Year's end

Goochland’s Board of Supervisors final regular meeting for 2017 was held on December 5. Board Chair Ned Creasey, District 3, returned after a health related absence. It was good to see him back at the helm of the ship of local government whose turn in the right direction he started almost a decade ago.

County Administrator John Budesky thanked everyone who made the annual Christmas Tree lighting on December 1 a success. Approximately 750 people came out to see Santa and participate in the event.

The Goochland County Christmas Tree.

VDOT representative Marshall Wynne declared his organization ready for snow, which turned out to be prophetic, because, on December 5, local meteorologists were only predicting a dusting, yet several inches fell on Friday and Saturday.

Manuel Alvarez, Jr. District 2 expressed concern about  westbound Interstate 64 traffic backing up into travel lanes—sometimes all the way to the rest area—during evening rush hour. He asked Wynne if a roundabout there, discussed some years ago, was still on the drawing board. Wynne speculated that the back-up could have been caused by a wreck, but would consult traffic engineers about the situation.

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief Bill  MacKay warned that people have a five times greater chance of dying in fires involving live Christmas trees. “You have about 30 SECONDS to get out of the house safely” once the tree catches fire, the chief said. He advises everyone to devise an evacuation plan and practice home fire drills to get everyone out safely in time. The best fire is one that never starts, so take extra caution with fresh greenery, candles, and fireplaces during this special time of year.

MacKay also reported that calls for service rose again in the previous month. The supervisors authorized combination of three part-time career fire-rescue positions into one full time slot funded by cost recovery proceeds.

The Board also authorized acceleration of filling three new dispatcher positions from July 1 to January 1, 2018.

A resolution in support of MEDRVA’s application for a certificate of public need (COPN) to build and operate a diagnostic imaging center in the county was unanimously approved. MEDRVA operates an outpatient surgery center in West Creek. This proposed facility would improve and increase access to high quality health care in Goochland, but needs the blessing of the state to proceed.

The Board adopted a resolution supporting submission of a grant application to secure funding for an 8,600 foot segment of an east end trail project that, at completion, will run , approximately 6.5 miles from Rt. 6 to Broad Street Road. The route of the proposed trail will mostly follow existing waterline rights of way, which are  maintained by the county. The grant, from  the VDOT Transportation Alternatives program, is for $200,000 and would require a $50,000 county match. The $50,000 has been identified in the county’s capital improvement plan to fund an east end trail.

Included in the grant submission, is a portion of the trail beginning at the Virginia Farm Bureau Headquarters in West Creek, passing near the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, in final stages of construction, to an existing sidewalk on Broad Branch Drive. (See page 86 of the December Board packet available on the county website http://goochlandva.us/ for a map.)

A trailhead is planned near the West Creek Emergency Center on Tuckahoe Creek Parkway.

The supervisors approved an amendment to increase the project budget for the new animal shelter by $45,816 to cover the cost of a brick front. The increase in cost is supported by a rise in donations.

Annual reports from Health and Human Services agencies, who partner with Goochland County to serve the community ended the afternoon session. The groups are: Office of Children’s Services ▪ Department of Social Services ▪ Goochland Powhatan Community Services ▪ Goochland Health Department ▪ Pamunkey Regional Library ▪ Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services.

Visit the transparency tab on the county website for details.

Paul Drumwright, Administrative Services Manager, explained that county HHS organizations are the third largest spending category behind schools and public safety in the county budget.

Our Social Services Department helps the disadvantaged navigate a complicated  myriad of federal, state and local assistance programs. The supervisors commended DSS Director Kimberley Jefferson for the efforts her department made to correct a reporting deficit, caused by slow state computer system, that “dinged”  the county audit last year.  Jefferson reported that her department is fully staffed “for the first time in years” and explained that, by using part-time employees, they were able to process benefit eligibility in a timely manner.  

Other organizations work with at risk youth; provide mental health assistance and deal with the opioid epidemic. The Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, which provides health care and basic human services to those who  may have “fallen through the cracks” of society continues its good work.

The Goochland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library provides informational services, including an expanding array of ways to access materials electronically. It also offers, in conjunction with the Friends of the Goochland Library, a summer reading program.  Story times, book groups, and other lifelong learning opportunities and places for people to interact are provided by our  library.

Being part of the Pamunkey system allows cardholders access to a much wider range of material and services than would be available if Goochland had a stand- alone library in a cost-effective manner. Cards are free to residents of the county. Be sure to stop by soon and sign up for one if you are not already a member. Go to http://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/goochland.htm for more details.

The county’s budget for FY 2018, which began July 1, earmarked a bit more than  $5.4 million for health and welfare programs.

 Year end

Goochland’s Board of Supervisors final regular meeting for 2017 was held on December 5. Board Chair Ned Creasey, District 3, returned after a health related absence. It was good to see him back at the helm of the ship of local government who began its turn in the right direction almost a decade ago.

County Administrator John Budesky thanked everyone who made the annual Christmas Tree lighting on December 1 a success. Approximately 750 people came out to see Santa and participate in the event.

VDOT representative Marshall Wynne declared his organization ready for snow, which turned out to be prophetic, because, on December 5, local meteorologists were only predicting a dusting, yet several inches fell on Friday and Saturday.

Manuel Alvarez, Jr. District 2 expressed concern about  westbound Interstate 64 traffic backing up into travel lanes—sometimes all the way to the rest area—during evening rush hour. He asked Wynne if a roundabout there, discussed some years ago, was still on the drawing board. Wynne speculated that the back-up could have been caused by a wreck, but would consult traffic engineers about the situation.

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief Bill  MacKay warned that people have a five times greater chance of dying in fires involving live Christmas trees. “You have about 30 SECONDS to get out of the house safely” once the tree catches fire, the chief said. He advises everyone to devise an evacuation plan and practice home fire drills to get everyone out safely in time. The best fire is one that never starts, so take extra caution with fresh greenery, candles, and fireplaces during this special time of year.

MacKay also reported that calls for service rose again in the previous month. The supervisors authorized combination of three part-time career fire-rescue positions into one full time slot funded by cost recovery proceeds.

The Board also authorized acceleration of filling three new dispatcher positions from July 1 to January 1, 2018.

A resolution in support of MEDRVA’s application for a certificate of public need (COPN) to build and operate a diagnostic imaging center in the county was unanimously approved. MEDRVA operates an outpatient surgery center in West Creek. This proposed facility would improve and increase access to high quality health care in Goochland, but needs the blessing of the state to proceed.

The Board adopted a resolution supporting submission of a grant application to secure funding for an 8,600 foot segment of an east end trail project that, at completion, will run , approximately 6.5 miles from Rt. 6 to Broad Street Road. The route of the proposed trail will mostly follow existing waterline rights of way, which are  maintained by the county. The grant, from  the VDOT Transportation Alternatives program, is for $200,000 and would require a $50,000 county match. The $50,000 has been identified in the county’s capital improvement plan to fund an east end trail.

Included in the grant submission, is a portion of the trail beginning at the Virginia Farm Bureau Headquarters in West Creek, passing near the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, in final stages of construction, to an existing sidewalk on Broad Branch Drive. (See page 86 of the December Board packet available on the county website http://goochlandva.us/ for a map.)

A trailhead is planned near the West Creek Emergency Center on Tuckahoe Creek Parkway.

The supervisors approved an amendment to increase the project budget for the new animal shelter by $45,816 to cover the cost of a brick front. The increase in cost is supported by a rise in donations.

Annual reports from Health and Human Services agencies, who partner with Goochland County to serve the community ended the afternoon session. The groups are: Office of Children’s Services ▪ Department of Social Services ▪ Goochland Powhatan Community Services ▪ Goochland Health Department ▪ Pamunkey Regional Library ▪ Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services.

Visit the transparency tab on the county website for details.

Paul Drumwright, Administrative Services Manager, explained that county HHS organizations are the third largest spending category behind schools and public safety in the county budget.

Our Social Services Department helps the disadvantaged navigate a complicated  myriad of federal, state and local assistance programs. The supervisors commended DSS Director Kimberley Jefferson for the efforts her department made to correct a reporting deficit, caused by slow state computer system, that “dinged”  the county audit last year.  Jefferson reported that her department is fully staffed “for the first time in years” and explained that, by using part-time employees, they were able to process benefit eligibility in a timely manner.  

Other organizations work with at risk youth; provide mental health assistance and deal with the opioid epidemic. The Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, which provides health care and basic human services to those who  may have “fallen through the cracks” of society continues its good work.

The Goochland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library provides informational services, including an expanding array of ways to access materials electronically. It also offers, in conjunction with the Friends of the Goochland Library, a summer reading program.  Story times, book groups, and other lifelong learning opportunities and places for people to interact are provided by our  library.

Being part of the Pamunkey system allows cardholders access to a much wider range of material and services than would be available if Goochland had a stand- alone library in a cost-effective manner. Cards are free to residents of the county. Be sure to stop by soon and sign up for one if you are not already a member. Go to http://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/goochland.htm for more details.

The county’s budget for FY 2018, which began July 1, earmarked a bit more than  $5.4 million for health and welfare programs.