is anybody there

 

Last night, October 26, the fall town hall meeting for Goochland districts 4 and 5 was held at the Residence Inn on Broad Street Road. The county and schools shared a lot of good information in an ongoing effort to keep citizens informed about what’s happening here.

The meeting was broadcast via Zoom! with opportunities for those watching online to ask questions in real time. Districts 4 and 5 are home to approximately 10,000 people (2/5 of Goochland’s 25,000 or so residents.) Though better attended than other district meetings, fewer than 100 residents seemed to have paid any attention.

Why? Is it because few people were aware of the meeting?  Was it the time, which could have been dinner/bedtime in some households? Or do most Goochlanders have little interest in local government until they object to something?

To better inform citizens of what’s going on, the county has launched a community engagement survey to find out how you want to receive information. Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCEngagement22 to sound off.

On the upside, the lack of participation could mean that most residents are satisfied with local government and believe they have better things to do with their time.

This may not be the best forum to ask why so few Goochlanders pay attention to local government. If you follow GOMM, you have some interest in county government.

Currently, Goochland is working with consultants to craft small area plans for the Courthouse and Centerville Villages (https://www.goochlandva.us/1201/Goochland-County-Village-Plans-2022). The result is expected to become part of the Comp Plan to deal with growth pressures.

The Town Hall meeting shared a great deal of interesting and useful information. District 5 Supervisor Ken Peterson began the meeting by paying tribute to District 4 Supervisor Don Sharpe who passed away on September 17. Sharpe, said Peterson, was a dedicated public servant, trusted colleague, and true friend.

The supervisors are in the process of selecting and appointing a successor to Sharpe, who will serve until a duly elected candidate from District 4 is certified following the November 2023 election. Under state law the appointment must be made by November 1, or the court will make an appointment to fill the vacancy.

Qualified District 4 voters were invited to apply for the position, with a deadline of October 24. The Board is currently interviewing applicants.

Peterson then welcomed Vic Carpenter, who began work as county administrator on June 20, and Krystal Onaitis, Deputy County Administrator, who came on board on October 17.

Goochland Sheriff Steven N. Creasey began his remarks by explaining that the “furry” aspect of Goochland Deputies is an early start to the annual “No shave November” that raises money for local charities, This year’s recipient is the Matthew Smiles Foundation https://matthew-smiles.org/ that supports mental health for young people.  It was created as a legacy to the memory of a local boy who took his own life.

Creasey listed many services and programs his office provides, including vacation watch, Citizens Academy, and a smart phone app that sends out emergency notifications, including road closures due to accidents. Go to https://www.goochlandsheriff.com/ for complete information.

Next year, two Citizens’’ Academies will be offered, one in the evening and a daytime version. Due to the success of the car show sponsored by the Sheriff’s Office last month, another is planned.

Carpenter said that the county has received a grant to provide resource officers at each of the county’s five schools. “Our kids will be safe,” he declared. He commended count public safety, Fire-Rescue and emergency Service and Animal Protection.

“We had an ice storm, tornados, water main breaks, and a rabid raccoon and our citizens were well served,” said Carpenter. He recognized 911 dispatchers as first responders who not only make sure appropriate resources get to where they’re needed quickly but are also trained in emergency medical dispatch to provide life saving phone instructions while help is on the way.

The Goochland Fire-Rescue Show held behind the high school on October 7 drew more than 800 people who got a glimpse of the skill of our first responders.

Although fire-rescue call volume had increased, response times went in the other direction.

The periodic review from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) was recently conducted. Ratings given to a locality by this organization impact rates for homeowners’ insurance. Carpenter was optimistic that county ISO ratings will improve.

The October 7 water main break near the intersection of West Creek Parkway and Rt. 288 that resulted in a more than two-day boil water notice comes under the heading of “stuff happens”, said Carpenter. Department of Public Works technicians located the break within 30 minutes of the first report of low water pressure and had restored water to all customers by 5 p.m. The break as repaired by midnight. The boil water notice was required by health protocols.

Matt Longshore Director of Public Utilities said that the county’s SCADA system, which monitors pressure in utility lines, quickly pinpointed the location of the break, enabling crew to begin repairs.

Carpenter listed projects underway including upgraded lighting for the athletic field behind the administration building, which will be dark sky compliant and eliminate shadows on the playing field. An upgrade to the skate park, near the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads is, thanks to a public private partnership, is in the process of Phase I improvements.

Work on the roundabout in the same area is also underway. Carpenter said that no closure of Sandy Hook Road is expected, though Fairground may be closed for 30 days. Construction is expected to be finished in October of 2023.

Project Rocky, the estimate $500 million investment in an ecommerce facility on Ashland Road continues to generate controversy. Residents of Parkside Village, in the northeast corner of the county, reiterated opposition to this project claiming that the county process was not transparent because the name of the end user was not divulged. They contend that, due to increased traffic on Ashland Road generated by the project, they will not receive prompt emergency response from fire-rescue and the sheriff’s office.

 

The Ashland Road I64 interchange is already “failing” said Carpenter. Without Project Rocky, it was unlikely that funding to improve those roads would be forthcoming. A second bridge will be built over the interstate to enable a four lane diverging diamond traffic pattern. This improvement, supported by the governor and secretaries of transportation and commerce, may not be completed for a few years after Project Rocky is finished.

Peterson touted the county’s strong financial position. Goochland us the smallest jurisdiction population wise to have earned three AAA bond ratings.

Residents in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, who pay an extra 32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to service the massive debt that was incurred 20 years ago to build water and sewer infrastructure in parts of the east end, were not impressed. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/Faq.aspx?TID=41,  to learn more. Some TCSD homeowners contend that the debt service should be spread among all county taxpayers.

Peterson and Carpenter encouraged everyone to stay engaged with local government and watch meetings online, or, even better, attend in person, to find out what’s going on. Many seats in the board room are too often empty. Local government is made better by active citizen participation.

Goochland Superintendent of School, Jeremy Raley Ed.D. gave a brief update on education. He reported that, after the high weird of the pandemic, county schools are back in the business of teaching kids in person every day. “We serve every child who walks through our doors,” said Raley. Our schools got the year off to a strong start.

Raley reported that for the fifth consecutive year, the Goochland County school district, with just under 2,600 students, was named first in the region by Niche.com. All five county schools are accredited and named Apple Distinguished Schools, an honor shared with only 700 schools worldwide; a nationally recognized Special Olympics Unified Campion School; a 97 percent graduation rate; and recognized for excellence in budgeting by the Government Finance Officers Association. Go to https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/fast-facts for the list. It’s impressive.

Goochland High School’s Career and Technical Education program is the only one in the state able to provide students with work ready skills that enable them to go straight into the workforce.

Plans for the new Goochland Elementary School are kicking into high gear. Last year, county voters overwhelmingly approved a bond referendum to replace the obsolete school in Courthouse Village.

An innovative school design was approved last year and was tweaked after the inflation gremlins appeared. Bids are expected in the next few weeks. Go to https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/new-ges-construction-project for details.

This is not your grandmother’s elementary school. As education evolves, so do schools. Children no longer sit in straight rows passively listening to lessons. Teaching now is creative and interactive.  “If we want our students to do the work of the future, we need to prepare them with the tools of the future,” Raley said.

Lots of good things are happening in Goochland as it negotiates the unknowns of the future. Please pay attention and encourage your neighbors to tune in also!