Taking care of business

 

Cutting the ribbon at the Goochland Business Center. Sara Worley on the left, Casey Verberg second from right

Goochland is home to many commercial enterprises ranging in size from Capital One to small home-based operations. The county economic development team of Casey Verberg, who works to attract new enterprises to the county, and Sara Worley, charged with supporting existing businesses, have been busier than ever during the Covid disruption. Earlier this year, the Economic Development Department moved into the Goochland Business Center, sharing space with the Chamber of Commerce to provide “one stop shopping” for information on starting and growing business in the county.

If these women, who work with the County’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) have their way, current businesses will survive and thrive and attract newcomers to enhance the local economy, strengthen the tax base, and bring more jobs to Goochland. The goal is to have 30 percent of tax revenue generated by business the remainder from real estate tax.

At the December 9 EDA meeting, Verberg announced that Goochland was ranked 10^th nationally by the Economic Modeling Specialists International in the small county category for talent attraction. (https://www.economicmodeling.com/talent-attraction-scorecard-2020/?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=102212400&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Y9r1I7JDpu6JODrWb2ax_KgkHF-9pYoYXpHwCCrpr2Al2bPdNu31P_3TVmi) The designation helps put Goochland “on the radar” of companies considering a move to Virginia.

Verberg is working with 13 active new business prospects. If all come to fruition, that could mean more that $600 million in new investment and more than three thousand new jobs for Goochland.

Worley said that she conducted business walks at some of the county’s industrial parks to connect with local companies. She learned that, of the 25 businesses she spoke with, most had not been negatively impacted by Covid. Those involved in construction, however, expressed concern about cancellation of public sector projects going forward.

Lack of signage for industrial parks, which is not allowed under current county zoning rules, was mentioned as a negative by several companies hoping to increase their visibility. Worley is investigating how neighboring counties handle this issue and perhaps pursue zoning amendments to permit signage.

Small businesses in Goochland were hammered by Covid. The county economic development department created a Back to Business program that distributed $150 thousand CARES Act funds to about 25 county businesses to help them recover some of the extraordinary expenses incurred to stay open during the pandemic. “Small” is defined as fewer than 99 employees.

Worley also worked with local businesses looking expand tourism opportunities and helped another, whose supply chain was disrupted by Covid, find a replacement vendor in central Virginia.

The Capital Region Small Business Development Center has officially, and virtually opened, said Worley. It will provide a wide range of services to help small businesses get started and operate successfully. These include business plan development; market research; financial management; strategic planning; and business management. Visit (https://capitalregionvasbdc.com/

Economic Development worked with the Goochland Chamber of Commerce, goochlandchamber.org, to help promote the shop local small business promotion.

Verberg and Worley are also keeping a close eye on Congress for additional Covid relief that could benefit Goochland.

Verberg and Worley are eager to work with new and existing companies in Goochland. Visit the economic development website at http://www.goochlandforbusiness.com/  for lots of good information about local enterprise or contact them at cverberg@goochlandva.us or sworley@goochlandva.us.

 

December board highlights

The Goochland Board of Supervisors held its last monthly meeting of 2020 on December 1.

Presiding over her final meeting as board chair, District 1 Supervisor Susan Lascolette summed up this very strange time.

“It’s been quite a year. On March 26, in response to Covid, we declared a state of emergency and passed a continuity of government resolution, which is still in effect. We survived and thrived. We found new ways of doing things to make sure that everyone gets the services they need. We approved cell towers and entered into a partnership with Central Virginia Electric Coop to expand broadband.”

The county submitted grant applications for a $12 million investment that could connect an additional 1,187 additional homes and businesses by 2023. The county, said Lascolette, did two budgets this year—before and after Covid—yet kept real estate and ad valorem tax rates level, lowered the personal property tax rate, and increased the allowance for elderly and disabled tax credit, and received a clean audit. This was made possible by everyone on staff paying attention to all the details. She thanked everyone for their hard work to keep Goochland going.

The supervisors will hold a public hearing at their January 5 meeting on an ordinance to permit paying bonuses to county and school employees.

Following the March resignation of John Budesky, the county launched a nationwide search for his successor. Kenneth A. “Kenny” Young was named county administrator and started work on September 14. The board, said Lascolette, appreciates the fine job that Derek Stamey did as interim county administrator during July and August. He dealt with hurricanes during a pandemic.

Lascolette said she could not be “more proud” of Goochland public safety.  Sheriff Steven Creasey, who took office on January 1, and Mike Watkins who became Deputy Fire-Rescue Chief-EMS to succeed Eddie Ferguson who now serves as Chief, have done an outstanding job of serving the citizens during the pandemic.

 She praised the school board, “wow!” and school division for its careful response to the unprecedented challenges posed by Covid.

Lascolette noted that throughout the lockdown the work of the County continued with ribbon cuttings; clean up days; and DMV Select carrying on through it all. She lamented cancellation of the Independence Day fireworks but lauded the success of the modified fall festival. Our general registrar and electoral board overcame many challenges to hold a successful election.

Looking forward to 2021, Lascolette said that redistricting, resulting from the 2020 census, will change local voting districts. Hopefully, there will be another trip to New York City for the county to secure a hat trick third triple A bond rating—a rare accomplishment for a county the size of Goochland—and a possible bond referendum in November to fund needed infrastructure. In closing, Lascolette thanked her fellow supervisors for the opportunity to serve as board chair. (To hear her remarks in their entirety, see the recording of the December 1 meeting at https://www.goochlandva.us/943/Video-of-Past-BOS-Meetings beginning at the 14:26 minute mark)

Due to Covid travel restrictions placed on state employees, no VDOT representative attended the meeting.

Fire-Rescue and emergency services

In addition to its ongoing response to the pandemic, Goochland Fire-Rescue dealt with major flooding in the county as the result of heavy rains around November 12. The 23-foot crest of the James River was the highest since 2003. Fire-Rescue, in its emergency management role, continues to partner with many agencies including the Goochland Sheriff’s Office, schools, the Chickahominy Health Department, and several social service organizations.

Goochland EMS providers, explained Ferguson, wear a high level of PPE including N95 respirators when interacting with patients. Transport of Covid patients to area hospitals requires extensive decontamination of equipment after each call, which increases both the length of the call and time that units are out of service for cleaning.

New emergency apparatus will join the Goochland fleet in coming months. A 2,500-gallon tanker will be assigned to Courthouse Company 5 in late December. A new ambulance will be delivered in March, and the long-awaited ladder truck, which will be housed at Manakin Company 1, to serve the east end is expected in May. A new boat for water rescue, also for Company 1 will arrive in summer.

Mike Harmon was appointed as the supervisors’ liaison to the Fire-Rescue Association Board of Directors.

 (To see the entire report, go to the December 1 board packet http://goochlandcountyva.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1280&Inline=True starting on page 63.

Health Department

Dr. Thomas Frank, Health Director of the Chickahominy Health District, which includes the Goochland County Health Department, presented his agency’s annual report to the supervisors. (it begins on the past recorded meeting about the 1:53 mark.) The CHD provides clinical services; environmental health inspections; and special programs.

Goochland ranked 10 out of 133 jurisdictions for its health outcomes, which includes longevity.

The opioid epidemic is ongoing and has not getting better, said Frank, but the focus this year was Covid response.

As of November 30, Goochland had 451 cases of Covid since March (the count on December 10 according to the Virginia Department of Health (https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-in-virginia/ is 497). It was the highest it’s ever been and continues to climb; the positivity percentage doubled in a week. He attributed the increase, in part, to Covid fatigue. Frank said that of the 451 on November 30, 11 cases were open, 433 closed. He did not define open or closed. There have been 7 deaths attributed to Covid in Goochland since March, the last was recorded on July 28. To date, since March, 37 Goochlanders have been hospitalized according to the VDH website.

“Cases” means confirmed and probable, explained Frank. Confirmed is a positive PCR test, probable is someone who has symptoms or is linked to a confirmed case. Frank contended that the PCR test is the “gold standard”. He admitted that the timing of the identification of a positive case can be hard to pinpoint and there may be “quite a bit of lag” in reporting. Frank said the most prevalent incubation period is between four to six or seven days. The best time to get tested is to wait four or more days after suspected exposure with no symptoms.

The CHD has conducted Covid testing and flu shot clinics in Goochland, the last on November 11. These are believed to be “dry runs” for distribution of Covid vaccines.

 

Thoughts on a December Day

This year seems like a dystopian novel, but it’s been all too real.

As we look forward to putting 2020 in the rearview mirror, the intrepid souls in our community who found ways to continue traditions, albeit modified for Covid, are to be thanked for their ingenuity and spirit.

The list includes:

The Christmas Mother program (https://www.goochlandchristmasmother.org/) whose dedicated volunteers “pivoted”—a new addition to our vocabulary—to find ways to help those economically challenged to have a Merry Christmas. This year’s Christmas Mother, Joy Kline and her elves will not let a pandemic halt the important work of this group.  Community building aspects of this program, shopping, wrapping, distributing, went away, but the spirit of giving shines brightly. It is never too late to donate to the Christmas Mother!

Joy Kline 2020 Goochland Christmas Mother

Goochland Parks and Rec, partnering with the YMCA, welcomed 800 cars for a drive through visit with Santa at Hidden Rock Park on December 4. More than 350 pounds of food and cash donations collected at this event were delivered to Goochland Cares. The virtual lighting of the county’s Christmas Tree at the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads followed later that evening.  The tree will remain lit until January 1. Our new County Administrator Kenneth “Kenny” Young flipped the switch after presenting a check to Kline for $2,045 raised by county staff for this worthwhile cause.

Parks and rec is not done with Christmas joy. “Santa calling” will give kids a chance to talk with the jolly elf on December 10.

Salem Baptist Church staged a reservation-only version of Bethlehem Walk. This annual event takes visitors to Bethlehem of long ago and reminds us of the meaning of the season.

Goochland High School’s Drama Department livestreamed its production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” last weekend. Combing technology and creativity to overcome the restrictions of social distancing provided a unique experience both for the student participants and audience. Kudos to all who found a way in these very strange times to follow the dictum “the show must go on!”.

Among Covid casualties was the last Field Day of the Past at the Ashland Road site. Its Christmas open house, a quiet respite from the clatter of a normal holiday season, was also cancelled. However, Santa and his reindeer fly over Ashland Road one more time.

May the lessons we learned from the high weird of 2020 serve us well in the coming year.

 

 

 

 

Jobs well done

 

At the start of the December 1 meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors, three people who are retiring at the end of 2020 were recognized for their service to the county.

Dr. Arthur C. “Ace” Ernst served as volunteer Operational Medical Director for Goochland Fire-Rescue from 2000 to 2020. During this time, Goochland’s emergency medical service transitioned from an all- volunteer agency through contractual support to today’s combination system of volunteers and career providers.

 

Dr. Arthur C. Ernst and OMD badge

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. explained that rescue squads operate under the license of their operational medical director. Serving in that capacity for Goochland, Cumberland, and Ashcake Volunteer Rescue Squad Ernst, while an active emergency room physician, Ernst also acted as regional medical director for the Old Dominion Emergency Medical Services Alliance (ODEMSA). ODEMSA is one of 11 Regional Emergency Medical Alliances in Virginia, served by 25 hospitals and approximately 100 EMS agencies. (Visit https://odemsa.net/ for complete information.)

Ernst’s understanding of the challenges faced by rural EMS, said Ferguson, allowed Goochland’s basic emergency medical technicians, EMT-B, to employ aggressive lifesaving patient care protocols including Epi-pens; nebulizer breathing treatments; and Narcan administration when Advanced Life Support providers were not available. Ernst trusted our advance life support providers (ALS) with aggressive lifesaving protocols. His oversight of EMS operations in Goochland and attention to detail ensured that all providers received ample training to deliver patient care of such high quality that Goochland EMS has repeatedly been recognized for its excellence.

Working closely with the Goochland Sheriff’s Office and dispatch Ernst played a vital part in last year’s implementation of emergency medical dispatch training dispatchers to provide prearrival emergency care instructions to 911 callers. This began saving local lives as soon as it became operational.

Ernst has been a true champion of and cheer leader for EMS providers with his unwavering support, said Ferguson. Excellence in EMS delivery does not happen by accident. It is the product of careful oversight, planning, training, and dedication to community service made possible by people like Dr. Ernst.

At the end of his remarks Ferguson presented Ernst with something he had wanted for years, an official OMD badge. Ernst presented Ferguson with a toy ambulance. He thanked the community for welcoming him and giving him the opportunity to work with Goochland rescue squads.

 

Keeping Goochland rural does not happen by accident either. Support for our agricultural community is the prime task of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District.

Pam Pleasants, who served as the office administrator for the MSWCD since 1989. Her duties included oversight of the Virginia Agriculture Cost Share Program which contracts with local farmers to transition annual cover crops to permanent vegetation and stream exclusion for cattle to improve the quality of water and soil in Goochland.

Board Chair Susan Lascolette and Pam Pleasants (r)

During Pleasants’ tenure, more than 61 miles of streambank have been fenced to keep cattle out and 334 acres of riparian (river bank) buffers have been created under her management of $2,366,335 of cost share funds.  Fifteen flawless external audits of the MSWCD finances were conducted on her watch. In 2019, she was recognized as the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Association’s Chaffin Employee of the Year Award at its annual conference. Serving with 30 elected district commissioners from both Goochland and Powhatan, Pleasants provided historic perspective to their deliberations.

 

Kelly Parrish, the county’s human resources director, who will retire at the end of the year was thanked for her service. County Administrator Kenneth A. Young announced that Jessica Rice will succeed Parrish.  Rice, who comes to Goochland from Fluvanna County, will start work on January 4, 2021.

County Administrator Kenneth Young, Susan Lascolette, Kelly Parrish.

 

 

Keeping the books in a time of plague

 

Where does the money go?

There’s been a lot going on this year. “Normal” is but a fond memory as we try to cope with changes to all facets of our lives caused by Covid.

On November 24, the Goochland Board of Supervisors received the certified annual financial report (CAFR) for fiscal year 2020, which ended on June 30. This document, available in its entirety at https://www.goochlandva.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1822 shows how the county, including the school division, dealt with the early onslaught of the pandemic.

In March, while the budget process for FY2021 was in full swing, the supervisors and school board recognized that the lockdowns could decrease expected revenues and amended the FY 2020 budget accordingly.

As the year wore on, the county’s fiscal outlook proved not to be as dire as predicted in the spring. Director of Finance Barbara Horlacher and Debbie White, her counterpart in the school division, went through their respective budgets line by line to identify non-essential items that could be cut to ensure that budgets would balance at the end of the fiscal year, as required by law, yet fund ongoing operations.

Monthly reviews during the ensuing months revealed that the revenue situation was not as bad as initially feared, allowing some of the cuts to be reversed. First half tax receipts came better than the four percent decline predicted in March.

County and school staff worked hard to continue to provide services in spite of budget cuts. Most county revenue is derived from real estate and personal property tax. The next payment is due on December 7—because the actual due date is December 5, a Saturday, the deadline is the following Monday.

Prepared by PBMares, the outside auditing firm retained by the county, the CAFR has a great deal of interesting information about Goochland, its history, current operations, and future capital spending plans.

The footnotes at the end provide a detailed explanation of revenues, their sources, and how they are used. They also provide information on pension liabilities and other post-employment benefits, including retiree health care plans and group insurance.

For the past several years, Goochland County, and our school division have been recognized for excellence in financial reporting by organizations of their peers. Riding herd on public money is an exacting task in normal times, and more complicated during the high weird of a pandemic.

Careful stewardship of public funds is the most important task of elected officials. They need to know that engaged citizens watch how their tax dollars are used. Pay attention.

 

 

New home of the past

 

Goochland County has been around for a while. Depending on which source you cite, it was calved from Henrico in 1727 or 28. Along the way, several other counties were split from Goochland. History includes important events woven into the fabric of people, places, and things or ordinary life.

It's official. The Goochland History Center is open. Board members Vern Fkeming (l) and Scott Johnson(r) watch as Richard Toler cuts the ribbon on the Goochland History Center.

In 1968, a group of people concerned that the cultural heritage of Goochland, the story of its people, places, and past events would be lost, formed the Goochland Historical Society. In addition to publishing a magazine, the Society houses a collection of local history references and artifacts. Other contributions to the community include: refurbished the Old Stone Jail; secured grant money to renovate the Second Union Rosenwald School and Museum (https://secondunionrosenwaldschool.org/), and installed historical interpretative markers on the Courthouse Green.

GHS president Christina Dunn  makes remarks about the new history center to a socially distanced outdoor audience.

During Covid, the Society moved to a new headquarters, named the “Goochland History Center” to better reflect its dynamic focus on preserving and sharing the county’s past. The official ribbon was cut on November 4 on the new space, renovated by and leased from the county.

New shelving will display research materials with ample space to take notes.

The new location, on River Road West adjoining the southern entrance to the Courthouse Complex, is convenient for people involved in genealogical research, who may need to access the records room in the nearby Clerk’s office.  Research materials are displayed on attractive shelving in the light and welcoming space. People also drop in to learn the history of their property. Local artifacts of times gone by are on display.

Local World War II artifacts are currently on display.

Partnering with the County, the History Center will also welcome guests as the Goochland Welcome Center providing information about things to see and do here.

Executive Director James Richmond (r) and Board Member Vern Fleming.

Hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 to 3 and the second Saturday of month from 10 to 3, face covering required.

The History Center’s gift shop offers books with local themes and Goochland centric merchandise including hats and tee shirts emblazoned with the county seal; Christmas ornaments; “Cat’s Meow” renderings of local landmarks, and the ever popular 2021 calendar featuring photos of the county’s past. (Go to  http://www.goochlandhistory.org/ for details.)

 

The 2021 calendar of historic photos is on sale now.

 

Sheriff's Office update

 

Steven N. Creasey has been Goochland Sheriff since January 1. During his tenure, in addition to dealing with the local consequences of a global pandemic, he and his team have built on the strong legacy inherited from the previous administration to expand and improve service to citizens.

At the November 4 Board of Supervisors’ meeting, Creasey presented the annual report for the Goochland County Sheriff’s office (GCSO).

 For the sixth consecutive time, the GCSO earned full accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. This involves a detailed peer review of all facets of an agency including training, professionalism, delivery of service, and establishment and ongoing evaluation of policies, procedures, goals, and objectives.

Core values to direct daily work of all GCSO employees have been established. Mission and vision statements have been updated. More than 70 percent of operational procedures have been updated and all communications policies and procedures are currently under review.

The GCSO has signed a memorandum of understanding with Goochland Schools for the first time, cementing the cordial and constructive relationship between the two organizations. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley commended school resource officers for their professionalism and acting as positive role models for students in high and middle schools.

Creasey reported that all GCSO employees are members of the Virginia Sheriff’s Association, another first. The GCSO also joined the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program; and, after years of collaboration, officially joined the internet crimes against children task force; the Virginia Crime Clinic; and the Virginia Gang Investigators Association. He explained that these affiliations enable GCSO to anticipate trends in crime to take proactive steps for prevention.

The Sheriff thanked the supervisors for funding cell phones for all deputies. “It’s been a game changer enabling our deputies to spend more time on the road.”

New “traffic trailers” to record actual speeds to determine if speeding in an area is a problem or perception. Prisoner cages, to provide physical separation between LEOs and detainees for the protection of all; bullet proof glass in the General District/Juvenile Relations Courtroom have been added.

To ensure that all voices in the community are heard with respect to law enforcement, a community division has been created.

New hires in the GCSO include a crime analyst; more deputies; communications supervisors; and new K-9 officers both two and four legged, and command staff.

Cultural diversity training to enable our LEOs to interact positively with all members of the community is another new initiative. Creasey said that a recent session facilitated by Lt. Deuntay Diggs of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office was so successful that he hopes to make it an annual event. Crisis intervention training, to prepare LEOs to deal with individuals experiencing mental health issues is being completed by all deputies. New hire orientation will be further enhanced by the Goochland Recruit Academy, which will include three weeks of training with the Virginia State Police; Goochland County Fire-Rescue; Goochland/Powhatan Community Services Board; Goochland Animal Protections; and GCSO 911 communications, all agencies that partner with the GCSO in daily operations.

Other skills to be imparted include fingerprinting and booking; community policing and interacting with the School Resource Officers; magistrate and investigations training.

Weekly reporting on the GCSO Facebook page has been reformatted and its website is under renovation.

Permanent drop boxes for medical disposal and flag retirement are now at the Sheriff’s Office. In the coming months, Creasey expects to create a safe exchange zone for online transactions and a watch program for homes; worship; and business to deter crime.

To serve county citizens during the pandemic, deputies delivered prescriptions to vulnerable citizens rendered housebound by Covid.  On the lighter side, a Candy, Cops, and Kids event held around Halloween was so successful it will be an annual event.

Creasey thanked citizens for their generous show of support in the form of food, good wishes, and masks.

Chief Deputy Mike East demonstrated Rapid SOS, a secure web-based program, that is the latest technology added to the tool bag of local emergency communications.

Existing 911 infrastructure, in use for approximately 50 years, was designed for land lines and provided little useful data to responders beyond a voice only connection.  Rapid SOS uses cell phone signals in secure web-based network from iPhones with iOS 12+ and Android phones version 4.0+ as well as wearable devices, connected homes and vehicles at no cost. The app, said East, is used by 4700 911 centers across us funded by private partners. When a 911 call is placed, all location apps on devices are activated, whether they are on or not, to provide local 911 center instantaneously with a real time map plot of the location of the device that made the call. This is activated only when a 911 call is placed.

Creasey said that before this app, it was difficult to pinpoint 911 locations, especially for calls made form cell phones. Rapid SOS pings phones every 15 seconds after a 911 call is placed for up to 10 minutes. If someone is in the trunk of a car and unable to respond, the app will trace the device.

Rapid SOS Can pinpoint the location of lost people floating on the river, who have no idea where they are when they call for help. “It’s powerful good stuff. This will save lives in our county,” said East. He said it will also help fire-rescue find accidents, especially those on the interstate, quickly. “It was free of charge, that’s the best part,” said East. (To see a demonstration go to https://www.goochlandva.us/943/Video-of-Past-BOS-Meetings at about the 40 minute mark.)

Creasey explained that the reason that deputies, who normally adhere to a strict grooming policy, are participating in “No Shave November” to raise awareness and finds for cancer research. This year’s program is dedicated to the memory of John Casey, a former deputy, steadfast Marine, Crozier Company 2 representative to the county Fire Board, and, along with his wife Ann, a community treasure.  He was instrumental in getting the county to decorate the light poles in Courthouse Village for Christmas. He is missed.

John Casey

This is not an easy time to work in law enforcement. Goochland is blessed with fine people dedicated to serve and protect us all.

 

 

 

 

 

Next year in the General Assembly

 

 

Social distancing during the legislative information session.

While the whole world obsessed with the presidential election, county government looks toward 2021.

On Monday, November 9, Goochland’s delegation to the Virginia General Assembly—Lee Ware 65^th District Delegate; John McGuire, 56^th District Delegate, and Mark Peake, 22^nd District State Senator—met with the board of supervisors, school board, county administration, economic development authority, and Constitutional Officers. Held in the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center’s auditorium configured to accommodate social distancing, the gathering reflected on the 2020 legislature and looked forward to next year.

As with everything else in 2020, the current year’s General Assembly was “like no other.” In fact, the special session called by the governor in the summer, had not yet adjourned. Ware observed that the “special session” was longer than a biannual “long”60-day session.

Although the alleged purpose of the special session was to address state budget shortfalls caused by the Covid lockdowns, Ware and Peake reported that the legislators instead focused on police reform and social justice matters. “We talked about everything but the budget for six weeks,” Peake said.

Peake thanked Goochland for organizing the meeting—typically held in late summer—to exchange information. “It was a terrible year” for the legislature. After March, said Peake, there was no opportunity for committee discussions and things came up with little notice. He lamented the lack of communication at all levels and contended that house democrats do not even talk to senate democrats.

Ware too thanked Goochland for its annual discussions with legislators in advance of the General Assembly session, which begins in January. “This is a great opportunity to get a sense of Goochland’s priorities for the new year.” He said that the revised state school budget held school funding harmless. Covid underlined the importance of broadband expansion, resulting in a modest $60 million increase in grant funds.

McGuire added his thanks to the county for the meeting. “This helps us to be your voice in the General Assembly.” He too lamented the focus of the special session on criminal and social justice reform as the state looked at a several billion-dollar shortfall in state revenues. The Commonwealth is required to have a balanced budget. “If you have $20, you can’t spend $40,” McGuire said.

Peake reported that this year, when budget matters were addressed, no amendments were accepted, there was no input from many members of the GA.

Each year our county and school division prepare a legislative agenda that lists matters of concern and requested actions and a list of policy positions. A first draft of this was discussed on November 9. The list will be honed and presented to the legislators before the GA convenes next January.

Broadband expansion topped the list. Covid highlighted the crucial importance of universal access to hi speed internet. While money to build the physical components of broadband is a significant obstacle, so are regulatory impairments. Goochland “supports improvements to existing state law to make it easier for wireless communication companies to either use existing tall structures or build communication structures so long as localities’ ability to regulate land use is preserved. The county supports the adoption and implementation of new technology that will improve and expand citizen access to broadband internet,” the draft said in part.

Reimbursement for the compensation of the electoral board and general registrar is an evergreen item on the county’s legislative agenda. Funding from the federal CARES act helped to offset the extraordinary expenses of the 2020 general election. State monies appropriated for this has dwindled over the years shifting the cost burden for elections, including partisan primaries, to localities. Robin Lind, secretary of the Goochland Electoral Board said he has no idea how much the 2020 general election will cost.

Redistricting will also increase local election costs next year. Lind opined that primaries—Virginia elects a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and the entire house of delegates in 2021—will not be held before August as new districts will not be defined and approved by the traditional June primary dates.

Our school division had a longer list of priority requests, including support for legislation that increases early childhood education and preschool opportunities for students to lessen the discrepancy of kindergarten-readiness in preschool children. Schools generally oppose erosion of local control, including the ability to maintain teacher quality through performance evaluation.

Assorted other subjects were discussed. Transporting out of state refuse to landfills in Virginia is protected by the commerce clause of the United States Constitution.

McGuire spoke to criminal justice reform. “If we have no law enforcement, we have no country,” he said.

Board of Supervisors’ chair Susan Lascolette, District 1, said she was concerned about efforts to eliminate qualified immunity, which protects a government official from civil lawsuits alleging that the official violated a plaintiff's rights, only allowing suits where officials violated a “clearly established” statutory or constitutional right—for law enforcement officers.

McGuire said that if LEOs hesitate to take appropriate actions, the results could be deadly. Recruitment for these jobs is very difficult as it is.

Peake said there needs to be some parole reform, but an omnibus bill presented in the GA did not help. “There were some poorly worded sections mixed in with good ideas,” he said of the legislation. “Adding social workers to law enforcement is a bad idea. LEOs don’t want to kill innocent people but they don’t need to be concerned about unintended consequences.”

Lascolette said that more resources are needed for mental health issues.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley said that he is very thankful for our school resource officers (SROs) who are doing exemplary work and acting as roles models for students in the high and middle schools. Deputies visit our elementary schools as they patrol.

Peake said that some members of the GA want to eliminate SROs.

No discussion of state budgets and departments would be complete with at least touching on VDOT—the state agency whose motto is Oops!”. In Goochland, roads are built and maintained by VDOT (Note: the wonderful folks who cut grass, plow snow, fill potholes, and remove downed trees and dead deer are not part of the OOPs! Division)

County Administrator Kenneth Young reported that several bridges in the county—on Haskins, Old Columbia, and Whitehall Roads—are structurally deficient and unable to support the weight of fire-rescue vehicles. Fire-rescue chief D.E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. explained that, because we are a rural area, our fire apparatus carries a great deal of water. A fire engine can weigh upwards of 60k pounds and an ambulance up to 14k pounds. A loaded school bus up to 30k pounds.

Ferguson said that using alternate routes to avoid these bridges can add at least three to five minutes to already lengthy response times in the western end of the county.

Peake said that in addition to Covid related revenue shortfalls, declines in gas taxes caused by reduction in travel during the pandemic have put VDOT in a spending bind. He predicted that there will be no more money for roads or transportation projects until revenues increase.

Lascolette said that more than half of the calls she receives from constituents concern transportation issues.

Jonathan Lyle, Director of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District raised concerns about legislation that impinges on a property owner’s right to farm. He cited instances where residents of subdivisions built in agricultural areas petitioned to regulate the kind of crops that could be grown around them. “Cows don’t call 911 or show up in classrooms,” Lyle said. He opposes any legislation or regulation that makes farming impossible.

The two-hour meeting was chock full of constructive interaction among attendees on a wide range of topics. Goochland’s delegation understands the county’s position on nuts and bolts issues. The bottom line seemed to be that the next session of the Virginia General Assembly will be challenging at best.

 

 

 

 

 

Covid testing in Goochland

On November 11, Goochland County working with the Chickahominy Health District; Henrico and Chickahominy Medical Reserve Corps volunteers; Goochland Fire-Rescue; and the Goochland Sheriff’s Office held a free drive through Covid testing and flu shot clinic at the Hadensville Company 6 Fire-Rescue Station.

Deputies Leabough and Carrier organized the queue.

In spite of dreadful weather, 70 Covid tests were performed and 53 seasonal flu shots administered between 4 and 6 p.m.

Deputies Leabough and Carrier did a masterful job of organizing the queue of vehicles waiting to participate. “Our numbers are terrible,” declared a Chickahominy Heath District doc. “Stay home for another two weeks. Don’t go to restaurants, don’t go to church.”

Health professionals registered participants and answered questions

Healthcare professionals provided information about the testing and virus as they completed registration. Free masks and hand sanitizer were distributed to participants.

Prepping the Covid test swab

Testing technicians were pleasant and cordial as they explained the procedure, in which a long, thin swab was inserted deeply into a nostril.

The test. 

The Hadensville Fire-Rescue station—the county’s newest—was ideally suited to the event. Emergency apparatus was removed from the bays permitting all testing to take place under roof while participants remained in their vehicles.

Thanks to all who made this event accessible to citizens.

 

Goochland Public Hearings for November

 

 

The monthly agendas of the Goochland County Board of Supervisors contain a wide array of matters that require board action. Many of these are addressed in the afternoon session, but public hearings on subjects including budget amendments; conditional use applications; and ordinance amendments take place in the evening beginning at 6 p.m.

At its November 4 meeting—held on a Wednesday to avoid interfering with election day—the board held seven hearings with only a few “members of the public” present. The meeting was livestreamed.   Sadly, people seem to attend these opportunities to weigh in on local government actions only when they oppose an agenda item.

FY 2021 budget amendments

The first hearing on November 4 dealt with amendments to the FY2021 county budget. Virginia law requires a locality to hold a public hearing if the amount of proposed changes to the budget for its current fiscal year exceed one percent of total expenditures in the currently adopted budget.

Anticipating a serious decline in revenues due to Covid, the supervisors revised the FY2021 proposed budget downward last spring. Since March, Director of Finance Barbra Horlacher has presented updates on the county’s financial condition. The proposed budget amendments total $3,237,475, representing approximately 3.5% of the current Fiscal Year 2021 amended $91,051,548 budget. (See page 71 of the November 4 board packet available on the county website at http://goochlandcountyva.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1276&Inline=True)

This amount includes $63,734 for a transportation engineer funded with FY21 real estate taxes; $49,480 from CARES act funds for extraordinary expenses incurred by the registrar; $733,280 for east end trails from cash proffers, a VDOT federal grant, and fund balance; $700k from fund balance to purchase one new and replace chassis on two ambulances,; $873,325 for assorted school expenditures and $616, 556 turnback to schools from the general fund balance. The supervisors unanimously approved the amendments and appropriated the requested funds.

Update of parks and recreation master plan

An amended parks and recreation master plan was added to the county 2035 comprehensive land use plan after a unanimous vote by the board. (See the 2035 comp plan at https://www.goochlandva.us/250/2035-Comprehensive-Plan)

Jessica Kronberg, Recreation Services Director, explained that the amendment will allow the next update to coincide with the next comp plan update and use this year’s census data. Goochland has received many awards for excellence in recreational and cultural facilities from state, and national organizations.

The report card, needs assessment, inventory of existing facilities, and needs assessment were updated in the newly adopted master plan. The inventory includes diversified amenities; top quality athletic facilities; and multi-use trail systems. Partnerships with local groups, grant funding, in kind services, and creativity saved the county $1.4 million in parks and facility development costs over the last eight years.

 

 

Land donation for Courthouse Village roundabout

The board voted 4-1, with Board Chair Susan Lascolette District 1 in dissent, to donate land for rights of way to build a roundabout at the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads in Courthouse Village. Todd Kilduff, Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development said that the projects is scheduled for advertisement in early 2022. Rights of way from private land owners have been secured.

 Ken Peterson, District 5, expressed concern about storm water outfalls being place in what he considered prime economic development areas impinging the ability to build there. Kilduff said those areas are strategically placed in low lying areas, some of which are swampy and unsuitable for building. VDOT engineers said that “drain fields” were placed in low spots but that other options were not considered. VDOT will have its hydraulic engineers take another look to determine if the drainage areas could be moved.

Lascolette asked about the value of the 1.6 acres I question. That information was not available. VDOT does not value land if it will be donated. Most of the land, said the VDOT rep, is already roadway with little value.

Peterson said he was not comfortable donating the land without more information about alternatives for drainage areas. The VDOT engineer was confident that hydraulic specialist could explore other storm water locations in a short time.

John Lumpkins, District 3 drafted a new motion to approve the donation of land with all related easements except those dealing with drainage to allow VDOT to move forward on the project while obtaining more detailed hydraulic information about the site. Lascolette said she was opposed to the roundabout since it was first discussed, and voted no accordingly.

 

Hilltop Distillery

The board unanimously approved an amendment to the Hilltop Distillery conditional use permit to allow them to be open from 1 to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The initial CUP included operating hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

CUP for detached accessory family housing unit

An application filed by Jorge Mendoza to build a free-standing garage with living quarters above at 691 Manakin Road was unanimously approved. Mendoza intends to renovate the main residence on the property and live in the accessory space during construction.

Bellview Gardens Medical, LLC

In order to develop property on the east side of Mills Road north of Broad Street Road, fill must be added to eliminate a flood plain, that, thanks to a change in environmental regulations, was not identified as such when the land was rezoned in 2012. Tom Kinter, applicant and owner explained that all technical approvals to add the fill have been obtained from FEMA, which requires approval from local government. Kinter said that the property falls off to the south, so if any drainage problems should occur, there will be no impact on the residential properties to the north. The board approved the CUP unanimously.

HHHunt Mosaic

HHHunt Mosaic, the 55-plus restricted age community under construction in West Creek, filed a request to amend a county ordinance to change when street trees and sidewalks must be installed.

The existing law requires sidewalks and streets trees to be installed when building permits have been issued for 50 percent of the approved dwelling units. The amendment would change the timing to prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for each home and apply county wide.

Counsel for HHHunt contended that installing sidewalks and trees under the existing rules results in sidewalks being damaged during construction requiring them to be repaired with concrete that might be a different color from adjacent sidewalks. He also contended that street trees die of neglect if planted before homes are occupied. The current rules would generate additional costs, which would increase the price of homes. Under the proposed amendment, a third-party inspector, unaffiliated with the developer, would be responsible for proper installation of the sidewalks and relieve the county of additional inspections. The third-party inspector would be liable for any errors.

Lascolette asked Director of Community Development Jo Ann Hunter if sidewalks installed in a patchwork manner recommended by the amendment would be also be different color. Hunter said no.

Jonathan Lyle, a regular attendee of board meetings, wondered if the amendment was proposed for the benefit of the county or convenience of the developer. He asked if HHHunt knew about this provision in the ordinance when Mosaic was approved in 2018. He opposed the change contending that costs generated by contractors should not be passed on to the county. “I don’t see what the rules have to be changed, they knew what they were when they came here.”

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, moved to deny the application.

Peterson could see no county wide benefit of the proposed change.

Don Sharpe, District 4 pointed out that small lot subdivisions with sidewalks and curbs are new to the county. “I don’t know that it’s that bad a concept.” He asked how neighboring jurisdictions handle this.

Hunter explained that larger counties have more staff to handle these tasks. She also reported that the number of certificates of occupancy issued by Goochland have almost doubled since 2019.

Spoonhower said that the citizens expect the supervisors to hold developers to the rules in place when their projects were approved. “I get calls from developers all the time about a lot of things, they have never mentioned this.”

Hunter contended that the county’s existing ordinance works. The application was unanimously denied.

 

Goochland Votes

 

Goochlanders who had not cast early, or absentee ballots took advantage of the glorious weather on election day 2020 to go to the polls.

GOMM visited each county polling place in midafternoon. Most precincts reported heavy activity in the morning with a fall off during the day. They expected the pace to pick up in late afternoon before the polls closed at 7 p.m. Only the temporary precinct at Hadensville Company 6 fire-rescue station, relocated for this election from County Line Baptist Church, reported a steady stream of voters throughout the day.

Party representatives stationed outside precincts, reported a strong turnout. In past elections, Goochland has been recognized for having the highest percentage of voters turnout in the Commonwealth. There is lots of competition for that honor this year.

It was nice to see young people participating, as both poll workers and election officials. The final vote tally may not be in for several days.

Here are some photos of the day:

Housing in Goochland

 

Goochland is a land of contrasts, especially in terms of housing options. They range from high rise apartments and multi-million-dollar mansions in the east end to farms and modest dwellings toward the west.  It’s no secret that housing prices—in large part due to land costs—are high.

The notion that “if you can afford to live in Goochland, you can’t afford to work here” is all too true for many people.  A perceived dearth of “affordable” housing is often cited as a detriment to hiring and retaining good teachers, deputies, and first responders. More data is needed to determine if this is indeed the case, and if so, what price point is “affordable”?

Some contend that in a county with one of the highest per capita incomes in the country— Wikipedia ranked Goochland number 50 at $79,547; the U.S. Census bureau puts our 2019 median household income at $89,741—everyone should have adequate housing. The income numbers are misleading—they are determined by dividing the number of residents, about 23,000 including children, by the total income of all of those who file income tax returns. This income data does not reflect real world conditions here.

New “dwelling units” under construction in the county including single family homes; town houses; and apartments carry hefty price tags, which put them out of reach for many Goochlanders.

The GVA Housing Committee, a group formed to study the issue, working with GoochlandCares, which has secured grant funding to retain an outside consultant to gather input. A survey https://gvahousingneeds.questionpro.com/ has been created to gauge community views on the subject. Please participate.

May the members of the GVA Housing Committee use their creativity and common sense to deal with this issue in a way that enhances existing communities and shuns the heartbreak of dehumanizing subsidized housing.

 

 

Goochland celebrates America Recycles day

  From Goochland County:

Goochland, VA – Join Goochland County and the Goochland Anti-Litter and Recycling Council in celebrating America Recycles Day on Saturday, November 14th with a special tire amnesty tire recycling and document shredding event. 

The event will occur from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 14th at the Fairground Property located at 2744 Fairground Road at the intersection of Sandy Hook Road (Route 522) and Fairground Road (Route 632).

There is a 10-tire limit per person and participants must show proof of Goochland County residency.  Tires of any size up to 42 inches off the rim will be accepted. 

Secure document shredding is available for up to five bankers, no larger than 12” x 24”, per person.  Paper clips and staples are acceptable, but plastic bindings must be removed.

The America Recycles Day Celebration on November 14th is being held in conjunction with a Countywide Litter Clean Up Day that will focus on picking up garbage, litter & debris from Goochland area roads.  The Countywide Litter Clean Up will occur from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will focus on roads near Byrd Elementary School (2704 Hadensville Fife Road), Central High Cultural and Educational Complex (2748 Dogtown Road), and Goochland County Fire Rescue Station #3 – Centerville (52 Broad Street Road).  Citizens can register for the Countywide Litter Clean Up by contacting the Department of General Services main office at (804) 556-5340 or by email at litterfreegoochland@goochlandva.us.

For more information or questions about the America Recycles Day Special Event please call (804) 657-2025 or email djones@goochlandva.us.

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Highlights of Goochland Town Hall meeting

 

The fall, 2020 Goochland County town hall meetings concluded on October 22 with the session for Districts 4 and 5. Spring town halls were cancelled by Covid. (“slides” of the presentation are available at https://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/7215/Goochland-County-and-Goochland-County-Public-Schools---Fall-Town-Hall-October-2020---District-4-and-5) For the first time, these meetings were both live-streamed and available on Facebook.

Ken Peterson, District 5 supervisor thanked Salem Baptist Church for generously offering their building as a site for the meeting.  Peterson was joined by: District 4 supervisor Don Sharpe; J.D. Wright District 5, Chair of the School board; Mike Newman District 4 school board member: Karen Horn District 3 school board member; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeremy Raley; and our new county administrator Kenneth “Kenny” Young.

Following the March resignation of the former county administrator John Budesky, the supervisors, explained Peterson, launched a nationwide search for his successor. Young’s qualifications, temperament, and recent experience in government in Loudon County, a jurisdiction in northern Virginia grappling with rapid growth, preservation of rural areas, and broadband expansion challenges set him apart from a field of highly qualified applicants.

Goochland’s strategic plan, said Peterson, is based on core values, one of which is courage. Since the start of the pandemic county staff has provided all county services reimagined to deal with Covid. Deputies and Fire-rescue providers answered calls. The schools rose to the challenge delivering both education and meals under very trying circumstances.

Goochland ended fiscal 2020 with a surplus, which was used in part to fund capital items including a new “ladder truck” to enhance fire-rescue resources in the east end of Goochland.

Peterson explained that the latest refinancing of the Tuckahoe Creek Service District debt saved the county $12 million dollars. Taming this debt, incurred by the county in 2002 to build public water and sewer trunk lines in the east end of Goochland, is critically important to sound fiscal management.

Improvements to the Rt. 288/250 interchange are done, earlier than the 2022 initial completion date due to constant pressure placed on VDOT by county official and members of our delegation to the Virginia General Assembly.

Young said Goochland has a great staff that works hard very day “...to make sure that your local government is the best in Virginia.” He thanked the community for warmly welcoming he and his family. “It’s an exciting time to be in Goochland because of our hard-working staff.”

Derek Stamey, Deputy  County Administrator for Operations listed new and improved county projects including the business center; the history center; the animal shelter “probably the nicest in the Commonwealth”; courthouse security building; new registrar’s office; and river’s edge pedestrian crossing at Tucker Park. Stamey’s department also made many Covid-related modifications to county buildings including drop boxes for documents and plexiglass shields.  It also is responsible for sanitizing everything and kept the convenience centers operating as home bound residents “decluttered” during lockdown. The gateway sign project will soon deploy a welcome sign on the Route 6 eastern boundary with one on Broad Street Road to follow.

The east end trail system, planned to ultimately connect Broad Street Road and Patterson Avenue, is” picking up steam,” Stamey reported. The first phase, a trailhead near the West Creek Emergency Center leading to a 1.5-mile trail to the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery hugging Tuckahoe Creek, is in the design process. The trail is partially funded by VDOT transportation alternative grants.

Todd Kilduff Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development added that the east end trail is ahead of schedule. He listed new economic development projects including Sheltering Arms Rehabilitation Institute. The Kiddie Academy day care in West Creek was full when it opened. The Shed (https://richmond.ished.com/) provides a unique take on the sharing economy.

The Tuckahoe Pines Retirement Community on Patterson Avenue west of the Henrico County line is well on its way to completion. Avery Point, a continuous care retirement community of 1,400 units, is in early stages of construction in the Notch south of Broad Street Road. A sophisticated automated greenhouse, which will grow leafy greens—the legal kind--hydroponically is being built by Greenswell Gowers on the east side of Hockett Road.

Kilduff said that Goochland is using some CARES Act funds for a “back to business” grant program to help local businesses impacted by Covid. (See All  http://www.GoochlandForBusiness.com/241/COVID-19-Business-Information, or call Goochland County Economic Development at (804) 556-5862 or email them at GochlandForBusiness@goochlandva.us to learn more about how the Goochland Back to Business grant can assist their business.)

Paul Drumwright Administrative Services Manager, who runs point on the county’s broadband expansion, gave an update on the issue. In the short term, 19 external hot spots throughout the county were deployed in February to provide immediate access to the internet while long term efforts continue.

Since April, the county has applied for three different broadband expansion grants. Two focus on the west end with Firefly Broadband and Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. These could have 2,691 locations connected to broadband.  A third grant through the Virginia telecommunications initiative (VATI) to run fiber south of Rt. 6 in Crozier and in Oilville north of I64 to provide internet access to 774 locations.

Drumwright explained that accurate data about access and speed of broadband connections in all parts of Goochland is vital to secure these grants. He urged all residents of the county to participate in by going to https://arcg.is/1X9nz40. This can be completed on a phone from another location.

Wendy Hobbs asked if the county had any economic development plans to bring a grocery store to western Goochland, which is considered a “food dessert” due to lack of places to obtain healthy food. Kilduff said that the county engages with all businesses who want to move to Goochland and encourages them to locate here. There has not been much interest in the west end, he said.

Peterson said that the county has staff to attract businesses to Goochland and educate them about needs here. Enterprises, however, typically look for a minimum of nearby rooftops to give them a better chance of profitability.

Local government has the most impact on our daily lives, but few residents pay it any mind until, as a wise man once opined “their ox is being gored.” Goochland government values transparency and citizen engagement. Please visit website for the county, goochlandva.us, and our school division http://goochlandschools.org/ often. Both sites contain a wealth of useful and interesting information about our community.

Wright said that, in spite of the tremendous challenges posed to schools by the pandemic, he is excited about the level of community engagement in education. “I couldn’t be prouder of what everyone has accomplished in the most difficult circumstances—with a smile on their face. They are incredible heroes. I believe that we have the best school division in the region, and we could not do that without the buy in on everyone involved at all levels.”

Raley said, we are a strong division, the result of “the 468 employees who put on their badges every day and do amazing work in the face of significant adversity. WE have answered the bell since March.”

He outlined some of the many recognitions Goochland Schools have received. See https://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/7215/Goochland-County-and-Goochland-County-Public-Schools---Fall-Town-Hall-October-2020---District-4-and-5 for details.

“You should see what’s happening in elementary school both for those attending in person and using distance learning. I am most proud of our preschool employees who have been seeing students since October 5. They are truly the tip of the spear,” Raley declared.

He praised everyone for working together to keep education going. Enrollment has remained steady, said Raley.

Transition to in person learning is moving along. Maximizing learning standards with an emphasis on safety are principles used to make decisions in the best interest of the students. Raley said that families have a choice about attending school to do what is best for the students. He contended that whatever families choose, students will receive a high-quality education.

He praised the innovation and creativity of teachers and staff to educate our kids. “I am proud to serve this amazing community and look forward to what’s next,” said Raley.

Only a few people attended the meeting in person, hopefully more watched online.