May flowers

After a busy winter filled with challenge and change, the Goochland supervisors tended to routine matters on May 1.

The first order of business was a special meeting to swear in John Lumpkins, Jr., appointed last month the fill the District 3 supervisor seat left vacant by the passing of Ned Creasey until a special election is held on November 6.  The Hon. Dale W. Agnew, Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court administered the oath of office.

The Hon. Dale W. Agnew administers oath of office to John Lumpkins, Jr,

Board Chair Ken Peterson, District 3 said that Lumpkins, who vacated his seat as District 3 representative and chair of the Goochland School Board to become a supervisor, is “no stranger to the team.” Peterson referred to the slate of candidates who first ran for office in 2011 replacing the entire school board and four supervisors. Running together, these people got to know each other well and continued that positive collaboration once office.

Lumpkins said it was an honor to serve on the school board and work closely with Ned Creasey, who encouraged him.

Lumpkins, a graduate of the University of Dayton and the University of Richmond’s  T. C. Williams College of Law, is an attorney in private practice. All of his children are GHS graduates and a daughter is an EMS volunteer with Courthouse Company 5.

During the afternoon session, the supervisors adopted amended financial management policies as recommended by the audit committee, which met earlier in the day.

 As the Commonwealth of Virginia imposes no statutory limitation on the amount of debt a county can issue, these policies will be crucial  when Goochland issues debt for major capital projects including a circuit court house, schools, and fire-rescue stations in the next few years. Adopting guidelines that include simple formulas to keep Goochland from “getting in over its head” is a wise and prudent course of action.

Revised provisions include:

The ratio of debt service expenditures as a percent of total general fund expenditures, including transfers to other funds, shall have a target of 10 percent with a ceiling of 12 percent.

 Net debt as a percentage of the taxable assessed value of real estate is not to exceed two and one half percent. Projects such as the Virginia Resources Authority  obligation for the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, which is supported by a dedicated revenue stream—ad valorem tax and revenue sharing—or other self-supporting obligations, will not be  included. To the extent that the County provides general fund support, the proportionate share of the debt that the County is supporting will be included in this ratio.

A revenue stabilization reserve, essentially a rainy day fund, equal to three percent of the total annual adopted general fund budget of the subsequent fiscal year plus the non-local school operating budget will be maintained.  This can be used if general fund revenues, excluding use of prior year fund balance, decline by more than 1.5 percent or during the annual budget cycle real estate assessments are forecast to decrease more than three percent from the previous year.

Withdrawals may not exceed half of the balance in reserve in any one fiscal year and shall be used in combination with spending cuts. In the event of a draw down, the reserve must be replenished to the three percent level in three fiscal years.

Peterson pronounced the revised policies an elegant solution to even out county finances through economic rough spots and adhere to best fiscal management practices.  Having this policy in place also helps to maintain the county’s AAA bond rating by demonstrating that Goochland is able to negotiate an economic downturn.

Third quarter General Fund projections—the fiscal year ends on June 30—shows  revenues exceed expenditures by $4.9 million.

County Administrator John Budesky reported that he attended a Goochland Pet Lovers event the at the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in West Creek on April 29 where GPL presented the county with a check for $250,000 toward the new animal shelter.

VDOT representative Marshall Wynn  said that the parts of Manakin Road torn up by gas line installation will be repaved. He also expressed optimism that the improvements at the intersection of Broad Street Road and Rt. 288 may be accelerated. He expects work on the West Creek Parkway/ Rt. 6 interchange to begin in the fall.

Paul Drumwright, Administrative Services Manager presented an overview of the 2018 Virginia General Assembly session.

No bills dealing with transportation of sludge (biosolids) were filed.

A bill allowing a change to the number of members on the county Economic Development Authority was patroned by Lee Ware, 65^th District, and passed. It will go into effect on July 1.

There may be more money in the state budget—if one ever gets passed—for Broadband expansion.

No legislation dealing with reimbursement of cost of electoral boards registrars, or partisan primaries got traction.

Thanks to 56^th District Del. John McGuire, the Goochland Drive-In will be included on Interstate signage.

Bills introduced  dealing with proffer policies were addressed at a “proffer party” on April 17. Drumwright said that legislators strongly encourage localities and developers to work together on this issue or the GA will solve the issue once and for all. Goochland’s new proffer policy, which includes a matrix to determine the specific development impact of each residential rezoning, was mentioned as a locality that works with existing laws to address the issue.

While there as no action on reforming the Certificate of Public Need (COPN) policy that controls construction of health care facilities, the issue is under study for the 2019 session.

Budesky said that the county is prepared to deal with fallout, in the short term, should the state be without a budget at the start of the next fiscal year, July 1.  Because Goochland’s composite index is 80 percent, meaning the county receives 20 percent of education cost from the state, loss of state funding is easier to bear than counties with lower indexes. He was cautiously optimistic that a budget will soon in place.

The board ended its afternoon session with a closed meeting to discuss the performance of the county administrator and county attorney.