Getting Better Every Day

Goochland Treasurer Pamela Cooke Johnson commends her deputy clerks for earning Master Governmental Deputy Treasurer certifications. Pictured (l to r) Valerie Johnson, Leola Payne, Tanya Proffitt, Pamela Johnson, and Pamela Duncan. They each received framed certificates from the University of Virginia.

Goochland County government has come a long way in the past few years. Announcements of new initiatives and ways to improve operations happen often.
The Treasurer’s Office has been transformed from an embarrassment to a highly professional organization thanks to the hard work and dedication of Goochland Treasurer Pamela Cook Johnson and her staff.

On September 1, Johnson announced that, for the first time, the Goochland County Treasurer’s Office has received official accreditation with Master Governmental certification earned through the Weldon-Cooper Center for Public Service (http://www.coopercenter.org/certification). Four members of the Treasurer’s staff: Chief Deputy Pamela Duncan; Deputy Treasurer II Valerie Johnson; Deputy Treasurer II Leola Payne; and Deputy Treasurer III Tanya Profitt completed the necessary training and passed required tests to achieve this designation. Pamela Johnson spokje about the superb individual qualities that each woman bring to her job.

Johnson completed requirements to earn certification as a Master Governmental Treasurer. She commended her clerks for their hard work and diligence in faithfully serving the citizens of Goochland County. Johnson also thanked the supervisors for funding the cost of additional training.

Information Technology Director Qiana Foote unveiled the long awaited county website, which went “live” on Friday, September 4. The URL has been simplified to www.goochlandva.us in an effort to make it easier to remember.

Designed to be simple to navigate and foster greater governmental transparency, the new website is the result of a lot of hard work by the IT staff, including Jon Worley, Janet Newby, Mark Troy, and Jim Sutton. Foote thanked all departments for their participation in many meetings and detailed discussions that helped create the new site.

The new site offers information about all facets of county governmental services. A “how do I?” tab provides directions to parts of the site dealing with particular functions and a “frequently asked questions” button provides basic information about all county departments.
The county check register, which has been online for several years, now includes statements of credit cards used by county employees. This is a continuing effort to provide greater transparency.
Please take a few minutes to “noodle around” the new web site and find out things about Goochland County you never knew. Creating an account will insure that citizens automatically receive public notices, but it is not required to access the site.

Foote qfoote@goochlandva.us acknowledged that there might be a few bugs in the new system and wants to know how the IT department can better serve the citizens.
The county website is a useful tool to provide the public with information. Please take advantage of it.

Board Chair Susan Lascolette, District 1, pronounced the new website “A marked improvement,” and thanked Foote and everyone who participate for their hard work.

Marshall Winn of VDOT reported that the culvert replacement on Ashland Road is completed and work on the River Road Bridge over Tuckahoe Creek is progressing well. He was optimistic that River Road will reopen “sometime in October” barring unforeseen complications.

The expedited work on Ashland Road and efforts to move along the River Road work are a marked improvement over previous projects, including what seemed like endless construction on the mile plus “Centerville Speedway.” If this keeps up, VDOT could be the state agency whose former motto was “Oops!”