Monday, October 28, 2013

Priming the pump


In the current fragile economy, competition to attract and retain businesses is fierce among jurisdictions. As revenue generated by real estate taxes shrinks in the face of growing demand for services, local governments are turning to incentive packages to bolster economic development efforts.

Goochland is still behind the curve on this one. Our neighbors to the east and northeast are able to offer those willing to set up shop inside their borders some tasty carrots that we can only dream about.
Instead of hand wringing, the county is working with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) to find ways to prime the economic development pump without breaking the bank.

The Goochland EDA discussed possible mechanisms to nurture expansion for companies already here and make an under-performing industrial park more attractive to newcomers on October 23. (Although it works closely with the county, under state law, the EDA is a separate entity.)

Matt Ryan, Goochland Director of Economic Development, explained that fees to connect to Tuckahoe Creek Service District water and sewer lines can cause businesses to leave Goochland for places free of these fees.

Waiving fees, even for one company, could set a dangerous and expensive precedent.

To that end, Ryan presented a draft of an expansion grant and loan application. While the terms
may seem strict, Ryan said, they are less stringent than those required by a bank.

Applicants must have an operating, duly licensed business in the TCSD. They must be free of tax liens and current on all tax obligations. Financial statements should indicate that the business is either currently profitable, or present a business plan that details expectations of future profitability. They must be 21 years old and either U. S. citizens or have long term alien residency status.

The EDA will determine the maximum amount of loans and grants. The draft proposed $10,000 for grants and $15,000 for loans.  Interest rates, expected to be lower than those offered by a bank and term of the loan, not to exceed five years, would be determined by the EDA. In the event of non-compliance with conditions, the loan would be called.

Fiscal and economic impact statements will also be required of applicants.
The EDA was instrumental in encouraging the Aw Shucks convenience store and car wash on Pouncey Tract Road in the northeastern corner of the county to extend TCSD water and sewer lines. Not only did this expedite the launch a new county business, but it also helped mitigate some stale water issues.
...
After years of heartburn, the roads in the Midpoint Industrial Park, located close to the Interstate 64 exit at Hadensville, may soon be paved and turned over to VDOT for maintenance.

These improvements will be funded using the proceeds from a road bond posted when the park was created more than 10 years ago and essentially lost in the financial meltdown shuffle for a few years. The EDA and county will split the difference between the actual paving cost and bond dollars.

Although its location, close to the interstate and almost exactly half way between Richmond and Charlottesville, seems ideal, Midpoint has languished.

Those involved—the EDA owns some lots—are hopeful that this step will renew interest in the park and generate some development there.
...
The EDA can be a great resource to help bring new business to Goochland and help those here prosper and expand. 






Friday, October 25, 2013

Veterans welcome in Goochland


Goochland Sheriff James L. Agnew circulated the news that his agency has been recognized by the Military Times for its efforts in recruiting military veterans.

Hiring veterans, who bring a strong work ethic and personal discipline to the job, is a good way to help these fine people transition from military to civilian life. We owe our veterans, volunteers all, a debt of gratitude.

The text of the October 21, 2013 press release:

Military Times Announces its Best for Vets: Law Enforcement 2014

List details the top agencies that cater to former service members


SPRINGFIELD, VA – Military Times today announces its Best for Vets: Law Enforcement list for 2014.

The list shows veterans which agencies make special efforts to recruit veterans, give them hiring preferences over non-vets, provide retirement credit for time served in the military, and are currently hiring.

“As with all of the Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Law Enforcement is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that make an organization or agency a good fit for military veterans,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Military Times EDGE.
Best for Vets provides service men and women a gauge by which to judge whether a law enforcement agency will truly benefit them. The list considers agencies’ efforts to recruit current and former service members, policies related to veterans and reservists, and departmental culture.
The rankings are published in full in the October issue of Military Times EDGE magazine and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com. Some of the top finishers are also featured in the October 21st issues of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times on newsstands the week of October 14th.
Military Times EDGE is the premier publication for military transition, career and education information and guidance. Published by Gannett Government Media, the magazine is inserted into newsstand copies of Army Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times and Air Force Times, and distributed free at military transition offices across the country.

The heralded series of Best for Vets survey-based rankings include: Law Enforcement, Employers, Colleges, Business Schools, Franchises, and Career & Technical Colleges.
The agencies named Best for Vets: Law Enforcement 2014:
- Brevard County Sheriff's Office, Florida
- City of Austin Police Department, Texas*
- Culpeper County Sheriff's Office, Virginia.
- Denver Police Department, Colorado.*
- Veterans Affairs Department: Greater Los Angeles Health Care System Police Service, California.*
- Dyer County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee
- Goochland Sheriff's Office, Virginia
- Harris County Sheriff's Office, Texas
- Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Florida.*
- Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii
- Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C.
- Mukilteo Police Department, Washington
- Office of Law Enforcement/ Federal Air Marshals, nationwide
- Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma
- Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Florida.*
- Tucson Police Department, Arizizone.*

* Denotes top finisher
To view the complete ranking, go to militarytimes.com/bestforvets-lawenforcement2014.


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Citizen conversation


Goochland is in the midst of the fall town hall meeting season. These informal sessions, hosted by the supervisor and school board member for each District, provide an opportunity for citizens to learn about what going on in the county and ask questions.
The District 4 meeting, held on October 17 at the Grace Chinese Baptist Church, which is also the District’s new polling place, drew a pretty good crowd. It was hosted by supervisor Bob Minnick and Beth Hardy of the school board. Those in attendance seemed to be mostly residents of the east end who live in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District. These folks, relative newcomers to the county, worked hard to elect Minnick and District 5 supervisor Ken Peterson, current board chair.

(Other meetings will be held as follows: District 5 at the Manakin Fire-Rescue Station on October 24; District 1 at Byrd Elementary School on October 28 and District 2 at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College on October 30. All begin at 7 p.m. All are welcome at all meetings.)

In a departure from past town hall meetings, this go ‘round eschewed power point and choreographed presentations in favor of topics solicited from the audience.

As Goochland is not a one-size-fits-all kind of place, those topics will vary from district to district, though core interests like schools, roads, taxes and services will be discussed.

Unlike our neighbor to the east, which is threatening a real estate tax increase unless its voters approve a meals tax, Goochland is holding its own money wise.

As homeowners in the TCSD pay an ad valorem tax of 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation on top of the 53 cents that the rest of the county pays, they are very interested in the TCSD because most of them live there.

Development activity in the TCSD is picking up.

According to County Administrator Rebecca Dickson, all permitting had been completed and approved for the McDonalds, which will be corporately owned, but a franchisee is still being sought. (According to the McDonald’s website, http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/franchising/us_franchising.html you need at least $750,000 in non-borrowed cash to be considered.  A 25 percent cash down payment is required for existing restaurants, 40 for new sites, like Centerville. The remainder may be financed over seven years. The website gives no particulars about the actual cost of a franchise, which probably varies by location. Franchisees pay monthly service fees of about four percent of sales and rent, which is also a percentage of sales.)
On the residential front, apartments and medical office buildings are under construction in West Creek opposite the Wawa. Several subdivisions have either been recently approved or are in the pipeline. The next phase of Kinloch is also ready to go.

Development of the Broad Street Road corridor between Ashland and Manakin Roads is a delicate task. Care must be taken because a misstep there could take more than a decade to fix, said Minnick.. Identifying the kind of enterprises best suited to this location, who decides that, and how to lure them, has generated endless discussion and no conclusions.

Minnick explained that good economic development results in balance between rooftops and business. He seemed to indicate that building a critical mass of upscale residents in close proximity to Centerville could attract businesses to serve them.

Could all of this activity, which will increase TCSD assessed valuations, lower the ad valorem tax, which services bond debt?

The not so short answer, said Dickson, is “not yet and maybe not for a good while.” While last year’s bond restructuring changed a graphed representation of debt from a steep mountain to an anvil, we have yet to navigate a significant bump in the repayment curve. Right now, with things picking up on the economic development front, the county is confident that all obligations will be met.

Peterson, whose financial acumen played a big part in taming the TCSD debt, explained that the initial repayment schedule was based on the assumption that TCSD land valuation would increase by about 11 percent annually, pretty much forever. That didn’t pan out. Under the new arrangement, a three percent growth rate, which is conservatively realistic, should handle the debt.

The county’s fiscal health was discussed. Minnick, Dickson, and Peterson contended that Goochland is in good shape financially. The tax rates are on target to remain unchanged in 2014. Dickson said that preliminary estimates seem to indicate a slight increase in assessed valuations, while the county is assuming flat values going forward. Peterson pointed out that the county’s maximum total tax rate that in the TCSD including the ad valorem tax is 85 cents, the lowest in the region.

Goochland, Dickson said, hopes to obtain its own bond rating in the next few years. To ensure that is as high as possible the county will use very conservative assumptions and retain careful fiscal control of all operations.

Several people wanted to know why the supervisors were approving new subdivisions--to the tune of several hundred new homes--without significant road improvements.

Dickson explained that Goochland neither builds nor maintains roads, but is dependent on VDOT—the state agency whose motto is “oops!”—for transportation projects.  The county must go through a cumbersome process for VDOT to even consider a locally initiated project. A traffic signal at the corner of Broad and Hockett/St. Matthew’s Lane, for instance, has not been built because traffic there does not cross the traffic threshold to justify its existence.
Several developers have put up significant amounts of cash to fund that traffic signal when, and if, VDOT approves it.

A VDOT study seeking ways to improve the Rt. 288/Broad Street Road intersection is in the works. Suggestions that a stoplight there would be a quick and dirty, if temporary, way to mitigate the danger there are rebuffed by VDOT.

Hardy and School Superintendent Dr. James Lane gave a brief overview of the good things happening in our education system. He announced that a Marine junior ROTC program will begin next fall; explained the formula for calculating graduation rates; and, perhaps most important of all, that Goochland schools are at or near the top of most metrics that measure school success.
(Visit the school system’s website http://www.glnd.k12.va.us/ for a glimpse of all the good things going on there. If you are able, tune in via live stream to the October 22 school board meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. to see our great school board in action.)

The current Board of Supervisors, in office since January, 2012, spent a good part of the past 18 months putting out fires large and small that they inherited. Now that is has reached cruising speed, the board is looking ahead.
Minnick and Dickson explained that several planning initiatives are in the works. Currently, a consultant is gathering input for a short term (two to three years) strategic plan. This is intended to help the supervisors focus on items important to citizens.

A utilities master plan is on the near term agenda as is a strategic plan for fire-rescue. Next year the county will review and revise its comprehensive land use plan.

All of the supervisors; School Board Chair John Wright, District 5; District 4 Planning Commissioner Joe Andrews; Treasurer Pamela Cooke Johnson; and many county department heads also attended the meeting.
Johnson announced that everyone should receive tax bills by Thanksgiving and should call her office if the bills have not arrived. She also said that the bills will contain new information and encouraged everyone to read them.

These meetings provide a low key way to interact with the officials that spend our tax dollars. They are ready, willing, and able to explain what’s going on in local government. This is yet another indication that all boards are working together to craft solutions to benefit the county as a whole.






Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Kick tire, help athletes

Kick tires, help athletes
Fall means crisp days, colorful leaves, football, and new car models.

This Saturday, October 19, you can help generate funds for both the middle and high school athletes by test driving Fords. (Remember, Ford is the only domestic auto maker that did not take a government hand out.)
All you have to do is come and drive a car. Each test drive will result in a $20 donation to county athletes. 

Only one driver over the age of 18 per household may participate. While you will not be subjected to a sales pitch, you could receive marketing information from Ford in the future.

It should take no more than an hour of your time. The middle school event, featuring Lincolns, will be held at the middle/high school complex from 9 to 5. To support the high school, just go to Parrish Ford, which is a long time community supporter, between 9 and 1. Go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054DABAC2DA75-driven   to sign up. No sign up is required, but priority will be given to those who do.

This is a fun and easy way to help support athletics.



Monday, October 14, 2013

Of horses and dogs


Retired Goochland General District  Court Judge William Talley once opined that cases involving horses or dogs rarely end well.

The October 1 Board of Supervisors’ public hearing agenda included items that addressed both subjects.

Following significant push back from citizen dog owners about a proposed change to the ordinance regulating companion animals, the county went back to the drawing board. The version up for consideration this month did not seem to be any more satisfactory. Many owners of hunting and show dogs filled the board meeting room and explained their concerns about proposed changes to the ordinance.

The county is trying to craft a mechanism to provide redress for residents suffering from incessant barking from dogs on neighboring properties. As the remedy must find a way to deal with immutable facts—dogs bark and sound carries—without impinging on the rights of responsible and conscientious dog owners.
After much discussion during both the afternoon and evening board sessions, the ordinance is back on the drawing board. Another version is expected to be on the November 6 agenda. (Note: the regular November meeting of the supervisors will be held on Wednesday, to avoid Election Day conflicts.)

The “horse” item on the agenda was an application to renew a conditional use application for the Swift Creek School of Equitation on Millers Lane. This enterprise, which has been in operation since 1978, has taught--in addition to horsemanship—love and respect for animals, responsibility and the value of hard work—to several generations. The supervisors unanimously approved the application.

When the current owner of Swift Creek, Gail Thompson, decided to retire, she felt an obligation to her students ensure continuity of the operation. After a careful search, she found the perfect successor and purchaser of the property in Jessica Clise. In order to secure financing for the purchase, Clise needs a 15 year continuation of the CUP.
With the exception of the owner of a house that was formerly part of the Swift Creek property, the neighbors support the existence and continuation of the horse boarding and riding school facility. The dissenting neighbor, who bought her property well after the Swift Creek School of Equitation was established, complained (in person to the planning commission and in writing to the supervisors) about noise, odors, and alleged trespassing of riders. District 3 Supervisor Ned Creasey observed that was a little like “buying a house next to the railroad tracks and complaining about train noise.”

A somewhat similar CUP extension was unanimously approved for 800 Broad Street Road near at the intersection of Three Chopt Road west of Centerville, currently the site of Wedgewood Properties. The barn on this parcel was exquisitely renovated for office and storage use to preserve the rural view shed.
Lillian Daniels, the applicant, plans to operate a small mail order theatrical make up business from the site. The proposed use is will generate less traffic than Wedgewood Properties. Daniels plans to live in the adjoining home.

The supervisors also unanimously approved a cell tower CUP application that, while it will benefit the county as a whole, makes some changes to a small residential enclave on Triple Estates Lane, south of Sheppard Town Road.

As cell tower coverage is sketchy in some parts of the county, the applicant, National Communications Towers, LLC, provided propagation maps illustrating signal improvements that would be provided by the tower under discussion.

The tower itself will be built on land owned by Edwin Wilson. Although residents of Triple Estates Lane contended that placement of the tower in a residential area is a departure from the location of existing towers along major highways and in uninhabited areas. They also believe that the tower is not needed.
National Communications explained that the tower base will be screened from view by existing trees and other planted as part of the tower’s construction. Verizon is expected to be the initial provider on the tower. County public safety communications will also be located on the tower. Language to give the county right of first refusal should the tower fall into disuse. Triple Estates Road will be widened and improved by National Tower. The road to the tower will be curved to further obscure the equipment at the tower’s base.
A member of the county assessor’s staff contended that there is ample evidence that location of cell towers in residential areas does not have a negative impact on nearby property values. There is a tower in Rivergate, one of Goochland’s exclusive upscale enclaves.

A video recording of the entire evening session is available on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us under the livestream tab on the home page.

Land use decisions coming before the supervisors will increase in complexity and number in the coming months. They have demonstrated a willingness to examine the ramifications of changes and are working hard to avoid unintended consequences.






Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Land use matters


Goochland County’s planning commission—reduced to five members earlier this year—does its homework and plows through agenda items in an effective and efficient manner. This is a nice change from the past.
The downturn in the real estate market drastically reduced the number of rezoning and other land use issues in Goochland. Things slowed down so much that the commission met only on an as needed basis. Now, activity has started to ratchet up as plans of development and residential rezoning applications trickle in.
Perhaps the most significant change in these applications compared to development of old is that lot sizes are now described in square feet rather than acreage. (There are 43,560 square feet in an acre.)
At the Commission’s October 3 meeting, it approved tentative plans of development for Section 8 of Kinloch and The Parke at Pouncey Tract.
It also recommended approval of rezoning 73.69 acres on the north side of Tuckahoe Creek Parkway from A-2 to Residential Planned Unit Development (RPUD) to permit construction of 115 homes in a community designated at Tuckahoe Creek. Under RPUD regulations, up to 146 lots could be created on this parcel.
(Note to county, please encourage names that do not include Tuckahoe or Manakin, to avoid future confusion. It’s bad enough that the Postal Service zip codes lump a huge portion of eastern Goochland into the non-geographical Manakin-Sabot entity. There is no Manakin-Sabot. Manakin is on Route 6 and Sabot, also near Route 6, no longer exists. Some folks who live on the eastern edge of the county have Richmond zip codes. Widespread use of GPS reinforces this fiction.)
The density of the proposed Tuckahoe Creek community requires public water and sewer and cannot proceed unless and until this parcel becomes part of the TCSD. A separate initiative to accomplish this will appear on the Board of Supervisors’ agenda in the near future.
Lots in Tuckahoe Creek would be between 70 and 90 feet in width. The applicant contended that upscale housing options in Goochland for those who do not have the ability or inclination to maintain large yards are in short supply. The homes, whose size has not yet been determined, are expected to be priced in the $6-800,000 range. Speakers raised concerns about Tuckahoe Creek having an adverse effect on property values on the Kinloch coach homes, which are also on small lots.
As this parcel is currently in land use, rezoning would result in immediate increased revenue for the county before one teaspoon of dirt is moved. Full cash proffers were included in the application with the expectation that these homes would add 58 students to the county school population. This too is a major change from the olden days when developers contended that folks who buy expensive houses had no impact on the school population.
Properties on Hermitage Road that abut this parcel are several acres each. While the proposal includes vegetative buffers, owners of neighboring land raised concerns that construction of a mandated retention pond will require clear cutting near the eastern boundary, destroy their privacy and reduce property values.
Parties involved in developing Tuckahoe Creek include Tommy Pruitt and William Goodwin who were involved in high quality projects including Keswick Farms and Kiowah Island.
The supervisors are expected to take up this application at their December meeting.
The recurring toothache issue of electronic signage crept into the discussion as the commission addressed a proposed sign for the HCA West Creek Emergency Center. The proposed sign, essentially a dreadful pole mounted billboard that announces the wait at the ER, an image of which was not included in the packet, is intended to help people find their way to the facility located near Rt. 288. This seems to be smaller version of the billboard that glowers over the train yard on Interstate 64.
Although the commission recommended approval of the sign, which is intended only for hospital-like entities, the efficacy of the sign in solving the problem was discussed. It was initiated to help patients find their way to the West Creek emergency Center, which is quite visible from Rte. 288. Figuring out how to get there is another matter.
The proposed sign, which would seriously degrade the view shed, gives no clue how to get there. Installation of more road level directional signage--think blue signs with a big H and arrows pointing in the right direction--would seem to be more effective in solving this problem. Proponents of the sign didn’t quite explain how it would help motorists find their way to the emergency center. The discussion lacked justification for the electronic notice of the waiting time in the ER. Do they believe that folks will pop in for medical if there is a short wait? Not nearly enough information there.
A similar emergency medical facility operated by Bon Secours on Midlothian Turnpike just off of Rt. 288 in Chesterfield has a similar problem but refrains from degrading the landscape with eyesore devices to attract customers.
While the language for the West Creek Emergency Center is extremely narrow, it might be the proverbial camel nose under the tent for future attempts to permit tawdry and annoying signage in Goochland. Electronic signs, like those on Broad Street in Short Pump, do little other than declare desperation for customers. We do not need that here.
The Commission also recommended approval of new setback regulations to eliminate confusion caused by current rules.
An extension of an existing conditional use application for Applegarth Farm on Shallow Well Road was given a thumbs up as was a new CUP application for Clear Choice Auto Brokers to operate a used car dealership in Courthouse Village.
An ordinance to codify “dark sky” lighting requirements, which has been in the works for a while was discussed and passed on to the supervisors. Regulations proposed apply only to new construction and will not require creation of “light police” for enforcement. This is the result of a great deal of thought and hard work by staff and former and current planning commissioners and some supervisors.
Questions posed by commissioners during the meeting indicated that they were familiar with the matters at hand. Comments were short and to the point.

All of the above business was conducted in one hour and 32 minutes.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

No shut down here


As the national news reported details of the federal government shut down, Goochland County’s Board of Supervisors held its regular monthly meeting on October first conducting business as usual.
The afternoon agenda was routine.

Following the annual employee recognition luncheon to honor staff with service anniversaries in five year multiples, the supervisors took a few minutes to present them with plaques. According to county administrator Rebecca Dickson, the honorees represent about 300 collective years of service and associated institutional knowledge.

Up next was recognition of the 265th anniversary of Byrd Presbyterian Church. Located on Dogtown Road, Byrd has provided spiritual sustenance to its congregants in addition to service and compassion for the community that continues to this day with its home repair, feeding the homeless and Habitat for Humanity outreach.

 Board chair Ken Peterson, District 5 (center) reads a letter recognizing Byrd   Presbyterian Church to members Lee Turner (left) and Knight Bowles.

Mike Cade Ashland Residency Administrator for VDOT—the state agency whose motto is Oops!—reported on maintenance completed and underway. Widening of I 64 from Short Pump to west of the Manakin-Rockville exit will begin soon.

Representatives from Dominion Virginia Power presented details of electric utility’s emergency preparedness and response strategy. This is available in Part A of the October 1 board packet, which can be found on the supervisors’ tab on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us) Even though it may seem like the power company is indifferent to power outages, it makes no money unless the wheels on your meter are spinning.

The board voted unanimously to opt out of the Virginia Retirement System disability plan in favor of seeking the same level of coverage for county employees at more competitive prices.

Dickson was given authorization to execute a memorandum of understanding among Goochland, Powhatan and the Virginia Department of Corrections for a water allocation sharing plan. This will provide Courthouse Village and Powhatan, as well as DOC facilities in both counties, with enough water to meet expected demand in the coming years.

People who live near the James River in western Goochland should take note of this development, as it replaces the dreadful concrete water intake bunker that Powhatan was planning to build that would have defaced the wild view shed of the James River. The late John Lewis, who worked hard to protect the James River and strenuously objected to the Powhatan plan, must be pleased with this outcome.

Thanks to regional cooperation, all parties involved will obtain water to encourage economic development while protecting a precious resource.

The board adopted it annual legislative agenda for transmittal to the county’s delegation in the Virginia General Assembly. The county is represented by Delegates Lee Ware, 65th District; Peter Farrell, 56th District and 22nd District State Senator Tom Garrett. (Details of the September meeting between Goochland officials and the delegation where these items were discussed are in an earlier GOMM post.)
Paul Springman was appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

A Rural Economic Development Committee was created to identify opportunities to facilitate and promote enterprises in rural enhancement areas that reflect the county’s overall business plan.
Like the group that investigated the broadband issue, this committee will be temporary in nature and is expected to disband around the middle of 2014 after making a report to the board. It is comprised of supervisors, county staff, and those currently engaged in facets of operating ventures that focus on the agrarian and recreational aspects of Goochland.


The last item on the afternoon agenda was a closed session for the purpose of discussing the performance and duties of the County Administrator and County Attorney. The proper motions were made and voted upon before entering closed session and at its end, which occurred just before the start of the evening session at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

The first weekend in October


Fall is in full swing and the weather promises to be perfect. Take advantage of the nice days to participate in a few things close to home.
October is Fire Prevention Month. Firefighters believe that the best fire is one that never gets started. To that end, they work hard on prevention and education.
Auxiliaries, local folks who support fire-rescue volunteers, work hard to raise money. This Saturday, October 5, the Hadensville Company 6 ladies' auxiliary will hold a huge yard sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the station, on Rt. 250 in Hadensville. All proceeds will be used to furnish and equip the kitchen of its soon-to-be-built new station.
This Sunday, October 6, Manakin Volunteer Fire-Rescue Company 1 will hold a barbecue and fire safety exposition from 1 to 6 p.m. on the grounds of Benedictine College Preparatory school on River Road next to Rt. 288. In addition to tasty barbecue, there will be demonstrations, including a visit from a MedFlight helicopter and lots of fire-rescue apparatus for your inspection. For further information, visit Manakin1.org for more information. Come visit the area’s newest neighbor.
Centerville Fire-Rescue Company 3 will also hold an open house at 52 Broad Street Road between 1 and 5 p.m.
Fife Company 4 will hold a field day event at its station on Hadensville-Fife Road from 1 to 5 p.m.
This is a great opportunity to meet the volunteers who work and train hard to save lives and protect property in Goochland County.
Grace Episcopal Church will have a blessing of the animals on Sunday at both the 9 and 11 a.m. services.
The County Health and Fitness Expo will take place on Saturday, October 5 from 10 to 2 at the Goochland Sports Complex (aka the old gym behind the admin building at 1800 Sandy Hook Road.)Contact county parks and rec at 556-5854 for additional information. Shuttle service from the Goochland YMCA will be available between 11 and 1.
Last, but not least, on Saturday, there will be an open house at the Goochland Animal Shelter from 10 to noon. Bring the kids, take a tour, register for prizes, and lots more! Dr. James Lavender and his Big Cats are special guests. The animal shelter is located at the entrance to Hidden Rock Park near the central convenience center just off of Fairground Road in Maidens.