Getting to know you

 

It’s that time of year again when the Goochland Leadership Enterprise (GLE) registration opens.

For those new to the county or unfamiliar with GLE, it is a program designed to familiarize participants with a wide range of information abut Goochland including local government operations, history, economics, and the agriculture that is the foundation of our rural heritage.

Since the first class graduated in 1996, GLE alumni have contributed their knowledge and talents to enrich our community in various ways. They have served as Christmas Mother, elected and appointed officials, and give freely of their time and talents to a wide range of community organizations. One blogs.

The program consists of 12 sessions, held mostly on Wednesday evening from 7-8:30 p.m. at various locations around the county. A trip to the Virginia General Assembly and meeting with the county’s legislative delegation is part of the GLE experience. Each class finishes with a graduation banquet.

GLE participants meet with the board of supervisors and get a detailed look at how our fire-rescue department and sheriff’s office serve our citizens. Sessions explore our schools and how the budgets that spend local tax dollars are crafted.

An added bonus is the opportunity to become acquainted with people from all walks of life and all parts of Goochland that you might not otherwise encounter.

There is a registration fee of $25 and scholarships are available to encourage all interested people to take part. Go to https://goochland.ext.vt.edu/ to download a brochure and registration form.

An engaged citizenry is necessary to ensure a vibrant community. Get to know Goochland, even if you’ve lived here all of your life, you’re bound to learn something new in GLE.

 

 

 

Good citizenship in action

 

.

Most people pay little attention to trash that blows off their vehicles on the way to the Central Convenience Center, marring the beauty of Fairground Road. Christine Fauver is not most people. Thanks to Christine and Goochland County for sharing her story in the following press release.

Goochland, VA – “Everyone loves a good story…”, said Christine Fauver in her post on the Facebook page Goochland Living. Little did she know how much attention her post would receive. On August 15^th, Christine was driving her trash to the Central Convenience Center when a portion of it blew out of her truck on a dangerous stretch of Fairgrounds Road.

Concerned that the trash could cause an accident or harm wildlife, Christine pulled into the Central Convenience Center and approached a staff member.  That staff member, Phillip Grayson, didn’t hesitate to take action. “I see service to the citizens of Goochland as part of my job and sometimes those opportunities manifest themselves in different ways.” said Phillip. He quickly retrieved safety vests, trash pickers, and bags. Before he and Christine could head off to pick up the trash, a man in a red truck called out the window, “Howdy neighbor, I picked up your trash, but I could not get the box.”

That man was off-duty Goochland Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Russell who, with the help of his seven-year-old daughter, stopped on Fairgrounds and collected the garbage. “It was the right thing to do. I watched up ahead as a couple of cars drove around the bag and lose trash. I made sure no traffic was coming, turned on the emergency flashers, and then we got out and picked up what we could.” said Russell.   

Terry Russell (l) and Phillip Grayson

Even though the majority of trash had been collected, Christine wanted to ensure everything had been retrieved. “Phillip was completely supportive, nonjudgmental, kind and had a protocol to keep us safe.” she said.  When asked about his employee’s actions, Dwayne Jones, Convenience Center Manager, remarked “What happened was no surprise to me. Phil and staff have always gone above and beyond to help anyone in need at the Convenience Center. Phil is a good man and a pleasure to work with. He is a vital part of the operations at the convenience center.”

“We are privileged to live in a very beautiful place, and we should all do whatever we can to keep it that way.” said Phillip. Anyone looking to participate in clean-up efforts throughout Goochland are encouraged to contact Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Adopt a Highway program (Adoptahighway@VDOT.Virginia.gov) or the James River Advisory Council (JRAC) at https://jrac-va.org/.  The next scheduled event is JRAC’s James River Clean Up on September 10^th at Tucker Park. The Convenience Center also holds events throughout the year, such as their Tire Amnesty & Document Shredding, scheduled for Fall 2022, and Cargo-Net Give Away, scheduled for Spring 2023. For more information about these programs, please contact the Goochland County Convenience Center at (804) 556-5374.

 

There is no drawbridge

 

No drawbridges in Goochland

When Goochland supervisors unanimously approved land use changes to pave the way for “Project Rocky,” they unleashed a fire storm of criticism. A rezoning application for land near the intersection of Fairground and Maidens Road at the far edge of Courthouse Village was recommended for denial by the planning commission 3-2 on August 4. The supervisors are expected to take the final vote on the Fairground application at their September meeting.

Citizens opposed to land use changes flood public hearings, the final steps in the rezoning process.  Many of them have little idea what the county’s comprehensive land use plan is or have ever bothered to read it. (Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/250/2035-Comprehensive-Plan to see for yourself) They complain that the supervisors are ignoring “the will of the people” without bothering to define exactly what percentage of the county population they represent. Goochland has about 25,000 residents. (One percent or so attended the Project Rocky public hearing and otherwise commented on the matter.)

The comp plan spells growth strategies out in detail where specific land uses are considered appropriate. It is revisited every five years or so with community meetings and public hearings, which are not well attended.

Small area plan studies for both Courthouse and Centerville Villages are now underway to gather CITIZEN INPUT on development.

Note: growth will happen. Demanding that no new anything be allowed anywhere near anything is not realistic. While boutiques and farmers markets are charming, they do not generate enough revenue to fund core county services.

People move to Goochland allegedly because they want to live in the country. Rural may be one of those things that’s in the eye of the beholder. GOMM has heard newcomers who live on a sliver of an acre a metaphorical stone’s throw from Short Pump with water, sewer, and high-speed internet, claim that they love living so far out. However, when they get behind slow moving farm equipment, instead of marveling at the ingenuity of machines that enable a relative handful of farmers to feed the world, they whine about the delay.

For the record, farming can be messy, smelly, and noisy at inconvenient times of day. Trees are a crop with a decades long growing season. Newcomers tend to freak out when a parcel of land is timbered, claiming deforestation or some such. No mention of land cleared to build their new Edens, or all those trees that fell across roads and power lines in last January’s snowstorm causing misery for many.

 

All too often these same newcomers are horrified when another subdivision, or even single homes on by right “cuts” from parent tracts, spring up. “We’re here now, pull up the drawbridge and don’t let anyone else in” seems to be their mantra.

If geography is destiny, parts of Goochland are prime sites for economic development, bolstering the county’s tax base to reduce the burden on landowners. Interstate 64 forms the northern spine of the county and Rt. 288  connects to I 95 well south of Richmond, providing access to markets that serve much of the US population. Interchanges should be exploited for development. (The Gum Spring exit is in Louisa County.) So far, this has not happened.

The Oilville exit has a couple of gas/station convenience stores and a lot of vacant land with a big for sale sign that is changed when the paint fades. An initiative to partner with VDOT to upgrade the I64 rest area wastewater facility to provide a limited amount of sewer for the interchange, failed at the last minute a few years ago. Landowners felt betrayed, so don’t expect anything to happen there for a generation or so.

Attendees at the recent Centerville Small Area Plan study midway meeting were asked what kind of industry/development is appropriate for Centerville. There was no response other than restaurants, boutiques, and so forth. Several people mentioned the need for accessible housing but rejected high density residential development that reduces the cost per dwelling unit. Most decried the subdivisions sprouting around the county.

Then there’s the issue of property rights. We all want to tell our neighbors what they can do with their land but reserve the right to do as we please with ours. Finding the balance between those extremes is the goal of good land use and never easy.

The recent announcement that the now defunct Royal Virginia Golf Course near Hadensville was sold to an entity for a Covid memorial is the latest chapter in this story. Folks took to social media to complain that they were not consulted about the sale. How would they have felt if their neighbors wanted control over the sale of their land? Watching this matter unfold will be interesting.

Land use planning is tricky. It involves looking into the future without a crystal ball. Maybe what seems to be a cooling of the hot real estate market of the past couple of years will provide some breathing room for development.

The comp plan has the goal of keeping 85 percent of Goochland rural. The 15 percent, east of Manakin Road and north of Rt. 6, seems to be ground zero for growth.

People move here for rural then complain that restaurants and grocery stores are too far away. They contend that the supervisors prevent new business from locating in Goochland. It is unclear if any of these people have ever risked their own money to open a restaurant or other commercial enterprise, which could fail.

There is no drawbridge to keep growth out of Goochland. Participate in land use issues, especially comp plan revisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the classroom stronger than ever

 

The Goochland High School  Marching band

Educating children is a complicated and challenging endeavor.  The most important element in a successful school division is people collaborating to create an environment where children can discover and maximize the potential of their unique gifts.

On August 15, the annual convocation—a pep rally of the best kind— was held at the high school. Dreary weather did little to dampen the spirits of those gathered to celebrate the start of the school year on the 22^nd.

Superintendent of Schools Jeremy Raley, Ed.D. welcomed Team Goochland—everyone who interacts with students—back for the first “normal” school year since things went sideways on March 13, 2020.

He thanked everyone in the room for bringing their skills, talents, and commitment to excellence to Goochland. “You could work anywhere, but we are grateful you chose us,” Raley said. “It sure feels great to get back to normal.” He alluded to the challenges posed by Covid and played “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” that drew laughter and applause. This year, said Raley, is an opportunity to start fresh and new.

Stronger is the theme for the upcoming school year. Goochland schools, said Raley, preserved through the pandemic. He said that creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and meeting students “where they are” will motivate them to learn and have victories each day.

Service awards were presented to cheers and applause. Longest term veterans Robert Lawrence and Linda Tomlin for 30 years, and 35 year employee Priscilla Garrant received standing ovations for their commitment to Goochland schools.

The skill and ingenuity teachers use to connect with their students and help them succeed is very individual. The school board’s strategic core values of excellence, creativity, courage, honor and optimism (ECCHO) guides them to success.

Teacher of the year Michael Tomlin, Byrd Elementary Reading Specialist, said that being recognized for this honor was humbling. He said that he works with people who went “above and beyond” to deal with the challenges posed by the pandemic during the past couple of years.

The event ending with an appearance by the Goochland Marching band

Thanks to Team Goochland for showing up every day, overcoming challenges, and working together to help our kids obtain the hard and soft skills for a productive and satisfying life.

May the 2022-23 school year be successful and normal!

Visit the website https://www.goochlandschools.org/  to see more about our great school division.

 

Keeping in touch

 

For the past decade or so, Goochland officials have met with the county’s general assembly delegation to share information before the next legislative session. This year’s meeting was held on August 5 at the Residence Inn at the Notch in West Creek.

The board of supervisors, most of the school board, the county administrator, school superintendent, and some constitutional officers, attended the session.

Though our current representatives, Lee Ware, 65^th District; John McGuire, 56^th District, and 22^nd District Senator Mark Peake were redistricted out of Goochland last year, they will still represent us in the 2023 session. The entire General Assembly stands for election in November 2023. This fall, we vote only for Congressional representatives.

(ltr) John McGuire, Mark Peake, Lee Ware, Vic Carpenter

Each year the county and school division compile “legislative agendas” outlining their views on issues that may come before the general assembly. The final versions will be refined and adopted by the county and the schools later in the year.

Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means that localities like Goochland have only those powers given to them by the state legislature. Each year, thousands of bills are introduced in the General Assembly, with only a fraction working through the process to become law. As legislators wade through this volume of proposed bills, it is vital for them to understand how a particular bill could either help or harm their constituents. Goochland, thanks to the efforts of Community Affairs Manager Paul Drumwright, and County Attorney Tara McGee, keeps in close touch with our delegation during the session to ensure they are aware of our views on proposed laws and unintended consequences.

Open meeting

Honoring their pledge to stay on top of infrastructure needed to mitigate traffic issues created by the recently approved “Project Rocky,” the first item on the Board’s agenda was a request for assistance to secure state funding for the second bridge over I64 at Ashland Road. “The governor has been very supportive of this,” Board Chair Neil Spoonhower, District 2, said. “This will help us to keep most of Goochland rural.”

Ware was pleased to learn that the county had already submitted a “Smart Scale” application to VDOT for this. He said that the state currently has a surfeit of cash, some is under state control, some is federal dollars with strings attached. That money is being put to the best use, including refilling the “rainy day” fund; reducing unfunded pension liability; increasing pay for law enforcement officers and the state portion of teacher compensation; and increased mental health funding.

Peak said, “the state has a ton of money, but it’s not real dollars.” Inflation, he contended, will eat up any gains, and predicted that cuts may be necessary down the road to compensate.

McGuire said that he was pleased that more funds were spent on education as well as training and equipment for law enforcement agencies and funding for school resource officers for two years.

Peake and McGuire, who has already announced his 2023 candidacy for the 10^th District state sensate seat, which includes all of Goochland, said that the next session will probably focus on social issues. This is no surprise as they garner the most media attention.

McGuire said that with divided government—Democrats control the state senate, Republicans, the house of delegates—matters don’t go too far to one side. He said that it is impossible for any legislator to be informed on thousands of bills. “The more you educate us on what’s important to you, the more we can help.”  He also said that “crossing the aisle” to work with legislators from the other party is vital to getting bills passed.

Concern about local control over marijuana establishments was at the top of the county list, including the request for a referendum on retail sales. District 1 Supervisor Susan Lascolette said Goochland does not want this “pushed” on the county, but wants to be able to opt in.

Marijuana was one of the most contentious issues last year, said Ware. “Different priorities limited what we could do.”

Election integrity was the next topic. McGuire contended that there is 77 percent approval for a voter ID bill, but whenever legislation is introduced to implement it, opponents contend that enables voter suppression and is racist. He raised concerns about ballot drop boxes. In Goochland, these are located inside the registrar’s office and monitored.

The cost of who pays for social security verification and extra voting time is a perennial issue. “It is incumbent on us (the GA) to come up with the cash when putting extra voting requirements on localities,” said Ware. Currently, localities foot the voting bill, including the cost of party primaries.

Peake said that 45 days for early voting is “nuts”. “Two weeks is all you need before an election.” He said that the time lapse between the start of early voting and counting ballots adds extra work to election officials to verify that those who cast ballots are still eligible to vote on election day. People can die or move in the interim.

Unfunded mandates—when the state requires localities to do something without funding—are a perennial concern for Goochland. They increase the county’s cost of doing business. District 5 Supervisor Ken Peterson said that the Dillon Rule gives localities little control over revenue and taxes. This restriction on localities’ ability to raise revenue could legislate bankruptcy if the GA is not careful, he said.

Ware, a former Powhatan supervisor, is one of the few members of the General Assembly with local government experience. He knows first hand the impact an unfunded decree from Richmond can have on local government budgets.

The supervisors request a compensation board funding study for Constitutional Officers. The state pays a portion of these salaries, but that amount has seriously dwindled over the years.

Peake lamented the lack of transparency in the state budget process. “It’s all done by three people. When it comes up, all we can do is vote for or against it.”

The Schools Division’s list echoed the county’s call for more local control.

 Superintendent Jeremy Raley Ed. D. announced that county schools are fully staffed two weeks before opening day. This, said Raley, is the result of the hard work by all of Team Goochland to create a welcoming work environment and fiscal support from the county.

Building on the excellent work being done by the Career and Technical Education Department, schools support legislation to establish tax credits for businesses that provide career development opportunities for students.

Karen Horn, District 3 School Board member opposed collective bargaining contending that it can be very costly. “We don’t need to pay a mediator; we talk directly to our staff.” Schools support repeal of this legislation.

District 2 School Board member Angela Allen said that Goochland has something special in its school division and needs to protect it from state overreach. “We know what is best for our school division.” The schools would like a reduction in the number and type of Standard of Learning assessments.

Citizen comments

Wendy Hobbs commended McGuire for his willingness to “cross the aisle” to pass legislation. All members of the General Assembly, Hobbs contended, should work together for the benefit of citizens.

Ben Slone welcomed the delegation’s support for funding road improvements for Project Rocky. He also pointed about that Goochland needs help with VDOT and rural transportation even without new development and that we have no control over other local roads.

Sheriff Steven Creasey said that he has been working with Raley to place School Resource Officers in every school. “Our citizens expect to have SROs in every school, and they deserve the best we can give them,” said Creasey.

Governing is a complicated business. Open lines of communication between Goochland and Richmond is vital.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August Board highlights

 

The people’s business must be done, even in the dog days of summer. On August 2, the Goochland Board of Supervisors had a relatively light afternoon agenda.

Audit Committee

A meeting of the county audit committee met for the annual audit kick-off. Mike Garber, a partner with PBMares, the outside accounting firm retained by the county to conduct its yearly audit and prepare the annual certified financial report (ACFR). The county has worked with PBMares for several years. The Committee decided to retain PBMares for one more year before investigating a different auditing firm to allow recently hired County Administrator Vic Carpenter and Director of Financial Services Carla Cave to settle in.

Garber reported that once again, Goochland County is a low-risk auditee having completed a clean audit.

Cave presented projected results for FY22, which ended on June 30, showing an excess of revenues over expenditures of almost $9 million. The county finances are strong, but, Cave cautioned, inflationary trends could paint a very different picture next year. She recommended adjustments to the FY22 budget for $75k to Parks and Recreation, whose intake in fees exceeded its budget, and $121K, $21k of which is federal grant money, for Social Services to adjust for unbudgeted bonuses, increased program usage, and changes in employee health insurance coverage.

(To listen to this meeting go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ click on watch county meetings and select the August 2 session.)

Recognition

Anita Barnes and Neil Spoonhower (Goochland County photo)

At the start of their afternoon meeting, the supervisors recognized Anita Barnes, who is resigning after 33 years of service with the county, most recently as Zoning Administrator. When Barnes began her tenure with Goochland, the planning office was a two-person operation. As that function expanded, Barnes contributed her extensive institutional knowledge of the county to expand excellent service to our citizens.

 

Fire-Rescue

The supervisors joined Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief D.E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. in commending Goochland fire medic Morgan D. Kingston, of the Courthouse Company 5 A Shift, and presenting him with the Fire-Rescue Lifesaver Award for his actions on May 29, 2022. Responding to a distress call on a day when the James River was above flood stage, Kingston leaped into the water to rescue someone who went under trying to catch a personal flotation device after having been trapped in a “strainer” during an outing.  Ferguson reminded everyone that the James River can be very dangerous, especially at flood stage, and to wear personal flotation devices.

Battalion Chief Blake Markey, Morgan Kingston, Fire-Rescue Chief Eddie Ferguson, Deputy Chief Mike Watkins (Goochland County photo)

Goochland Fire-Rescue earned another American Heart Association “Mission Lifeline Award”. This year’s award is at the SILVER PLUS level due to the department’s volume of cardiac emergencies in 2021. This recognition is a direct reflection of the Department’s ability to deliver state-of-the-art prehospital cardiac and stroke care and represents a team effort by all involved. Our fire-rescue providers are well-trained and equipped to deliver the highest standard of patient care.

See the full August Fire-Rescue report beginning on page 39 of the August 2 board packet for details of operations and activities.

A fire-rescue show to demonstrate the skills of our providers will be held on October 8 at Goochland High School beginning at 6 p.m. The event will kick off fire prevention week and conclude with a small fireworks display. Please attend to meet our first responders and see how their skills serve the community.

Compensation study

Excellent governmental service to our citizens does not happen by accident. It’s no secret that entities of all sorts are fiercely competing to recruit and retain the best people.

Because of its small population and budget relative to our neighbors, salary scales in Goochland have not kept pace. The county hired Evergreen Solutions, LLC to conduct a benchmark study to see how compensation in Goochland compares with our larger neighbors and suggest ways for us to compete.

Project Manager Stasey Whichel said that her work examined the county’s compensation plan and how well it worked. Results of an anonymous survey conducted among 280 employees found that people came to work for Goochland County because it was close to home. They liked the benefits, and the compensation initially brought them here, but has become a concern as our neighbors offer fatter paychecks.  Employees stayed, contended Whichel, because of relationships, leadership, and support for staff.

Out of date job descriptions and a desire for more career path opportunities was identified as a reason for employees leaving. Following Covid, said Whichel, people asked for health and wellness support. She was a bit vague about what that might entail.

Whichel said that the study revealed that Goochland’s competitiveness in the market had slipped indicating that 94 percent of county employee compensation was below the region midpoint, which increases employee turnover.

Recommended salary adjustments and position reclassifications hope to avoid salary compression that occurs when the salary of a new hire is comparable to that of a long-term employee with the same skill set.

Cost of living was another factor considered in the study. While fuel and groceries cost pretty much the same throughout the region, housing in Goochland is more expensive.

Whichel said that her firm will help implement the new pay and classification system.

Long story short (go to the video of the afternoon session at about the 1:12 minute marker to hear the entire presentation) the supervisors voted to amend the FY2023 budget so that employees will receive salary increases to address some the disparities with other jurisdictions. The total cost is estimated at approximately $753,305. This amount was approved and adopted in non-departmental expenses through the original budget process and must be transferred to the various departments to cover their added costs. Affected employees will see this raise in their August 15 paychecks.

Neighboring jurisdictions are juggling the same recruitment and retention problem for good employees. Goochland has good employees, who should be compensated as well as we can manage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hard truths

 

Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3, the Goochland Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve rezoning approximately 105 acres on Ashland Road north of Interstate 64 from A-2 agricultural to M-2 industrial. A companion conditional use permit to allow a structure of 120 feet on the same parcel was also unanimously approved. This will pave the way for “Project Rocky,” (PR) a middle mile E commerce distribution center, to rise on the site.

The vote followed several hours of thoughtful, passionate, and civil remarks, mostly from residents of Parkside Village, a 55+ residential enclave in the northeast corner of the county.

Unlike public bodies in some other Virginia jurisdictions, Goochland supervisors welcome citizen engagement at their meetings. All are welcome to attend and make comments, which are carefully considered by board members. Each board member said that they take each comment into careful consideration before voting.

Goochland’s comprehensive land use plan and economic development strategic plan consider the interstate interchanges prime economic development areas, to concentrate commercial growth to keep 85 percent of the county rural. The Ashland Road corridor north of I64 has been industrial in nature for decades. A study performed by Virginia Tech showed that, because of its location, Goochland should target logistics operations for economic development. A middle mile distribution center, like PR, is exactly that.

Opposition to PR, centered on increased traffic on Asland Road between I64 and Pouncey Tract Road. Parkside Village residents contended that tractor trailers hauling cargo from ports in Tidewater to PR would use their neighborhood roads as a shortcut to avoid the clogged Ashland Road/Pouncey Tract intersection, which is in Hanover County. That seems very unlikely. A last-minute proffer added a sign prohibiting left turns toward Pouncey Tract Road from the site.

However, these concerns stem from very real daily instances of large trucks cutting through. Perhaps traffic control measures, like a weight limit on through trucks, could relieve this issue for Parkside Village.

Some speakers—most spoke in opposition—were brief and direct. Their comments were pretty much “there’s too much traffic there, I don’t want it”. Others contended, in detail, that the pollution caused by diesel trucks going to and from PR would create significant health problems in a ten-mile radius from the site. One woman presented a detailed description of the harmful effects of pollution on children and fetal development. She contended that pollution from PR would harm children attending the county’s new elementary school, which is more than 20 miles from PR.

If the end user of PR is the widely suspected E commerce entity, it is entirely possible that it will use electric trucks. The approximately 115 miles distance between Rockville and Tidewater ports puts a round trip well within the expected 300-mile range of an electric tractor trailer.  Truck will access PR from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., when the other businesses in the Ashland Road corridor are closed. Employee shifts will be staggered outside of peak hours.

Another issue was public safety response. Parkside residents were aghast at the notion that, through a mutual aid agreement with Hanover County, EMS calls could be answered from Rockville. Not that long ago, Rockville was in the “first due” territory for Centerville Fire-Rescue Company 3.

Opponents demanded the county build road improvements, including the second bridge over I64 before PR was approved.

Supervisor Ken Peterson, District 5, pointed out that the county tried an “if you build it, they will come” strategy about 20 years ago when it borrowed heavily to pay for the Tuckahoe Creek Service District in expectation that it would attract significant economic development. Instead, the TCSD mired Goochland in debt with little to show for it and “darn near bankrupted the county,” said Peterson. “You can either spend the money and hope the development comes, or wait for revenue from eventual development, which overwhelms your infrastructure, or, what I prefer, you can do them together.” Instead of putting the cart before the horse, Peterson said, hook the horse to the cart and go down the road.

Since the July planning commission meeting, at which time the Ashland Road/I64 improvement was a two-lane diverging diamond, the county has communicated with the governor’s office, and secretaries of transportation and commerce, with indications of support for funding a second bridge over I64. This would enable a four-lane diverging diamond to greatly ease traffic flow.

Supervisor Don Sharpe, District 4, which includes PR and Parkside Village, spelled out the hard truth about improving roads in Virginia. “We could not tax you enough to pay for this ourselves,” he said of the second I64 bridge. Transportation funding in Virginia is incredibly difficult, Sharpe contended. There is only so much money available, only the most pressing needs are funded. If PR was not approved and nothing changed in the corridor, contended Sharpe, traffic congestion will continue to get worse with few options for improvement.

For all the justified complaining about traffic in Goochland, few citizens bother to attend the annual public hearing on the VDOT secondary six-year plan. This is when the supervisors prioritize use of the funds VDOT allocates for road projects in Goochland.

The county has been on a quest for funding to mitigate the I64/Ashland Road congestion for at least seven years. When first submitted to the VDOT “Smart Scale” funding competition, the two-lane diverging diamond interchange (DDI) was ranked 67^th out of 73 projects. Over the years it rose until it was mostly fully funded. (It takes so long for projects to get to the finish line that inflation, even in more normal times, increases the actual cost.)

Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development Jo Ann Hunter, and Sharpe pointed out that only something of the magnitude of PR, estimated to be approximately $500 million, would move the Ashland Road/I64 interchange to the front of the funding line. The investment in Goochland represented by PR is more than the combined new investment in economic development for the previous four years.

In the meantime, PR proffered—that means it must do it—a right turn lane onto I64 west, in addition to double left turn lanes into the site and the longest right turn lane permissible. The I64 right turn land was added after the planning commission presentation. Hunter contended that this would ease congestion at the existing traffic signal, because westbound vehicles would no longer need to wait for the light to change to enter the ramp.

Hunter said that a sound wall built around the truck bays, on the north side of the proposed building, away from residential property to the south, will dampen sound to roughly equivalent to an air conditioner. The project must comply the county’s dark sky lighting regulations.

Traffic from the 1,000 or more employees at PR was another concern. Hunter said that there is adequate parking on the site to accommodate seasonable fluctuation in the workforce. No “satellite” parking facilities are expected. Hunter and Andy Condlin, the attorney representing the applicant, reiterated that there will be no last mile van traffic from PR.

Condlin addressed the complaints about lack of transparency of the end user. The application was filed by Panattoni, LLC, a commercial contractor, who builds facilities all over the country without naming end users, he said. A social media page dedicated to opposing PR is just as opaque.

Peterson recalled that when he voted to approve the rezoning application that created Parkside Village, he was skeptical that anyone would want to live in an industrial area near a quarry. Homes were built and occupied. New residents were surprised to learn that they lived close to an active quarry and other industrial activities including an asphalt plant.

A rezoning application to build homes on land just south of Parkside Village on Pouncey Tract Road, has been withdrawn because it does not follow the Comp Plan, which designates the area for commercial and industrial development.

About 300 people attended the public hearing. They demanded that the supervisors listen to the citizens and do what they wanted. There are approximately 25,000 people in Goochland, all represented by the supervisors.

Citizens who complain that their wishes are ignored never show up for meetings when the comp plan is revised. That is the proper time to weigh in on plans for growth.

Our form of government needs an informed engaged citizenry to function well.

There have been cries for new supervisors. Local elections are next year. Remember, no matter how hard elected officials work to do the people’s business, at least half will be mad at them at any given time. If you run for office and win, be prepared to get lots of angry phone calls from constituents.