End of summer

The September meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors began with recognition of employee service anniversaries. Kelly Parrish, Director of Human Resources, who was celebrating her own fifth year with the county, said that this years’ honorees represented a more than 380 years of service to the community.  Thanks to all of these fine people who keep the county running. (See the September 5 board packet on the county website http://goochlandva.us/ for the complete list.

Deliberations on a proposed roundabout for the Fairground/Sandy Hook Roads intersection consumed a good portion of the afternoon session. (See previous post for details.)

County Administrator John Budesky said that the administration building parking lot renovations should be completed in October and thanked the public for its patience during construction.

The supervisors authorized a rabies clinic scheduled for October 8, which will be held at the corner of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads in Courthouse Village from 2 to 4 p.m. A fee of $10 per cat or dog will be charged.

A  renewal of the performance contract between Goochland County and the Goochland Powhatan Community Services Board and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services was approved.  For fiscal year 2018, which began on July 1, Goochland and Powhatan citizens have access to $4,063,511 in services, of which Goochland provides  $268,730 in its annual budget. The CSB provides services for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse issues for Goochland citizens. . (See board packet for complete agreement and visits http://www.gpcsb.org/ to learn more about the CSB.)

  

An additional $15,000 was appropriated to complete the Centerville streetscape project, whose initial budget was $70,000. The project, which will include installation of paver “noses” at the intersection of Broad Street and Ashland Roads, is expected to be complete by October 15.

The supervisors appropriated up to $200,000 and authorized Budesky to execute a contract with a consultant to develop a new major thoroughfare plan for the county. Given that the last MTP was developed in 2005, and development is occurring in different places and ways than anticipated 12 years ago, this is a good move. The county needs current, detailed data about the impact of development on our roads to be able to gauge the cost and other consequences of new projects.

Barbara Horlacher, Director of Financial Services, presented an estimate of Goochland’s fiscal position as of the close of the 2017 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. Revenues are expected to have exceeded expenditures by approximately $5.2 million, final numbers are not quite in. There is a long list of possible uses for the “excess” including the appropriations for the streetscape and MTP.

Good stewardship of public funds  is the basis for every action taken by the current Board of Supervisors. At a meeting of the county Audit Committee, which assists the Board in  financial oversight reporting responsibilities, earlier on September 5, changes were recommended.

Going forward, the name will be the Goochland County Finance and Audit Committee. It will consist of three board members, the county administrator and director of financial services. Staff support will be provided by school administration; the Treasurer’s office and Commissioner of the Revenue’s office as preferred by the Committee.

The Committee will recommend appointment and dismissal of independent auditors and work  with them on the scope and approach,  and provide input on special areas of attention for the annual audit.

 The Committee will review the findings and recommendations of the auditors and the administration response regarding internal controls and review financial policies as needed.

Revised financial management policies were approved and are included in the board packet. This includes limiting  indebtedness to a 2.75 percent of the estimated market value of taxable property and debt service costs to 12 percent of  total general fund expenditures.

According to the policy document, the Commonwealth of Virginia imposes no statutory limit on the amount of debt a locality can issue. Limiting debt service, the document states, provides flexibility for other expenses in the budget.

The policy also states that the county will maintain a revenue stabilization reserve of at least one percent of the total annual adopted budget plus the non-local portion of the school operating budget.  This is sometimes referred to as a rainy day fund. Given the steadfast resolve of this board to operate local government in a fiscally responsible manner, rains of the magnitude of Hurricane Harvey over Houston would need to fall before this fund is touched.

The supervisors also referred ordinance amendments concerning chicken keeping by right in R-1 Districts, which was initiated by residents in James River Estates; to clarify and expand activities permitted at wineries, breweries, and distilleries; and require applicants for land use changes to file an affidavit disclosing the names and addresses of all parties with an interest in the real property, which is the subject of the application to the planning commission for consideration.