocking” while running for office and meeting people who were barely hanging on. He said that while some  people may be able to afford higher taxes, many cannot. “There are a lot of old families in District 1 trying to hold on to their land as and you’ve seen with my stand on Valley Link; I don’t want anyone to lose their land.”

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, who welcomes citizen engagement, reflected at the district 5 town hall meeting on October 4, that “it’s frustrating to hear people spout all kinds of things that just aren’t true and us being unable to react.” He said that the 53-cent tax rate is no accident. When assessment declined 30 percent in 2008, the board didn’t raise tax rates to make up the shortfall but kept government lean and used tax dollars wisely.

Spoonhower thanked the citizens for their engagement. He reiterated that neither the VSP nor Tract proposals are done deals and that the board is working hard to be transparent despite repeated contentions to the contrary. “We do take this stuff seriously. There are no backroom conversations going on, nobody is in anybody’s pocket.”

Charlie Vaughtrs, District 4, alluded to the half billion dollars’ worth of capital projects that have been on the county radar for years and are woefully underfunded. To meet this goal all opportunities must be considered. He too opposes higher tax rates but contended that people not open to  economic development possibilities make decisions difficult, and it’s important to look at all possibilities with an open mind.

Jonathan Lyle, District 5, who served as a Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District Director and is a Director for the Goochland Farm Bureau, pointed out that the land use tax rate, set by an algorithm created at Virginia Tech of $1,100 per acre may not seem like much, but is an integral part of preserving the 85 percent rural, 15 percent developed county land use goal.

“If you want to grow residential rooftops, tell a farmer that who is making maybe $300 or $400 an acre on soybeans that he's now going to pay for fair market value on his property of 50, 60, $100,000 an acre. You'll see a construction boom going on in this County, and it will be for housing that we can't support at a 53-cent tax rate,” contended Lyle.

And the beat goes on.

 

With a little help from my friends

 

Friends of the Goochland Branch Library used book sale

The Goochland supervisors’ October 6 meeting approved a proclamation recognizing October 18-24 as National Friends of Libraries weeks. Board Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1, read the proclamation:

“Whereas, Friends of the Goochland Branch Library raise money that enables our library to move from good to great -- providing the resources for additional programming, much needed equipment, support for children’s summer reading, and special events throughout the year;

Whereas, the work of the Friends highlights, on an on-going basis, the fact that our library is the cornerstone of the community, providing opportunities for all to engage in the joy of life-long learning and connect with the thoughts and ideas of others from ages past to present;

Whereas, the Friends understand the critical importance of well-funded libraries and advocate to ensure that our library gets the resources it needs to provide a wide variety of services to all ages including access to print and electronic materials, along with expert assistance in research, readers’ advisory, and children’s services;

Whereas, the Friends’ gift of their time and commitment to the library sets an example for all in how volunteerism leads to positive civic engagement and the betterment of our community.”

To celebrate, the Friends will offer free cookies and coffee to visitors during the week. The celebration will conclude with a used book sale as part of the Fall Festival at the Sports Complex on October 24.

The robust advocacy of the Friends of the Goochland Library was responsible  for construction of the current library, which moved from a space that it had outgrown in early 2003.  Some said it would be a cold day in hell before Goochland built a new library. The community gathered on a frigid day in early 2003 to move materials from the old space to the new.

Pamunkey Regional Library (a consortium with Hanover County) cards are free to Goochland residents. In addition to the physical library, many online services are offered. Go to https://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/ for details. The Goochland Branch Library is located at 3075 River Road West in Courthouse Village. 

Lace up your shoes

 

RUN TO THE REVOLUTION Lace up and join us for the Run to the Revolution 5K on Saturday, November 7, beginning at 9 a.m. at 1900 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland! Hosted by the Goochland County 250 Commission, this fun community race is a great way to celebrate Goochland’s connection to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The 5K is $35, and every participant gets a free T-shirt. There’s also a free ½-mile Kids Run beginning at 9:05 a.m.—adults and kids must be registered in advance. Ready to run? Register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Goochland/RuntotheRevolution

A look at county finances

 

The Goochland Audit and Finance Committee met on October 6. This body is comprised of three supervisors—Committee Chair Charlie Vaughters, District 4, Board Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1, and Board Vice Chair Tom Winfree, District 3—County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley, Ed. D., and Director of Finance Denise Sandlin.

Raley gave an update on the annual county audit, conducted by PBMares (https://www.pbmares.com/) for FY26, which ended on June 30.  Raley commended Sandlin and her team for their exceptional work preparing for the preliminary audit in May and continuing that momentum to the final audit. This included 72 deliverables, each of which was prepared and ready for the outside auditors on time. Based on preliminary reports, no concerns, weaknesses, or deficiencies were found. He said that these results prove that upgrades to the audit and finance team in the past year are working. These efforts included enhanced communication between the county and PBMares during all phases of the audit.

Raley thanked department heads, constitutional officers, the entire finance team, schools, Department of Social Services, department heads, and everyone who touches county finances for working in concert to achieve these positive results.

Sandlin and Raley commended Assistant Director of Finance Kathleen Smith for her diligent hard work in the audit process.  Sandlin reported that her department is in regular contact with PBMares to complete reports, letters, and related documentation needed to complete the audit, which will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval in December.

In response to citizen skepticism about the need to attract economic development with a goal of generating 30 percent of tax revenue from real estate and 70 percent from commercial—it currently is 82/18—Raley presented a forecast of county revenues and expenses. He cautioned that his remarks were a forecast, not set in stone but offered a reasonable scenario of county finances going forward, based on current conditions, which could be affected by unknowns in the future.

Since 2020 annual county revenue growth has averaged 7.1 percent, during the same period, expenses have grown 7.7 percent. If the trend continues, it could result in a $44.6 million shortfall by 2036.

Raley said that Goochland is in a strong financial position but cautioned that unfunded mandates  recently handed down by state government, including parental leave, which will add $100k to next year’s county budget, and potential unionization, which has been estimated to add more than $2 million to county expenses, poses challenges.

As Goochland grows and changes, citizens have come to expect a certain level of services for core functions of local government especially education and public safety. Over time, said Raley, that has resulted in increases in operational costs to meet those expectations.

Goochland also needs to fund many capital projects in the next few years, including a career and technical addition to the high school, fire-rescue stations, and a new courthouse to replace the one that just marked 200 years of continuous operation. Raley estimated the current cost of these projects, inflation will undoubtedly rear its ugly head, at $298.3 million in the next ten years.

These projects have been on the radar screen for some time and cannot be put off any longer. “They are brick and mortar investments in our community.” Preliminary work on some of these projects, including engineering and architecture, has begun and funding decisions will need to be made soon.

Financing the new Goochland Elementary School, which opened in 2024 and was needed since 1996, was a heavy lift for the county. Our neighbors, like deep pocketed Henrico, have so many sources of tax revenue, including from at least 20 data centers, that they can build schools and fire stations with “decimal dust”.

How to pay for all of this poses a conundrum, Raley contended. While the 53 cents per $100 assessed valuation tax rate has not increased since 2008, tax bills have risen in line with assessments. Property owners in the TCSD, about five percent of county taxpayers, also pay an added 32 cents ad valorem tax. He presented a chart comparing Goochland tax rates with our neighbors. Excluding the ad valorem tax, Goochland, at 53 cents, is the lowest in the region.

The impact of economic development projects including the two Amazon facilities, Eli Lilly, and others will not affect the county’s bottom line until certificates of occupancy are issued. In the short term, the county expects to pay off the remaining TCSD debt in 2030, which will not only end the ad valorem tax, but make the approximately annual $4.7 million in revenue sharing on land values in the TCSD, which has been used to service that debt, available to fund general government operations.

Goochland is the smallest county in the nation to have earned three AAA bond ratings due to its careful fiscal policies, which include thresholds for managing debt.

Raley said that the county continues to pursue the goal of achieving a 70/30 ratio of real estate/commercial tax revenue generation, which is currently 82/18. This will take significant private investment to “move the needle”.

The discussion—no decisions were made—turned to various ways to secure funding for these projects after the $46 million remainder of the $96 million bonds—$60 million for schools, $36 million for the courthouse and public safety—authorized in the 2021 referendum, $50 million of which were issued in 2022 at a 2.3 percent rate, has been exhausted. Funds generated through general obligation bond issuance must be spent  within eight years of the referendum, November 2029.

Of the remaining $46 million approved for bond issuance, $18.2 million is available for schools and the other $27.8 is available for the “bucket” of law enforcement, public safety, and courts, explained Raley. Preliminary cost estimates for Station 7 are a bit over $14 million and the CTE addition, about $30 million. Raley said that one option, there are others, for financing the CTE addition would be to use the $18.2 from the bonds and obtain the $9.2 million balance from other sources.

Vaughters put the impact of inflation in perspective by contending that $18.2 million in 2019 is approximately $24 million in today’s dollars. He advocated using realistic projections to decide how much to borrow to avoid shortfalls.

There seemed to be general agreement that incurring debt within the thresholds of the county financial policy using the “triple triple”  bond rating to secure the best terms possible is the most cost-effective way to pay for these projects. There is about a six-month window between the time that bonds are authorized and issued.

However, there was disagreement about whether to hold a bond referendum or use other mechanisms administratively available to localities. There was brief discussion about “price tags” on the projects. Should estimates be pared to minimum standards to keep costs low or build for the next 60 years knowing that the costs will never be less?

As a practical matter, it may not be possible to hold a bond referendum before next November’s general election. Schools expect to put the CTE addition out to bid in the spring and will need funding before then.

GOMM was one of many people who sat outside for hours on the cold rainy election day 2021 to encourage voters to approve the bond referendum. In addition to schools the bonds were to be used to build West Creek fire-rescue station 7, whose location was chosen in 2019.

Station 7 was “paused” a few years ago in response to a lawsuit filed by homeowners near the site, which was identified before most of their homes were built. As there is a shelf life to funds generated by bond referendums, the county decided to begin construction on Sandy Hook Station 8 using the bond funds. The suit never went forward, but the delay cost the county several million dollars, and more importantly at least four years of fire-rescue protection.

The committee will meet next December to further explore the matter and perhaps present a course of action to the entire board of supervisors.

The meeting is archived with a closed-captioned video and transcript at https://goochlandcova.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4543/media

Distrct 5 town Hall October 4 2025

 

Benedictine auditorium

At an October 4 meeting held on the beautiful campus of Benedictine Schools on River Road, District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle, School Board Member Ellen Robinson, and Planning Commissioner Martin Dean shared information on a wide range of topics about Goochland other than data centers. Supervisors Neil Spoonhower, District 2, and Tom Winfree, District 3, were also there.

The attendance was not as robust as community meetings held at the high school, perhaps because the meeting was livestreamed, enabling people to watch the meeting and football games simultaneously. One unsilenced cell phone in the audience blared football theme music.

Kudos to Director of Information Technology Dan Stowers and his team for making the presentation accessible in real time and archived on the county website at https://goochlandcova.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4502/media . The meeting lasted for a bit more than three hours. Following are some highlights. Please take time to watch the meeting, the video includes closed captioning.

Lyle explained that the session was designed to share brief sketches of “nuts and bolts” of county operations.

Robinson said that Goochland Schools “are preparing out children for the future while giving them the strongest foundation possible.” She championed the reintroduction of cursive writing to elementary classrooms, which helps students hone fine motor skills, and the sensory input of placing pen to paper also helps increase information retention and critical thinking. Goochland Schools, said Robinson, are well aware of the challenges of technology and are exploring ways for tech to enhance rather than distract from the educational experience.

“I personally feel we should teach at the appropriate level how to use AI. We also teach how to think independently without those tools. How to read a physical book, be a critical thinker. Sit with a difficult problem, communicate ideas clearly, write, research question, analyze and defend their conclusions, the importance of the human brain and its capacity to learn through doing.” The ultimate goal is to make Goochland graduates tech savvy responsible digital citizens.

Dr. Jennifer Waggener, GCPS assistant superintendent for administration, shared additional information about our schools, which, she contended, measure up well against the private school option. Of last June’s graduating class of 250, 97 earned an associate’s degree from Reynolds Community College before they received their high school diploma. Goochland’s Marine Corps Junior ROTC program is the largest in the region and regularly places well in competitions.

Our career and technical education department offers a wide array of options for students to explore future careers. Ground is expected to be broken next year for a CTE addition to the high school to expand the program. (Go to https://www.goochlandschools.org/ to https:

Waggener explained the Golden Bulldog pass program where Goochland citizens 60 or older can get free admission to home games and ticket discounts for theatrical performances. Go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKCSqXPxWO75nH8tvsvw3-DdXF8K6BZPmKVx2gHTm4xsTlIg/viewform  for details.

 

She invited everyone to attend the upcoming production by the Drama Department, “The Play that goes wrong” on October 16, 17, and 18. These plays are outstanding and deserve to have every seat filled at every performance. Go to https://sites.google.com/glnd.k12.va.us/goochland-drama-dept/2025-2026-season/oklahoma?authuser=0 for details and to buy tickets.

To follow and support our Bulldog athletes in action, Go to https://www.ghsbulldogsathletics.com/schedule?year=2026-2027 .

Lyle then plunged into fiscal matters, contending that land use and the county budget are the two most important tasks of supervisors.  The “big four” he concentrates on are public safety, education, roads, and free and fair elections. Once those budgetary needs have been addressed properly, he will consider other things.

He rebutted the refrain of “build houses not data centers” by explaining that a home consumes $1.25 in services for every dollar of tax revenue it generates. “Houses do not pay the bills,” said Lyle. The current tax rate of 53 cents per $100 on assessed valuation has been in place for 20 years, but tax bills have increased due to rising assessments. Real estate taxes contribute about 73 percent of the budget.

The county is in the process of retaining experts to address water issues that plague some homes in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, especially Parkside Village and Mosaic. A vendor for this has been selected and the supervisors are expected to approve the contract for this at their November meeting. 

Lyle said that the supervisors determine the level of service citizens want, things like fire-rescue stations, excellence in schools and so forth. Financing the difference can be done by bond issues, which increases the county’s indebtedness. He delved into the near-term capital needs, fire-rescue stations, the new courthouse, the CTE addition for the high school, and whether it would be prudent for the county to borrow more. Lyle believes that any added bond issuance should be approved by a referendum, like one that was overwhelmingly approved in 2021.

Lyle repeated his commitment to commercial growth in Goochland, especially West Creek. He explained that securing significant investments like the Eli Lilly facility is a long and complicated process.  Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are an integral part of attracting business to a locality, said Lyle. When he served on the Henrico Industrial Development Authority in the 1980s, he learned how these work.

“They (NDAs) are used by companies who are exploring a decision. They haven't made a decision. And so, there's a very real reason they don't necessarily want to go out on the front page of The Wall Street Journal and say, hey, we're thinking of coming to Goochland County. And so other companies can say, well, maybe we should buy that land. Other people will say, oh, well, they're interested in it. Maybe the land price just went up $50,000 an acre. There are a lot of reasons why you want to have a conversation without saying this is a done deal. The other is that the market. Somebody says, oh, well, they're going to build a $5 billion plant in Goochland County. What's that going to do to their debt on their balance sheet? Is that going to affect their stock price? I don't do the market, but I understand you can short stock or long stock. And so, they start making plays out there based on public information on decisions that haven't yet been made.”

Lyle acknowledged that NDAs create a trust issue and explained that going forward new protocols require that supervisors will have the final say on if and when NDAs are used.

Economic development is working t grow Goochland’s commercial tax base toward a 30 percent commercial/70 percent residential ratio. It is occurring in places where the county has long desired this to occur.

Lyle touted the power of networking and asked anyone who has connections with companies who are considering expansion to recommend Goochland as a destination and contact Raley to get the ball rolling.

Dean, who is also a volunteer fire captain at Manakin Company 1, attempted to “turn down the heat” around land use matters by helping people better understand the system that operated to make sure that optimal decisions are made.

He began by explaining our system of government and comparing it to ancient Athens, the cradle of democracy. Pure democracy, where every citizen weighs in on every decision every day, a full-time job. Our founding fathers believed that a pure democracy was not a practical way to govern and build a representative democracy instead. Now we vote for representatives to “make tough calls on our behalf.”

Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means that localities have only those powers specifically given to them by the General Assembly. “There are a lot of things in this county that we would love to regulate, but we can’t because the state is not giving us that authority.” These include air, land water, and where power lines go.

At sone point all land went through some kind of public process. Land use decisions do not set precedent. Each parcel is unique, which is why public input in the process is so important. The county has little control over the timing of a process. All landowners have rights, including the right to a timely hearing.

When an application is on the planning commission docket, that board has 70 days to make a recommendation to the supervisors. The supervisors can slow the process down, and the applicant can slow it further.

Most of the details on a land use change are worked out after the approval during the plan of development process. This is done according to many codes.

This is a process during which many things change by design to improve an application. The process is proven and works even though the outcome may not please everyone.

Spoonhower thanked everyone for attending and their engagement. He said that going forward, following citizen comment, supervisors will have the opportunity to address those comments. “It is frustrating to hear people spouting all kinds of things that just aren’t true without giving us the opportunity to react. “

 Spoonhower said that he did not vote for a data center but rather for a technology overlay district to give more protection to Readers Branch. “I voted to add requirements for data centers that are already by right. I will support the right data center. I have no concerns about 55 + community but do have specific concerns about this (Tract) proposal.”

He cares that data centers cannot be seen heard, smelled, or have an impact on people’s lives. Spoonhower said he has not seen a final plan that indicates the number, size, or location of specific data centers.

“I’m not going to vote for anything that will disturb your lives. This has to be the best damn project in the country. That’s what I’m voting for,” said Spoonhower. His remarks were greeted with applause. Go to the about 2:25 minute mark on the recording to listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A celebration of history

 

Opening  honors (Clerk office image)

A light breeze and comfortable temperatures blessed the 200^th birthday party for Goochland’s iconic courthouse on September 19.

Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, The Hon. Amanda Adams, welcomed all to the courthouse green for the event, the kickoff for the county’s 300^th anniversary celebration, which will begin next year and conclude in 2028.

The Hon. Amanda Adams welcome.

The new interactive walking trail around the Courthouse Green uses QR codes to unlock videos to help visitors discover the people, places, and stories that shaped Goochland.

A joint Goochland Sheriff’s Office/ Fire-Rescue honor guard presented the colors. The high school chorus sang the Star-Spangled Banner and Trail Life Troop: VA2019 lead the Pledge of Allegiance, a traditional opening to civic events on the green. The invocation was offered by the Rev. Emily Dunevant and benediction by the Rev. Adlai Allen.

The festive atmosphere harkened back to days when the green was a community gathering place. People visited booths set up around the green by local organizations. Important speeches were punctuated by the happy chatter of young children frolicking. Not that long ago, local children played on the green and walked along the top of its brick wall.

Robin Lind, President of the Goochland Historical Society, welcomed many dignitaries including Adams, former county sheriff James L. Agnew; current sheriff Steven Creasey; the Hon. Dale Agnew, former clerk of court; current District Court Judge Claiborne H. Stokes, Jr; former District court Judge Edward Carpenter; Juvenile and Domestic Court Judge Deborah Tinsley; the Hon. Teresa Dobbins, Powhatan Circuit Court clerk; current and former county supervisors;  and Pam Johnson former Goochland Treasurer and Chair of the Electoral Board.

Robin Lind, President of the Goochland Historical Society

Lind put the time that ground was broken for the courthouse into historical perspective.

By September of 1826 America was a sovereign nation. Though many of its citizens were born well after independence from Great Britain was declared in 1776 and secured by years of war, they cherished the rule of law. Eleven weeks earlier, both Goochland native son Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who birthed our nation, died on July 4, 1776.

Setting the cornerstone of the courthouse, a building dedicated to justice, was “a physical manifestation of dedication to an ideal, of which we have striven to keep in place every day,” said Lind of the rule of law. This was not Goochland’s first courthouse. The exact location of its predecessors remains elusive.

Former Goochland County Attorney, Darvin Satterwhite, who practiced law in the county for decades, began his remarks with a quote from comedian the late George Carlin, who once quipped that posting the Ten Commandments in a courthouse, which he contended were frequented by lawyers, judges, and politicians would create a hostile work environment.

Darvin Satterwhite

Satterwhite contended that Carlin might have changed his opinion if he knew about Goochland Courthouse.

“How could he not be impressed by its rich history.” In 1826 John Quincy Adams was president, The Last of the Mohicans was published. Dabney Cosby, the architect for the courthouse, worked with noted builder Valentine Parrish. Cosby had worked for Jefferson on buildings at the University of Virginia. As a result, he was very fond of the Roman Revival style reflected in the beautiful, majestic columns on the front of the courthouse. The brick wall around green was built in 1840 to deal with complaints by jurors about the sounds of cows mooing outside as they deliberated. The old clerk’s office was built in 1847. What is now known as The James Klopton Knibb building in 1906.

The exterior of the courthouse remained unchanged until 1954 when renovations were made to expand and renovate judge’s chambers by local builder S. Stuart Haden. The public safety and district court additions came in 1983. The Civil War monument was placed on the green in 1918 to be joined in 1998 by the Veterans’ Monument, erected by American Legion Post 215 as a tribute to the sacrifice of all American Veterans for all the wars in which we’ve been involved.

“A courthouse is made of more than brick and mortar. It’s made of the men and women who serve in the facilities to provide the kind of civic services that make not just society but a place where people can live and thrive,” he said.

Satterwhite reflected on the people he encountered during his legal career. “I worked with and against some fine attorneys but there was one that epitomizes the integrity and professionalism of what a true attorney should be. As a young lawyer I needed guidance and advice. Mr. Knibb was always there to show you the way. Although he was legally blind, he practiced law with vigor and zeal that few attorneys can match. Above all, he was a kind man, he cared for and loved people. For so many years he walked through the doors of this courthouse serving the people of Goochland as their Commonwealth’s Attorney. He was the perfect picture of a southern gentleman and model of someone who we should all strive to be.

Satterwhite singled out two of the justices that he appeared before, F. Ward Harkrader, Jr. and Timothy K. Sanner, as some of the finest judges in the Commonwealth “What a blessing they have been to the citizens and attorneys. We also need to be grateful for the circuit court clerks who have faithfully served the citizens, Louis “Doc” Parrish, Lee Turner, Dale Agnew, and Amanda Adams.”

Satterwhite listed current and past judges and clerks of General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, and Commonwealth’s Attorneys.  He also commended the elected officials who guided Goochland to preserve a special bend of rural character. Many of these dedicated leaders have passed on leaving their stamp on the county.

“We couldn’t enjoy the peace and safety we have in this county without the dedicated service of our sheriffs.”

Satterwhite said that those people, and many more, are the bricks that make up Goochland Courthouse, and we should be grateful for the blessing of their dedicated service.

Reenactor Gerald Notare gave a stirring rendition of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty” speech.

"Patrick Henry" (Clerk Office image)

Suzanne Taylor, a teacher at Randolph Elementary School, explained how an innovative “time travel” curriculum brings Goochland history alive for fourth graders. She explained that Goochland was named for royal governor William Gooch, who never set foot in the county. The county was split off from Henrico in 1727 to accommodate westward growth.

Mining for coal, gold, and currently quartz has long been a staple of Goochland’s economy. The Kanawha canal, which paralleled the James River, was used for transportation eventually to be replaced by the railroad, whose route follows the canal towpath.

An exhibit showcased Time Travel materials.

Bringing Goochland History alive for fourth graders

A commemorative brick to mark the occasion was dedicated.

(ltr) "Patrick Henry", Amanda Adams, Sheriff Steven Creasey, District Court Clerk Jen Liptak, District Court Judge Claiborne H. Stokes, Jr., District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle, District 3 Supervisor Tom Winfree, Commonwealth's Attorney John Lumpkins, Jr., District 1 Supervisor Jonathan Christy (Clerk Office Image)

Former Sheriff James L. Agnew shared sanitized versions of some sensational cases he dealt with during his tenure in office. “Goochland juries do the right thing,” he said of the outcomes of those trials.

Agnew believes that the Goochland Courthouse Green is one of, if not the most, beautiful in the Commonwealth and the nation.

Former Sheriff James L. Agnew

Agnew categorized people who appear at the courthouse: those who make mistakes; those who are unable to reform their bad habits; and those who are truly evil.

“People come here, “said Agnew gesturing to the Courthouse, “for chancery cases, divorce cases, land disputes, and civil suits of more than $10,000. They come here to get their problems redressed.”

He recalled a dispute between a man and the bank that held his mortgage, which resulted in the Sheriff’s office being ordered to evict him and the unhappy homeowner holding a demonstration with a brass band.

“There are evil, nasty, and predatory people out there and we need to deal with them,” said Agnew.

Perhaps the most famous murder case in Goochland happened in 1917 and involved brothers that began with a civil suit and ended when pieces of one brother’s body were unearthed by a local dog. The surviving brother was sentenced to prison. Fourteen years later, the majority of jurors that convicted him asked the governor to pardon him.

The building itself is beautiful, but it has some issues that cannot be fixed. In the next few years, it will be replaced and this will be used for ceremonial purposes, said Agnew. It is very hard to maintain security for the kind of people who appear in court here. “This building is not suitable for modern trials.”

“This place is rich in history, and we are lucky to have it,” said Agnew.

Adams thanked Lind for being the day’s master of ceremonies, “and reminding us of everything that happened in 1826.” She also thanked partners including American Legion Post 215; Daughters of the American Revolution: Goochland County, Parks and Rec, General Services; Grace Church; Goochland Fire-Rescue; the Sheriff’s Office; the school division including the high school chorus, culinary arts department for the wonderful event themed cookies, and elementary schools; Goochland Historical Society; Goochland’s DeWitt Clinton Masonic Lodge; Goochland Rotary Club; the Library of Virginia; and Goochland 250.

Celebratory cookies (Clerk Office image)

She singled out for, special thanks, her office; Jessica Kronberg and Paul Drumwright of county staff; Angelia Miller and Tom Cocke of Parks & Rec.; and James Richmond for the display in the old clerk’s office.

It was a glorious day to honor our courthouse and its role in county history. Thank you, Madame Clerk, for making it a day to remember and carrying on the legacy of your predecessors!

 

Visit the Goochland County Clerk of Circuit Court Facebook page for many more images.