Random thoughts on the year sliding into history

 

Happy New Year

2022 started on a balmy Saturday. Two days later, a horrific ice storm crippled Central Virginia as toppled trees closed roads and felled power lines, leaving many shivering in the dark. Clean up lasted for months.

Community meetings helped finalize local electoral redistricting with data from the 2020 federal census. Aside from the entire county moving into the 5^th US Congressional District, these changes had little impact on the November elections. Next year’s local elections will be a different story as some incumbent elected officials found themselves in new districts.

Small area plan studies for both Centerville and Courthouse Village kicked off with community meetings in March. The purpose of this initiative is to update the county’s comprehensive land use plan to reflect and plan for growth in the major villages. Subsequent updates and proposed changes left citizens scratching their heads over vague and generic proposals. Final versions of these plans are expected to be the subject of public hearings before both the planning commission and board of supervisors who will vote on them to amend the comp plan in the spring of 2023. The supervisors and planning commission will hold a workshop on the proposed small area plans on January 11 at 1 p.m. in the county administration building.

Rising real estate assessments and explosive increases in vehicle values left the county flush with cash for the FY2023 budget cycle. Among other things, the money was used for raises and salary scale adjustments to attract and keep the best people to serve our citizens. Many residents were not happy with their personal property tax bills, hopefully falling used car prices will make this less of an issue in 2023.

The black swan of inflation cast its shadow over plans to build a new Goochland Elementary School. Following a successful bond issuance in February, final bids for the new GES came in much higher than expected. The school division requested more funds from the county so it could sign a contract and start the construction process. The supervisors will hold a public hearing on this funding request at their January 3 meeting. Public hearings begin at 6 p.m.

Thanks to intrepid volunteers, Goochland Day returned in May with a parade and lots of activities. Even on a cold, rainy day the turnout was robust. Goochland Day 2023 will be held on Saturday May 20. Go to https://www.goochlandday.com/ for complete information.

Other intrepid volunteers carried on with the Goochland Community Theatre. Go to https://gvatheatre.org/ for more information. Auditions for its next production are scheduled for January 6 and 7.

A tornado swept through Courthouse Village in June destroying iconic trees and changing the landscape. Once again, our fire-rescue folk and deputies worked tirelessly to deal with the crisis.

Vic Carpenter became county administrator on June 20 taking over from former District 2 Supervisor Manny Alvarez who did a great job keeping the county on track while serving as interim county administrator.

Fireworks lit the sky over Courthouse Village on July Fourth. The Sheriff’s Office outdid itself with traffic control.

In August, the Sheriff’s Office brought the community together for National Night Out on the Courthouse Green. People gathered for food, music, demonstrations, and the general fellowship that was sorely missed during the privations of the pandemic.

Goochland Schools started a normal academic year for the first time in far too long. Students have a lot of catching up to do after covid disruptions, but our teachers and staff were ready for the challenge.

The supervisors approved applications for Project Rocky, a midstream ecommerce distribution facility, on Ashland Road in August. This represents a massive investment in Goochland that will bring a second bridge over Interstate 64 to ease traffic congestion there. Without Project Rocky, it is doubtful that a second bridge would ever be built. Supervisors are working with state and regional transportation entities to secure funding for this project.

District 4 Supervisor Don Sharpe passed away in September leaving a void in county leadership. His tenure on the Board of Supervisors was the last episode in his long history of dedicated community service.

October saw the revival of the Fire-Rescue Show that gave citizens a glimpse into the skills and equipment that our first responders use every day. We are blessed to have these fine folks looking out for us. Volunteers are still needed. Call 1-804-556-5304 for information.

Krystal Onaitis joined the Goochland team as Deputy County Administrator. The county’s fall festival was well attended. A water main break near Rt. 288 put a boil water alert on the east end of the county for several days.

Slowly but surely, broadband coverage is expanding in western Goochland. Firefly Fiber Broadband and the RISE project are working hard to connect people, some more quickly than others. Go to fireflyva.com for more information.

The county launched a community engagement survey to find out how residents want to get information about the county. Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCEngagement22 to make your voice heard.

The supervisors appointed Charlie Vaughters District 4 Supervisor on November 1 to fill the remainder of Don Sharpe’s term, which expires December 31, 2023.

Goochlanders flocked to new polling places in their usual high numbers for the November 8 election, a 66 percent turnout rate.

Goochland’s own Hallmark Moment Christmas Tree lighting on December 3 was a big success.

Work continues the roundabout at the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads in Courthouse Village. Completion is expected in the second half of 2023.

Though not a record, Christmas day was frigid with temperatures moderating toward the end of the year.

Construction finally began on the long-awaited Chick-fil-A on the north side of Broad Street Road next to the Audi store. While this may be attitudinally in “Short Pump” Goochland gets the revenue. The trade off for the peace and privacy of “country living” is a hike to amenities in places with lots of customers. There are more people, and potential customers, in the 9.1 square miles considered Short Pump than in all of Goochland’s 290 square miles. The county does not “put” any business anywhere.

May your 2023 be filled with good health, love, and laughter. Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Support your local farmer

 

Locally grown meat is good for everyone

Everyone in Goochland loves its rural character. Defining rural, however, brings to mind the comment made by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart about obscenity. He is alleged to have said “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.”

A vital component of rural is agriculture. Farming can be dirty, smelly, noisy, and untidy. Trees are a crop too with a decades-long growing season. Too often residents scream when they see land timbered—its wood harvested—not understanding that is part of the normal scheme of things. Rural is not a theme park with horses and cows artfully displayed on green fields for the viewing pleasure of passersby. Cows and soybeans do not go to school or call 911.

Economic pressures on small farmers are worse than ever. Rising costs of diesel fuel, fertilizer, and preparing products for market, chip away at already razor-thin profit margins. Fewer young people choose farming as a career.

Getting locally grown meat from hoof to table is expensive due to a dearth of nearby processing facilities. Farm to table dining is trendy, but difficult and expensive because meat raised in Goochland and surrounding counties must be transported to processing facilities, some of which are more than 100 miles away.

At their December 6 meeting, Goochland Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance amendment allowing limited meat processing facilities as a conditional use in areas zoned A-1 and M-2.

They also unanimously approved a CUP for a micro meat processing facility on 25.19 acres of a 67.9-acre parcel on the south side of Old Fredericksburg Road, north of Interstate 64 roughly opposite Midpoint Industrial Park near Hadensville.

Goochland resident Hayes Gottwald, principal of the applicant H.G. Meats, explained that the modular micro processing facility will be approximately 2,400 square feet in size. Approximately 1,200 square feet of office space and a 60 by 100-foot outdoor animal storage pen will also be onsite.

The proposed micro meat processing plant is less than half the square footage of the Chick-fil-A under construction in eastern Goochland. This is not a major enterprise. Gottwald said that similar micro processing plants are in other areas of the state and operate with no negative impact on their surroundings.

Although the ordinance allows facilities up to 10k square feet, any expansion of H.G. Meats requires amendment of the CUP, including public hearings and review by regulatory agencies. H. G. Meats will provide local certified humane meat processing and create approximately eight jobs. The maximum operating capacity will be 75 animals per week, although the board approved up to 100. Gottwald repeatedly said that he has no intention to expand the proposed facility and expects that it will take some time to work up to the 75 animal per week output.

Go to https://friesla.com/equipment/meat-processing-systems/ for an explanation of the modular system that H.G. Meats will install.

Gottwald explained that he initially considered opening a butcher shop in the county. As he researched that idea, he learned about impact the processing shortage on local meat supplies. This prevents expansion of existing herds because slaughter dates, some in neighboring states, need to be scheduled years in advance. This discourages current producers from increasing the size of their herds.

According to the presentation: “The processing facility consists of several connected specialized industrialized units as well as a pen for the animals. The use will require Health Department approval for the handling of water and septic waste for the facility. The waste byproducts for the processing use will be removed from the site weekly and taken to vendors that specialize in the processing of such byproducts.”

By-products of processing will be stored in barrels in climate-controlled areas until collected for transport elsewhere. Manure will be handled in a similar fashion.

The facility will be subject to all regulations and guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture; Virginia Department of Health; the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality; and the Environmental Protection Agency. On site inspectors from these agencies will inspect operations to ensure compliance with regulations.

Wetlands and streams on the site will be protected from runoff, said Gottwald. The processing facility will have its own complicated septic system. Environmental studies for water usage will be complete before any construction begins to establish a baseline and after the facility has been in operation to detect any degradation of ground water. Usage is expected to be between 1,200 and 1,500 gallons of water per day. The facility will have multiple generators to ensure continuity of operations during power outages.  It will operate five days per week.

Local animal growers spoke in support of the facility. They contended that it would help small homesteading farmers and encourage consumption of locally sourced meat.

There will be a single entrance to the facility that aligns with the entrance to the Midpoint Industrial Park. The buildings and holding pens will be set back from the road approximately 217 feet, behind heavily wooded buffers. Concerns were raised about traffic on the road, and the possible negative impact of heavy trucks on the pavement. The applicant said that the plan had been reviewed and approved by VDOT.

Residents who live in the area were skeptical about contentions that the facility will have little impact on their property values, water, and quality of life.

One speaker said that she believed that the facility was a good idea, but she did not want it in her backyard.

This is a win for agriculture in Goochland helping to keep our county rural and keep farmers in business. Local investment in Goochland is also positive.

Go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ to listen to the December 6 hearing in its entirety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December Board highlights

There are many moving parts to local government. The December agenda of the Board of Supervisors illustrates the wide range of detail. Following is a very brief overview of the afternoon session. A video and transcript of the entire meeting is available on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ under the “watch county meetings” tab.

Goochland Supervisors rotate the chair position every year. At their December 6 meeting, outgoing Board Chair Neil Spoonhower, District 2 said it was the honor of his life to serve in that role. “I can honestly say that in the last twelve months I’ve done some of the most challenging and rewarding work of my career. It means the world to me that you would trust me with this.”

He touched on significant accomplishments of the year. Including working closely with the late Don Sharpe, District 4 to hire a new county administrator; crafting a successful budget with increased funding for public safety; purchasing land for a future District 2 Fire-Rescue Station; issuing general revenue bonds in February; and selecting a worthy successor to Sharpe.

“I put my name on $50 million in bonds, that wasn’t at all intimidating,” Spoonhower said. Chairing the July public hearing for Project Rocky was the most mentally challenging task of his tenure as chair, which had a successful outcome. Working with regional partners to secure funding for Goochland road projects was another success.

He commended staff for its professionalism, patience with him, and its commitment to excellence in service to county citizens.

Spoonhower also thanked his fellow supervisors for being the best partners anyone could want. “There were several occasions this year when we could have done the okay easy thing, or the hard right thing. We chose the hard right thing one hundred percent of the time. I’m proud to be part of that team.”

The Board passed and presented a resolution honoring the life of the late Supervisor Don Sharpe at the start of the evening session to his widow Carolyn. The resolution cites his contribution as a “thoughtful and responsive leader who served District Four with the upmost dedication and distinction.”

County Administrator Vic Carpenter reported that more than 800 people attended Goochland’s own “Hallmark moment” Christmas tree lighting on December 2. County employees presented Goochland Christmas Mother Grace Creasey with a check for $3,255 to brighten the holidays.

The next day three tons of documents were shredded and three trailers full of used tires were collected at a recycling event.

Fire-rescue

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Goochland Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services shared cold weather safety tips. He encouraged everyone to ensure that their home heating systems are in good repair; to have chimneys inspected and cleaned and suggested installed of spark arresters to prevent sparks from igniting leaves in gutters that could spark fires.

Smoke alarms save lives, and every home should have at least one in good working order. If you need one, contact your local fire-rescues station, or call the fire-rescue office at 1-804-556-5304 to have one installed free of charge. Ferguson encouraged installation of carbon monoxide detectors. Fire-rescue also has a limited number of these available.

Ferguson urged that care be taken when deploying heat lamps to keep animals warm in cold weather and mentioned that care should be taken with Christmas decorations, especially live trees, which are very flammable.

A recent fire in the apartments at the Retreat was quickly controlled with minimal damage due to sprinkler systems.

Call volume, said Ferguson, up from last year, is expected to be higher than ever.

Human Resources Director Shaletha Dyson introduced Robin Hillman, recently hired as Goochland Emergency Management Coordinator. Hillman, a lifelong Goochlander, brings years of involvement as local fire-rescue volunteer and extensive private sector experience in resiliency to the role. She will oversee preparation, response, and recovery from; manmade and natural disasters; hostile actions; public health emergencies, and any other threats to our county.

Broadband update

Paul Drumwright, the county’s point person on broadband, acknowledged that people without this vital service are anxiously awaiting connection. As there are many moving parts to this project, the answer to “when” is complicated and depends on the electric utility partners.

Work at Central Virginia Electric Coop (CVEC) substations in Shannon Hill, Cartersville, Columbia, and Ferncliff has been completed and people who live in those areas can g=sign up to get connected. Go to fireflyva.com for more information.

Rappahannock Electric has moved into the fiber building phase of its part of the project and will start building fiber “backbones”. A few more intermediate steps must be completed before individual connections are made. This is anticipated in early 2023.

Dominion energy continues to be in the design phase of its portion of the project, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2023.

Drumwright expressed optimism that the entire project can be completed sooner than the end of 2025.

Port80, which provides service in the Crozier area, reported Drumwright, is complete and currently signing up customers. Call 1 (804) 800-7678 for information about Port80.

Consent agenda

The consent agenda is a list of items, usually routine, requiring board approval.

Items scheduled for public hearings on January 3 include ordinance amendments increasing thresholds of purchasing and bidding policies; changing the color of fire hydrants from red to reflective silver; to adding open burning restrictions to RPUD and MPUD zoning districts; and to consider appropriating an additional $15,726 for the new Goochland Elementary School project.

Resolutions were adopted approving:

·       The FY2023 budget transferring $150 k from the non-departmental reserve for contingency expense to the planning department for upcoming consultant projects.

·        The Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy charter agreement and by laws

·       Authorization for the County Attorney to petition the Circuit Court to request that no special election be ordered to fill the office of Circuit Court Clerk following the resignation of incumbent Clerk Dale Agnew effective December 31, 2022.

·       Amend the FY23 budget to transfer $1 million to the Department of Public Utilities Rehabilitation and Repair fund and authorize the county administrator to execute an agreement with Spinello Companies Inc. for the eastern pump station force main repair project. (This was necessitated by last summer’s rupture that dumped raw sewage into Tuckahoe Creek.)

·       See December 6 board packet for details about each of these items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Money matters

Goochland leaders’ commitment to prudent stewardship of public funds has earned the county three AAA bond ratings. This is the product of hard work by all members of county and school staffs.

At the December 6 meeting of the county’s audit committee, Chair Ken Peterson, District 5, said that the good news is that Goochland County’s Financial condition is the best it’s ever been. The bad news is that “there are forces conspiring against us to undo all of our good work, not the least of which is a possible pending recession.”

The focus of the meeting was presentation of the final certified annual financial report (ACFER) for FY 2022, which ended on June 30. Mike Garber, Partner, State and Local Government Team Co-leader of PBMARES (https://www.pbmares.com/), the county’s outside auditors, reported that Goochland’s ACFR for FY2022 was clean. For several years following the embezzlement conviction of a former county treasurer, Goochland was considered a “high risk” auditee, which required greater scrutiny by the auditors. Being considered a low-risk auditee, said Garber, means that there’s some element of trust that the right things are being done.

Garber discussed reporting changes mandated by the government accounting standards board (GASB) including the capitalization of operating leases. The audit document has been posted on the county website goochlandva.us under the finance department tab for those who like details.

Garber said that PBMARES, like most employers, has had issues with attracting and retaining skilled employees. The situation is exacerbated by colleges granting fewer accounting degrees.  Jobs in the field are plentiful and salaries generous. “If you’ve got kids in school, push them toward accounting,” Garber said.

The audit committee then discussed the letter from the School Board requesting appropriation of up to an additional $15,726,130 for the new Goochland Elementary School project. The supervisors scheduled a public hearing on the item for its January 3 meeting. (Virginia Code requires that localities cannot amend their budgets to adjust the aggregate amount to be appropriating during the current fiscal year more than 1% of total budgeted expenditures without first advertising and holding a public hearing on the budget amendment.)

Of the $60 million in bonds approved by Goochland voters in a November 2021 referendum for education projects, approximately $41million in bonds were issued in February 2022 at an interest rate of a just over two percent.  The balance of that $50 million bond issue will be used for public safety capital projects. Final GES bids, opened on November 17, came in far higher than estimated.  The bids are good for 60 days.

The initial bond issue was for less than the total amount approved by votes because the county could not handle building all the projects, including the new GES, a new circuit courthouse, a fire-Rescue station in West Creek simultaneously. Funds generated by the bonds must be used in a timely manner.

Peterson said that the head winds of inflation and higher interest rates, which tend to depress the housing, auto, and construction markets, cloud the county’s revenue picture in the near future.

Next year’s budget process, which has already started, is going to require more thought, deliberation, and debate than previous years. Peterson was optimistic that the issue will be resolved.  “This county does the impossible before lunch, so we’ll figure it out.”

Debbie White, Director of Finance for Goochland Schools, explained that four highly qualified companies bid on the GES project. She contended that, due to the cost of making the bid, it was unlikely that a second round would attract the same quality of bidders, or that later bids would be significantly lower.

Should construction of the new GES be delayed, fairly significant costs would need to be incurred for the old school to remain operational.

Peterson contended that given the current environment in the financial markets, selling a smaller quantity of bonds was a non starter. Aside from the fact that interest rates are much higher than the 2.2 percent on the February bonds, it is unlikely that there would be much interest in a smaller amount of bonds.

White said that, due to the duration of the project, which currently has the new GES opening in the summer of 2024, the final payments would not be due until “punch list” completion, sometime in 2025. By then, market conditions could be different and interest rates lower.

District 4 Supervisor Charlie Vaughters suggested “tail” funding for GES, through borrowing at a higher interest rate than bonds, perhaps a blended rate in the neighborhood of 3.5 percent would still be fiscally prudent. Tail funding,” Vaughters contended, would provide time to investigate other funding options that might not “bear interest before a dime is drawn”.

White pointed out that schools spent more that $3 million on design and related costs for the plan that went out to bid. Starting over, should the project be deferred, would require that some of that cost be duplicated.

Peterson contended that a recession is on the horizon. Should property values fall as they did in the great recession, the county’s revenue stream would contract. He opined that the impact of the coming recession on the real estate market will worse than the last time.  That would result in the county making hard choices. “If we’re going to do this school, we have to decide what people are willing to sacrifice,” he said.

The audit committee will next meet on January 3 after having had some time to consider possible ways to fund the GES shortfall. The supervisors will hold a public hearing on the additional appropriation at the 6 p.m. meeting.

This is a thorny matter. We need the school, but also need to safeguard the county’s fiscal integrity.

 

 

 

 

Election integrity

 

Honest fair elections do not happen by accident. They are the product of a great deal of planning and hard work by people committed to their task.

At their Tuesday, December 6 meeting, Goochland Supervisors honored Robin R. Lind as he retires on December 31 after 20 years of service on the Goochland Electoral Board. Lind served in the roles of Chair, Vice Chair, and secretary of that body during his tenure. He also served as president of the Virginia Electoral Board where he is still an active voice.

Robin Lind 2019 investiture of elected Goochland Officials

Addressing the supervisors, Lind said “I appreciate very much this recognition from members of this board, all but one of whom holds his or her office on the basis of my signature certifying your election over the past 20 years on 34 separate election days, conduction 186 individual elections with separate certification of each election.

“My signature has been my promise to go to prison if those results were not accurate and the election was not free, fair, and transparent. I have been true to my oath. I know not what others may do, but I can tell you that in Goochland County you can rest assured that you are the legitimate representatives of your districts duly elected by the voters of the county.”

Lind said he was humbled and grateful for the recognition. He said that others have given longer service to the electoral board that he. Quoting Isaac Newton, Lind said ‘” If I have seen further than others it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”

He recognized some of those by name including former registrar Frances Ragland and Tony Holcomb who were in office when Lind began his service on the Electoral Board. He accepted the recognition on behalf of the entire Electoral Board, the General Registrar Ryan Mulligan, Deputy Registrars Shannon Grayson and Leanne White and all of the officers of election.

Lind went on to recognize precinct chiefs, Shirley Christian and Robin Bryce in District 1; Keith Flannagan and Shauna Sprouse in District 2; Yvette McDermott Thomas and Larry Finnegan in District 3; Caleb Fisher and Pat Dowling in District 4; Ursel Huber and Daniel Thompson in District 5, and former District 4 Supervisor the late Don Sharpe wo was an officer of election and assistant chief of the Shallow Well precinct before running for office.

“These citizen patriots come from all walks of life, united by their love of country, love of our Constitution, and love of civic service. It has been my immense pleasure to be associated with these citizens of Goochland.”

Lind contended that the consistently high voter turnout in Goochland is the result of the hard work and integrity of all involved in the electoral process.

Later in the meeting, Mulligan reported that of 20,809 active voters in the county, 13,763 cast ballots in the November election, which is a 66 percent turnout rate. Of those 4,330 were early in person votes and 931 voted by mail.

 

 

 

 

Into focus?

 

The latest round of meetings on the small area plans being crafted by Hill Studios of Roanoke, consultants retained by the county for this project, were pretty much a rehash of previous sessions. Allegedly, they incorporated citizen feedback, but the changes from the summer drafts were hard to spot. However, final plans are somewhat less fuzzy.

Deputy County Administrator Krystal Onaitis did make it clear that the November drafts, are not the end product for an update the county comprehensive land use plan, even though invitations to the meetings state that it is the final version. If approved, four story residential buildings featured in the gauzy illustrations used in the presentation will not sprout in both villages next summer, but they will come.

The purpose of the comp plan is to guide orderly development that creates an environment attractive to private investment. How to do that is the tricky part. The old nostrum “rooftops bring retail” may no longer be true. Even before the pandemic changed the way we shop, bricks and mortar retail struggled. Malls are dying. Short Pump, where rooftops have been spreading like kudzu, has a lot of vacant retail space.

The focus of growth is residential density—how many “dwelling units” per acre should be allowed where. Ideally, the center of each village would have the highest density, decreasing to the edges. The village boundaries should, at least for the next few decades, be a clear and inviolable demarcation of higher density with no subtle hints, like road stubs leading out of the village, to encourage expansion.

We do not live in an ideal world. As it stands right now, the highest residential density in the Centerville Village is on its edges. The Parke at Saddle Creek, The Parke at Centerville, Reader’s Branch and the Retreat Apartments at the Notch, which is in both West Creek and the Centerville Village are densely developed, with cornfields in the village core. Manakin Towne, at the heart of Centerville’s core, was zoned for mixed use nearly three years ago, but remains undeveloped. The consultants suggest that area should be more densely developed.

Centerville Village

Little thought was given to overall density or its location in the village (see rooftops etc.) when these enclaves were zoned. Earlier “conceptual” plans for Centerville encouraged creation of a street grid to provide alternative routes through the village but were ignored. If the connector between Manakin and Hockett Roads, which has been on the land use map for most of this century, is built expect the residents of Saddle Creek to scream.

Both presentations included many head scratching comments.  For instance, population figures for Courthouse Village seem to have used only data from the Goochland zip code, whose territory extends to the Fluvanna line. A significant portion of Courthouse Village is in the Maidens zip code. Centerville has several zip codes, and is often called Manakin, which is on Rt. 6.

The Weldon Cooper center of the University of Virginia projects that Goochland’s population in 2050 will be 34,742, not quite ten thousand more than recorded by the 2020 census. The four-story residential concept for Centerville looks like all the new people will live there.

Rhetoric describing the courthouse as “the heart and soul of Goochland, the place for all county residents to come together, gather, and be active” seemed unaware that many people living east of Cardwell Road rarely, if ever, go to Courthouse Village for recreational reasons. Many residents of the River Road corridor do not realize that they live in Goochland County and have no interest in going to Courthouse Village for any reason.

Courthouse Village

Preservation of fields and forest inside the villages to preserve their rural character also seems counter to the reason for the village concept. Indeed, the Centerville presentation seemed to advocate keeping the cornfields on both side of the Ashland/Broad Street Road, which is an ideal spot for development.

Reversing the “leakage” of retail dollars to Short Pump was also discussed. A map showing the number of people within a 15-minute drive of Centerville illustrated the potential market for new businesses. With each new subdivision, Goochland becomes more of a bedroom community. How to encourage the residents who sleep here, but live their lives to the east, to shop in Goochland and engage with the greater community is a challenge.

It is hard to understand why branding, the use of catchy slogans and logos to “create a sense of place,” is part of this project. There was enough pushback when the county created a logo to complement the venerable Goochland seal. Do we need more?

The thousand-pound gorilla in the room was transportation. How are you going to put more cars generated by more homes on already crowded roads? That’s easy, the consultants suggested that the county put the main drags through both villages on a diet!

River Road West through Courthouse Village is wider than necessary for through traffic, the consultants contend. Broad Street Road should be a bit narrower through Centerville to enhance that elusive sense of place.

These suggestions ignore the practical reality that both River Road West (Rt 6) and Broad Street Road (Rt 250) are major thoroughfares, not local roads.

Someone needs to set up a camera in room 270 of the administration building to record the size of the vehicles that regularly move through Courthouse Village. The Sheriff’s Office already has data on the number of vehicles. Lowboys transporting enormous loads use that road as do very large tractor trailers. There is so little road access for Courthouse Village, that it takes little to cut the area off. Rember the ice storm and tornadoes earlier this year?

Broad Street Road runs roughly parallel to the interstate. When the I64 is closed by wrecks, which seem to occur more often these days, traffic is diverted onto Rt.250. Does making the stretch of 250 through Centerville narrower make sense?

The term “multimodal” transportation was tossed around a lot at both meetings. This means sidewalks, bike lanes, and ways of getting around that do not involve vehicles. Park once and walk everywhere in the village.  In Centerville, it suggests preparation for GRTC bus service.

Then there is the east west issue. A speaker at the Centerville meeting pointed out that a substantial portion of the county’s the residential real estate tax revenue is generated in the east end, but funds amenities elsewhere in the county. An eastern convenience center, or even a recycling center is long overdue. The first leg of the east end trail system is allegedly funded, but still not built. The draft plans seem to suggest incentives for developers creating public spaces or providing land for them, but will tax dollars maintain them?

A speaker at the Centerville meeting wanted to know when questions about the draft plans would be answered? These include does everyone who lives or owns land in the village realize it. If so, do they understand the advantages/ disadvantages of that. Why haven’t the size of the villages been reduced? Is there justification for keeping equestrian properties inside the Centerville Village when their inclusion in Deep Run Hunt Country seems more appropriate?

There were questions about how “greenways” using flood plains and low-lying areas for passive hiking trails close to existing home. Again, few details.  

Responses to many of the questions and comments contended that the plan was a guide. Complicated issues would be handled in the plan of development stage.  The devil is in the details and these plans seem to offer far too many opportunities for unintended consequences.

There was little comfort among the attendees that Centerville will not echo Short Pump. Concepts included in the latest draft of these plans seem fuzzy, which is appropriate for a “concept plan” and ripe for exploitation by developers anxious to build “dwelling units,” the more per acre the better.

If the deliverable for these plans is an updated land use map, there are too few details for clarity. Will enough people use the sidewalks, bike trails, and greenways to justify the expense of creating and maintaining them?

The current timeline for adoption of the small area plans is early next year. Stay tuned. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1201/Goochland-County-Village-Plans-2022 to see latest versions of the plans and videos of the presentation and draw your own conclusions.

 

Holly Jolly Goochland

 

It's that time of the year

It’s December! Time to start celebrating.

Ways to enjoy the season close to home.

·        Friday, December 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. the county tree lighting. On Sandy Hook Road, roughly behind the county administration building. Santa and others will be there for the delight of children of all ages.

·        Tuesday, December 6, the Jingle Bell Bizaar benefitting GoochlandCares at the Richmond Country Club, 12950 Patterson Avenue from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Go to https://goochlandcares.org/events-new for details. Local authors will sell and sign books, which make great locally themed gifts, at this event.

·        Saturday, December 10 Hadensville Fire-Rescue Company 6 will host breakfast with Santa from 8-10:30 a.m. at its station at 4810 Three Chopt Road. (It has a Louisa mailing address but it just south of Rt. 250 in Hadensville.) Get photos with Santa. Breakfast is free. Donations are welcome.

·        December 16-18. Do not miss the production of A Christmas Carol More or Less by the Goochland Community Theatre. This holiday comedy will add joy to your holidays. All shows are at the Eagle Theater at the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center at 2748 Dogtown Road in Sandy Hook. Go to https://gvatheatre.org/productions/ for details and to order tickets. The Goochland Community Theatre is another of the county’s hidden gems, which gets far too little attention.

·        Saturday, December 17 Goochland Fire-Rescue Company 5 will host a free pancake breakfast to go with Santa at its station at 2710 Fairground Road from 8-10. Santa and elves will deliver pancakes to your cake and collect wish lists. Engine 651 will also be touring area neighborhoods with Santa on board during December.

 F    Please add other events in comments.

P

 

Delta blues

 Man plans, God laughs.

For most of the 21^st century replacing the current Goochland Elementary School has been on the “to do” list for our school division. The great recession pushed this task, after a good deal of money was spent on attempt to renovate the existing school or design a new one to the back burner.

When the “new broom” school board swept into office in 2011, replacing GES was on its radar screen, but far down the priority list as it dealt with more pressing issues.

Meanwhile as the county, which funds schools, grappled with the fiscal threat posed by the Tuckahoe Creek Service District debt, which could have bankrupted Goochland, debt threshold policies were established.

At least two years ago, when the economy and county finances were on sounder footing, the new GES project finally got underway. Using land already owned by the school division, on the west side of Bulldog Way near its intersection with Steeplechase Parkway, a design for the school began to take shape. This is part of the 104-acre parcel purchased by the school division in 1998 for $450,000.

Schools of tomorrow—the new GES is expected to serve the community for decades—are a far cry from the schools of yesteryear where students sat in neat rows listening to teachers at the front of the room.

An initial design, crafted with input from the community and students was lovely. It followed the hilly contours of the site and had lots of windows. It was also very expensive. When cost estimates on that version came in, the supervisors suggested that schools go back to the drawing board for a lower cost alternative. The result was a simpler structure comprised of two rectangles. (See https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/new-ges-construction-project for details.) The capacity of the new school will be 700 students, 650 k-5 and 50 pre k. It is expected to open at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

Attendance boundary adjustments will pull students from both Byrd and Randolph, removing trailers from those schools.

A cost that remained constant through design changes was work needed to prepare the site for construction, including extension of utilities. Schools contended that other potential locations for the new school had been considered but were rejected.

As of last summer, the schools spent $3,026,200 million on design and other preliminaries for GES, but actual costs remained a best guesstimate.  Plans were put out to bid earlier this year and opened on November 17.

One of the many things that sets Goochland County apart from other jurisdictions in Virginia is the cordial, collaborative relations between the supervisors and school board that followed the clean sweep election. Both elected bodies recognized that working in concert, instead of at cross purposes, benefits the community on many levels.

The support of the supervisors helped our schools attain new heights of achievement to enrich our students. However, as clouds darken on the fiscal horizon, this relationship could be strained. At a joint workshop held on November 29, schools presented results of the bids, which are good for 60 days, to the supervisors and discussed funding for the project.

Thanks to inflation, supply chain issues, and labor shortages, the total project cost using the lowest bid, is $56,075.904, 31.5 percent above the November 2021 estimate. Adding in interior secondary complex renovations, including fine arts spaces and reducing funding for CTE additions, brings the total to $65,833.680. This number does not include funding for an auxiliary gym and wrestling room and $17.9 million for the CTE addition that were part of initial estimates. It also removes approximately $500 k for a playground.

Last year, Goochland voters approved via referendum issuance of up to $60 million in bonds for education capital expenses and up to $36 million for public safety capital projects. In February, the county sold $50 million in bonds—$41.8 for schools, the remainder for a new fire-rescue station— before rates went up. The county did not issue the entire $96 million, because bond proceeds must be used in certain time frame.

It is unclear if proceeds from the $50 million issue were earmarked for either schools or public safety.

Schools sharpened pencils and presented a funding strategy to the supervisors using bond proceeds; interest on those proceeds which is accruing at about $100k monthly; a $5 million bond premium; cash proffers; and cash from a prior capital improvement plan turnback with a delta—difference between money needed and available—of $ 8,442,224.

Goochland, said Schools’ Finance Director Debbie White, does not qualify state education construction money, because we are “too well managed.”

The supervisors, who take their role as stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously, discussed where the delta might come from.

Bond guru Ken Peterson District 5 said that given current high interest rates, there would be little interest in a small county bond issue. Other options to find the delta were discussed. Timing of financing, the project will be paid for in increments, the last coming after the end of construction in 2025, was also discussed. The county audit committee will meet on December 6, this matter will undoubtedly be on its agenda.

There are a lot of moving pieces to this issue. Postponing construction could result in even higher bids. Should the new GES not open in 2024, school board members contended, the old building would need some costly upgrades to welcome students.

The school board met right after the workshop. It began with a moment of silence in honor the service of former district 5 school board member Max Cisne, who passed away on November 19.

After discussion, the school board voted to approve a letter to the supervisors requesting the funding delta. 

 Watch the November 29 joint workshop at https://goochlandva.new.swagit.com/videos/190264 and school board meeting at https://goochlandschools.new.swagit.com/videos/190291.

Homework

 

Homework

As we bask in the afterglow of Thanksgiving, let’s stop screaming at each other and take time to reflect on our blessings.

Take a break from football, shopping, and planning for the next holiday, for local homework assignments.

Goochland Schools

Learn about the good things going on in county schools

In the past week or so, you probably received a copy of Goochland Public Schools’ Annual Report to the Community. Please read it. For those new to the county who moved here after your kids were finished with their educations because everyone knows how bad Goochland schools are, you’re wrong.

A sizable portion of local taxes fund our schools. This is an investment in the future.

Public education is getting a lot of attention these days for a variety of reasons. Regardless of your views on this, the people who show up every day, and did so through the dreadful pandemic lockdowns, should have our gratitude and respect.

Teaching kids, under the best of circumstances isn’t for the faint of heart. Unlike their private counterparts, who select their students, public schools must take all students who show up at their door. Some kids struggle, others thrive. Not all students are scholars, but each has potential. Goochland schools are working hard to help each learner discover and develop their unique gifts to lead satisfying and productive lives after graduation.

 

Small area plans

When you finish the schools’ report, please take time to review the latest iteration of proposed small area plans for both Courthouse and Centerville Village.

Goochland’s comprehensive land use (https://www.goochlandva.us/250/2035-Comprehensive-Plan) plan is being updated to include development strategies for both Courthouse and Centerville Villages, which are served by municipal water and sewer. The comp plan has designated these as appropriate locations for higher density uses, allegedly to keep the remainder of the county—85 percent of the land area—rural. The math on that equation is a bit fuzzy, but the intention is sound.

 

 

Go to

 https://www.goochlandva.us/1213/Centerville-Village-Plan and

https://www.goochlandva.us/1212/Courthouse-Village-Plan for the latest version of these studies.

Two public meetings about these plans are scheduled for next week. The Centerville meeting will be on Monday, November 28 at Grace Chinese Baptist Church, 850 Broad Street Road, Manakin Sabot. The Courthouse meeting will be in the county admin building at 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland on Tuesday November 29. Both sessions begin at 6 p.m.

The sessions will include interactive and facilitated discussions about the latest drafts of the respective plans.

The meetings will also be available via Zoom go to www.goochlandva.us/VillagePlans2022  for Zoom link information or to make comments via email before the meetings.  

 

Please note that next week’s community meetings are the latest step in the process. THIS IS NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT. Proposals resulting from these studies will be the subject of public hearings before both the planning commission and board of supervisors before they can become amendments to the County's comprehensive land use plans. These next steps are expected sometime in the spring of 2023. Both bodies could request additional revisions after these hearings.

Questions that percolate from these discussions are many.

 

The most important may be how much is too much development and where should it be?

According to the US Census bureau, Goochland’s population grew by 12 percent between 2010 and 2020 from 21,717 to 24,727. That’s a big percentages, but not a lot of people for a county whose area is slightly larger than that of Henrico. Our neighbor to the east added 26,353 people—more than the entire Goochland population— in the past decade. We’ve got lots of room to grow. There seems to be little support for a continuation of Short Pump—essentially an enormous strip shopping center with housing—west of Rt. 288.

 

When should needed road improvements be made to support new development and who pays for them is also a vital concern. Many existing roads are already overburdened. Where exactly is all that traffic coming from? Seems like many people pass through Goochland on their way to I64, so traffic is likely to increase even with little or no new construction.

 

High density development is touted as a way to provide modestly priced “dwelling units” for people unable to afford starter castles. Reducing land costs by allowing more units per acre, could be a solution. However, new apartments and town houses being built are priced for the upscale market.

 

Answers are not easy, but citizen input if vital. BANANA build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything responses are not allowed.

 

Please spend some time learning about local matters that will affect your daily lives.

 

 

 

 

 

One is not like the others

 

          

Reynolds Community College Goochland Campus

  Reynolds Community College, formerly known as J. Sergeant Reynolds, named in honor of a former lieutenant governor, is celebrating 50 years of providing non-traditional higher educational opportunities for Virginians.

            Founded in 1972, Reynolds is the youngest member of the Virginia Community College system, and, according to Reynolds’ President since 2018 Dr. Paula Pando, the largest in terms of enrollment.

            Pando presented her annual report to the Goochland Board of Supervisors at its November 1 meeting. She outlined the contribution that Reynolds has made to Goochlanders.

 The Advanced College Academy (ACA) program allows Goochland High School students to earn an associate degree before they graduate from high school, enabling families to save two years’ college tuition. Credits earned through ACA are fully transferable to four-year institutions in Virginia. Reynolds also offers a wide array of programs for the post high school credentials that lead to skilled jobs vitally needed in the state’s workforce.

Reynolds’ students, explained Pando, often juggle many roles in addition to that of student and benefit from the various kinds of support the college offers to help them meet their goals.

            In the fall 2022 semester, said Pando, 290 Goochlanders enrolled for classes at Reynolds. Over the years, Reynolds has helped central Virginians of all ages and backgrounds access educational opportunities to better their lives. In the past academic year, Reynolds awarded over $300k to support Goochland students. She shared success stories of graduates. (Go to the county website goochlandva.us, click on watch county meetings and select November 1 BoS meeting to see her remarks, which begin around the 50-minute mark) 

            Since its start, ACA has helped 200 students earn an associates degree before high school graduation. For high school students not quite able to handle the full two-year ACA program, Reynolds offers a passport option where students can earn some college credits while still in high school. Sometimes, said Pando, a student who might not consider themselves college material successfully completes a college level course goes on to higher education.

            Indeed, Reynolds is a vital link in the development of a skilled workforce to build a strong Virginia economy. Pando contended that the strength of Reynolds is its “localness” and ability to understand and fill the needs of local employers. To that end, Reynolds is modernizing its facilities in Richmond and Henrico and increasing course offerings especially in health care fields across the spectrum of needed skills.   

Exquisite  gardens

            This wonderfulness, however, does not happen at Reynolds’ Goochland Campus anymore. High school students take part virtually, and other students go to Reynolds’ facilities in Henrico or Richmond. Programs once held in Goochland have been discontinued or moved. Since the pandemic, 89 percent of students are enrolled in at least one online course, reflecting a change in how Reynolds delivers education. This is undoubtedly poses a challenge to the use of the institution’s physical infrastructure.

Empty halls.

            For the past few years, Pando has promised “community conversations” about the future of the 90-acre (Pando was unsure if it was 9,000 or 90) campus that has become a dead zone—a beautiful one—but deserted except for the horticultural program, and unused except for Covid vaccine clinics.

            She contended that Reynolds is excited to “participate in the Courthouse Village discussions” and will continue to do so. This participation seems to have been behind closed doors with selected county and school officials. As the small area plan discussion about Courthouse Village nears completion, references to what could become of the Reynolds campus remain vague at best. Right now, it’s a dead zone in the center of Courthouse Village.

            In all fairness, the Goochland campus is nothing like Reynolds’s other faculties. It has no access to public transportation and lots of potential students nearby.

            County land records list an assessed value for the Reynolds’ campus of about $11 million. It is, as Pando said, extraordinary well kept. Its two buildings of 21k and 46k square feet sit empty. As this is on state owned land, it pays no real estate tax. Maintaining the property is an expense for the Commonwealth. Why is the state not concerned about this money drain?

            If Reynolds isn’t going to do something with the Goochland campus, perhaps it should sell it, to put it on the tax rolls, and let another entity find the highest and best use for the property.

            Some random thoughts on possible uses for the campus:

·        There is a dire shortage of child care in Goochland. An early childhood education center could supply practical experience for students while filling a community need.

·         A business incubator could supply administrative and other support for fledging enterprises until they get on their feet.

·        Courthouse Village has no healthcare facilities, perhaps a clinic or doc in the box could locate there offering internships for Reynolds students in healthcare fields.

·         A training site for public safety,

·        A program to prepare students for careers in the burgeoning hydroponic agriculture field, which marries Goochland’s agricultural heritage and technology of the future.

            The land between Dickinson and Fairground Roads could be developed with flats or townhomes to provide badly needed entry level housing. Undoubtedly other constructive ideas could come from the community about the use of the property if it were allowed to chime in.

            Remember, it was the suggestion of a citizen that supplied a solution to the long-festering school bus garage issue almost a decade ago.

            Pando mentioned several possible programs for Reynolds going forward but was unclear if any of these were intended for the Goochland campus. It’s time to figure out what to do with the Reynolds’ Goochland campus.

           

 

November Board highlights

 

Back to full strength after appointing Charlie Vaughters as interim District 4 representative, the Goochland Board of Supervisors addressed business at its November 1 meeting.

Small area plan meetings

Updates on the small area plan studies for both Centerville and Courthouse Village have been scheduled. The Centerville meeting will be held on Monday, November 28 at Grace Chinese Baptist Church 850 Broad Street Road, and the Courthouse Village meeting will be on Tuesday, November 29 in the county administration building. Both sessions begin at 6 p.m. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1201/Goochland-County-Village-Plans-2022 for details.

Celebrations

County Administrator Vic Carpenter reported that over 3,500 people attended the fall festival on the beautiful autumn day of October 29.  Halloween afternoon trick or treating in the admin building was enjoyed by more than 174 youngsters.

Recognition

Christina Neal, paralegal in the Goochland County Attorney’s office, was selected by her peers as Virginia’s Government Paralegal of the year. Her work is an integral part of the function of the County Attorney’s staff, which interacts with every other department and takes great care to make sure that details of contracts, ordinances and the workings of the county comply with state and local laws.

The annual employee recognition event, recognizing and commending employees on five-year increment service anniversaries was held with a luncheon preceding the board meeting.

Director of Human Resources Shaletha Dyson said that the 40 county employees recognized for their service represent over 429 combined years of serving our citizens. Wanda Tormey celebrated 30 years with the county and Dale Agnew Clerk of the Circuit Court, marked 40 years. These are the people who day in and day out, and especially through the high weird of the pandemic, kept Goochland running. See page 82 of the November 1 board packet for the complete list.

During public comment, Jonathan Lyle Director of the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District, thanked the board for its continued support of agriculture in the county. He also said that the MSWCD has a gracious plenty of cost share money to help local farmers improve their land and hoped the supervisors would help spread the word.

During evening citizen comment—Lyle is a regular attendee of board meetings and shares observations on a wide range of topics—commended all members of county staff for their hard work. An organization, he said, is only as good as the people who make it run.

He also paid homage to unsung staff members who keep the administration building sparkling. As this is the face of the county to most citizens, making a good impression is important. “This place always looks well kept, and I’ll even say well loved, and ready for inspection,” said Lyle. He commended Brenda Anthony, who has been taking care of the administration building since it opened after renovations in 2005. Others on Lyle’s list are A.J. Jackson, Tina Tate, Linda Coles, Dwight Kenny, and Norman Harper. “In my opinion, these folks are pretty special.”

 

Broadband update

Expanding broadband coverage to all of Goochland is happening in fits and starts. Some residents of the upper end have already been connected to Firefly broadband https://www.fireflyva.com/. Others, mostly Dominion energy customers, grit their teeth in frustration when told it may be many months before they can log on. Central Virginia Electric Coop, Rappahannock Electric Coop and Dominion Energy are working together to leverage their infrastructure for universal coverage.

Dominion representatives explained where their company is in the process. In short, it’s complicated. Dominion is providing “middle mile” connections, from which Firefly will run “lateral lines to connect customers.  See https://www.dominionenergy.com/broadband for details. The answer seemed to be “it’s complicated.”  Go to the 1:12 minute mark of the meeting recording (available on the county website goochladva.us under “watch county meetings”) to listen to the presentation.

District 1 Supervisor Susan Lascolette asked for clarification. Dominion representatives explained that they are currently researching easements to identify the parcels of land they are crossing. The plan to connect western Goochland is a patchwork. Dominion will build the “backbone,” Firefly will connect the backbone to the customers.

Dominion customers in western Goochland should be connected by the end of 2023. Firefly, which is the internet provider, will let residents know when construction will begin in their area.

Miscellaneous

The supervisors approved raising the threshold for transfers within the county’s operating, capital, and utilities funds made by the county administrator without board approval from $7,500 to $25K and for the superintendent of schools from $7,500 to $10k from one unencumbered appropriated balance category to another.

The board approved a resolution accepting a $178,044 school resource officer grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to fund SROs in all county schools and authorize the county administrator to execute all documents related to the grant. The budget was amended to accept and appropriate these funds.

Supervisors adopted a resolution amending the FY2023 budget capital improvement budget by transferring and appropriating $4,055 from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) Fund to the Capital Improvement Fund. The money was appropriated to the CIP fund for the Hockett Road realignment project.

A sketch of the proposed realignment of Hockett and Ashland Roads

Board referrals to the planning commission included an ordinance amendment for the M-2 zoning district to clarity maximum permitted building heights; to allow, by conditional use permit, small contractor storage in agricultural districts to support small and startup businesses; and an ordinance amendment concerning installation of sidewalks and street trees in new subdivisions. These are expected to be addressed by the planning commission at is December meeting.

Public hearings

·        The Board voted to amend the FY’23 budget as outlined above.

·        An application for a conditional use permit to allow a detached family accessory housing unit on 15.01 acres at 6 Road’s End Lane in District 5 was approved.

·        An application filed by Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC to amend its 1989 conditional use permit for expansion of its gas transmission station on 29.6 acres at 1436 Hermitage Road was approved.

·        Nearing the finish line of correcting the misalignment of the Goochland/Louisa boundary that has been in question for more than a century, the supervisors approved 4-1 with Borad Chair Neil Spoonhower in dissent, a resolution moving nine properties from Louisa to Goochland and one parcel the other way. If Louisa County supervisors approved the same resolution at their November 7 meeting, a notice of approval will be sent to all 10 affected property owners and Goochland and Louisa will file a joint petition with the Circuit Court requesting it to enter an order approving the new boundary line. This is the same procedure that was used in 2019 to clarify the county border before local elections. County Attorney Tara McGee said the court order would then be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. After all of those steps have been completed, probably in the spring, the supervisors will need to amend portions of the election district ordinance to reflect the changes. This should be complete well before the November 2023 local and state elections. McGee said that the US Census will pic up the changes in its next annual update.