Friday, May 28, 2010
Coming attractions
Things to keep you busy
On Saturday, May 29 starting at 2 p.m. The Jackson Blacksmith Shop will hold its annual open house. Located on Sandy Hook Road (Rt. 522) about 3.1 miles south of Interstate 64, the Jackson Blacksmith Shop is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The blacksmith shop, still in working order, is in its original location. Demonstrations, entertainment and other activities are planned. This is one of Goochland’s treasures. Treat yourself and your family to a visit it’s well worth your time.
Monday May 31 is Memorial Day. Goochland’s American Legion Post will sponsor an observation of the day on the Courthouse green beginning at 10 a.m. Walter Stosch who represents the eastern portion of Goochland in the Virginia Senate will be the speaker. Bring your children and teach them about the importance of the sacrifice made by our troops throughout our country’s history.
On June 5 take part in what is billed as “a historically healthy tour of Richmond” in the Anthem Stride Through Time.
This event follows a 6.2 mile course through nine historic districts in downtown Richmond. Many museums along the way will be open for free to participants. This is a great way to sample the historic resources of Richmond. The route will be sprinkled with antique cars, historical figures and live music. Stride starts and finishes at the American Civil War Center at 500 Tredegar Street. Advance registration is $25 for adults and $15 for those under 18. Visit www.sportsbackers.org to register.
On June 8, the Goochland Tea Party will hold an organizational meeting at the Goochland Library located at 3075 River Road West on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. Visit www.richmondteaparty.com for more information.
Happy summer!
Coming attractions
Things to keep you busy
On Saturday, May 29 starting at 2 p.m. The Jackson Blacksmith Shop will hold its annual open house. Located on Sandy Hook Road (Rt. 522) about 3.1 miles south of Interstate 64, the Jackson Blacksmith Shop is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The blacksmith shop, still in working order, is in its original location. Demonstrations, entertainment and other activities are planned. This is one of Goochland’s treasures. Treat yourself and your family to a visit it’s well worth your time.
Monday May 31 is Memorial Day. Goochland’s American Legion Post will sponsor an observation of the day on the Courthouse green beginning at 10 a.m. Walter Stosch who represents the eastern portion of Goochland in the Virginia Senate will be the speaker. Bring your children and teach them about the importance of the sacrifice made by our troops throughout our country’s history.
On June 5 take part in what is billed as “a historically healthy tour of Richmond” in the Anthem Stride Through Time.
This event follows a 6.2 mile course through nine historic districts in downtown Richmond. Many museums along the way will be open for free to participants. This is a great way to sample the historic resources of Richmond. The route will be sprinkled with antique cars, historical figures and live music. Stride starts and finishes at the American Civil War Center at 500 Tredegar Street. Advance registration is $25 for adults and $15 for those under 18. Visit www.sportsbackers.org to register.
On June 8, the Goochland Tea Party will hold an organizational meeting at the Goochland Library located at 3075 River Road West on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. Visit www.richmondteaparty.com for more information.
Happy summer!
Back down the rabbit hole
School board approves deeper budget cuts
Goochland superintendent of schools Dr. Linda Underwood and four of the county’s five school board members — chair Max Cisne, District 5 was absent for unexplained reasons — didn’t quite sit with hands over their ears chanting “lalalala” while students and parents pleaded that they reconsider budget cuts at their May 25 workshop.
It was soon clear that the board had already decided to approve the additional $317,099 in budget reductions needed to balance the school budget for fiscal 2011, which begins on July 1. (For details go the school website at www.glnd.k12.va.us and click on school board agendas. It is part of the May 25 packet.) These were identified by Underwood at the May 11 school board meeting.
Among the additional cuts, Underwood cited a savings of about #63,000 the in salary and benefits due to the resignation of the information and technology specialist.
We’re still not sure what he did or who approved the creation of that position in the first place.
It is rumored that a school administrative employee is pursuing an advanced degree on the county’s time and dime. Yet, we cannot fund all classroom teacher positions.
In retrospect, it has been clear since late last year that Underwood — the school board just sings backup — decided to eliminate the elementary gifted center, textbooks, programs and get rid of many teachers while retaining her posse in the central office.
The meeting included poignant pleas from parents and students to save the elementary gifted center. Other parents pointed out that no one, save Underwood and the school board, publicly supported the proposed school budget.
(Visit the Goochland Education Parents (GEPA) website at www.goochlandparents.com for insightful discussions on many facets of the local school system.)
Crafting a school budget in the shadow of a drastically contracting economy was very difficult. The perpetual tug of war between those who believe that the schools spend too much and those involved with local education who believe that they are never adequately funded was especially bitter.
Underwood’s refusal to compile a budget reflecting the reality of no increase in the real estate tax rate illustrates her complete disconnect with reality. She seems to have assumed that the supervisors would raise taxes to placate vocal parent groups. In hard times, you get everyone together, explain the problem, roll up your sleeves and find a way through the crisis.
Throughout the process Underwood exhibited a total lack of understanding of a very important facet of her job, winning the hearts and minds of the parents of her students.
The name of Frank Morgan, beloved former superintendent of Goochland schools, was mentioned with longing a few times during the public comment period.
Parents contended that Morgan was far more accessible than Underwood whose style tends to be imperious and aloof. Charming and gregarious by nature, Morgan promptly responded to emails and phone calls and was happy to chat pretty much anytime anywhere.
While it is unfair to expect Underwood to be a Morgan clone, she should have learned something by watching him in action. Parents contend that Underwood controls email access to school board members and sometimes even composes replies to parents for them.
Earlier this year, she metaphorically waved her Ph.D. at the supervisors after parents disagreed with her budget claiming that she knew best how the school system should spend its money. This was embarrassing and pathetic.
Had Underwood bothered to seriously consider suggestions presented by GEPA and worked with that group, they would have walked through fire for her. Instead, they have become a formidable foe.
Military leaders understand the wisdom of the “men and horses eat first” management style as a way to motivate people in impossible conditions to perform extraordinary feats because they are valued.
Underwood instead seems to prefer the “beatings will continue until morale improves” motivation style and treats teachers as costs on two feet. Her distribution of reduction in force notices during teacher appreciation week is evidence of this.
More than eliminating specific programs and firing teachers while preserving administrative jobs, this attitude will decay the quality of public education in Goochland. Those good teachers that have not been fired will quietly bide their time and move to a system that appreciates their skill and dedication.
The school board seems blithely oblivious to the problem. They will answer for this at the November, 2011 elections.
Following the budget vote, the board turned to more mundane matters. They finally acknowledged the microphone problem in the high school auditorium and discussed the purchase of new ones. The supervisors used that very public address system for their budget public hearing and it worked quite well. Why can’t the school system figure out how to operate its own equipment?
Why don’t they just accept the offer from the county to hold school board meetings in the board room at the administration building? The microphone system there is excellent and able to record meetings in a format that can be posted online at no cost.
A paid outside energy consultant delivered a preliminary report on ways to save energy dollars. Goochland citizen and parent Adeeb Hamzey, who works for Dominion Power in a similar capacity, offered to perform an energy audit of the schools system gratis and was rebuffed.
The consultant did report that the school system could save about $250 per year per desktop computer by turning them off every night. There are a lot of computers in our school system. Perhaps a teaching job could have been saved had anyone used the off switch!!! Does school administration really need to hire an expert to tell them that?
He used a line from a Buffalo Springsteen song to describe a spike in energy use at the high school/middle school complex in 2009. “Something’s happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.”
Holding school board meetings at the county admin building would save energy by keeping the lights off and the HVAC system in the auditorium at maintenance levels.
Our school board is an embarrassment. We are not alone.
There was a fascinating article in the June 7, 2010 issue of Forbes (www.forbes.com) entitled “what schools can learn from money managers.” Public education in our county and country is dysfunctional if not broken. It’s past time for new solutions. State and federal regulations are not the answer.
Goochland superintendent of schools Dr. Linda Underwood and four of the county’s five school board members — chair Max Cisne, District 5 was absent for unexplained reasons — didn’t quite sit with hands over their ears chanting “lalalala” while students and parents pleaded that they reconsider budget cuts at their May 25 workshop.
It was soon clear that the board had already decided to approve the additional $317,099 in budget reductions needed to balance the school budget for fiscal 2011, which begins on July 1. (For details go the school website at www.glnd.k12.va.us and click on school board agendas. It is part of the May 25 packet.) These were identified by Underwood at the May 11 school board meeting.
Among the additional cuts, Underwood cited a savings of about #63,000 the in salary and benefits due to the resignation of the information and technology specialist.
We’re still not sure what he did or who approved the creation of that position in the first place.
It is rumored that a school administrative employee is pursuing an advanced degree on the county’s time and dime. Yet, we cannot fund all classroom teacher positions.
In retrospect, it has been clear since late last year that Underwood — the school board just sings backup — decided to eliminate the elementary gifted center, textbooks, programs and get rid of many teachers while retaining her posse in the central office.
The meeting included poignant pleas from parents and students to save the elementary gifted center. Other parents pointed out that no one, save Underwood and the school board, publicly supported the proposed school budget.
(Visit the Goochland Education Parents (GEPA) website at www.goochlandparents.com for insightful discussions on many facets of the local school system.)
Crafting a school budget in the shadow of a drastically contracting economy was very difficult. The perpetual tug of war between those who believe that the schools spend too much and those involved with local education who believe that they are never adequately funded was especially bitter.
Underwood’s refusal to compile a budget reflecting the reality of no increase in the real estate tax rate illustrates her complete disconnect with reality. She seems to have assumed that the supervisors would raise taxes to placate vocal parent groups. In hard times, you get everyone together, explain the problem, roll up your sleeves and find a way through the crisis.
Throughout the process Underwood exhibited a total lack of understanding of a very important facet of her job, winning the hearts and minds of the parents of her students.
The name of Frank Morgan, beloved former superintendent of Goochland schools, was mentioned with longing a few times during the public comment period.
Parents contended that Morgan was far more accessible than Underwood whose style tends to be imperious and aloof. Charming and gregarious by nature, Morgan promptly responded to emails and phone calls and was happy to chat pretty much anytime anywhere.
While it is unfair to expect Underwood to be a Morgan clone, she should have learned something by watching him in action. Parents contend that Underwood controls email access to school board members and sometimes even composes replies to parents for them.
Earlier this year, she metaphorically waved her Ph.D. at the supervisors after parents disagreed with her budget claiming that she knew best how the school system should spend its money. This was embarrassing and pathetic.
Had Underwood bothered to seriously consider suggestions presented by GEPA and worked with that group, they would have walked through fire for her. Instead, they have become a formidable foe.
Military leaders understand the wisdom of the “men and horses eat first” management style as a way to motivate people in impossible conditions to perform extraordinary feats because they are valued.
Underwood instead seems to prefer the “beatings will continue until morale improves” motivation style and treats teachers as costs on two feet. Her distribution of reduction in force notices during teacher appreciation week is evidence of this.
More than eliminating specific programs and firing teachers while preserving administrative jobs, this attitude will decay the quality of public education in Goochland. Those good teachers that have not been fired will quietly bide their time and move to a system that appreciates their skill and dedication.
The school board seems blithely oblivious to the problem. They will answer for this at the November, 2011 elections.
Following the budget vote, the board turned to more mundane matters. They finally acknowledged the microphone problem in the high school auditorium and discussed the purchase of new ones. The supervisors used that very public address system for their budget public hearing and it worked quite well. Why can’t the school system figure out how to operate its own equipment?
Why don’t they just accept the offer from the county to hold school board meetings in the board room at the administration building? The microphone system there is excellent and able to record meetings in a format that can be posted online at no cost.
A paid outside energy consultant delivered a preliminary report on ways to save energy dollars. Goochland citizen and parent Adeeb Hamzey, who works for Dominion Power in a similar capacity, offered to perform an energy audit of the schools system gratis and was rebuffed.
The consultant did report that the school system could save about $250 per year per desktop computer by turning them off every night. There are a lot of computers in our school system. Perhaps a teaching job could have been saved had anyone used the off switch!!! Does school administration really need to hire an expert to tell them that?
He used a line from a Buffalo Springsteen song to describe a spike in energy use at the high school/middle school complex in 2009. “Something’s happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.”
Holding school board meetings at the county admin building would save energy by keeping the lights off and the HVAC system in the auditorium at maintenance levels.
Our school board is an embarrassment. We are not alone.
There was a fascinating article in the June 7, 2010 issue of Forbes (www.forbes.com) entitled “what schools can learn from money managers.” Public education in our county and country is dysfunctional if not broken. It’s past time for new solutions. State and federal regulations are not the answer.
Monday, May 24, 2010
New business in TCSD
Car wash to the rescue
The Goochland planning commission voted 7-1 to recommend approval of a conditional use permit to establish a car wash on Pouncey Tract Road at its May 20 meeting. Two commissioners, Tommy Carter District 3 and Courtney Hyers District 5, were absent.
Ty Querry, District 2 based his sole dissenting vote on concerns identified by the planning staff about the adequacy of turning radii for fuel delivery trucks and limited access for fire-rescue apparatus.
Another commissioner observed that exit traffic patterns for the car wash should be carefully considered because “...people do crazy things when they go through these car washes.” Do car washes add psychedelics to their cleaning compounds?
Tom Coleman, the county’s principal planner, and Don Charles assistant county administrator, who oversees land use matters, were confident that these issues can be successfully resolved during the plan of development (POD) stage of the project.
Charles said that Goochland Fire Marshal Phil Paquette was on board with the proposal and will be involved in the POD
process to ensure the safety of traffic patterns. The project is accessed from an interior roadway rather than directly from Pouncey Tract Road.
A master plan for the entire tact of land, which has frontage on both Ashland and Pouncey Tract Roads, includes access points on both highways. Because Pouncey Tract Road is a major artery, VDOT will be involved in road use discussions. Proffers included with the CUP include donation of ample land easements to facilitate widening of Pouncey Tract Road at some future date and left and right turn lanes.
The initial rezoning, which occurred in 2006, shows that the land is designated for both B-1 (business) and M-1 (light industrial) uses. The original concept foresaw retail use near the road and light industrial in the interior portion.
There was no public comment about the proposal.
An accessory use to a convenience store planned for 4.4 acre outparcel of the larger tract, the car wash is a small stone in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District pond.
However, given its location at the northern terminus of planned TCSD lines, a business that uses a large amount of water in turn generating wastewater, is good news on many fronts.
Jobs will be created, badly needed revenue will flow into county coffers, but most important of all, the county will resell a good bit of the water it buys from Henrico and now dumps on the ground to keep TCSD water fresh.
PT Land Company, LLC, which plans to build the convenience store and car wash, will make a substantial investment in county infrastructure to extend water and sewer lines to its property.
Once these utilities are in place, other businesses should be attracted to the area.
The proposed design of the convenience store and car wash as illustrated by elevations submitted with the application shows high quality structures with standing seam metal roofs. The elevation is reminiscent of the Charles Luck Stone Center on Route 6 in Manakin. These charming buildings will set the tone for all future development on this parcel.
The location of this project, dubbed “Alligator Fuels” on elevations submitted with the application, takes a page out of Henrico County’s successful strategy for economic development by locating near a county border.
“Alligator Fuels” is ideally located to capture trade from Henrico, Goochland and Hanover residents who travel Pouncey Tract Road.
According to Charles, procedures used by Goochland to obtain utility easements have been improved to benefit both landowners and the county, a change long overdue. The county must create an environment that encourages private investment and abandon long standing policies that discourage businesses from locating here. “Alligator Fuels” is good news indeed.
Requiring a CUP for car washes ensures that they won’t pop up on every corner.
This may have been the zoning ordinance matter that was discussed by the supervisors in closed session at their may 4 meeting. Although the board mumbled all the “magic words” required by the Code of Virginia to enter closed session, this makes it look like “the boys” are up to their old tricks of secret meetings about potentially embarrassing items. Or, the bizarre change made to the accessory use provisions of the zoning code made on an emergency basis a few years back could be causing indigestion like last night’s bad chili.
Other business:
Charles reports that inquiries about land use issues have risen sharply in past weeks, perhaps an indication that the economy is improving.
The planning commission also voted 8-0 to extend a CUP initially granted in 2000 to local photographer Jeff Mabry for his studio at 2680 Sandy Hook Road for 15 years.
James Melton, District 2 will continue to serve as commission chairman with Tommy Carter, District 3 as vice chairman.
The Goochland planning commission voted 7-1 to recommend approval of a conditional use permit to establish a car wash on Pouncey Tract Road at its May 20 meeting. Two commissioners, Tommy Carter District 3 and Courtney Hyers District 5, were absent.
Ty Querry, District 2 based his sole dissenting vote on concerns identified by the planning staff about the adequacy of turning radii for fuel delivery trucks and limited access for fire-rescue apparatus.
Another commissioner observed that exit traffic patterns for the car wash should be carefully considered because “...people do crazy things when they go through these car washes.” Do car washes add psychedelics to their cleaning compounds?
Tom Coleman, the county’s principal planner, and Don Charles assistant county administrator, who oversees land use matters, were confident that these issues can be successfully resolved during the plan of development (POD) stage of the project.
Charles said that Goochland Fire Marshal Phil Paquette was on board with the proposal and will be involved in the POD
process to ensure the safety of traffic patterns. The project is accessed from an interior roadway rather than directly from Pouncey Tract Road.
A master plan for the entire tact of land, which has frontage on both Ashland and Pouncey Tract Roads, includes access points on both highways. Because Pouncey Tract Road is a major artery, VDOT will be involved in road use discussions. Proffers included with the CUP include donation of ample land easements to facilitate widening of Pouncey Tract Road at some future date and left and right turn lanes.
The initial rezoning, which occurred in 2006, shows that the land is designated for both B-1 (business) and M-1 (light industrial) uses. The original concept foresaw retail use near the road and light industrial in the interior portion.
There was no public comment about the proposal.
An accessory use to a convenience store planned for 4.4 acre outparcel of the larger tract, the car wash is a small stone in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District pond.
However, given its location at the northern terminus of planned TCSD lines, a business that uses a large amount of water in turn generating wastewater, is good news on many fronts.
Jobs will be created, badly needed revenue will flow into county coffers, but most important of all, the county will resell a good bit of the water it buys from Henrico and now dumps on the ground to keep TCSD water fresh.
PT Land Company, LLC, which plans to build the convenience store and car wash, will make a substantial investment in county infrastructure to extend water and sewer lines to its property.
Once these utilities are in place, other businesses should be attracted to the area.
The proposed design of the convenience store and car wash as illustrated by elevations submitted with the application shows high quality structures with standing seam metal roofs. The elevation is reminiscent of the Charles Luck Stone Center on Route 6 in Manakin. These charming buildings will set the tone for all future development on this parcel.
The location of this project, dubbed “Alligator Fuels” on elevations submitted with the application, takes a page out of Henrico County’s successful strategy for economic development by locating near a county border.
“Alligator Fuels” is ideally located to capture trade from Henrico, Goochland and Hanover residents who travel Pouncey Tract Road.
According to Charles, procedures used by Goochland to obtain utility easements have been improved to benefit both landowners and the county, a change long overdue. The county must create an environment that encourages private investment and abandon long standing policies that discourage businesses from locating here. “Alligator Fuels” is good news indeed.
Requiring a CUP for car washes ensures that they won’t pop up on every corner.
This may have been the zoning ordinance matter that was discussed by the supervisors in closed session at their may 4 meeting. Although the board mumbled all the “magic words” required by the Code of Virginia to enter closed session, this makes it look like “the boys” are up to their old tricks of secret meetings about potentially embarrassing items. Or, the bizarre change made to the accessory use provisions of the zoning code made on an emergency basis a few years back could be causing indigestion like last night’s bad chili.
Other business:
Charles reports that inquiries about land use issues have risen sharply in past weeks, perhaps an indication that the economy is improving.
The planning commission also voted 8-0 to extend a CUP initially granted in 2000 to local photographer Jeff Mabry for his studio at 2680 Sandy Hook Road for 15 years.
James Melton, District 2 will continue to serve as commission chairman with Tommy Carter, District 3 as vice chairman.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
You’ve got a friend
Just call 911
Angels do walk among us. Some of them travel in ambulances.
May 16-22 has been designated EMS week for 2010. Emergency Medical Service folk honor us with their skill, compassion and service 24/7 every day of the year. They deserve more than a week of recognition.
Goochland is blessed with a competent, caring and committed corps of volunteers who give freely of their time and talents to help their fellow citizens, often at the expense of time with their own families. They leave warm, safe beds to go in harm’s way to help someone in distress.
Last year, a handful of career (paid) providers was hired by the county to augment our volunteers, most of whom work outside the county, during daytime weekday hours to ensure that there is minimal EMS coverage in Goochland. Given our current fiscal woes, it will be a very long time, if ever, before the county can afford a fully career department.
Our volunteers work closely with the career staff, often making up combination crews to staff more ambulances. Even so, there are too many times when all available crews are tied up with emergencies.
We tend to meet EMS crews including drivers, emergency medical technicians, advanced life support providers and paramedics on the worst days of our lives.
They see us sick and broken and use their skill to make a bad day better. All too often, we don’t even bother to thank them for saving our lives.
EMS providers, including Goochland volunteers, must complete rigorous training before they are “cut loose” to care for patients on their own.
More than 120 hours of classroom and practical training in addition to rotations in local emergency rooms must be completed before an entry level EMT can sit for the state certification test, the same test required of career agencies in neighboring jurisdictions. Then they must work under the watchful eye of a seasoned provider for some on- the-job orientation.
Some of our volunteers work as career fire-medics in other places and share their skill and experience in Goochland on days off.
Goochland Fire-Rescue, it’s all under the same roof in the county, has an excellent reputation for high standards that are the equal of career organizations. Visit any fire-rescue station and check out the awards for excellence on display.
If you see and EMS provider this week give them a hug and say “thank you” even if you’ve never had the benefit of their assistance. You probably will someday.
Better yet, consider taking an EMT class or becoming a volunteer driver. Your reward is the satisfaction of a job well done and making a bad day better for someone in need.
Training is free to all members of one of the county’s six fire-rescue company. Stop in and meet your local volunteers, or call 556-5304 to learn more. Wings are optional.
Angels do walk among us. Some of them travel in ambulances.
May 16-22 has been designated EMS week for 2010. Emergency Medical Service folk honor us with their skill, compassion and service 24/7 every day of the year. They deserve more than a week of recognition.
Goochland is blessed with a competent, caring and committed corps of volunteers who give freely of their time and talents to help their fellow citizens, often at the expense of time with their own families. They leave warm, safe beds to go in harm’s way to help someone in distress.
Last year, a handful of career (paid) providers was hired by the county to augment our volunteers, most of whom work outside the county, during daytime weekday hours to ensure that there is minimal EMS coverage in Goochland. Given our current fiscal woes, it will be a very long time, if ever, before the county can afford a fully career department.
Our volunteers work closely with the career staff, often making up combination crews to staff more ambulances. Even so, there are too many times when all available crews are tied up with emergencies.
We tend to meet EMS crews including drivers, emergency medical technicians, advanced life support providers and paramedics on the worst days of our lives.
They see us sick and broken and use their skill to make a bad day better. All too often, we don’t even bother to thank them for saving our lives.
EMS providers, including Goochland volunteers, must complete rigorous training before they are “cut loose” to care for patients on their own.
More than 120 hours of classroom and practical training in addition to rotations in local emergency rooms must be completed before an entry level EMT can sit for the state certification test, the same test required of career agencies in neighboring jurisdictions. Then they must work under the watchful eye of a seasoned provider for some on- the-job orientation.
Some of our volunteers work as career fire-medics in other places and share their skill and experience in Goochland on days off.
Goochland Fire-Rescue, it’s all under the same roof in the county, has an excellent reputation for high standards that are the equal of career organizations. Visit any fire-rescue station and check out the awards for excellence on display.
If you see and EMS provider this week give them a hug and say “thank you” even if you’ve never had the benefit of their assistance. You probably will someday.
Better yet, consider taking an EMT class or becoming a volunteer driver. Your reward is the satisfaction of a job well done and making a bad day better for someone in need.
Training is free to all members of one of the county’s six fire-rescue company. Stop in and meet your local volunteers, or call 556-5304 to learn more. Wings are optional.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Another Pleasant Valley Tuesday
Back to old habits?
The May 4 Goochland Board of Supervisors’ meeting was short and boring. The brain deadening marathons of yore have been replaced with rocket docket meetings where supervisors cast votes on procedural matters and listen to citizen concerns.
That’s not a bad thing, but it does seem like the oft- touted move toward government transparency has been replaced with even more behind the scenes machinations.
While this year’s budget process generated a lot of heat, it’s still unclear how the spending cuts were arrived at. More cuts will be presented for board approval at its June meeting. Hopefully, there will be some justification for the further cuts.
Citizen comment period was peppered with concerns about the evergreen subject of school bus garage. Citizens who live in the vicinity of the old middle school in the Sandy Hook area told the supervisors that they don’t want the bus garage in their backyard.
Hopefully, their fears are unfounded. Geographically, it makes no sense to put the bus garage there. A location in or near Courthouse Village still seems like the best choice.
The GEPA folk asked the supervisors to use the money allocated to the bus garage project for other capital improvements, including transforming the old high school gym into classroom space for Goochland Elementary School, which is bursting at the seams with children.
Another concern about GES raised by GEPA is a foul sewage stench emanating from some of the restrooms. In spite of extensive efforts by maintenance, they contend, the source of the smell cannot be located and corrected.
Although concerns about GES and the bus garage are of greatest concern to parents and those whose property values could be affected by moving the bus garage, the issues are symptoms of a larger problem.
The board of supervisors is incapable of planning for the future and committing to pretty much anything.
The old middle school has been vacant for almost three years. The supervisors and school board have known that the building was going to be surplus for about a decade and yet, no decision about its use going forward has been made.
Little attention was even paid to preserving the structure with item such as roof repair even though a considerable amount of money was spent a few years ago to fix the gym floor even thought the roof above was leaking.
On a positive note, the supervisors actually seemed to approve the notion of a strategic planning session to be held on the morning of July 6. Though held outside of the admin building, the meeting will be open to the public. Let’s hope that the board sees this as a golden opportunity to let citizens understand the complexity of issues facing local government.
Gary Rhodes, president of J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College made his annual presentation to the supervisors. He explained that JSRCC is the third largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. The bad economy and tuition increases have worked together to increase enrollment. A successful collaboration with Goochland High School permits participating students to earn college credits at no cost while still in high school helping to keep tutu ion costs down.
The automotive technology department on the 100 acre western campus is one of several special programs that prepares students for employment in specialty trades.
Rhodes said that JSRCC works with the Goochland Chamber and other local groups.
There was no comment about the County’s Spring Fest on May 1. Attendance seemed poor. Perhaps a moratorium on county funded celebrations is in order until the fiscal situation improves.
County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson discussed the conditions of a $50,000 Urban Development Area (UDA) grant received from the state.
By September 30, 2011, the county, in order to comply with the state mandated requirement that all fast growing counties in exurban areas like Goochland must identify a UDA as a magnet for expected growth.
Centerville, said Dickinson, has been selected as Goochland’s UDA. The grant money will be used to defray the cost of consultants vetted by VDOT, who will help the county planning staff make the necessary changes to the county’s comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinances. The minimum residential density in a UDA is 4 units per acre. Goochland currently has a minimum density of 2.5 units per acre. The supervisors declined to approve an increase in density a few years ago.
Centerville is an ideal location for a UDA. It has water and sewer, is close to major highways and is on the brink of development spillover from Short Pump.
Had these changes, at a minimum, been put in place about eight years ago, perhaps the TCSD would solvent an Goochland have meaningful economic development.
It will be interesting to see the supervisors balk at these changes and try to justify their objections to the obvious.
VDOT representatives announced that 4,101 potholes were repaired in Goochland as part of the governor’s pothole blitz.
The long awaited widening project for Broad Street Road through Centerville is back on track. In spite of exhaustive public meetings and planning sessions with a proposed plan for the project, the water lines will need to be moved. District 4 Supervisor Rudy Butler is justifiably steamed about this because VDOT made repeated assurances that the water lines, which were supposedly installed in a location that was out of the widening easement area, would not need to be moved during the road widening. The state will pay for the cost of moving the lines. As Butler said, that money could have been used on another project.
Perhaps the answer to Virginia’s transportation woes is to eliminate VDOT and start over.
The board voted to approve the purchase of development rights in exchange for a perpetual open space and conservation easement on 500 acres of land owned by Albert Pyle in the western end of the county. Half of the $320,000 purchase price will be refunded by the state. The property will continue to be taxed at land use rates as modified by the easement.
In 2007, the supervisors established a program to purchase development rights to preserve agricultural, historic and scenic property in the county. Goochland was the recipient of a $403,219.75 Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)/ Farmland Preservation Program grant to purchase development rights on working farms within the county.
Protecting the Pyle property from development in perpetuity is a sound investment in the county’s future.
The May 4 Goochland Board of Supervisors’ meeting was short and boring. The brain deadening marathons of yore have been replaced with rocket docket meetings where supervisors cast votes on procedural matters and listen to citizen concerns.
That’s not a bad thing, but it does seem like the oft- touted move toward government transparency has been replaced with even more behind the scenes machinations.
While this year’s budget process generated a lot of heat, it’s still unclear how the spending cuts were arrived at. More cuts will be presented for board approval at its June meeting. Hopefully, there will be some justification for the further cuts.
Citizen comment period was peppered with concerns about the evergreen subject of school bus garage. Citizens who live in the vicinity of the old middle school in the Sandy Hook area told the supervisors that they don’t want the bus garage in their backyard.
Hopefully, their fears are unfounded. Geographically, it makes no sense to put the bus garage there. A location in or near Courthouse Village still seems like the best choice.
The GEPA folk asked the supervisors to use the money allocated to the bus garage project for other capital improvements, including transforming the old high school gym into classroom space for Goochland Elementary School, which is bursting at the seams with children.
Another concern about GES raised by GEPA is a foul sewage stench emanating from some of the restrooms. In spite of extensive efforts by maintenance, they contend, the source of the smell cannot be located and corrected.
Although concerns about GES and the bus garage are of greatest concern to parents and those whose property values could be affected by moving the bus garage, the issues are symptoms of a larger problem.
The board of supervisors is incapable of planning for the future and committing to pretty much anything.
The old middle school has been vacant for almost three years. The supervisors and school board have known that the building was going to be surplus for about a decade and yet, no decision about its use going forward has been made.
Little attention was even paid to preserving the structure with item such as roof repair even though a considerable amount of money was spent a few years ago to fix the gym floor even thought the roof above was leaking.
On a positive note, the supervisors actually seemed to approve the notion of a strategic planning session to be held on the morning of July 6. Though held outside of the admin building, the meeting will be open to the public. Let’s hope that the board sees this as a golden opportunity to let citizens understand the complexity of issues facing local government.
Gary Rhodes, president of J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College made his annual presentation to the supervisors. He explained that JSRCC is the third largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. The bad economy and tuition increases have worked together to increase enrollment. A successful collaboration with Goochland High School permits participating students to earn college credits at no cost while still in high school helping to keep tutu ion costs down.
The automotive technology department on the 100 acre western campus is one of several special programs that prepares students for employment in specialty trades.
Rhodes said that JSRCC works with the Goochland Chamber and other local groups.
There was no comment about the County’s Spring Fest on May 1. Attendance seemed poor. Perhaps a moratorium on county funded celebrations is in order until the fiscal situation improves.
County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson discussed the conditions of a $50,000 Urban Development Area (UDA) grant received from the state.
By September 30, 2011, the county, in order to comply with the state mandated requirement that all fast growing counties in exurban areas like Goochland must identify a UDA as a magnet for expected growth.
Centerville, said Dickinson, has been selected as Goochland’s UDA. The grant money will be used to defray the cost of consultants vetted by VDOT, who will help the county planning staff make the necessary changes to the county’s comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinances. The minimum residential density in a UDA is 4 units per acre. Goochland currently has a minimum density of 2.5 units per acre. The supervisors declined to approve an increase in density a few years ago.
Centerville is an ideal location for a UDA. It has water and sewer, is close to major highways and is on the brink of development spillover from Short Pump.
Had these changes, at a minimum, been put in place about eight years ago, perhaps the TCSD would solvent an Goochland have meaningful economic development.
It will be interesting to see the supervisors balk at these changes and try to justify their objections to the obvious.
VDOT representatives announced that 4,101 potholes were repaired in Goochland as part of the governor’s pothole blitz.
The long awaited widening project for Broad Street Road through Centerville is back on track. In spite of exhaustive public meetings and planning sessions with a proposed plan for the project, the water lines will need to be moved. District 4 Supervisor Rudy Butler is justifiably steamed about this because VDOT made repeated assurances that the water lines, which were supposedly installed in a location that was out of the widening easement area, would not need to be moved during the road widening. The state will pay for the cost of moving the lines. As Butler said, that money could have been used on another project.
Perhaps the answer to Virginia’s transportation woes is to eliminate VDOT and start over.
The board voted to approve the purchase of development rights in exchange for a perpetual open space and conservation easement on 500 acres of land owned by Albert Pyle in the western end of the county. Half of the $320,000 purchase price will be refunded by the state. The property will continue to be taxed at land use rates as modified by the easement.
In 2007, the supervisors established a program to purchase development rights to preserve agricultural, historic and scenic property in the county. Goochland was the recipient of a $403,219.75 Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)/ Farmland Preservation Program grant to purchase development rights on working farms within the county.
Protecting the Pyle property from development in perpetuity is a sound investment in the county’s future.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Another new face in town
County hires fire-rescue chief
Goochland’s new Fire-Rescue Chief William D. Mackay will report for duty on June 28,according to a press release announcing his hiring.
Currently serving as chief in Niagara Falls, New York, MacKay brings a wide range of experience to the job in Goochland.
Happily, MacKay, a native of Merrick, New York on Long Island’s south shore, began his fire-rescue career as a volunteer. This will enable him to understand the motivations and frustrations of those who give freely of their time and talent to save lives and protect property in Goochland.
MacKay will no doubt respect the achievements of those whose efforts transformed the handful of young men who took that first firefighter training course more than 50 years ago into the fine organization that it is today.
He will need to keep the course, already charted, that has added a handful of excellent career providers to Goochland Fire-Rescue last year.
Coming to the job in this era of severe budgetary constraints will require a deft leadership skills and the creativity to leverage existing assets.
Although there are pitfalls, the rewards of a job well done are many. Our fire-rescue providers both career and volunteer are well-trained, well-equipped and motivated to serve the citizens of Goochland.
MacKay’s broad experience will enable him to bring new insights to Goochland Fire-Rescue and collaborate with the volunteers and staff to craft strategies that will move the organization forward as the county grows.
Welcome Chief MacKay!
Below is the press release announcing MacKay’s appointment as Fire-Rescue Chief.
May 7, 2010
Goochland County Administrator Rebecca Dickson announced today the appointment of William D. MacKay, as Goochland County’s new Fire and Rescue Chief effective June 28.
Mr. MacKay has over 30 years of experience in the field of emergency response both fire and rescue. Mr. MacKay is currently the Fire Chief for the City of Niagara Falls, New York. As Fire Chief, Mr. MacKay is responsible for the operations and management of a 150 person municipal fire department. Prior to his appointment in Niagara Falls, he served in Fairfax County, Virginia for about 26years beginning in 1980. From 1980 to 2005 he served in various capacities ultimately retiring as Battalion Chief, Special Operations.
From 2005 through2006 Mr. MacKay served as Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management for Fairfax County. Mr. MacKay is a certified instructor at the National Fire Academy.
He served as the Operations Chief for the response to the World Trade Center attack and as Emergency Operation Center Manager for Katrina Deployment to New Orleans.
Mr. Mackay began his fire career as a volunteer on Long Island.
Rebecca Dickson, County Administrator, stated that she is looking forward to Mr. MacKay coming on board. “Goochland County has a terrific reputation in the field of Fire and Rescue. Over 40 applications were received for the position and the process to select Mr. MacKay was strenuous. Mr. MacKay brings strong leadership ability,
comprehensive knowledge and years of emergency management experience to the position of Goochland County Fire and Rescue Chief. He will be a welcome addition to our dedicated Fire and Rescue volunteer and career staff and a tremendous asset for Goochland“ stated Ms. Dickson.
“My wife and I look forward to the opportunities that Goochland affords and to work with the men and women of the Goochland Fire and Rescue Department. It is an honor and privilege to have been selected and I look forward to many productive years in an organization with the reputation that Goochland is known for” stated Mr. MacKay.
Mr. MacKay will receive an annual salary of $83,000.
Goochland’s new Fire-Rescue Chief William D. Mackay will report for duty on June 28,according to a press release announcing his hiring.
Currently serving as chief in Niagara Falls, New York, MacKay brings a wide range of experience to the job in Goochland.
Happily, MacKay, a native of Merrick, New York on Long Island’s south shore, began his fire-rescue career as a volunteer. This will enable him to understand the motivations and frustrations of those who give freely of their time and talent to save lives and protect property in Goochland.
MacKay will no doubt respect the achievements of those whose efforts transformed the handful of young men who took that first firefighter training course more than 50 years ago into the fine organization that it is today.
He will need to keep the course, already charted, that has added a handful of excellent career providers to Goochland Fire-Rescue last year.
Coming to the job in this era of severe budgetary constraints will require a deft leadership skills and the creativity to leverage existing assets.
Although there are pitfalls, the rewards of a job well done are many. Our fire-rescue providers both career and volunteer are well-trained, well-equipped and motivated to serve the citizens of Goochland.
MacKay’s broad experience will enable him to bring new insights to Goochland Fire-Rescue and collaborate with the volunteers and staff to craft strategies that will move the organization forward as the county grows.
Welcome Chief MacKay!
Below is the press release announcing MacKay’s appointment as Fire-Rescue Chief.
May 7, 2010
Goochland County Administrator Rebecca Dickson announced today the appointment of William D. MacKay, as Goochland County’s new Fire and Rescue Chief effective June 28.
Mr. MacKay has over 30 years of experience in the field of emergency response both fire and rescue. Mr. MacKay is currently the Fire Chief for the City of Niagara Falls, New York. As Fire Chief, Mr. MacKay is responsible for the operations and management of a 150 person municipal fire department. Prior to his appointment in Niagara Falls, he served in Fairfax County, Virginia for about 26years beginning in 1980. From 1980 to 2005 he served in various capacities ultimately retiring as Battalion Chief, Special Operations.
From 2005 through2006 Mr. MacKay served as Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management for Fairfax County. Mr. MacKay is a certified instructor at the National Fire Academy.
He served as the Operations Chief for the response to the World Trade Center attack and as Emergency Operation Center Manager for Katrina Deployment to New Orleans.
Mr. Mackay began his fire career as a volunteer on Long Island.
Rebecca Dickson, County Administrator, stated that she is looking forward to Mr. MacKay coming on board. “Goochland County has a terrific reputation in the field of Fire and Rescue. Over 40 applications were received for the position and the process to select Mr. MacKay was strenuous. Mr. MacKay brings strong leadership ability,
comprehensive knowledge and years of emergency management experience to the position of Goochland County Fire and Rescue Chief. He will be a welcome addition to our dedicated Fire and Rescue volunteer and career staff and a tremendous asset for Goochland“ stated Ms. Dickson.
“My wife and I look forward to the opportunities that Goochland affords and to work with the men and women of the Goochland Fire and Rescue Department. It is an honor and privilege to have been selected and I look forward to many productive years in an organization with the reputation that Goochland is known for” stated Mr. MacKay.
Mr. MacKay will receive an annual salary of $83,000.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Lancing the boil
No audit report in May
The agenda for the May 4 meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors is interesting for what it does not contain. A missing item, the final report of KPMG, the accounting firm retained to audit the county’s financial operations, is troubling.
Apparently, the audit is not yet complete. When first commissioned about a year ago, estimates of the time needed to complete the task were in weeks. Yet, the auditors have been hard at work for the better part of a year. This seems to indicate that the investigation into the county’s fiscal matters continues to uncover inconsistencies that impact everything else.
In March, Ron Churchman, the KPMG partner assigned to oversee the Goochland audit, gave the supervisors a taste of the contents of the final report. He was careful to qualify many of his comments to indicate that the auditors were not yet finished.
See his remarks in the draft minutes of the March 23 supervisors’ workshop included in the May 4 meeting packet. This is available on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us in the board of supervisors section. Though couched in the bland language of accounting, Churchman’s remarks about the county’s financial management before fiscal 2009 are chilling.
Although painful, and embarrassing, this audit must proceed to its logical conclusion. Like a boil whose poison can sicken an entire organism, the audit must be completed and inadequacies uncovered and corrected. That is the only way the county can clean up the mess that has infected it for years and move forward.
A recent anonymous comment to a previous entry on this blog suggested that the approximately $25 million general fund was an indication that the former county administrator had done a good job for Goochland. Unfortunately, under the previous regime, that fund was used as a cudgel.
Instead of planning ways to fund facilities to benefit the community in an orderly manner, the general fund was used to cover shortfalls in the annual smoke and mirrors budget process and pay for pet projects of those in favor.
One instance of that is the western convenience center. In spite of citizen objection to the location of the WCC, it was built in a location favored by District 1 supervisor Andrew Pryor. The county’s planning staff provided graphs and charts and maps in support of Pryor’s wishes, the public be, well, you know.
Another item that has yet to be addressed is the county’s bus maintenance facility. Talk about a festering boil.
The existing bus garage is so inadequate that bus tires must be deflated in order to permit entry into the old structures. The supervisors and school board have batted this project around for at least eight years and spent a good chunk of public change on professional fees for options under consideration. In the meantime, nothing has changed.
The latest chapter in this saga involves construction of a pre-engineered metal building on the present site. Unfortunately, the county’s overlay district rules severely discourage metal buildings.
Nevertheless, the county encouraged the school system to present a metal building to the county’s design review committee. As expected, the DRC ruled that a metal building could be acceptable only with expensive exterior modifications and extensive landscaping.
An idea presented during the brief tenure of interim county administrator Lane Ramsey to move the entire bus maintenance facility to the Hidden Rock Park area, outside of the overlay district, and put the metal building there, was mentioned once and evaporated.
Don’t like your job? Be glad you aren’t part of the bus maintenance crew. Right now the electrical system at the bus garage needs to be upgraded and its drain field is failing. The school board seems reluctant to spend the money needed to upgrade the electrical system and address the wastewater situation, possibly by connecting to county sewer lines.
The auditors must be permitted to follow their investigation wherever it leads. Any attempt to prematurely terminate the audit will enhance, rather than eradicate the miasma of mistrust that citizens have for local government.
Local elections are still far in the future. Incumbents still have a good chance that voters will forget the details of the audit, but only if it is allowed to proceed to its natural conclusion and the results posted in their entirety on the county website. If KPMG is told to wrap it up and get lost, the specter of mistrust will lurk at the polls in 2011.
When the audit is complete, the supervisors must work with the county attorney to determine if there is any legal recourse to recover all or part of the funds spent by Goochland to get its fiscal house in order, perhaps as much as $1 million.
If these actions are not taken, it will be a clear signal that the county has returned to its old ways.
The agenda for the May 4 meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors is interesting for what it does not contain. A missing item, the final report of KPMG, the accounting firm retained to audit the county’s financial operations, is troubling.
Apparently, the audit is not yet complete. When first commissioned about a year ago, estimates of the time needed to complete the task were in weeks. Yet, the auditors have been hard at work for the better part of a year. This seems to indicate that the investigation into the county’s fiscal matters continues to uncover inconsistencies that impact everything else.
In March, Ron Churchman, the KPMG partner assigned to oversee the Goochland audit, gave the supervisors a taste of the contents of the final report. He was careful to qualify many of his comments to indicate that the auditors were not yet finished.
See his remarks in the draft minutes of the March 23 supervisors’ workshop included in the May 4 meeting packet. This is available on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us in the board of supervisors section. Though couched in the bland language of accounting, Churchman’s remarks about the county’s financial management before fiscal 2009 are chilling.
Although painful, and embarrassing, this audit must proceed to its logical conclusion. Like a boil whose poison can sicken an entire organism, the audit must be completed and inadequacies uncovered and corrected. That is the only way the county can clean up the mess that has infected it for years and move forward.
A recent anonymous comment to a previous entry on this blog suggested that the approximately $25 million general fund was an indication that the former county administrator had done a good job for Goochland. Unfortunately, under the previous regime, that fund was used as a cudgel.
Instead of planning ways to fund facilities to benefit the community in an orderly manner, the general fund was used to cover shortfalls in the annual smoke and mirrors budget process and pay for pet projects of those in favor.
One instance of that is the western convenience center. In spite of citizen objection to the location of the WCC, it was built in a location favored by District 1 supervisor Andrew Pryor. The county’s planning staff provided graphs and charts and maps in support of Pryor’s wishes, the public be, well, you know.
Another item that has yet to be addressed is the county’s bus maintenance facility. Talk about a festering boil.
The existing bus garage is so inadequate that bus tires must be deflated in order to permit entry into the old structures. The supervisors and school board have batted this project around for at least eight years and spent a good chunk of public change on professional fees for options under consideration. In the meantime, nothing has changed.
The latest chapter in this saga involves construction of a pre-engineered metal building on the present site. Unfortunately, the county’s overlay district rules severely discourage metal buildings.
Nevertheless, the county encouraged the school system to present a metal building to the county’s design review committee. As expected, the DRC ruled that a metal building could be acceptable only with expensive exterior modifications and extensive landscaping.
An idea presented during the brief tenure of interim county administrator Lane Ramsey to move the entire bus maintenance facility to the Hidden Rock Park area, outside of the overlay district, and put the metal building there, was mentioned once and evaporated.
Don’t like your job? Be glad you aren’t part of the bus maintenance crew. Right now the electrical system at the bus garage needs to be upgraded and its drain field is failing. The school board seems reluctant to spend the money needed to upgrade the electrical system and address the wastewater situation, possibly by connecting to county sewer lines.
The auditors must be permitted to follow their investigation wherever it leads. Any attempt to prematurely terminate the audit will enhance, rather than eradicate the miasma of mistrust that citizens have for local government.
Local elections are still far in the future. Incumbents still have a good chance that voters will forget the details of the audit, but only if it is allowed to proceed to its natural conclusion and the results posted in their entirety on the county website. If KPMG is told to wrap it up and get lost, the specter of mistrust will lurk at the polls in 2011.
When the audit is complete, the supervisors must work with the county attorney to determine if there is any legal recourse to recover all or part of the funds spent by Goochland to get its fiscal house in order, perhaps as much as $1 million.
If these actions are not taken, it will be a clear signal that the county has returned to its old ways.
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