What kind of sheriff do you want for Goochland?

There’s been a lot of heated rhetoric around the Goochland sheriff’s race. At the end, it comes down to what kind of a leader we want in the sheriff’s office.

Goochland is a big county—its land area is a little larger than that of Henrico. Our neighbors live in mansions, single wides, and everything in between. The rights of all citizens, including property rights, must be safeguarded. Everyone must be treated with dignity and respect.

Do we want someone who panders to the prosperous and puts down the rest of us; who mongers fear about vague threats but has little experience in handling traffic, budgeting, or situations with people experiencing mental health crises?

Or, do we want someone who will treat everyone with dignity and respect their rights while protecting all of us? Do we want someone who understands that tax dollars are a precious resource to be managed wisely or someone unaware of the fiscal consequences of his actions?

“Authority speaks, but real power whispers and carries a bazooka,” observed author Juno Rushdan. 

Loud- mouthed bullies have no place in law enforcement at any level, or here. Goochland taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for police brutality or wrongful arrest lawsuits. We need someone with well-honed diplomacy skills, that come from, say, serving as a dispatcher and dealing with angry people whose issues have nothing to do with emergencies.

Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. Stupidity is doing the wrong thing in front of an audience and pretending it didn’t happen (This sentence was written in September 2019).

A sheriff’s office is headed by an elected official. A police department is headed by an employee of the jurisdiction who serves at the pleasure of the governing board. Law enforcement in urban areas is different from that in rural or suburban locales.

Goochland is growing, but not “exploding” to become the next Short Pump or Henrico. According to the Weldon Cooper Center of the University of Virginia, https://demographics.coopercenter.org/virginia-population-projections Goochland’s population is predicted to grow from the 2020 projection of 23,547 to 29,451 by 2040. That number may be revised upward after next year’s census, but it will still be far behind that of Henrico. New types of housing, including apartments, town homes, and senior living communities will bring different challenges to law enforcement, but will not become hotbeds of urban crime.

Goochland LEOS (law enforcement officers) never quite know what they will deal with during a shift. They could be chasing cows or bad guys; searching for a missing or abducted child, or a lost and confused senior citizen. They could be investigating criminal activity at a construction site or making arrests for illicit drugs, or DUI.

Whenever they interact with citizens, our LEOs must be courteous and respectful. Sometimes they need to diffuse a domestic dispute before it escalates with deadly consequences. Sometimes, LEOs attend events like yesterday’s Goochland Fall festival to be the face of local law enforcement in the community.

The best, most effective leadership is done by example. Goochland must have a good sheriff. (Good seems like a simple term, but the dictionary has a long list of positive words including honest, ethical, reputable, skilled, trustworthy, stable, gracious, dependable, brave, and more, so “good” is appropriate.)

 We need and want a sheriff who knows Goochland from one end to the other and all its people through personal experience. We need a sheriff who has developed cordial working relationships with surrounding jurisdictions. We need an educated sheriff who holds, in addition to extensive training certifications, a bachelor’s and master’s degree in criminal justice to understand the changing landscape of law enforcement.

We need a sheriff who recognizes and understands the qualities needed to best serve Goochland when hiring deputies and “have their back” with excellent training and a supportive work environment to keep them here.

We need a sheriff who will listen to the citizen concerns, keep our schools safe, and build positive relationships in all parts of the county.

In case there was ever any doubt, GOMM wholeheartedly and without reservation, endorses Steven Ned Creasey as the next Sheriff of Goochland County.

Sgt. Steven Creasey

If you need additional information, please visit https://www.creaseyforsheriff.com/ and don’t forget to vote on November 5.

Patrol and disapatch in the Goochland

The Goochland Sheriff is a Constitutional Officer, who is elected by and works for the citizens of Goochland—not the Board of Supervisors, not the Commonwealth’s Attorney—the citizens of Goochland. The Sheriff does work with all other county agencies, appointed and elected, for the benefit of all citizens. The Sheriff’s Office performs a wide range of functions, including road patrol, investigating crimes, court security, prisoner transport, service of legal papers like summons and warrants in debt, and dispatch.

GOMM recently spent part of a weekday riding along with a patrol deputy for a glimpse of the basic functions of county law enforcement. (Ride alongs are available to all graduates of the Sheriff Citizens’ Academy.) Due to excessive social media harassment of local law enforcement, GOMM, and GOMM alone, declines to identify the deputy in question.

   

The day starts with roll call. The shift supervisor shares information with patrol deputies about incidents that occurred overnight, including a “be on the lookout” for a vehicle carjacked in Chesterfield, and updates on matters closer to home. They are asked to keep an eye out for the missing teen-ager from Louisa.

One update concerns recent thefts from vehicles along Rockville Road. A homeowner provided doorbell camera video that shows man with a limp looking into cars at night. The account of a credit card reported stolen indicated it was used soon after the theft at a nearby business. A Deputy would visit the business during the shift to confirm the purchase and try to obtain security camera footage to determine if the person recorded on the doorbell camera also used the credit card.

Our next stop was dispatch to pick up court documents for service.

Anyone who disparages the function of dispatch—the heart and soul of emergency response—clearly has no understanding of what this function does and how it operates.  The dispatcher is the initial contact between a person needing help and the appropriate response, be it law enforcement officers (LEOs), an ambulance, fire trucks, a combination of the above, or resources from another jurisdiction. A dispatcher must have detailed knowledge of the geography of the entire county, which resources are currently available, and where they are at any given time.

Multitasking is a prime requisite for dispatchers who do much more than answer the telephone.  The new emergency operations center has security camera feeds from all county buildings, including schools, that enable the dispatchers to keep watch 24/7/365. If they spy suspicious activity sends a patrol deputy is sent to check out the scene.

Dispatchers are multitaskers

There may be no better foundation for a law enforcement career than working dispatch, observed Mike East, who began his now 19-year law enforcement career, which included a stint as a deputy and investigator in the Goochland Sheriff’s Office, as a dispatcher. East said that working dispatch gave him “solid knowledge of the county” before he moved on to road patrol. “It made me a better deputy because I understood what happened on the other end of the radio.”

Barbara Paquette, who served as a dispatcher in a Virginia county like Goochland for 35 years, said that a dispatcher is the first officer on a scene, the citizen’s first contact with help during a crisis. Dispatchers, she explained, are trained to ask a series of questions that enable them to quickly get a clear picture of a caller’s circumstances, assess needs, and send appropriate assistance.

 “Dispatchers sometimes know what officers do not,” she said. “So, it is important to continually share information as a situation unfolds.  Emergency medical dispatch, recently implemented in Goochland, enables dispatchers to help callers take positive action as they wait for help to arrive, adding another layer of complexity to the function.

We proceed to the Deputy’s “unit” a Ford Explorer whose equipment includes radios, emergency lights, sirens, an on-board computer terminal, and speed radar.

The "unit" cockpit.

Using a tuning fork device, the Deputy calibrates the radar device so that readings used in a traffic stop will “stand up” in court. Next stop, the gas pump at Company 5 on Fairground Road. The Deputy will log between 200 and 300 miles on a typical 12-hour day shift, and 300 to 400 on a night shift. Arrests can take him off the road for up to three hours. A mental health crisis can take much longer. Deputies alternate between day and night shifts every month.

Dispatch sends us to a collision on Whitehall Road for traffic control at a two-vehicle crash on a hill requiring a deputy at either end to direct impatient eastbound commuters heading into a blinding morning sun around a blocked lane. Two wreckers arrive and deftly remove the damaged vehicles.  One of the drivers is cited for following too closely. The incident is cleared.

Traffic control .

Dispatch directs us to a medical alert alarm. Fire-Rescue is also toned out, but we are closest to the address. Deputies are trained in CPR and first aid. They are equipped with and trained to use Narcan to counteract opioid overdoses, and automatic external defibrillators. Before we arrive, dispatch reports the person accidentally triggered the alarm and all is well.

We proceed to the business where the stolen credit card was used. Each time a vehicle passes, in either direction, the radar reads its speed and emits a tone. The higher the speed, the more urgent the tone. As we drive the Deputy keeps his head on a swivel, always on the lookout for things out of place. A veteran, like many other Goochland LEOs, the Deputy loves living in the community where he works and keeping the community safe.

“Patrol can be complicated,” he explains. “There’s a lot to learn. Three months of post (law enforcement) academy field training (riding with an experienced LEO) helped me get familiar with the roads and the people.”

At the business, the Deputy explains that bank records indicate that a stolen credit card was used there. The manager shares the transaction list and cannot identify the person in the video but suggests that another employee may have more information. A night shift Deputy will follow up later in the day. The manager agrees to provide a disc of security video for the period surround the card’s use, but that will take a while to prepare.

Back to serving documents. The Deputy has served papers on some of the recipients more than once. Some destinations are remote locations well away from the road. The Deputy is alone and never knows what kind of reception he will receive. Some papers are “served” by wedging them into the door that serves as the main entrance of a home when there is no one at home.

Dispatch sends us to rendezvous with two other LEOs to investigate, at the request of Louisa, a possible lead on the missing girl. We go to a large farm at the western edge of the county. The homeowner has no knowledge of the missing girl and cooperates fully with the search of all buildings on his property. There is no sign of the girl.

Meanwhile, a state trooper, handles a two-car wreck on Broad Street Road and Rt. 288 at the other end of the county. Goochland LEOs and troopers work together. While VSP manly works Interstate 64 and Rt. 288, they also handle incidents elsewhere in the county and vice-versa.

The rest of the papers are served. Our patrol continues with the radar tones playing background music. In the next few hours, the Deputy issues a ticket for an expired inspection sticker, and warnings for speeding.

We return to the Sheriff’s Office where the Deputy makes his case to a magistrate to issue a warrant for charges arising from a traffic stop the previous day. Most requests for warrants in Goochland are handled electronically by Magistrates located elsewhere. On this day, the Magistrate is in Orange. The Deputy faxes his report and is sworn in before presenting the facts in the case. The Magistrate asks a few questions that are answered to his satisfaction and the warrant is issued.

Goochland’s land area is 290 square miles, a bit larger than Henrico’s 245 square miles. Patrol deputies cover a lot of territory in a day and are familiar with the entire county. Often, they are a long way from back up and must figure out how to handle unfolding incidents. Goochland is blessed to have these fine people keeping watch.

Goochland is  a big county.

Food and culture

The Culinary Arts program, part of Goochland Schools’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) department, offers lessons about food preparation, serving, and kitchen skills. On Friday, October 18, Dr. Katie Hoffman and her husband Brett Tiller and visited a class of Chef Dave Booth, head of the culinary arts program, to discuss Appalachian food traditions. The talk was followed by hands on lessons. Attired in kitchen uniforms, the students made basic salt-fermented sauerkraut and fried pies cooked in traditional cast iron pans topped with ice cream made by students in a previous class. They also tasted several varieties of heirloom apples.

Dr. Katie Hoffman 

Hoffman, who holds a PhD in English with a concentration in Appalachian (how you pronounce it depends on where you’re from. Northerners say Appalaychia where those from more southerly realms say Appalaachian) studies. This region, she explained includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolinas; Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, and all of West Virginia.

Geography, climate, ethnicity, and economic activity played a big part in what kinds of food were eaten, how they were prepared, and preserved for future consumption. Coal mining regions, for instance, attracted European immigrants who brought their culinary traditions with them.

Hoffman used pepperoni rolls, simple but hearty fare that could be prepared ahead of time and carried in a miner’s pocket, and cabbage rolls, as examples of the influence of European coal miners on regional cuisine. Like most traditional recipes, Hoffman said, these have many variations depending on the cook.

Chef Dave Booth, center, explains the day's lesson

Due to geographical isolation of Appalachia, people obtained their food by foraging for edible items including mushrooms, berries like the spice bus whose fruits that could be dried, ground, and used for flavoring and medicinal purposes; ramps, a member of the onion family; greens; and game including  ground hog and squirrel. Meat was often used for flavoring.

 As refrigeration was not available, food preservation methods such as drying, curing, fermenting, and root cellar storage insured that there would be something to eat during long, cold winters. After the invention of the Mason jar in 1858, canning was possible. Fermentation pickles and preserves vegetables and transforms milk and cream into cheese.

Apples, fresh, dried, preserved by cooking into apple butter; and as cider, play a big part in Appalachian traditions. Sorghum was grown and processed into a syrup for sweetener, Hoffman explained.

This class showed that Culinary Arts is far more than a cooking class. (Visit Hoffman's website www.appalworks.com for more insight about this region.)

The culinary arts program recently celebrated GHS senior Jalyn Burns, who was  named one of three finalists for the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association (VRLTA) state culinary student of the year, and a finalist for the “Rising Pineapple Award” for Outstanding Hospitality and Tourism Student of the Year.

Jalyn’s performance at the Virginia State SKILLS USA competition in April, her leadership as president of the Goochland SKILLS chapter, her participation in the NASA HUNCH competition to design meals for the international space station, her work at both Salisbury Country Club and Drive Shack, and her GHS senior project:  a “pop-up” dinner at Goochland Tech to benefit Sickle Cell Anemia research, earned her the nomination. Booth said this award reflects Jalyn’s performance in and out of class.

“Jalyn exemplifies what hard work and determination can do.  Her efforts over the last four years have produced amazing results and have propelled both her and the culinary program to new levels” said Booth.  “I am proud of the drive she has shown, and it has inspired me to be a better teacher.”

Road show

It’s finally cooled off, the leaves are turning, and Goochland County fall town hall meetings are in full swing. The first, for Districts 4 and 5 was held on October 10 at the beautiful Virginia Farm Bureau headquarters in West Creek. (Virginia Farm Bureau graciously offered the use of its wonderful meeting room to the county at no charge. Visit https://www.vafb.com/ for more information about this fine organization.) Following are a few highlights from the meeting.

The District 1 meeting was held on October 15 at the Hadensville Company 6 Fire-Rescue Station while Districts 2 and 3 will meet on October 30 at the Central High School Educational and Cultural Center. All sessions begin at 7 p.m. (“Slides” of the core presentation are available at http://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/6070/Goochland-County---Town-Hall-October-2019)

All five members of the Board of Supervisors attended the October 10 meeting. Bob Minnick District 4 and Board Chair Manuel Alvarez, Jr., District 2 are not seeking reelection. Minnick thanked Farm Bureau for its hospitality and noted that since this board took office in January 2012, 80 town hall meetings will have been held at the conclusion of the current round.  He noted that the last eight years serving the citizens has been an interesting experience and that he will sign off on December 31. Minnick thanked his wife Kathy for holding things together on days when “things are tough, and decisions get tricky.”

 Minnick recognized Beth Hardy, current District 4 school board member who also chose not to seek reelection. He presented her with a Goochland Challenge coin for her service to the community.

Bob Minnick thanks Beth Hardy for her service on the school board

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley thanked Hardy for her contribution to the renaissance of Goochland Schools, especially during her first year in office. “You were school board chairperson during a very difficult time, and handled some serious challenges with grace, “he said.

Hardy said that serving on the Goochland School Board—and many other related boards and commissions on a statewide basis—was the most productive, fulfilling, and challenging thing she has done in her life after parenthood.  “Our kids are better for it, our community is better for it,” said Hardy of the improvement in our schools.

District 5 supervisor Ken Peterson touched on some of the many good things happening in the county. Perhaps the most remarkable and productive change in the past eight years is the close collaboration between the supervisors and school board, a phenomenon almost unheard of in the rest of the Commonwealth. Peterson touted the county’s two excellent bond ratings, and another clean audit.

County Administrator John Budesky thanked Farm Bureau for its hospitality and being a great business partner to the county.

Several people asked why the county has not fixed the dangerous intersection of Rt. 288 and Broad Street Road in Centerville. Budesky said that planned improvements there are being advertised and work is expected to begin next spring. One woman suggested placing temporary flashing stop signs there in the interim. Marshall Winn administrator of the VDOT Ashland residency said that VDOT traffic engineers have studied the area and decided that additional signage will not help.

 THE SUPERVISORS AND SHERIFF HAVE LITTLE SAY IN GOOCHLAND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE DEICDED AND HANDLED BY VDOT. THE PEOPLE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT LOCAL ROADS NEVER ATTTEND PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE SECONDARY SIX YEAR ROAD PLAN. THE COUNTY CANNOT JUST CALL UP VDOT AND ORDER A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IT IS A LENGHTY AND COMPLICATED PROCESS.

Budesky gave a brief update on economic development. Note on the map that most of these projects are east of Manakin Road, a good illustration of the supervisors’ policy to keep 85 percent of Goochland rural going forward. He also mentioned that the developer of a mixed-use enclave on the Oak Hill property in the northeast quadrant of the Rt. 288/Patterson Avenue interchange is seeking a grocery store for the project.

Budesky reported that the county recently retained the firm of Hourigan Construction to complete work on the animal shelter after the original contractor was fired last summer. Talks with the escrow agents to cover the cost of finishing the project are ongoing. Opening of the facility is expected early in 2020.

He listed new projects, including Tuckahoe Bridge subdivision on Manakin and Rockville Roads, Reed Marsh in Courthouse Village and Manakin Towne, which is pending.

Budesky reiterated that the county does not discourage any entity from adding to county broadband options. “We welcome additional providers,” Budesky said.  Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumright, the county’s point man on telecommunications, reported that Verizon has decided it will not expand FIOS. He also said that 5G will not be deployed in Goochland any time soon. As 5G uses many small cell “towers” often mounted on buildings and utility poles, it is better suited to urban areas, said Drumwright.

Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. thanked the supervisors for funding the recently hired fire-rescue employees that now staff all six county stations 24/7 and are already improving response times. Answering a question about routing 911 calls made from cell phones, Ferguson explained that cell calls go to the nearest tower, which could be in another county. He said that dispatchers can route the call to the appropriate jurisdiction, but it is important to provide dispatchers with as much information as possible about your location.

In mid-March of next year, the United States decennial census will be taken, said Budesky. Forms may be completed online or by mail. For those interested, the Federal Government is hiring temporary employees to collect this important data.

Raley was up next. He played a short video about student experience at Goochland High School. (Visit the website http://goochlandschools.org/ to see many of the good things happening at our schools. The schools’ annual report Explorations will be mailed to all homes in Goochland in the coming weeks. Please take the time to read this.)

Raley said that Goochland has been named the regional school division of choice by Niche Magazine for the second year in a row; is the 8^th safest division in the Commonwealth; and the number one in special education.

In response to a question about the burgeoning school population and the use of trailers at both Randolph and Byrd elementary schools, Raley said that the number of students in the current year decreased slightly from last year. This is because the incoming kindergarten class has fewer students than last June’s graduating class. Raley said there are 124 homeschooled children in the county. He did not have numbers for those who attend private school.

The new Goochland Elementary School, to be located on property behind the yellow sign on Bulldog Way, will accommodate 650 students, larger than originally planned. Expected to open in August 2024, thanks to redistricting, this school will take enough students from both RES and BES to eliminate the need for trailers until they too can be replaced. Raley said that today’s schools are not like those of the past where students sat in straight rows and received instruction from a teacher but are flexible and interactive. Class sizes in Goochland are grades k-3 15 to 18; 4-9 20to 21; and 23 to 24 in high school.

Goochland schools receive 20 percent of their funding from the state, the remainder comes from local funding. Raley acknowledged that the county has other monetary obligations to provide services to citizens. He observed that the constructive collaboration between the county and schools, unlike adversarial relationships in other jurisdictions, plays a big part in the success of Goochland schools, whose goal is to maximize the potential of every learner.

Emergency notifications

The following message was sent out this morning, October 12, to subscribers of Goochland's Code Red emergency notification system:

This is a community alert from Goochland County. Due to worsening dry conditions in the region there is a heightened risk associated with open burning, accordingly Goochland is prohibiting open air burning until further notice. Effective immediately, the Goochland County Fire Marshal hereby prohibits all open burning, suspends all previously issued open burning permits, and suspends the issuance of any new burn permits. For more information or questions please contact Goochland County’s Office of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Services at (804) 556-5304 or visit our website at www.goochlandva.us.  

Goochland County established a Code Red emergency notification system a few years ago. Code Red sends severe weather bulletins; Amber Alert messages about missing or abducted children; and other information about issues of immediate community concern via phone and text. To sign up visit https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/1380BACA5A57 to sign up.

The devil is in the details

At their Tuesday, October 1 meeting, Goochland supervisors held two lengthy public hearings on land use matters for sites in eastern Goochland. The evening session ran well into Wednesday morning.

Manakin Towne

The first hearing addressed applications filed for the Manakin Towne mixed used project (see GOMM Village People and the October 1 Board Packet for details) to rezone  approximately 23 acres on the north side of Broad Street Road in Centerville roughly behind Essex Bank and grant a special exception to MPUD requirements for an 11 unit per acre density (MPUD requires six) and reduction setback from Broad Street Road from 500 to 320 feet.

Goochland County’s “village concept” approach to development recommends higher density land uses in areas served by adequate roads—okay, there may be no such thing—and public water and sewer. The core of the Centerville Village, along Broad Street Road between Ashland and Manakin Roads, is ground zero.

Local developer Scott Gaeser, who grew up in the area and lives here with his family, has owned the property for most of the 21^st century. Over the years, he has crafted various plans for the site mixing retail, residential, and commercial uses before the county had zoning to support it. After holding several community meetings and working with the county planning staff, the latest iteration of Manakin Towne entered the official rezoning process. If approved, this will be the county’s first MPUD and the supervisors want to get it right. They agonized over details for about four hours and deferred a vote until their December 3 meeting.

Kevin Brandt, Gaeser’s partner, said that the plan will include townhouses in  the $400k range; small shop retail spaces; offices; and luxury apartments, whose monthly rents start at $1,500 for a one bedroom—the county does not allow apartments with more than 2 bedrooms—and open space for the farmers market and a dog park.

Main objections were increased traffic; the density, which Gaeser contended is necessary to make the project economically feasible.; the negative impact of many more new residents on fire-rescue; and destruction of Goochland’s rural character. Gaeser contended that, because the Company 3 is nearby, response times will be fast, but the average time for an EMS call from is 90 minutes from tone out to return to station after transporting a patient to an area hospital. It is unclear how high-density housing in Centerville will make western Goochland less rural.

Several people supported the project contending that the area needs more people and businesses.  Surrounding landowners who have paid property and ad valorem taxes for years and believe that Manakintowne will spur high quality development in the Broad Street Road corridor. They agreed that this is the place for the village concept to become reality, in essence saying it’s time to “walk the walk”.

Build-out of the 39 town homes was estimated at about three years, depending on market demand, after ground breaking, which was estimated at about 18 months after approval. The supervisors wanted assurances that construction of commercial elements not be postponed until after all the dwelling units are built. The mixed-use equation is that tax revenue generated by commercial space offsets the increased service cost of homes. (Proffer dollars may only be used to offset capital costs like fire trucks and ambulances.)

Brandt waxed eloquent about “small high quality” shops and boutiques that people will want to shop in but offered no specifics. (As discussions with potential tenants are probably confidential, this is not unusual.) However, in the event of an economic downturn, will shops catering to an upscale consumer be able to sell enough of their high-end offerings to cover their rent and generate enough profit to make the business viable? This is not the county’s concern. The developers proffered that two commercial structures will be part of phase 1. Gaeser explained that phasing ensures that the site work—stormwater management pond, road improvements, entrances—is completed at the start of the project.

Bob Minnick, District 4 was skeptical of the “false choice” between big box and MPUD as the only development options for the site and asked what the other choice is. (Gaeser explained in his presentation that, as currently zoned, an unnamed “big box” store could be built by right.) Was a version with owner-occupied condos mixed with rental units ever considered, Minnick wondered?  Gaeser said an all townhome project would not generate enough income to fund the additional road improvements included in the MPUD. He further contended that there are no apartments in eastern Goochland, and that an MPUD is the “highest and best use” for the land.

(A word about the big box bluster. It seems unlikely that any of big box retailers in Short Pump would move to Centerville. In a perfect world, AND THIS IS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN, Costco would locate there. It would add no morning rush hour traffic and generate enough sales tax revenue to generously fund schools, leaving real estate tax revenue to pay for everything else. The most likely big box use for the property in question is a car dealership.)

Brandt declared that there is no demand for owner-occupied multifamily residential units like condominiums.

School impact is much lower than single family detached homes, Gaeser claimed. Minnick had trouble reconciling the expectation of few resident children with the family friendly aspect of project. Brandt said people like to come to nice places to “buy a pastry or get their hair done”. He also said that the retail spaces would be for local businesses. No questions were asked about the cost of commercial spaces. Will local businesses be able to afford the rent there?

Susan Lascolette District 1 said she had a major problem with the density, which at 11 units per acre is almost twice that specified for MPUD.

Ken Peterson District 1 said “there is a lot to like” about Manakin Towne, but also some “wait a minutes” like density and setbacks. He said the MPUD concept stipulated a variety of housing alternatives, but all he sees is in the MPUD multifamily or attached dwellings. He too expressed the concern about a little bit of commercial and a lot of residential.

John Lumpkins District 3 conceded that there is a market demand for this kind of housing but also expressed concerns about the phasing of commercial structures. He quoted a citizen who characterized the project as “crowded, complicated, and blows density away.”  

Board Chair Manuel Alvarez, District 2, pronounced Manakin Towne a great project adding “a needed housing option for the county.” He said that Centerville now is really a “pass through” rather than a village and Manakintowne could change that. The West Creek 2000 apartments, he said, had the fastest occupancy rate of any project in the nation, but wondered if that filled local demand. He too wanted more specificity about the priority of construction of the business properties to ensure that Manakin Towne is not just dwelling units at build out. He too would prefer more owner-occupied options.

Lascolette said that “there are still a lot of things that need to be done.”

Minnick said that he believes the plan is good but could get better and supported a motion to address items of staff concern (page 333 in board packet) by a deferral. This happened around midnight.

Manakin Towne is a very complicated project. The supervisors are wise to take their time to get is as right as possible before taking a funal vote.

Getting it right is the difference between this being a boon to Centerville rather than a bane.

Event Makers

About 12:30 a.m. the board took up a CUP application filed by Event Makers to operate a concert venue, like Innsbrook After Hours, which it currently stages in Henrico County on property in West Creek. The site in question is 5.74 acres roughly opposite Virginia Farm Bureau Headquarters.  Four weekend events were proposed for 2020 with 15 events in 2021. The duration of the CUP was two years. The planning commission unanimously voted to deny recommendation for approval of the CUP at its September meeting. All events would take place on Saturday and Sunday, gates would open at 3 p.m. with a 10 p.m. sound curfew.

Larry Creeger, a principal of Event Makers said that he has staged a wide range of events over the years and believes the West Creek site is one of the most ideal sites for an outdoor concert series. The application states that, if Goochland implements a 6 percent ticketing tax, (can Goochland do this?) it could realize $150,000 in annual revenue from the concert series.

The intrepid citizens, most from Henrico who live just east of Tuckahoe Creek, who waited for their turn to comment on the application, objected to the noise it would generate. They contended that the sound from concerts would destroy the peaceable enjoyment of their homes, threaten wildlife, and cause and exacerbate health problems. One speaker pointed out that music has been used as a torture device.

The Virginia Farm Bureau objected to the application. At the Planning Commission meeting VAFB president Wayne Pryor of Goochland objected to possible trespassing on the company’s property.

Aside from noise and traffic congestion, concerns about traffic, site improvements, site security and emergency medical services were raised by the county. Questions were raised about the number of parking spaces and if ride share entities would be a viable alternative to driving to the site.

Creeger planned to retain a private security firm to be supplemented by off-duty law enforcement officers from Goochland, Henrico and the Virginia State Police as available operating under the command of the Goochland Sheriff. No fewer than six LEOs would be needed.

Pat O’Bannon, a member of the Henrico Board of Supervisors, read a letter from the Henrico County Manager stating that Henrico County Police officers would not be permitted to work for Event Makers outside of Henrico County. She made similar comments at the planning commission meeting.

Goochland fire-rescue disagreed with the calculation of the number and type of EMS units, to be privately retained by Event Makers. A fire marshal would be required to be n site for all events to oversee safety precautions as well as food service venues. Goochland has only one part-time fire marshal.

Creeger contended that reaction to sound is subjective and traffic noise on Rt. 288 is more troublesome to area residents than concert sound would be. Around 2 a.m. he said that Goochland is not ready for this and withdrew his application.

Seems more rigorous due diligence before filing the application would have saved everyone a lot of time and trouble. Creeger seemed unaware that Goochland County has far fewer LEOs—38 Goochland Deputies versus more than 600 Henrico police officers—to supplement private security. The withdrawal allows Creeger to refile for a CUP at any time. Had the Board voted it down, he would have had to wait a year to refile.

Land use decisions are important. Getting the details right is crucial.

Caught in the act

Court documents

Levin White has been charged with trespassing  on private property in broad daylight to interfere with a campaign sign placed by his opponent. He has been recorded on a game camera attaching one of his signs to a tree right under a no trespassing sign with the assistance of Richard Grizzell, according to court docments. The following documents were obtained from Goochland General District Court and its website. White is scheduled to appear in that court on November 4, 2019.

White is charged with a class 1 misdemeanor. According to § 18.2-11. of the Code of Virginia maximum punishment for a Class 1 misdemeanor is confinement in jail for not more than twelve months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both.

Court documents:

Rebuttal

GOMM does not make a practice of responding to comments. Recent ones made anonymously about the post titled Choir Practice about so-called non-partisan forum on September 24, however, need a rejoinder.

The main purpose of GOMM is to provide information and encourage people to pay attention. 

There are lots of words  with more than four letters in this book.

 Profanity will not be published. The English language has many words with more than four letters that can be combined to express any sentiment in a meaningful manner.

The first comment on the post in general:

“Typical biased opinion and false information reported by an obvious Creasey supporter.
Sandy Warwick you should be ashamed of yourself for posting such blatantly false information.” Not sure what information was false. Not ashamed, not sorry.

“I was at the forum and did not witness any of what you have stated.” Which part? The leaflet scuffles. The White supporters wearing tee shirts and stickers, cheering, taking pictures?

“The forum had an excellent turnout and was very informative.” Why so many empty seats and people walking out when the one-sided narrative became clear? You probably knew what was going to be said before the event started.

“Your blogs false information is exactly the type of negativity that is dividing this county and making this election so volatile.” GOMM clearly states that it is my opinion, which is as valid as yours. What makes questioning details of a candidate’s remarks negativity?  False information? The clearest example of this was the “when did you stop beating your wife” type question, alleging that deputies tauntingly tossed cigarettes on an already swept surface while supervising someone performing court mandated community service?  The thing is, deputies do not supervise court mandated community service. Someone else on the stage probably knew that and declined to set the record straight. That question seemed deliberately worded to spread false information by the ‘non-partisan” organizers.

“I respect your right to vote for who you feel is the most qualified candidate for Sheriff, but it is simply wrong for you post all this false information about the forum and Mr. White.  The residents and business owners deserve better.”  Not sure what “information” was false. Just commenting on some of the answers. Where, for instance, will the money come from to pay for all the new rent-a-cop deputies and better training? In past years, the supervisors, who provide most funding for the Sheriff’s Office, have declined to fund requested deputy positions. White should know this. Being Sheriff is more than slapping on a star and swaggering around the county. Also, during the Mizpah Church forum, White contended that he would give a “tax break” to a developer for a Centerville substation. Creasey pointed out that the Sheriff cannot give “tax breaks”. “This type of behavior from you only proves how much Goochland County needs a change.” No idea what this means, it is opinion. “I’m pretty sure you will be the only one that reads this because you don’t have the moral and ethical backbone to post it publicly because you know what you are doing is wrong.” The First Amendment gives me, as an American citizen, the right to express my opinion, as it does you. Doing so does not make me “wrong” it makes my view different from yours, which, apparently in your eyes make me evil. As to backbone, does posting anonymously mean you have back trouble? “If you are truly trying to make Goochland a better place be truthful with you reporting and allow people to make their assumptions who is more qualified to hold the position.” Critical thinking, the ability to question a statement and see if it makes sense, in my opinion is not untruthful.  GOMM tries to present background information, to put comments in perspective and provide complete information about a candidate’s qualifications, not repeat a carefully crafted narrative. The following comment drew a foul-mouthed response from the same biddy so bizarre that it was funny. It was withdrawn and will not be shared here but has been archived.

“Apropos of Mr. White's knowledge -- or lack thereof -- of the many duties and responsibilities of the Sheriff’s Office, I submitted the following question to the forum nine days prior to the submission deadline:

"Please identify and describe your experience in dealing with the important functions of the Sheriff's office, other than criminal investigation; in other words the day-to-day or more mundane (but still important) aspects of the job."

This question was not deemed worthy of inclusion in the forum. Apparently, the organizers of the forum deem Mr. White's taste in ice cream and admiration of Mickey Mantle of greater importance to his qualification to serve as Goochland's sheriff.”

 Why would asking someone with little or no relevant experience in routine matters of an office he aspires to oversee draw such a vile response? The sheriff’s office performs a wide range of tasks including dispatch; serving warrants in debt, subpoenas, and other court papers; performing evictions; welfare checks, prisoner transports, helping stranded motorists, dealing with motor vehicle accidents, and so forth. These functions are not mentioned in White’s resume. Don’t Goochland citizens have a right to know how much experience a candidate has in these areas?  Also, patrol, one of the most important functions of the office, was never mentioned.

As to the “non-partisan” aspect of the September 24 forum, this comment was recently posted:

“It might be worth knowing that Buddy Bishop, the now former chairman of the Goochland TEA Party, submitted his resignation when he discovered that the public service forum had become a partisan debate without his awareness until four days prior to the event - about the same time the Creasey campaign found out as well. No ground was given at the request to make the event as billed; the requests were wholly ignored. At least Mizpah church did it right this election cycle.
In case some might not see the difference, it's about confrontation vs information. It's about selling one product and substituting with another. It's about being setup for the same sorta "gotcha" we constantly see in the so-called news. Buddy was right to resign from the TEA Party as was the Republican party was in withdrawing from the event.
It looks like the meet and greets being held around Goochland are the best way, if not only way, to meet the candidates in person and have a decent respectful and informative conversation this year.”

As GOMM stated in Choir Practice, saying that a forum is “non-partisan” does not make it so.

Thanks to everyone who takes time to read GOMM and post civil comments .

October 1 in the Board Room

After almost four hours of presentation, discussion, and citizen comment on applications filed by local developer Scott Gaeser for Manakintowne, which, if approved would be Goochland’s first mixed use planned unit development (MPUD), the supervisors voted unanimously to defer a vote until December 3.

The supervisors are to be commended for taking great care to prevent overlooked details from leading to unintended consequences, but they need to pick up the pace. People waited until well after midnight for the start of the public hearing on a conditional use permit for Event Makers, which eded about 2 a.m.

For everyone’s sanity, the county must schedule only one contentious hearing per meeting. Marathon sessions are not fair to the citizens, staff, or the supervisors, whose ability to make sound decisions degrades after midnight.

Miscellaneous

The public hearing on an ordinance amendment concerning weeds and garbage was deferred until November 6

Fall town hall meetings are coming up. Districts 4 and 5 will meet on October 10 at Farm Bureau Headquarters on West Creek Parkway; District 1 will meet on October 15 at Hadensville Company 6; and Districts 2 and 3 will meet on October 30 at the Central High School Educational and Cultural Center. All start at 7 p.m. Each session will include a general wrap-up of the year in local government and a preview of next year’s budget, followed by discussion of more local concerns. The public is welcome at any and all sessions. No political activity permitted.

County staff will hold meetings with residents of Hickory Haven and Sammary Forest residents about installation of sewer lines on October 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Company 3. The county website also has a section with all documents on the matter. Go to the county website http://www.goochlandva.us/and click on the Hickory haven link under “latest news” on the right side of the page.

October 26 is the date for the Goochland Fall Festival on the “old” football field behind the administration building.

Lyman Louis Beck was recognized on his September 30 retirement after 30 years of service in the utilities and building departments.

The Supervisors approved a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sally Graham, executive Director of Goochland Cares introduced Heather Salmon, its Sexual and Domestic Violence Services Program Coordinator.  Goochland Cares also operates a 24-hour domestic violence hotline 804-980-6267.  Visit GoochlandCares.org for more information. Spousal abuse is a scourge whose devastating effects undermine family structure and harm the entire community.

VDOT

Marshall Winn, residency administrator for the VDOT Ashland Residency reported that advertisement for traffic signal work at the intersection of Rt. 288 and Broad Street Road has begun. He said that bids close on November 15 and estimated that the work could start as early as March 1, 2020.

He reported that paving crews are working hard to finish scheduled work before the asphalt season ends.

District 1 supervisor Susan Lascolette thanked Winn for meeting with Georges Tavern residents and placing a stop sign at Davis Mill Road.

Ken Peterson, District 5 said that a “no u turn” sign is needed, even though VDOT traffic engineers contend it is not “warranted,” on Route 6 near Creekmore. Peterson said that there are many accidents and near misses there as people try to turn into the fast lane there and are t boned. He observed that dangerous maneuvers on Rt.6 at certain times of the day are the result of drivers trying to avoid  clogged southbound lanes of Rt. 288 at rush hour. He suggested that fixing 288 congestion will relieve issues on Rt. 6.

Fire-Rescue

Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. thanked the board for the support that enabled hiring of the new career providers to staff all six stations 24/7 beginning on October 1.

Fire prevention week is coming up. Several county stations will have events featuring safety tips and demonstrations. Stop in and say “hello” to the intrepid people, career and volunteer, who save live and protect property in Goochland. Check the battery in you smoke alarm when you turn back the clocks.

Consent Agenda

The supervisors’ consent agenda included setting November 6 public hearings on lease agreements with both the Goochland Chamber of Commerce and Goochland Historical Society for county owned property; approval of a revised FY 2019 & FY 2020 Performance Contract between Goochland Powhatan Community Services (GPCS) and the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS);  and authorization for the county administrator to sign a letter of acceptance of Virginia Department of Health funding for the Jenkins Trailer Park pubic water connection. See the October 1 board packet for details.

Money

Barbara Horlacher county director of finance presented a review of the final FY 2019—which ended on June 30—fund balance assignments. Once again, the county took in more than it budgeted to the tune of approximately $7 million. Some of these funds will go to items not included in the budget, including $850 k for the Fairground Road Extension, and to the rainy day and contingency funds. 

Peterson explained that the “rainy day” fund is used, under very specific circumstances, to ease revenue shortfalls resulting from a downturn in the economy. The contingency fund is set aside for extraordinary events, like the 2011 earthquake that destroyed two schools in Louisa.

He also explained that this positive fiscal position is what helped Goochland obtained two AAA bond ratings, which will save the county money when it needs to borrow to build schools, a courthouse, and fire-rescue stations.

Public hearings

Other public hearings held on October 1 included a boundary line adjustment; renewal of a conditional use permit (CUP) for a day care facility; and a CUP to allow a towing service to operate out of the old Hadensville Fire-Rescue station.  The board unanimously approved the first two and approved the third 4-1 with District 1 Supervisor Susan Lascolette in dissent. She was uncomfortable with the applicant declining to proffer that he would not store large vehicles in the building.

A gentleman from the Hadensville area protested the towing company with an opposition petition signed by 70 people. He contended that is not the kind of small business wanted in Hadensville and berated the supervisors for not “giving us a grocery store”.

Board Chair Manuel Alvarez, Jr., District 2, explained that the supervisors do not decide what kind of businesses go in a particular location. Businesses open where they believe they can operate at a profit.

The more potential customers near a location raised the odds that a business will be profitable. The fewer people in an area, the fewer businesses it will attract. The ten or so square miles considered to be Short Pump, for instance, has more residents than all of Goochland County. That is why there are so many businesses there.  

The board adjourned until Monday, October 7 for a final workshop on the zoning ordinance rewrite.