Work force conundrum

Goochland County's budget can be broadly broken down into three categories: people, equipment, and facilities As the county grows, more employees from law enforcement to information technology are needed to deal with increased demand for service, but there is only so much money to go around.

During the February 18 budget workshop, Director of Human Resources Kelly Parrish presented an overview of the county workforce. She reported that employee salaries represent more than 50 percent of the general fund budget.

The county—schools are a separate workforce—has 141 full-time and 21 part-time employees. Constitutional Offices— Sheriff, Treasurer, Commissioner of the Revenue, and Commonwealth’s Attorney—have 81 full-time and eight part-time employees. Parrish reported that the average age of the workforce is 43; average salary is $56, 866; and average years of service is 6.5. Demographic breakdown is 162 males, 89 females, 11.1 percent minority.

In addition to adding deputies and fire-rescue providers, the proposed FY 2021 budget includes a full-time GIS technician; custodian; and utility customer service specialist. New part-time positions include an administrative assistant in county administration, and convenience center attendant to increase hours of operation.

 Requested positions that were deemed unable to be filled include full time: two Sheriff sergeants; and one each animal protection officer; building inspector; groundskeeper; maintenance technician; transportation planner; and environmental inspector. Part time employees that did not make the cut were: fire logistic technician; PAPT coordinator.

County Administrator John Budesky said that the thing that keeps him up most at night is the concern that when a citizen calls 911 there are enough resources, both well-trained personnel and appropriate equipment to deal with the emergency.

On February 18, (see past recorded meetings on the BoS tab on the county website starting at the 1 hour mark to listen) Sheriff Steven Creasey explained that his agency, which  provides round the clock coverage of the entire county, has 40 deputies, one for every 587 residents. This chart compares Goochland law enforcement coverage to surrounding jurisdictions.

Goochland Deputy staffing compared to our neighbors.

The Sheriff said that the distance from one corner of Goochland to the other—Shannon Hill to Randolph Square—is 33.4 miles. For patrol purposes the county is divided into six sectors. Creasey wants to achieve mandatory minimum staffing with one deputy each for west, central and east with a supervisor “floating” to provide assistance as needed. Training, sick time and vacation can reduce the number. He long range plan would add 24 deputies to the force by 2025.

In response to a query from Board Vice Chair, John Lumpkins, District 3, the Sheriff said that the state comp board partially funds 24 deputies, one for each 1,500 residents. Lumpkins raised concerns about unfunded mandates coming from the Virginia General assembly. This was before the GA declined a pay raise for sheriff’s departments statewide on February 21.

Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. also presented a minimum staffing plan. New positions deploy responders to the busier stations, which will continue to shorten response times and make more resources available.

Staffing for West Creek fire-rescue station, whose construction has been pushed to FY 2026, has not been delayed, those employees will be stationed at Centerville and Manakin. An additional fire marshal will help with inspections and possibly be shared with the building department.

Ferguson cited staffing requirements published by the National Fire Protection Association. He said that a single-family dwelling fire could require 18 responders, a strip mall 27, and apartments as many as 27 or 28 members if an aerial device is in use. Goochland fire-rescue, Ferguson explained, is a combination department whose volunteers work alongside career providers to serve our citizens. Recruitment of both volunteers and career members remains a challenge.

He explained that much of Goochland depends on rural water supply, transporting water from rivers and ponds to fight fires. A well-run water shuttle operation on a fire ground is akin to and wonderfully choreographed ballet, but it needs a lot of people just to move the water. Like law enforcement, firefighting is manpower intensive.

Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development Todd Kilduff oversees county government functions that do the nuts and bolts of growth. His department is looking for further increased workloads as approved projects, both commercial and residential work their way through the development process.

Kilduff explained that he and Principal Planner Tom Coleman deal with the tasks that would have bene performed by the requested transportation planner that was not included in the proposed budget. They use on call engineers if needed.

People are the most important resource in any organization, especially those whose job is to serve the citizens. Hiring and retaining the most qualified employees to ensure that all necessary tasks are completed in a timely manner while staying within budget constraints is a challenge.

A bigger worm

There’s still time for a blast of winter weather, but a sure sign of spring, finalizing the Goochland County budget, is underway. On Tuesday, February 18 County Administrator John Budesky presented his recommended budget to the Board of Supervisors. The proposed budget is a comprehensive 416 page document that can be viewed here http://www.goochlandva.us/Archive.aspx?AMID=44 and is worth a look.

Budesky’s budget is based on 53 cents per $100 of valuation real estate tax rate. The supervisors voted to authorize its advertisement in advance of a public hearing before its adoption, which means that the final tax rate for calendar 2020, which will be set in April, will likely stay the same. The ad valorem tax on property in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District (TCSD) will also remain unchanged at 32 cents per $100 of valuation. Other fees and taxes will see adjustments.

Reviewing the carefully crafted departmental requests for justifiable budget increases recalls the image of a mama bird bringing food to a nest filled with hungry babies thinking she’s going to need a bigger worm.

Retention of the 53-cent rate is a bigger worm, technically a tax increase. This year’s total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due to new construction or improvements to property, exceeds last year's aggregate.  A tax rate of 50 cents per $100 would generate the same amount as last year’s 53-cent rate.  The difference results in an effective tax rate increase of six percent. The county is required by law to advertise a tax increase if the year over year difference, is more than one percent.

Goochland County government funds many departments. Thanks to sound financial practices put into place eight years ago, staff, Constitutional Officers and our school division work hard to use public dollars wisely.

Budesky believes that his recommendations will be modified between now and April. The total budget is $92.2 million for fiscal 2021, which starts on July 1. He encourages all residents to follow the budget by attending town hall meetings and following presentations and board deliberations online.  Budesky encourages and welcomes feedback and input, which, he contended makes the budget a true reflection of the citizens’ needs.

The budget demonstrates the supervisors’ commitment to core services, law enforcement, fire-rescue and emergency services; and education, said Budesky. Public safety personnel recommendations—four new full-time deputies; one full time dispatcher; five full time fire-rescue providers; an additional part-time fire marshal— is part of the $1.5 million or 12.3 percent increase over fiscal 2020 for public safety. Schools will receive a $950,000, four percent increase over last year. Employees will receive a two percent merit increase.

The FY2021 proposed budget includes a 4.7 percent increase in funding for the Office of Children’s Services and level funding for the Healthy Department; Goochland Cares; and the Pamunkey Regional Library.

There will be no increase in out-of-pocket employee health insurance costs. The budget includes a proposal to allow retired county employees to remain in the county health insurance plan, if they pay the full premium. Board Chair Susan Lascolette District 1 asked if their “experience” would become part of the county-wide plan experience (claims) that has the potential for increasing premiums across the board.

Big ticket items include a new 100-foot fire-rescue “ladder truck” to serve the eastern end of the county, which now has two apartment complexes, soon to be joined by a hotel and hospital. This apparatus will be housed at Manakin Company 1. Budesky said the county will not incur debt to purchase this equipment.

Budesky said that the proposed budget was unable to fulfill all budget requests. Providing competitive salary and benefit packages to attract and retain the best employees is an ongoing challenge. Although Goochland has the highest median income in the region, some residents have lesser means and face economic challenges. The burden of taxes and fees on all residents must be considered when evaluating budget priorities.

Sheriff

Before the start of the meeting, Goochland Sheriff Steven N. Creasey, 45 days into office discussed some types of vehicles used by our LEOs. He said that a “deep dive” will be done into the vehicle needs for deputies going forward. A new vehicle “fully loaded” with computers, etc. cost about $53,000 each. T The FY2021 capital improvement plan includes $435,000 for sheriff vehicles.

Sheriff Creasey (l) explains vehicles needs to  Board Chair Susan Lascolette (r) and  County Administrator John Budesky  while Lt. Steve Layton (center) and 1st Sgt, Troy May look on.

Creasey later explained that the Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. In addition to responding to calls for service and overseeing the 911 Dispatch function, GCSO also serves court papers, and is responsible for all facets of court security and prisoner transport.

Creasy said that 2021 goals are: to maintain the safety of the community through delivery of high quality law enforcement services and community partnerships; recruit and retain highly qualified professionals  committed to the Goochland community; continue  fiscally responsible practices; and be innovative in the use of existing and emerging technologies.

The GCSO FY2021 budget requested six additional deputies to implement a mandatory minimum staffing policy of four deputies per shift to cover Goochland’s 281.42 square miles of territory. A five- year staffing plan, that is part of the CCSO budget request, would potentially provide for a mandatory minimum coverage of six deputies per shift by FY 2025. Staffing, said Creasey, is fluid depending on county growth. New deputies are those who will work patrol and fill court related functions.

The new emergency medical dispatch can be very time intensive, said the Sheriff, so additional dispatchers are always needed to ensure adequate coverage. Fourteen of the current 15 dispatchers are trained in EMD.  

Creasey said that the  GCSO FY 2021 budget request was mostly authored by the previous administration, but he is requesting additional funds for programs to benefit the community , including a “Handle with Care” initiative to support families and residents with special physical, behavioral, and/or psychological needs; interviews by a certified psychiatrist for job applicants; cell phones for deputies; uniform and equipment replacement, and an expected increase in the cost of ammunition. Continuing education for 911 Dispatchers to keep them current on emergency medical dispatch procedures and training for LEOs in the constantly evolving area of digital technology were additional costs.

On March 7, 24 well-qualified job applicants for open deputy positions will be tested. Pending completion of a final interview, Creasey expects to fill the crime analyst candidate position soon.

The Sheriff reported that an internal audit of all GCSO property is in progress and reaccreditation review will take place in the spring.  Goochland will join The Internet Task Force Against Crimes Against Children, probably on a part-time basis, later this year. Down the road a bit, the GCSO will work toward national accreditation.

See http://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/6629/Sheriff-FY2021 for more detailed information.

Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. also asked for more people in his budget request.  He reminded the board that fire-rescue is an all hazards organization handling fires; emergency medical service, hazardous materials response; and emergency management to help citizens survive and recover from disasters. It performs a great deal of educational outreach to prevent incidents and create order out of chaos in times of emergency.

Volunteers and career providers constituted skilled workforce that collaborates daily to deliver high quality services to Goochland citizens. EMS response time standards improved in 2019 especially after the October 1 deployment of 24/7 crews at each of the county’s six fire-rescue stations. He reported that the number of times the county has no units available to respond to EMS calls has declined drastically.  An aggressive hiring process enabled fire-rescue to hire 15 people last year.  The number resulted from adding new employees and turnover.

Tactical medics were embedded in the Sheriff’s Office special operations team. Protective equipment is being replaced and upgraded as part of the health initiative and cancer prevention initiative.  Special Nomex hoods that filter out carcinogens and 30 level 4 ballistic vests for EMS and firefighter protection during active shooter scenarios have also been ordered.  Ten-year-old self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) has been replaced to further protect those who protect us.  High visibility chevron markings on the back of ambulances and fire apparatus make them more to enhance highway safety for responders.

New scheduling software has simplified and improved staffing and accounting for duty hours adding a higher level of efficiency to administration.

Ferguson said that EMD, which began on June 19, provides prearrival emergency medical instructions including bleeding control, CPR coaching, and child birth. It ensures that the correct resources are dispatched for faster arrival at a patient’s location.

See  http://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/6632/Fire-Rescue-FY2021 for the complete presentation.

Animal Protection

Animal  Protection Director Tim Clough outlined the functions of his department, which include responding to all calls for service related to domestic animals 365 days per year;  enforcing all animal welfare ordinances of the County and Commonwealth; preventing the spread of rabies to humans and domestic animals; maintaining the Animal Shelter;  reuniting lost animals with their owners; and finding permanent homes for adoptable animals.

Overall calls for service have increased year over year. As the county grows, so does the number of domestic animals. Dog intake at the shelter has increased while cat intake has decreased. Clough attributed this to the lack of space at the interim facility at the Central High School Complex. The number of adoptions has decreased, which Clough attributed to the out of the way location of the interim animal shelter. He expects the number of adoptions to increase when the new shelter opens later this year. Two part time shelter attendants who do not respond to calls were added in a previous year’s budget.

A request for an additional animal control officer, to bring the total to 8 was not included in Budesky’s recommendations. Clough said that staffing the new facility and responding to calls for service in a timely will be challenging. “We have a good plan in place and we’re looking forward to this challenge,” said Clough.

Clough said that the additional officer could reduce the response to call times depending on the situation. Most calls come directly to the shelter. If officers are busy messages will be immediately sent to officers by email. Dispatch will also contact animal control officers.

Outreach to offer rabies clinics and teach responsible animal ownership work to prevent incidents. Clough said that pets with county license can be easily tracked. “If we can identify your pet, it’s a free ride home,” he said. 

Animal protection keeps track of lost animals reported to them or on social media to help reunite pets with their people.

Go to http://www.goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/6630/Animal-Protection-FY2021 to see  the presentation.

This is

Face time

All too often, citizens engage with local government when they are upset about something. Proposed land use changes have sparked considerable resident involvement in past years. Most people pay little or no attention to what’s going on in their county. Voter turnout for local elections—though higher in Goochland than most Virginia jurisdictions—is poor.

It would be interesting to know how many residents can name their supervisor or school bord representative. A couple of years ago a citizen speaking during a public hearing stood in front of the board of supervisors, all of whom had been in office for more than one term and asked who they were.

Since 1996, Goochland Leadership Enterprise has been trying to change that. Each fall a group of residents from every part of the county and all walks of life, begin a series of classes that explore the many facets of our community. Sessions include presentations by county staff, elected officials, law enforcement, schools, and non-profit and other community organizations. The program includes a day at the General Assembly for discussions with Goochland’s legislative representatives.

On February 4 the current GLE class dined with county supervisors at Goochland High School’s Culinary Arts center, part of our school division’s career and technical education program. A delicious meal was cooked and served by students.

Chef David Booth introduced the food preparation team, looking very professional in their uniforms, and others who hosted the event. 

Chef David Booth (in blue) introduces his team.

Bruce Watson CTE director introduced Jalyn Burns, a GHS senior and accomplished culinary arts student. Last fall, Burns was one of three finalists for the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association (VRLTA) state culinary student of the year, which was won by a student from Virginia Tech.

Burns is currently working on an entry for the NASA HUNCH competition to design meals for the international space station. Burns told the GLE class that, as a vegan, she wants to show that vegetarian fare can be tasty and meet all nutritional needs of astronauts.  We wish Jalyn success wherever life’s journey takes her.

Bruce Watson and Jalyn Burns

Neil Spoonhower, who was elected to the District 2 supervisor seat last November said that “walking into a room full of engaged citizens who are investing so much of their valuable time to learn about the county is probably every public servant’s dream.”

A GLE student just last year Spoonhower, who has also served on the Goochland Board of Zoning Appeals, found himself on the other side of the equation. He enjoyed hearing feedback and being asked thoughtful questions. “Each person I sat with was looking at this (GLE) as a first step to being involved. In a time when we are bombarded by negative messages being able to see first-hand positive, engaged citizens brings a lot of hope.”

Spoonhower also praised the culinary arts students for the food preparation and service. “The meal was excellent, we were waited on hand and foot, and we got to see first- hand what a powerful program CTE.  The pride each student showed was encouraging.”

Pete Williams, GLE Director does a great job of organizing the program, which is sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Visit https://goochland.ext.vt.edu/ to sign up for next year’s class.

February Board highlights

Goochland County’s supervisors were busy on February 4. The audit committee, which included a preview of the FY 2020 second quarter results from Director of Finance Barbara Horlacher, met at 1 p.m. She reported that halfway through the fiscal year, revenues are ahead of expenditures by a healthy margin. Sales tax receipts are ahead of expectations, so keep shopping locally.

Before the new 2 p.m. afternoon session start time, The Hon. Dale W. Agnew, Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, administered the oath of office to John Michael “Mike” Watkins, the county’s new Deputy Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services Chief. Watkins, the son of former state senator John Watkins of Powhatan, succeeds D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr., who became Chief of the Department last summer. Watkins, who comes to Goochland from Hanover County EMS, brings broad experience in life safety services, both volunteer and career. He also has a sterling resume replete with educational and professional achievement. Watkins will continue the upward trajectory of excellence that characterizes Goochland’s Fire-Rescue team. Welcome Chief Mike!

The Hon. Dale Agnew (r) swears in John Micheal Watkins

During their afternoon session, the supervisors approved a resolution congratulating Charlotte Carpenter, whose retirement from the Circuit Court Clerk’s office was effective February 1. 

Charlotte Carpenter

Carpenter, who began as a part-time employee in 1987, became a Deputy Clerk in 1991. During her tenure, she helped “… customers with land recordings, marriage licenses, judgments, financing statements, concealed weapon permits, name changes, civil suits and filings. She also provided invaluable service in the office record room helping customers with locating deeds, plats of survey, and other records related to real property” with professionalism and respect.  Happy retirement Mrs. Carpenter!

Chair Comments

Board Chair Susan Lascolette, District 1, welcomed Watkins to Goochland. She observed that decisions to be made following public hearings scheduled for that night are very important and will affect Goochland for years to come.

Town Hall Meetings

The spring round of town hall meetings, focusing on the county budget for FY 2021, will be held as follows: District 1 March 11 at the Fife, Company 4 Fire-Rescue station; Districts 2 and 3 March 16 at Central High School; and District 4 and 5 March 26 at Virginia Farm Bureau Headquarters. All begin at 7 p.m. Please try to attend one of these sessions.

County Administrator Comments

Goochland County Administrator John Budesky said that “things are moving quickly” in the General Assembly and the county is spending more time than usual following legislative activity and working closely with our delegation on several issues of importance to the county and citizens.

He invited all to an afternoon meeting on February 18 meeting when he will present his recommended budget. This document will be available on line after the presentation.   Budesky encouraged citizens to learn about the county budget—a clear reflection of county policy— by participating in meetings and workshops before the final adoption in April and provide feedback on the county’s financial decisions. Dates and times are posted on the county website.

Broadband

Broadband hotspots went live at all fire-rescue stations on Friday, February 7.  “It’s one step. There’s a lot more work we’re doing on broadband,” Budesky said.  This includes crafting a request for proposals (RFP) to attract private internet providers to the county.  Organizations and businesses interested in becoming hotspot locations should contact the county. See http://www.goochlandva.us/1101/Goochland-Area-WiFi-Hotspots for additional information.

Trash clean-up

Roadside trash degrades the beauty of Goochland, Budesky said. VDOT Alone cannot clean up the mess. A county wide litter clean up will take place on February 22 from 8 to noon.  Volunteers are asked to gather at the county administration building, Central High School Educational Complex, and Byrd Elementary to clean the roadsides. Go to the county website http://www.goochlandva.us/ for details. This will be an ongoing beautification initiative. The county will supply trash bags and deploy volunteers only in places deemed safe.  Budesky said he looks forward to working with residents to solve the “trash challenge”. Littering is never acceptable.

VDOT

Preconstruction meetings for improvements to the Rt. 288/Broad Street Road interchange are underway. Ground breaking should occur in the next “couple of weeks” weather permitting.

Studies to determine the best placement for a pedestrian crossing at the River Road West/Sandy Hook Road intersection in Courthouse Village are also in process.  Developers of the Reed Marsh subdivision, opposite the county administration building, are coordinating their road improvements with VDOT.

Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services

Chief Ferguson thanked the administrative staff, who spent most of 2019 “a man down” following the retirement of Past Chief William MacKay, for their hard work. In addition to its normal workload, the administrative staff collaborate closely with the Sheriff’s Office to implement emergency medical dispatch (EMD) last year. This service enables dispatchers to provide telephone assistance, including CPR and other types of medical instructions, before EMS personnel arrive on scene.

Ferguson reported that a patient’s wife told him that EMD saved her husband’s life while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. He commended the Sheriff’s Office Dispatchers for the high-quality service they provide.

Response times, said Ferguson, continue to trend down since October 1 when all six-county fire-rescue stations have been staffed 24/7.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, said that the Santa Runs, where the jolly elf rides fire trucks through neighborhoods, were wonderful. Ferguson said that those activities provide a way to interact with the community on a non-emergency basis.

Website redesign

Director of Information Technology Randy Buzzard demonstrated the “refresh” of the county website. The update is provided at no charge every four years by CivicPlus, the site’s host vendor. The improved site has more photos of the county and larger navigation buttons. Click on the “how do I?” button to register for Code Red emergency notifications; to receive board packets by email and learn how to access county services. Visit  http://www.goochlandva.us/ and noodle around. Note the larger calendar near the bottom of the page that lists upcoming events. Community meetings, especially those regarding land use changes are posted here. Check back often. There is no excuse to be uninformed.

Assessments

Goochland County Assessor Mary Ann Davis reported that the total assessed valuation of land based on the January 1, 2020 market value is $5.65 billion, a five percent increase over last year. The actual number came in higher than the four percent projected in November due to rising construction costs and lack of inventory. “This is a seller’s market,” Davis said.

Totals include $66 million in new construction, which is eight percent commercial and 92 percent residential. Land use assessments are $613 million. The fair market assessed valuation of the Tuckahoe Creek Service District is $1.3 billion.  The tax base is currently 19.24 percent commercial, 80.76 percent residential. The goal, said Budesky, is 70/30 but it takes a great deal of investment to move that needle even one percent.

Notices were mailed on January 15. Land owners have until February 18 to make an appeal. See the Assessor’s tab on the website for instructions.

To see how the assessment of your property has changed over the years, go to the county website, click on the GIS button, check the box to accept conditions, select E911 addresses and put in your street address. Click search. When the map appears, click the little hand on the parcel number, click on property details, and select previous assessment.

Economic Development

Todd Kilduff Deputy County Administrator presented the 2019 report on economic development.

Since the department was restructured about a year ago, Economic Development Coordinators Sara Worley, who works with existing businesses, and Casey Verburg, who concentrates on attracting new investment, have been very busy putting Goochland on the state economic development radar

Sometime this spring, the county business center, space shared by the Economic Development Department and the Goochland Chamber of Commerce will open in county owned space opposite the courthouse, providing one stop shopping for enterprises looking to expand or relocate to Goochland.

Legislative Update

Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumwright reported on activity to date at the Virginia General Assembly. State legislators are wading through a total of 3,160 bills introduced in the 2020 session, up from 3128 last year. “Crossover” is February 11, which should reduce the number of bills. 

Goochland’s priority requests are broadband expansion; restoration of funding for county staff Virginia Cooperative Extension positions; and reimbursement for the compensation and expenses of the electoral board and general registrar.

Del McGuire submitted a budget amendment to restore the balance of federal, state, and local funds statewide. Extension is part of keeping Goochland rural.

Support for adding more money to the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) to help providers and localities expand broadband to areas with little or no access, this is a grant program, which requires localities to put up an equal sum.  There were $48 million requests, only $19 million were awarded.

The governor’s proposed budget contains $35 million per year for the next two fiscal years for the entire state. A bill was introduced to raise that to $70 million per year, another to add another $20 million in FY2022.

Other broadband related bills address regulatory impediments including utility easements, which could give “legal cover” to lease out “middle mile” space.

There are more than eight bills to restore the electoral and registrar funding statewide.

Funding mechanisms for transportation that could benefit the county on different levels are in the works. Legislation creating a central Virginia transportation authority is being tracked but the county has taken no position on this. This could create another tax. It is unclear how much of that revenue would return to Goochland for local road improvements. Budesky said that Goochland needs about $550 million of road improvements. “The need for road improvements statewide far exceed available revenue.”

Collective bargaining bills could affect certain groups in the county. Human resources and the county attorney have provided feedback to our General Assembly delegation.  Lascolette said that legislation regarding collective bargaining and right-to-work could have a negative impact on the business climate and should be watched careful.

Drumwright, who spends considerable time at the General Assembly, contended that many of the bills “need a little more time in the oven.”

Head Count

It’s almost time for the 2020 decennial census, the head count taken by the United States government every ten years since 1790.

The official census date is scheduled for April 1. This year, people will be invited by mail to participate online. If you do not have access to the internet, you can use a toll-free phone number, or even a hard copy paper form to be counted.

A media blitz encouraging everyone to be counted will hit the airwaves in March. Libraries, colleges, and religious institutions with internet access are being asked to make computers accessible to people who cannot log on elsewhere so they can be counted.

Even though the count will be done electronically, people are an important part of the process. Currently, the Richmond Census division has hired only about 50 percent of the eleven thousand temporary employees it needs to complete its task. Competing with employers offering permanent employment has been a challenge, said Census representative Ron Brown.

He explained that all census employees take a lifetime oath in which they swear not to share any census information on penalty of a prison sentence and hefty fine. This year’s questions include name, date of birth—no social security numbers are involved—residence, gender, others in household. Providing accurate information is crucial, said Brown. In the 2010 census, more than one million children under the age of five were not counted. There is no question regarding citizenship, so all residents should be counted. Details are not shared with other agencies.

Participation is voluntary. There are no penalties for failing to be counted, but there are consequences to communities for undercounts. “For every person not counted, a community can forego two thousand dollars in federal funds,” said Brown. “This is money for schools, students who qualify for meal subsidies, road dollars and so forth.”

By law the aggregate of the count must be reported to the president by December 31, 2020. These numbers are used to determine apportionment, how many seats in the House of Representatives will be allotted to each state. Closer to home, the numbers are used to determine the districts of state and local representatives.

Go to https://2020census.gov/en/jobs.html for detailed information about available Census jobs and to apply. Passing a Homeland Security and FBI background check, including fingerprinting, is mandatory.  Census employees, who must be at least 18 years of age, will generally work where they live.

“We want people who are known in the community,” said Brown. College students and retirees are encouraged to apply. Census employees will be issued devices including smart phones and tablets to perform their tasks. They will work remotely but may have evening or weekend hours to enable them to interact with residents when they are home. Pay for Census jobs in Goochland County will start at $19 per hour. Work related expenses will be reimbursed. Training will be online, and interviews by phone.

Those that fail to respond online, by toll-free telephone, or hard copy, will be contacted by Census teams. Local law enforcement will be alerted when Census workers are in an area so residents can confirm that they are legitimate government employees.

The details of the 2020 census will not be released until 2092. The 72-year delay policy is intended to protect the privacy of the respondents. Past census records can be a treasure trove of information for genealogists, make sure your descendants can find out where you were in 2020.

Go to https://2020census.gov/en/about-questions.html to see the questions on the form.

What a long strange trip it's been

The Goochland County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved rezoning 39.05 acres near the intersection of Manakin and Broad Street Roads to mixed use planned development (MPUD) and a related conditional use permit special exception to reduce the setback to 350 feet for the Manakin Towne project at its February 4 meeting. The application was filed by Towne and Country Partners, LLC.

Manakin Towne, whose development has been in process for most of the 21st century, is the county’s first mixed use enclave. It will combine residential, retail, and commercial uses in one unique zoning district. Dwelling units—planner speak for homes—will be 187 apartments, 39 town homes, and eight loft condominiums above commercial space, fewer than originally proposed. It will include the first apartments in Goochland County outside of West Creek, where 60 acres have been approved for apartment use.

GOMM has discussed earlier iterations of Manakin Towne presentations in previous posts. The greatest point of ongoing contention was the residential density—11 units per acre at one point—was resolved by including the Phase 4 “lollipop” of 14.492 acres surrounded by the Sycamore Creek Golf Course, which was previously intended for B-1 use, to the MPUD district.  This reduced the overall residential density to the six units per acre to conform to MPUD requirements.

The developers contended that a 350, rather than 500, foot setback was more appropriate for the “pedestrian scale” of Manakin Towne. Big box retail tends to use the greater setback to accommodate large parking lots in front of buildings.

Another sticking point at the final hearing was permitted uses for the “lollipop”.  Phase 4 originally included essentially B-1 uses, which some opponents contended was “having your cake and eating it too”. After much back and forth between the supervisors and the applicant, represented by principals Scott Gaeser and Kevin Brandt, the only uses approved in Phase IV were golf and related commercial recreation and farmers markets. Brandt contended that the “lollipop” would be an ideal location for a hotel and conference center, a use specifically allowed under its B-1 zoning.

A 14 acre "lollipop" Phase 4 (shown in purple) was added to the MPUD district to  lower overall density.

Gaeser estimated that it will be eight years before development of the Phase 4 begins and said that he does not know what might be built there.

The final public hearing lasted 40 minutes. Many speakers were veterans of numerous earlier community meetings and public hearings going back almost three years. One used the title of a Grateful Dead Album What a long strange trip it’s been to describe Manakin Towne’s journey through the county land use process.

Some contended the applications need more tweaking, but most of the “usual suspects” conceded that the proposal would be acceptable, if the troublesome B-1 uses for the “lollipop” were removed, which they were.

Paul Costello commended Director of Community Development Jo Ann Hunter and her staff for a job so well done on the project that is should be considered “best practice” for the rezoning process. He too supported the plan without the laundry list of B-1 uses.

Scott Gaeser holsd Manakin Towne master plan.

As approved, Towne and Country Partners must complete all proffered road improvements,  which include additional lanes and other improvements on Manakin Road and a new access road behind the Company 3 Fire-Rescue Station to connect with Plaza Drive; and receive a certificate of occupancy on 48,000 square feet of commercial property before any certificate of occupancy will be issued for residential units.

Timing estimates included in the board packet indicated that it will take 12-14 months to start construction with completion expected a year or so later. Weather or other factors outside the control of the developers could alter this.

Manakin Towne will be transformative for the Centerville Village. After decades of touting the “village concept” in theory, it will become reality. A 112-page master plan that includes elevations, maps, landscaping, and explores all facts of the plan in detail could be a template for future MPUD applications. (for complete details, see the February 4 board packet, available on the county website http://www.goochlandva.us/ beginning at page 161.) There were some suggestions, however, that the MPUD zoning district as written be revisited.

A lot of effort was put forth by the developers, county staff, and engaged citizens who studied, fought, and cajoled to shape the final plan. There was a lot of interaction between the developer and concerned citizens to find acceptable middle ground. Everyone involved cared enough to make it better.

The real work has just begun. Before a spoonful of dirt is moved to make Manakin Towne reality, engineering and permitting must be completed. Although the process seemed agonizing at times, Manakin Towne was never rubber stamped for approval or rejected out of hand. Change is hard, but it is the only constant.