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.