A job well done

 Congratulations to the Greater Richmond Medical Reserve Corps headquartered in Ashland, Virginia. These are the folks who organized the many Covid testing and vaccination clinics held in Goochland and elsewhere.

 – In recognition of National Volunteer Week, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response announced recipients of its Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Recognition Awards on April 19, 2022. 

Across the country, there were nearly 200 nominations. Our very own Greater Richmond MRC Unit (serving the counties of Charles City, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, and Richmond City) won the award for Community Preparedness and Resilience.

 This award was given to only two units in the country for their demonstrated contributions to reduce vulnerabilities, build resilience, and improve public health preparedness in their communities. “We’d like to say thank you and congratulations to all the MRC volunteers and our community partners who gave their time and energy to keep our communities healthy, safe, and resilient,” stated the Greater Richmond MRC Unit Coordinator, Alyssa Lewis.

 Those interested in becoming MRC volunteers are encouraged to fill out an application on the VDH MRC website. 

Stuff to do close to home

 

The world is open and lots of things are going on in Goochland in the next few weeks. Here is a sampling.

Food Drive

If a bag like the one pictured recently appeared at your doorstep, please, if you are able, share some non-perishable food with county residents who are struggling. Goochland Cares (https://goochlandcares.org/) operates a food pantry to fight hunger.

Hunger hurts, help our neighbors.

 

Cinderella

The drama department of Goochland High School presents its production of Cinderella. The musical opens on Friday^. Performances will be April 29^th at 7; April 30^th at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m. Our kids work very hard to stage superb productions. For tickets, go to https://events.ticketspicket.com/.../9062c207-ef5a.../events.

April 30

Drug Take Back

If you've got prescription drugs that are no longer needed, the Goochland Sheriff's Office is sponsoring a drug take back day on Saturday, April 30 from 10 to 2 at Manakin Company 1 Fire-Rescue Station at  180 River Road West (Between Hockett and Manakin Roads on Rt. 6) and Courthouse Fire-Rescue Company 5 at 2710 Fairground Road (in "front" of the Courthouse Food Lion). Get that stuff out of your house for proper and safe disposal.

Spring Garden Fest

The Goochland Powhatan Master Gardeners Garden Fest returns to Reyolds Community College, 1851 Dickinson Road, from 8 to 3. Events include a plant sale, tours, and classes. Go to https://www.gpmga.org/spring-garden-fest-information-form for complete information.

Legion Auxiliary Spring Bazaar

The auxiliary of Goochland American Legion Post 215 will hold its spring Bizarre, sponsored by the delightful River Road Cottage, at 3386 River Road West, Goochland from 9 to 2.

Goochland Day

Our iconic community celebration, Goochland Day, (https://www.goochlandday.com/) returns on May 7. The parade begins at 10 a.m. stepping off in front of Six Pence, at 2913 River Road West in Courthouse Village.

The festival will be held at the Goochland Sports Complex, 1898 Sandy Hook, behind the county administration building.

 

 

 

 

Money and voting

 

Money matters

Goochland Supervisors met on April 19 to adopt a budget for FY 23, which begins on July 1, and set tax rates for calendar year 2022. Local taxes are due in June and December.

As expected, the real estate tax rate remains at 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Thanks to burgeoning real estate assessments, this represents a tax increase of approximately 11 percent over 2021. The rate for personal property, which includes vehicles, boats, and airplanes was reduced to $3.75 per $100 of valuation. Fire-rescue volunteers are exempt from persona property tax on one vehicle in recognition of their valuable service to the community. The ad valorem tax rate levied on property in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District remains at 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in addition to the base tax rate.

Rates for users of municipal water will increase by three percent; sewer rates by four percent.

Tax relief for certain elderly and disable persons was increased from $900 to $1,000.

A $124,372,612 budget for FY 2023 was adopted. Funds were appropriated by category so they may be spent.

Board Chair Neil Spoonhower, District 2, and Interim County Administrator Manuel Alvarez, Jr. thanked county and school staff for the hard work, attention to detail, and cooperation that is part of a successful budget process.

The board approved a resolution in support of a resolution in support of submission of a 2022 infrastructure community project funding application to the House Appropriations Committee of VDOT to provide funding for the improvement of the Interstate 64/Oilville Road interchange.

The supervisors amended the FY22 budget by appropriating $648,297, from collected road proffers and a distribution from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority, to cover the difference between the lowest responsive bid and estimated cost of the roundabout at the intersection of Sandy Hook and Fairground Road.  Supply chain issues, increasing cost of materials, and inflation caused the issue. Construction is expected to begin sometime this summer.

Electoral redistricting

The redistricting map approved by the supervisors last month is now officially set in stone. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1191/Redistricting for details. The only item expected to be on the November ballot is election of a representative to the United States Congress. Goochland is now in the 5^th Congressional District, currently represented by Bob Good (R) of Campbell County. Goochland Director of Elections Ryan Mulligan will mail all registered voters new voter cards indicating the location of your polling place, which may have changed. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/359/Elections-and-Voter-Registration for further information.

Man plans God laughs

 Construction of a new Goochland Elementary School (GES) has been on the drawing board for quite some time. It began as an entry in the county's capital improvement plan a few years ago. Based on county population growth expectations, its capacity was increased to 700—650 K through grade 5 students plus 50 preschool students— in about 104,000 square feet. What, at the time, was considered to be an inclusive and conservative estimate of its cost, a bit over $39.3 million, was mentioned in last November's bond referendum.

The rampant inflation infecting every facet of our lives, has also played havoc with the new GES. Initial estimates came in about $54.3, roughly $15 million higher than expected. The School Division went back to the drawing broad earlier this year for a redesign in hopes of significantly reducing the price tag. The estimated cost of the new design, a simpler building with a smaller footprint, lopped only about $1.4 million off bottom line.

On April 12, a joint workshop between the school board and supervisors addressed the issue. As the cost estimate for the latest iteration of the school was "hot off the presses", there were many unanswered questions. Among them, could the school as designed be built on an alternate site more economically. A factor in the high cost of the school is the site work needed for construction on a parcel of land on Bulldog Way, which was already owned by the school division. The redesign had little impact on the cost of site work, which involves wetlands and needs approval from the Army Corps of Engineers.

How to proceed was the topic of the April 12 meeting. Jeremy Raley, Ed. D., superintendent of county schools contended that "time is of the essence" with the project, which has already fallen behind schedule, so the new GES can be opened at the start of the 24-25 school year.

Raley said that other Virginia school divisions are grappling with construction projects coming in over budget at similar percentages. He shared some good news. The high school cooling tower replacement project, which was budgeted at $1.1 million came in at $600k and the GMS/GHS paving project was $300k under budget.

The new GES is still in the conceptual design phase, explained Raley, the numbers on the table are best "guestimates". The design needs to be completed in detail and go out to bid to obtain a clear picture of actual costs. Given the delays that have already occurred, the project would not be ready to go out to bid until the end of 2022, with building perhaps beginning in early 2023 providing about an 18-month construction cycle in order to open in the summer of 2024.

School Board Chair Mike Newman, District 4, said that the school division either needs to decide not to go forward, or prepare the project for bids. "We've made a commitment to the community. We were all shocked at the costs. Everything we've tried to do is to get to less cost so that it's in the range of possibility. I think we have to go forward with the design so that when that number comes back, that will be when we know what we can do."

District 3 Supervisor John Lumpkins, Jr., a former school board member, wondered if saving a million bucks on the redesign is worth it.

Board Char Neil Spoonhower, District 2 asked what the school board wants the supervisors to do.

Newman acknowledged that the schools look to the supervisors to pay for the school. He hoped that when the final costs are known, a solution to bridge the funding gap can be found. The school board, he said, has already looked at the larger amount of money available from the bond sale and wondered if any of that could be used on the new GES. Newman said that while the costs were not what had been expected, continual revision to the design to fit the budget could result in a school that will not serve the community well in the long term.

District 5 Supervisor Ken Peterson asked about a plan B for an alternate site or total renovation of the exiting building. Raley said that the schools have not moved forward on any of those possible options.

J. D. Wright, District 5 school board member said building consensus is difficult because the latest information is so new. He said that in his business construction costs have come down a little from initial estimates. Wright was hopeful that a way can be found through value engineering and postponing other school projects in the CIP to fund the new GES.

There was some conversation about deferring the project, in expectation of a possible recession that could lower construction costs. As the debt service meter on the $60 million of bonds is ticking, there is a cost to delay.

Concerns were raised about a breach of community trust if the county spent about 30 percent more on the school than was approved in the referendum. Peterson said that the citizens were told that their tax rates would not increase, nor would the county's
"rainy day" fund be raided to pay for the capital projects funded by the bonds.

Raley said that until the bids come in, the "projected costs" are one firm's estimate. "We won't know the final price until bid day."

Interim County Administrator, the Hon. Manuel Alvarez, Jr., former District 2 supervisor, said that it seemed like the school board was asking the supervisors to approve a blank check for $53 million.

Angela Allen, District 2 School Board member said, "I think we're (schools) asking you to stay in the boat with us, sink or swim, until the bids come back and then we'll decide if we need the boat."

District 1 Supervisor Susan Lascolette said that she was unwilling to do anything at that point without more information.

Peterson said, that as long as the costs for the new GES are competitive with what other divisions in Virginia are paying and both boards come together to find ways to fill the gap, there would be no breach of citizen trust.

Schools will go back and present the supervisors with results of cursory investigations of alternate sites without incurring additional expense. A plan for finding the additional $13.6 million by moving projects around in the CIP and other fund sources will also be presented.

Board of Supervisors' Chair Neil Spoonhower, District 2 said that both boards need to find consensus on the issue, which is difficult with so many unknowns. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, additional data will help to fill the void. Kudos to the supervisors and school board for honest and constructive discussions about the new GES project.

To listen to the April 12 conversation, go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ and click on "watch county meetings" tab.

 

 

 

 

Osher comes to Goochland

 

On the rainy Thursday afternoon of April 7, members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Richmond trekked to Goochland to visit one of the county's treasures, the Second Union Rosenwald School Museum on Hadensville-Fife Road.

Calvin Hopkins, President of SURSM (l)

Calvin Hopkins, President of the SURSM Board of Directors, welcomed Osher members. Hopkins, who attended both Second Union and Central High School, returned to Goochland after he retired from the Air Force. He was instrumental in preserving the structure and all that is represents, when Second Union Church considered removing it to pave the parking lot.

Rosenwald Schools were the product of an alliance between Booker T. Washington and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, a part owner of Sears, Roebuck and Company, which built schools to educate African American children in the segregated south.

An Osher student looks at the artifact display.

Second Union School is one of a very few remining Rosenwald Schools in its original location. After desegregation, many of the Rosenwald Schools were sold, moved, or torn down. In order to bring a Rosenwald school to a community, contributions from the African American community, local governing body were required. In-kind contributions of land, labor and general support of the school were involved in the program.

Second Union School was built in 1918 and taught children from the first to seventh grades until 1959, when county schools were integrated, and elementary students moved to nearby Byrd Elementary School. It was a two-room, two-teacher plan for about 50 students. Younger students were taught on one side of a moveable partition, where the chalkboards—the originals are still in place—were lower to accommodate their reach, older students on the other. After completing the grades at Second Union, students went on to Central High School, also segregated, the complete their education.

Second Union alumni collaborated with the Goochland Historical Society to obtain a grant from Lowe's and the National Trust for Historical Preservation to make badly needed repairs and transform the structure into a museum of the history of Black education. Grant money was used to repair the roof, exterior, and electrical work and other inside restorations.

A Virginia State Historical Marker at Second Union states: "Second Union School, which operated until 1959 is the oldest-surviving of the 10 Rosenwald schools built in Goochland County. The African American community and Goochland County contributed funds to the building. Constructed in 1918, the building is a one-story, two-room, two- teacher-plan school with a brick interior chimney on the rear wall. Original chalkboards survive in both rooms. The school is among 5,000 built using money and plans from the Julius Rosenwald Fund in 15 states including 367 in Virginia."

"Some of the best years of my life were spent here. We were poor, but happy poor. They taught me so much," Gail Smith, another Second Union School alumnus, said. She shared memories of her time at Second Union School, which was heated by a wood stove tended by students. Smith returned to her Goochland home after retiring from a successful career in banking and became involved in preservation efforts for the school. She credits the education, discipline, sense of self-worth, and appreciation of hard work that she received at Second Union School with preparing her to take her place in the world. The value that their parents, many of whom were illiterate, placed on education was an important factor in the success of the children who learned there.

Gail Smith recalls  happy times at  Second Union School.

SURSM today teaches about American History from various points of view, especially the struggles of African Americans from slavery to desegregation. Goochland students visit SURSM for interactive lessons about the school. It also awards scholarships to graduates of Goochland High School who have been accepted to accredited two- and four-year colleges.

Museum displays include artifacts from the school and information about Booker T. Washington's place in American history.

Please take some time to visit https://secondunionrosenwaldschool.org/  and listen to the oral history section.

For more information about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Richmond, go to (https://spcs.richmond.edu/lifelong-learning/osher/)

First meeting of April

 

Spring!

On April 5, the Goochland Board of Supervisors held only an evening session to conduct public hearings on the proposed budget for FY 23; tax rates for calendar year 2022; and other matters.

The proposed FY23 budget included final numbers for debt service related to the issuance of general obligation bonds earlier this year. As presented, the real estate tax rate is expected to remain at 53 cents per $100 of assessed valuation; the ad valorem tax levied on land in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District will hold steady at 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation; and the personal property tax rate will decline to $3.75 per $100 of valuation on cars, trucks, boats, and other items. This rate is ten cents less than initially proposed.

Note that retention of the 53-cent tax rate represents an effective tax increase of 10.4 percent.  

The few comments made during these public hearings commended staff and the supervisors for the hard work and attention to detail at all levels that crafted the budget. Hopefully, this lack of interest by the citizenry at large indicates trust in local government.

The board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution requesting that VDOT accept the roads in Section 4 of Parkside Village into the state secondary highway system for maintenance.

A unanimous vote by the supervisors authorized the interim county administrator to execute two agreements for the purchase of adjacent parcels of land at 0 and 3535 Whitehall Road in Sandy Hook for a total of $405,000. This land will be the site of the future District 2 Fire-Rescue Station. The county's capital improvement plan (CIP) indicates that the station will be built in fiscal year 2028.

A non-interest-bearing loan of $300,000 from the county to the Goochland Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association, Inc. was authorized by the supervisors. The money will be repaid over a 15-year period by annual payments of $20,000 beginning in 2023. The Association will match the loan with $300,000 to fund renovations at the Manakin Company 1 Fire-Rescue Station on River Road West. These renovations will include additional sleeping quarters—necessary for 24/7 career employees—expanded bathrooms; additional office space; a kitchen improvements and other minor building upgrades. Except for Hadensville Company 6, all Goochland fire-rescue stations are owned by the Association.

Fire-Rescue stations planned for West Creek and the Sandy Hook will be built and owned by the county.

The supervisors will vote on the FY23 budget and set calendar year tax rates at 4 p.m. on Tuesday April 18. Interviews for a permanent county administrator continue.

To watch the entire April 6 meeting, go to the county website goochlandva.us and click on watch county meetings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Village surveys

 Goochland County is Seeking Input on the Courthouse Village and Centerville Village Plans

 

Goochland, VA –Members of the Goochland community are invited to complete a survey to help plan the Courthouse Village and Centerville Village futures.  The surveys are part of a months-long process that kicked-off in February 2022 to create small area plans for each of the County’s major villages. 

The planning process for both villages aim to ensure that Goochland County elected officials’ decisions relate to and are made in accordance with the desires of the community. The village plans will provide guidance for land use, economic and physical growth, recreation, public facilities, and community development.  Once complete, these plans will be adopted and incorporated into the County’s Comprehensive plan.

These surveys were developed based on input received from initial community meetings, roundtable discussions with local business owners, landowners, citizens and the development community and research by the consultant team. Now we need input from the Goochland community.

The survey will be available through the end of May and can be found on the Village Plans 2022 website at www.goochlandva.us/villageplans2022.  Please encourage your friends and neighbors to complete the survey.

If you have questions or comments about the Courthouse Village Plan please email courthouseplan22@goochlandva.us or call 804-556-5840 and for the Centerville Village Plan please email centervilleplan22@goochlandva.us or call 804-556-5840.  For additional information on these small area plan efforts please visit the Goochland Village Plans 2022 website at www.goochlandva.us/villageplans2022.

 

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Miscellany

Spring is here. The world is open and trying to get back to normal.

• ·     After a least a two-year hiatus, the Master Gardeners' Spring Fest will return on April 30. Go to https://www.gpmga.org/ for details. The plants offered for sale at this event, grown with love and skill by the master gardeners, thrive in our local soil.
• ·       Goochland Day, complete with a parade, will be held on May 7 in Courthouse Village. Go to https://www.goochlandday.com/ for details.

·       Its been a dry and windy spring. The annual burn ban is in effect until April 30. This means no outside burning before 4 p.m. with a penalty of a fine up to $500, plus court and fire suppression costs if the fire escapes. If in any doubt DO NOT START A FIRE. For questions or more information about the 4:00 p.m. Burning Law contact the local Virginia Department of Forestry office at (540.967.3702) or Goochland County Fire-Rescue (804.556.5304).

 

Schools

Due to soaring construction costs, Goochland Schools have gone back to the drawing board on the design of the new Goochland Elementary School. Go to https://goochlandschools.new.swagit.com/videos/157617 at about the 43-minute mark to listen to the March 29 presentation to the school board about a possible redesign. The School Board and Supervisors will hold a joint work session on April 12 to discuss the matter. Time is of the essence to ensure that the new GES is ready to open at the start of school in 2024.

Matthew Mason, 

Matthew Mason appointed as principal of Goochland Middle School, effective July 1, 2022. Mason, who was assistant principal at GHS, returns to county school after a stint as a middle school principal in Lynchburg. He is a superb addition to the leadership of our school division. Welcome back!

County government

The supervisors are actively interviewing candidates for the position of County Administrator, which has been vacant since last July. They are holding interviews "in an undisclosed location" for this post. The Hon. Manuel Alvarez, Jr. was appointed interim county administrator in August.

Citizens attending the District 1 Town Hall meeting on March 31 said that they were unaware of the pending rezoning application for a Dollar General Store in Georges Tavern. They wanted to know why there was so little notification for the action. The county requires applicants for land use changes to conduct community meetings before the application can proceed to the planning commission. Adjoining property owners are notified of these meetings by letter from the county. Yellow Zoning Action signs are posted on the property in question but are easily overlooked by motorists zipping along the highway. These meetings are also posted on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/. Citizens need to check the meeting calendar, on the front page of the website, often.

Ignore this sign at your peril

Taxes and fees

 

 The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed county budget for FY 2023, including the real estate tax rate, and an ordinance amending the county fee schedule for water and sewer; and base building inspections residential permit fees, on April 5 at 6 p.m.

The proposed ordinance will: increase water volume and service fees by 3%; increase sewer volume and service fees by 4%; increase base residential, plumbing, mechanical permit fee to $100; add a $50 fee for requesting a 30-day extension of a temporary occupancy permit; and amend the fireworks permit fee to add an hourly charge for the fire marshal’s time over 3 hours.

A vote on the budget and to set tax rates for calendar year 2022 will be taken on April 19 at 4 p.m.