Big ticket items

 

Putting their heads together

On the Friday afternoon before Christmas, Goochland supervisors put their heads together for a capital improvement plan (CIP) workshop to review capital needs for the county.

By FY2030, the county will need to fund at least $153,955,764 in capital projects. Of that total, $23,594,00 are utility projects, which are funded by connection fees and operating budget.

During several meetings in 2025, the audit committee discussed county financial policies established to ensure good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Thanks to the hard work of supervisors elected in 2011 and former County Administrator Rebecca T. Dickson, Goochland earned three AAA bond ratings, which enables it to borrow money at better than market rates to finance capital projects, which include buildings and equipment with large price tags and useful life longer than five years.

The supervisors decided to reduce the policy ratio of debt to assessed valuation contending that the existing ratios were far more conservative than neighboring jurisdictions and these funds should be put to work. Exactly how that will be implemented is still to be determined.

County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley said the purpose of the December 19 session was the continuation of conversations about high profile capital assets and to gauge board sentiment about funding options going forward. Departments presenting were public utilities, transportation, fire-rescue, and updates about the space study and courthouse construction project. No decisions were made.

(To view the entire information dense three-hour meeting, go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ click on “watch county meetings” and select BoS meeting December 19. Thanks to Director of Information Technology Dan Stowers and his team for recording the meeting and posting it online in a very timely manner.)

 

Utilities

Elizabeth McDonald, our new director of public utilities, gave an overview of completed and ongoing DPU projects.

Working closely with Fire-Rescue, McDonald reported that all 52 “problematic” fire hydrants in need of repair or maintenance have been fixed and no known fire hydrant issues remain in the system.  She expressed the need for a formalized hydrant maintenance program to identify problems and address them quickly.

McDonald reported that completed or almost finished DPU projects, including a Plaza Drive waterline extension and replacement of the force main from the eastern Goochland Pump Station have come in under budget. The slightly more than $1 million budgeted for those projects will be returned to the utility CIP budget.

Funded ongoing projects include the Sandy Hook Road water loop, expected to improve reliability of water service in the Courthouse Village area and support development along the Fairground Road extension. This will not be started until the Fairground Road extension kicks off in 2027.

An “air stripping” system for the Courthouse Village elevated water tank, with an estimated cost of $245K to reduce the EPA mandared levels of trihalomethanes, a disinfectant by product that increases due to temperature and water age, is needed as soon as possible. This requires installation of equipment, which would take about a month to complete, said McDonald.

An upgrade to the Vally View Lane pump station and force main in Courthouse Village to increase its capacity from the current 200 gallons per minute to 580 gpm to accommodate expected growth is also on the list. The increase in pump size and force main velocity will also require increasing pipe size from six to eight inches. The project, with an expected cost of $1,681,000, can be funded over multiple fiscal years.

The Eastern Goochland Pump Station (on the north side of Rt. 6 just east of Tuckahoe Pines) pumps are nearing the end of their useful life, said McDonald, and have started to require additional maintenance. For FY2027 she requested $150k for a condition assessment to determine the next best steps to maintain pumping capacity.

Most of the EGPS, approximately 75 percent, capacity is used by Henrico, which pays a pro rata portion of the cost. The facility has four pumps but was built with slots for six to accommodate growth.

A proposed Rockville connection to the Henrico County water system which will require approval from Henrico, would add a reliable and permanent emergency water source for customers north of I64. It would also improve quality. The total estimated cost of the project is $1 million. Talks with Henrico are ongoing.

A Ridgefield Parkway booster pump station and ground storage tank to support growth and fire flow has an estimated price tag of $16.768 million. This was identified in the 2015 utility master plan for 2035, but development needs pulled it forward. Most public water in the east end of Goochland comes from Henrico County through the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, or other agreements.

A low-pressure sewage collection and conveyance system to bring sewer service to about 75 properties along River Road West in Courthouse Village, which can be phased over multiple years. The estimated cost is $4.5 million.

The West Creek River Road flow control project, to improve water pressure in Lower Tuckahoe may not be needed as operational improvements may have addressed the issue. McDonald asked residents in this area that are still experiencing pressure issues to contact DPU at 804-556-5835.

In summary, DPU capital requests total $520k for FY27, and $14,223,000 for FY28. Utilities are funded by connection fees and customer service charges.

Early next year, said McDonald, DPU staff will present the updated utility master plan.

 

Roads

County Engineer Austin Goyne said that a new website: https://goochlandva.us/roads  contains consolidated information about all county transportation projects.

The Ashland Road/I64 interchange improvements are moving along with completion expected in August of 2029. Extending Fairground Road to Rt. 6 in Courthouse Village will get underway in 2027 with expected completion also in 2029.

Bids for the roundabout at the Oilville Road/westbound I-64 off ramp to mitigate treacherous evening rush conditions there will be solicited early in 2026 with completion expected in September 2027. Acquisition of rights of way for a roundabout at the intersection of Fairground and Maidens Road are scheduled to begin in November 2028, with completion anticipated for August of 2030.

Other current projects also include sidewalk plans for Courthouse Village between Goochland Cares and Reed Marsh. Goyne said that current assumptions use a VDOT template that anticipates completion at the end of 2029 is “extremely conservative.” He said that “staff and our consultant will work diligently to deliver the project well ahead of schedule.”

The realignment of Hockett Road to connect with Ashland Road at Broad Street Road is chugging along. First mentioned around 2013, a new proposed route, placing a roundabout in front of the VRCC Vet Emergency Clinic, which avoids flood plain and creek impacts that complicated the previous plan has been proposed. Completion could be as early as 2029. There will be a public hearing on the new alignment on January 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Dover Church on Manakin Road.

Looking ahead, solutions to the Ashland/Rockville Road interchange are being investigated.

Goochland, like most Virginia localities, is dependent on VDOT for road construction and maintenance. Roads are paid for through a complicated, almost byzantine process involving different subagencies and regional authorities and competing with other jurisdictions for projects with regional impacts.

Goyne said that establishing better lines of communication between Goochland and VDOT improves outcomes. He cited early completion of the Sandy Hook/Fairground Road roundabout as an example.

Improvements to Rt. 288 are also in the works.

District 2 Supervisor Neil Spoonhower, along with Goyne and Transportation Manager Patrick Longerbeam, represents the county on the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) https://cvtava.org/. Spoonhower pointed out that these road projects, whose cost is estimated around $76 million, are funded mostly through grants, awards, and VDOT money, not the county general fund.  Thanks to Goyne’s focus on securing various funding mechanisms, Goochland has secured a total of $200 million to pay for these road improvements. Spoonhower, who also works to leverage regional transportation partnerships to the county’s advantage, contended that over five years, Goochland will receive about $200 million in transportation funding, which is an excellent return on the $20 million we generate in sales and gas tax.

Emergency Communications

Major Mike East of the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office explained the need for a new communications tower in the northeast sector of the county. Deputies, fire-rescue providers, animal control, and dispatchers must be able to talk to each other and neighboring agencies.

Currently, the county has five towers and uses a conventional radio system installed in 2017, which, said East, makes it something of a dinosaur tech wise. Handheld radios can communicate with radio towers from 6-10 miles away depending on topography, weather, structure density, and tower height.

Last summer the Creekmore tower, went “down” creating a dead zone for handheld radios in the east end.  Vehicle radios were not impacted, but incident response is often on foot. A “mayday” call from a firefighter injured inside a burning structure, or an “officer down” call on a handheld radio could not reach dispatch to summon help.

Another tower would add redundancy to the system.

East said that the GCSO is also investigating a transition to a “trunking” system, which will improve communications with neighboring jurisdictions. Goochland, said East, is currently “on an island” when communicating with our partners in other counties.

The estimate cost for the tower, including land acquisition, is $4.245 million in a FY28 timeframe.

Fire-Rescue

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management focused his presentation on apparatus, ambulances, engines, and tankers. The fire-rescue fleet has the potential to have eight engines in service, six of which, one for each exiting station, are primary, the others reserve.

Last month, while responding to a call on the Rt. 288 bridge over the James River, an engine was hit by a drunk driver, totaling the vehicle. Thankfully, no lives were lost. Insurance on the loss was $194,750. The other reserve engine is being repaired, leaving the county with no reserve engines. This, said Ferguson, is not a unique situation.

As most of the county is not served by public water, tankers are needed to transport water to fires. Some tankers in the fleet date back to 2002 have high mileage and can be expensive to repair.

Engines, tankers, and ambulances are not only expensive, but have very long delivery lead times, up to four years. Ferguson said that apparatus prices are estimated to increase 12 percent per year.

Ferguson presented two scenarios for apparatus procurement. One, order multiple units early to arrive in the same year that funding is allocated, which he contended would save $786,838. The other is to order units in the same budget year that funding becomes available, costing $786,838 more. Ordering ahead could lock in current pricing.

Construction on Station 8 on Whitehall Road has been put out to bid, which closes next month. Architectural and engineering for Station 7 on Hockett Road may be put out to bid early next year.

A study of county space needs is in progress. Discussions about the new circuit courthouse are also ongoing.

An addition to the high school to accommodate Goochland’s exceptional career and technical education (CTE) program has a placeholder of $20 million but was mentioned only in passing as the supervisors wondered if this number should be increased.

Funding

Among funding options for CIP are cash proffers, paid by developers, to offset certain capital needs resulting from growth. These include schools, fire-rescue, roads, parks, and libraries. Proffers have generated a total of $8,410.579, but must be allocated by category, and in some cases, geographically.

General obligation bonds, whose $96 million issue was overwhelmingly approved in a 2021 referendum are a potential funding source. Some were issued in 2022; the remainder could cover public safety projects. Financing could be obtained through the Virginia Resources Authority.

County financial policy limits debt service to 12 percent of general fund expenditures with a target of 10 percent. Existing debt service is about five percent. Adding $101,500,000 in debt financed projects is estimated to hit 10 percent in FY29 and 30, easing a bit thereafter.

No decisions were made at the meeting, but the board clearly learned a lot and has a lot to ponder over the holiday break. May they find the wisdom to fund these capital needs in a fiscally responsible manner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safety first

 

Goochland Fire Marshal Doug Davies

The Goochland Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met in the county administration building on December 15. Established more than two decades ago to comply with federal regulations, the LEPC operates under Goochland Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services comprised of volunteers from local businesses, county agencies, citizens to create local emergency response mitigation strategies.

Robin Hillman, Emergency Management Coordinator, who oversees the LEPC, greeted the group.

Lithium-ion batteries

Goochland Fire Marshal Doug Davies discussed hazards posed by lithium-ion batteries, their safe use, storage and disposal. If not used properly, these batteries could catch on fire or explode.

If you are reading this on a smart phone or tablet, you are holding a lithium-ion battery in your hands. Their high energy density, small size, light weight, and fast charging capabilities enables them to power things ranging from smart phones to electric vehicles. They are a marvel of modern technology, but if not handled properly, they can pose a serious threat to health and property.

“Always use a charger that came with the device, and do not overcharge,” warned Davies. He conceded that most of us plug in a device and leave it overnight. This can lead to overcharging, which can result in the batteries igniting due to thermal runaway.

He suggested taking time to research products with lithium-ion batteries before buying. A stamp from a nationally recognized testing lab on the package means that the product meets important safety standards.

Always use the cables and charger that came with the product, or those approved by the manufactures rather than less expensive ones that claim to be “compatible” with your device.

Follow manufacturer charging instructions, charge on a hard surface, not a bed, pillow or couch, which could cause a fire. Unplug the device and charger when you are done.

Charge large devices like electric bikes, scooters, and power tools outside.

Keep batteries at room temperature when possible. Do not charge them at temperatures below 32 degrees or above 105 degrees. Do not leave devices sitting in the sun, this could also cause fire and explosion. If batteries are hot to the touch or show signs of wear, they should be moved away from anything that can burn and replaced. If you have concerns, call 911 for help in evaluating the situation

Lithium-ion battery fires grow fast, are very hot, and hard to extinguish. If there is a battery fire, do not put water on it, call 911, get outside and stay there. Fumes from these battery fires are very toxic.

Davies said that extinguishing this type of fire, which burns very hot, requires huge amounts of water. Fires in electric vehicles, whose batteries are underneath the chassis can burn for days as thermal runaway runs its course. Special fire blankets, which smother EV fires and bottle up toxic fumes, can be used in some situations.

Dispose of lithium-ion batteries at a battery recycling facility. Visit call2recycle.org to find a local battery recycling drop off. Do not put them in household trash as they could start a fire. Do not put discarded batteries in piles.

Code Red

Hillman said that “Code Red” the service that the county used to disseminate information about emergency situations, was victim of a nationwide cyber-attack earlier this year, after which Goochland stopped using it. In the event of an emergency, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management alert system will be used to communicate with the public. Beginning in the new year, Goochland will migrate all Code Red information to a new system, Everbridge, which will enable the county to deliver crucial emergency information via phone, text, and email to residents and businesses.

Power Outages

Adam Nesbitt, Supervisor at Dominion Energy Regional Operations Center in Richmond, explained that the power company keeps a forward looking eye on weather conditions to anticipate adverse weather and perform proactive damage assessments to position extra crews in an area before they are needed.

He said that 90 percent of the time Dominion does not know when power is out. Customer reports of outages are vital to restoration efforts. “The more calls we get, the more precise our response to prepare the damage is,” Nesbitt said. If there are no other issues, like cold weather, high winds, and ice on lines, power is typically restored in a 3-4 hour window.

During widespread outages, power restoration priority is given to hospitals, fire-rescue stations, and E911 centers. Lots of eyes are deployed to survey damage so that when crews arrive on scene, they know what they need to do,

Nesbitt said customers should go to https://www.dominionenergy.com/virginia/report-outage-or-emergency to report an outage and get information about restoration or download the app at https://www.dominionenergy.com/updates/dominion-energy-app

 

 

 

A gift of life

 

Inova Blood donor services processing donors

On Thursday December 11, Goochlanders rolled up their sleeves to give the gift of life to Inova Blood donor services.

Earlier this year, Goochland Fire-Rescue made a monumental advancement in local emergency medical care. Partnering with Chesterfield Fire &EMS; Virginia State Police MedFlight 1; and Inova Blood Services, Goochland EMS now has two pints of O positive blood available for pre-hospital emergency care. This is a life saving measure for trauma victims in danger of bleeding out before reaching a hospital. Once again Goochland Fire-Rescue is one of the few regional EMS agencies that have implemented an innovative lifesaving protocol.

Blood donors completing paperwork

(See GOMM “Fire-Rescue advances emergency care” for details.)

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Goochland’s Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services expressed his appreciation to all who participated in this first drive for Inova Blood Donor Services. He thanked County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley for donating and allowing county staff to do so as well.

Joshua Maitz, Inova Blood Account Manager said of the event “This was a strong turnout that helped establish a growing engaged donor base in this territory that we can continue building upon.”

The drive’s collection goal was 50 pints, of which 42 were collected.

Ferguson looks forward to continued community support for Inova blood drives.

 

 

Tid bits

 

View from the admin building

The afternoon sessions of monthly meetings of the Goochland Board of Supervisors address routine items that need formal board approval. Since taking Goochland’s helm last June, County Administrator Jeremy Raley, Ed. D.  has reinstated department reports to share insights into the workings of different agencies.

Did you know?

Raley begins board meetings with thumbnail reports on county operations.

On December 2, he commended the collaboration between the information technology and fire-rescue departments who recently “migrated” technology from more than 30 legacy Panasonic “Toughbooks"  which cost about $5,000 each to Apple iPads, which cost about $700 each to improve performance and standardize fire-rescue equipment. This strategic abandonment, said Raley, saves Goochland taxpayers about $129k.

The Federal government is requiring all public water utilities to identify the material used in the water lines for homes they service. Raley said that Goochland department of public utilities has this data for most homes connected to our water lines, but some remain outstanding. Those homeowners will be receiving a letter asking for information about the material used in their water lines. If you receive one of these letters and are unable to self-identify your piping, DPU will be happy to help. Go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1380/Lead-Copper-Rule-Revisions-Information for details.

The Goochland Community Services Board (CSB) provided services for 417 residents in their homes. This translates into an industry leading engagement rate of 85 percent. This, said Raley, indicates a high level of client satisfaction with the agency.

He also commended County Engineer Austin Goyne, who recently returned to Goochland government, for updating the transportation tab on the county website with information about road projects.

The December 2 board meeting included the following presentations:

CASA

Renae Townsend, the Executive Director  of Goochland Powhatan Court Appointed Special Advocates  (https://goochlandpowhatan.casa/) explained that her agency is the “eyes and ears” of the juvenile and domestic relations court for cases involving abused and neglected children.

Townsend thanked the board for its financial support for CASA, which is in its 21^st year.

Community and economic development

Sara Worley, Deputy County Administrator for Community and Economic Development, gave a summary of activity for the past six months. She said that Goochland is experiencing robust growth, with population increasing by 14 percent since 2020 and $760 commercial investment in the last five years, which does not include the $5Billion investment from Eli Lilly, announced in September.

Worley said that her department’s goal is to attract high quality development. According to Site Selector magazine, two of the top five economic development projects, the Amazon facility on Ashland Road and Eli Lilly pharmaceutical manufacturing faculty recently announced in West Creek, in Virginia are in Goochland.

Goochland Economic Development was the recipient of the top project community impact award in 2025, for the Eli Lilly plant, by the Virginia Economic Developers Association

In the past year, the county economic development team met with 63 businesses and assisted with more than 300 business needs. Worley said that the hard work of the supervisors and Economic Development Authority has resulted in $430 million in actual investment and more that $6 billion in active construction.

She also reported a 15 percent increase in tourism revenue from the previous year.

The county is one of the fastest growing jurisdictions in the Commonwealth, which brings increased demands for service from citizens, landowners, and developers who need county services to capitalize on their real estate investment.

While the number of building permits issued by the county has remained steady, they are far more complex. She used the Avery Point continuing care community in West Creek, and the Amazon project on Ashland Road as examples.

Excellent customer service is a high priority for her department and the county, said Worley. To that end, a strategic reorganization to create “additional bandwidth” to focus on areas that needed improvement began last summer when she was appointed to fill a second deputy county administrator role. The reorganization included adding a dedicated development administrator, a plats officer, and code enforcement officer to improve efficiency and customer service. Key areas that need process reform or “tweaks” to enhance operational efficiency are ongoing. Delays and deficiencies in these areas was attributed to understaffing and attrition of a key employee.

Worley reported that the changes have resulted in significant reduction in the number of outstanding plan reviews, which will be used to measure performance going forward. She outlined changes in personnel and procedures whose goal is to reduce permit processing times. New software to enable more accurate tracking of permitting and other development procedures, is expected to be online in the new year. (To hear Worley’s full presentation, go the “watch county meetings” tab on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ select the December 2 BoS meeting beginning at about the 45-minute mark.)

Worley reported that the county’ s utility master plan update is nearing completion. She said that the front-facing customer service team is being cross trained to provide better service. As the complexity and volume of development related activities increases, Worley anticipates requesting additional personnel to meet these demands in the FY27 budget.

Pamunkey Regional Library

Zach Roberts, Director of the Pamunkey Regional Library, (https://www.pamunkeylibrary.org/)  a consortium comprised of Goochland and Hanover counties, said that since joining PRL earlier this year, he has been meeting with all staff members and learn how the library operates.

The Goochland Branch Library, located on River Road West in Courthouse Village, roughly opposite the county administration building, is well used by our community. In the last year, said Roberts, there has been a massive increase in the number of people engaging with the library beyond the staple “come in and check out physical materials” use. Last year there were more than 500 programs at the Goochland Branch, where people participated in programs including story time, art classes, and wide range of engagement opportunities. (Check out the Goochland Branch on the PRL website for a list of programs)

Roberts thanked the supervisors for funding extended library hours, which increased use and said that the meeting room and smaller spaces are heavily used. Circulation last year, including digital checkouts for audio and eBooks was 71,000. Goochland library staff answered 25k questions last year either in person or by phone.

The county refurbished the library’s meeting space, restrooms, and story well in the children’s section last year. “Goochland has been a wonderful partner, helping us maintain the building,” Roberts said.

Going forward, the library is exploring outreach opportunities to offer services outside the building.

 PRL is working on a strategic plan to better serve the community. To that end Roberts will be holding several town halls at each branch to hear what patrons want from their library. The sessions for Goochland are Saturday, January 10 from 1:30-3 and Wednesday, January 28 from 2-3:30. Go to the PRL site to sign up.

Suggestions were made to provide some sort of library presence in eastern Goochland, perhaps some sort of “vending machine” to allow patrons to collect physical materials checked out electronically without going to Courthouse Village. A bookmobile to bring materials to different parts of the county and getting the word out about using virtual library access to east end residents were also discussed.

 

 

 

 

Goochland County recognizes employees with over 350 years of cumulative service

From a Goochland County press release: 

 

Goochland, VA - Goochland County is proud to recognize their employees for their exceptional dedication and commitment to the community.

 

On Tuesday, December 2^nd, forty employees were recognized for their combined 370 years of service. These individuals play a vital role in providing high quality core services to Goochland residents.

 

“Today we recognize these employees for their dedication and service to the Goochland community.”, said Dr. Raley, County Administrator. "Their passion and commitment to selfless service shines through in the impactful work they do for our residents.

 

Goochland County is grateful for the hard work and dedication of our employees. Below is a list of employees recognized during the event: 

 

5 Years

Jason Baehr

Nick Baird

William Beatley

Sarah Bryant

Trey Carter

Linda Coles

Joseph Cook

Jason Cox

Jacqueline Daniels

Madeline Davies

Sandra Ward

Kendal Dolan

Mike Hanckel

Chris Martinez

David Morris

Arla Newton

Margaret Parrish

Janice Rutledge

Sydney Warren

Mike Watkins

Robert Wilfong

Tommy Woodson

Rebecca Woody

 

10 Years

Amanda Adams

Gregory Atkinson

Stanley Carrington

Janet Fontenot

Ruth Jackson

David Kolenich

Michael Mills

Robert Mills

Rory O'Shaughnessy

Chad St. John

 

20 Years

Brenda Anthony 

Gary Fisher 

Kevin Forman

Sara Worley

 

30 Years

Jennifer Brown

Steven Creasey

 

 Thanks to Goochland County for sharing images of some of the honorees with Board of Supervisors' Chair Tom Winfree, District 3.

 

Eli Lilly moves forward

 

During the afternoon session of its December 2 meeting the Goochland Board of Supervisors approved various items and resolutions for the Eli Lilly project.

County leaders on September 16 

On September 16, Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin announced that Eli Lilly will make a $5 billion investment in Goochland to build the company’s first integrated active pharmaceutical ingredient and drug product plant. It will be built in the West Creek Business Park on a 227-acre parcel currently being used as a soccer complex. Construction is expected to begin early next year. West Creek was created more than 40 years ago to attract this kind of development.

The facility, whose completion is expected in the next five years, will bring 650 high-paying technical jobs to the county and 1,800 construction-related jobs to build it. For every dollar invested by Lilly, four dollars are expected to be generated in local economic activity.

Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3, said the Lilly project is transformational for Goochland.

During the presentation of the Lilly items, Deputy County Administrator Sara Worley said that each manufacturing job will generate multiple other positions, including logistics and retail. The Lilly facility will employ highly skilled engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and lab technicians.

The supervisors approved a resolution requesting the Eli Lilly project be accepted into the Expedited Permitting Program under the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program run by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership

A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), which typically takes several months to complete, is a required part of site plan approval process. To expediate the site readiness and recruit Eli Lilly, Goochland County agreed to contract with an engineering firm to perform the TIA.  At its October 15, 2025, meeting, the Goochland County Economic Development Authority (EDA) voted to approve funding to execute a contract to begin the TIA. This will allow Lilly to start the TIA process and remain in the desired timeframe for the construction of their facility.  The supervisors approved a transfer of $156,640 from the General Fund to the EDA for this purpose.

Worley explained that economic incentives for the Lilly  project are based on a performance agreement, which “ specifies that Eli Lilly, in connection with the construction, equipping, and operation of the Facility, will invest at least Two Billion One Hundred Forty Eight Million, Seven Hundred Ninety Three Thousand Nineteen and 00/100 Dollars ($2,148,793,019.00) of which approximately Eight Hundred Twelve Million Seven Hundred Sixty Seven Thousand Two Hundred Twenty Nine and 00/100 Dollars ($812,767,229.00) will be invested in machinery & tools, and at least One Billion Three Hundred Thirty Six Million Twenty Five Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety and 00/100 Dollars ($1,336,025,790.00) will be invested in the construction and upfits of new buildings.” 

 

Worley said that “the incentive will provide tax reimbursements of up to Forty-Five Million, Eight Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-One and 00/100 Dollars ($45,864,691.00) over twenty years. She noted that the tax reimbursements are from increased tax revenue generated by Lilly, no existing tax revenue will be rebated as these are tax dollars that would not exist without the Lilly investment. The reimbursements will continue until the first of $45 million is rebated or 20 years elapses. “At the end of 20 years, the county will have received at least $100 million in direct tax revenue in addition to spin off benefits including job creation and related industry locations and expansion in Goochland.”

The tax reimbursements are as follows: 45% of incremental real estate taxes actually paid by Eli Lilly and actually received by the County for the prior calendar year that are over and above the real estate taxes assessed at the value of the Project Site as of January 1, 2027.  • 45% of the business personal property taxes actually paid by Eli Lilly and actually received by the County for the prior calendar year (excluding vehicles). • 55% of the machinery and tools taxes actually paid by Eli Lilly and actually received by the County for the machinery and tools for the prior calendar year.”

Worley confirmed that neither the Tuckahoe Creek Service District (TCSD) ad-valorem tax nor the 55% revenue sharing portion of the base real-estate tax used to service the TCSD debt will be rebated. This will accelerate the demise of the dreaded ad valorem tax.

The Commonwealth of Virginia was deeply involved in attracting Lilly to Goochland. Creation of a workforce program in the community college system, helping Lilly recruit, and adding $10 million to support CTE programs, including Goochland’s excellent one, was part of the package.

Winfree pointed out that the incentives are based on a $2.1 billion investment, but the actual number is $5 billion. He contended that the county would keep all revenues generated over the lower figure.

In addition to expressing gratitude for the state support, Winfree commended Worley and staff and others who worked hard to bring Lilly to Goochland.

Go to chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://goochlandcountyva.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1511&Inline=True beginning on page 101 to read the agreement.

 

Dominion West Creek project

On December 4 Dominion Energy held a community meeting at the Residence Inn at the Notch to gather input about routes for a new double circuit 230kv transmission line, a new West Creek substation. The new line is needed to ease the load on the local distribution network serving Goochland County, support the Lilly project, and maintain reliable electric service. Two representatives from Lilly joined many knowledgeable Dominion employees who fielded many questions.

There were two sessions, one from 1-3 and the second beginning at 5 p.m. At least 100 interested parties reportedly visited in the afternoon. Attendance was also robust at the later session.

Dominion Energy rep (r) explains project to concerned citizens

Displays around the room included photos of exiting conditions and how they would look after the lines were installed. There was a display outlining the permitting process, which included approval from the State Corporation Commission, which has regulatory authority over all energy providers in Virginia. The SCC validates the need for the proposed line and approves the route and structures needed to support the power lines that move the electrons. The SCC considers whether potential impacts on scenic assets, historic districts, and the environment have been minimized. A timeline of the approval process estimated approval in the summer of 2026 with completion of construction in winter of 2028.

The new line plans to use 120-foot-tall monopoles located in 100-foot rights-of-way. Photo simulations include before and after elevations of different sites along possible routes. Several people complained that the photos used in the simulations were taken when the leaves were on the trees and did not portray a “worst case” view of the proposed power lines.

Power line support structures to move electrons

The study area encompasses most of West Creek from Rt.  6 to just north of I-64. Go to https://www.dominionenergy.com/westcreek to explore the route maps and photo simulations.

Possible routes to connect power transmission lines to a new proposed West Creek substatio, illustrated as being on the east side of Rt.  288 a bit south of the Lilly site, on land now vacant and wooded, pretty much hug 288 or run through undeveloped land east of 288.

Dominion allegedly would like feedback about the project, but the mechanism to do so on the website is so cumbersome that it defeats the purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snow day

Be careful out there

At last Tuesday's meeting of the Goochland Board of Supervisors, Phillip Frazier, Resident Engineer for the VDOT Ashland residency, explained VDOT's snow removal procedures.

Go to https://goochlandva.new.swagit.com/videos/362392 at about the 15 minute mark to view.

VDOT handles all road maintenance for Goochland.

Thanks to all who are dealing with today's weather!

The auditors cometh

 

At a meeting of the Goochland Finance and Audit Committee held on the morning of December 3, Mike Garber and Andrea Nichols, representatives of the county’s outside auditors PBMares (https://www.pbmares.com/) reviewed the annual certified financial report (ACFR) for FY25, which ended on June 30, and discussed other financial issues. Garber presented the ACFR to the board of supervisors during its afternoon meeting.

The Committee is comprised of three supervisors, Jonathan Christy, District 1; Tom Winfree, District 3; Charlie Vaughters, District 4; County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley; and the director of finance. Dave Wilson is serving as interim director of finance while the county recruits for that position.

The Committee last met on August 5 for the kickoff of the annual audit process when the work schedule for the audit was discussed.  The bulk of onsite testing that included various layers of review and quality control for accounting and data collection was scheduled to begin in September.

On December 2, Garber reported that PBMares will issue an unmodified—clean—report for Goochland’s FY 25 financial statements, well in advance of the state submission deadline of December 15.

However, Garber said that some material weaknesses were identified in the audit process earlier in the year at the county level that did not include the school division or economic development authority. These errors were adjusted so that the final numbers are correct. No evidence of fraud or illegal acts was detected. The issue was one of policy execution focus, or lack thereof, at the “staff base.”  After several years of glowing audit reports, this was disconcerting.

“Most of this had to do with just being prepared for the audit when we (PBMares) got here. Once we dug into some numbers and looked at different things, there were adjustments, which is unusual for Goochland," said Garber. For the past several years, annual ACFR reports from the auditors commended the finance department and all county participants in the audit process for attention to detail and thoroughness of preparation.

When these discrepancies were discovered, Garber said that he “pivoted” to Raley. “The real comfort is that this is being addressed to make sure that we go right back to everything we were doing before which is clean, no deficiencies, nothing noted.”

There were “significant” adjustments in the capital projects fund. “It’s part of our job not to just gloss over this but to make sure that we have pointed out to this group what those adjustments have been,” Garber told the committee.

“The governance is still sound. We now need to make sure that what we are doing is the blocking and tackling (GOMM told you there would be sports analogies) to go right back to the standard,” said Garber who contended this is achievable is short order.

Multiple entry errors, exacerbated by lack of a third quarter review of reconciliations, were further complicated by “compression”—too few people trying to do to perform too many complex tasks in too a short time—caused the issue.

Wilson contended that a third quarter review and reconciliation can identify entry errors. “Most of this is communication, just sitting down and looking at things that just don’t make sense.”

He said “We’re going to track what we do and how we do it to make sure that we reconcile these accounts and look at these accounts constructively to see if something is really out of whack that we should look at before handing it to the auditors. The objective of the finance department is to hand a clean audit to PBMares.”

Garber reassured Winfree that the bottom-line figures used by the supervisors to make financial decisions last year were sound. Failure to examine some of the entries to see if they made sense contributed to the misstatements. The errors included not recording activity in some accounts and doing it twice in others.

The school division and Treasurer’s office were doing what they needed to do with reconciliations throughout the year, said Garber.

County finance staff is embarrassed about the situation and very focused on making sure that it doesn’t happen again, Raley said. He contended that going forward, the key to avoid a repeat of the situation is to ensure that quarterly reconciliations are completed to make sure that the finance department prepares for the audit throughout the year. As financial reporting standards and county finances grow ever more complex, it is vital to build staff ability to understand and comply with them.

Raley, Garber, and Audit Committee Chair Vaughters, who was also involved in identifying and rectifying the misstatements, contended that the issue was a “one off” and pledged that measures have been taken to ensure that it never happens again.

Happily, this situation was identified and fixed in a timely manner.

 

 

 

 

Health of the county

 

On November 13, the Goochland Health Department, which is located on the lower level of the county administration building, held an open house to showcase the range of services it offers to residents. Dr. Tom Franck, District Director of the Chickahominy Health District, (https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/chickahominy)which includes Goochland, gave a brief overview of the functions of the department to the supervisors at their November 6 meeting.

The mission of CHD, said Franck, is to improve the health of a community by preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and protecting people from environmental and other health hazards.

Funding for the CHD comes from a variety of sources--42 percent of the department’s budget comes from the state, Goochland matches some state money, locally generated fees, and about 13 percent comes from federal grants.

Training in the proper use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdose

CHD oversees many programs. Environmental health includes inspection of restaurants, and swimming pools. It approves septic systems and private wells. Acting as a safety net provider, CHD offers clinical services like immunizations. It is one of only four health districts in Virginia that does maternity care on a sliding fee scale and has a staff maternity care clinician and offers family planning services.

How to safely install a child car seat

Rabies control is an important part of CHD. Every animal bite that animal protection gets word of is investigated to determine if rabies is involved and determine what action is appropriate to deal with the situation.

Tracking potential rabies outbreaks is an important part of public health.

CHD is getting more involved with improving community health and is unique in the Commonwealth for having a community health response and improvement team, which works with the community to develop assessments and improvement plans. The latest for Goochland was adopted in August 2025. Go to chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/84/2025-2029-Goochland-CHIP-Report.pdf for details. (This was hard to find on the CHD website. During the meeting, a QR code, which allegedly links to the report, was flashed on the screen, but many people, GOMM, included, do not “do” QR codes. A lot of work was put into this report, it should be more accessible.)

Priorities outlined in assessment include increasing support services for senior citizens, the largest age cohort in Goochland; improving access to healthcare; home repairs; transportation; attainable and safe housing; and mental health providers and services. Relationships with other local agencies including the Community Services Board (https://gpcsb.org/), GoochlandCares, and Habitat for Humanity help.

Franck said that studies to find a way to bring transportation for things like medical appointments to rural areas are underway. He hoped the CHD and Goochland would be able to provide real world input as to where the need is greatest rather than using demographic statistics, which can place services where they are needed least.

The open house had stations for each of the services offered by the CHD. These included training on the proper use of naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses and opioid overdose; proper installation of child car seats; services for new mothers including breast feeding assistance, nutrition education and eWIC cards for postpartum and children for their first five years.

A wide range of  services helps new mothers

The county’s citizen emergency response team (CERT) was also represented. A national emergency preparedness program, CERT, a free 22-hour program offered to those 16 years of age and up, provides basic training in emergency response skills. These include disaster preparedness; fire suppression and safety; disaster medical operations; light search and rescue; tea organization; and disaster psychology so that people can care for themselves and their neighbors until help arrives in the event of widespread disasters than can overwhelm first responders. Go to https://goochlandfire-rescue.org/emergency-management/community-emergency-response-team-cert/ for more information.

Tools and CERT manuals

The Goochland Health Department and CHD help Goochland thrive. For complete information visit https://www.goochlandva.us/355/Health-Department .

 

 

 

 

 

Routine BoS matters in November

 

View from the county admin building

The Goochland Board of Supervisors conducted routine business at its afternoon meeting on November 6. Some highlights follow. 

Did you know?

Since assuming the CEO role of the county in June, County Administrator Dr.  Raley highlights the accomplishments of the people who make the county function. Each month, he offers a glimpse into some of the many moving parts of local government.

·         Elections—For the November 4 election, Goochland had 7,504 early in person voters; 1,377 mail in absentee voters; and 8,077 in person voters on election day for a total of 16,942 out of the total of 24,225 registered voters in the county. This 70 percent turnout, while robust, made Goochland only second in the Commonwealth. Shenandoah County, at 78 percent, was first. Raley offered a debt of gratitude for the great work done by our electoral board, registrar, and their staff, election workers, county staff and volunteers who made collecting and tabulating these ballots over a 45-day period possible.

·         Parks and recreation’s eight-person ground crew led by Carl Lacy maintains 347 acres of public parkland, sports fields, and county facilities. Raley thanked them for their good work keeping Goochland beautiful.

County employee quarterly awards

This summer, county administration and department heads developed an employee recognition program to celebrate the accomplishments of “Team Goochland” to celebrate accomplishments in five categories: employee, team, rookie, leader, and customer service star.

The first awards for the first quarter of the fiscal year, July through September, went to:

·         Employee of the Quarter: Elliot Waugh, IT Analyst, Information Technology

·         Team of the Quarter: Department of Public Utilities

·         Rookie of the Quarter: Sheriel Means, Custodian, General Services

·         Leader of the Quarter: Jennifer Brown, Commissioner of the Revenue

·         Customer Service Star of the Quarter: Lindsay Tucker, Customer Service/Building Inspection

Board Chair Tom Winfree, District 3, said that the morale, competency, knowledge, and ability of these folks is second to none and that Goochland is blessed to have such quality employees working for Goochland.

Reports

Broadband-expansion activities continue in the county. There were 1,720 active locations as of September 30. Please see the board packet pages 43-59 for details.

Agriculture-the summary included legislative issues critical to farming to be voted on at the Virginia Farm Bureau convention to be held in Williamsburg in December and shared with the General Assembly. These include removal of local control over siting of solar facilities in places that would negatively impact farming and forestry operations; changes to tax and inheritance policies to assist current and aspiring to access land; and support for grants and scholarship incentives for large animal veterinarians at the university level.

The HG Meat Packing Plant on Old Fredericksburg Road, which will be the only UDA certified meat processing plant in the area, hopes to hold a soft opening in the weeks after Thanksgiving.

Budget calendar- the supervisors approved the budget calendar for the FY27 fiscal year. This includes a capital improvement project (CIP) work session in December; two supervisor workshops in January; joint workshops with the supervisors and school board. Raley will present his recommended budget on February 17, 2026, at which time the board will authorize tax rate advertisement. A public hearing on the budget will be held on April 7. Tax rates will be set on April 14. The budget and CIP for FY27 will be approved in May.

Chickahominy Health District oversees the Goochland Health Department. Its director Tom Francks grave a brief overview of the services offered and invited all to an open house on November 13. The mission of his organization, said Francks, is to improve the health of the community by precenting disease, promote healthy lifestyles, and protect people from environmental and other hazards.

Goochland General Services under the direction of Scott Foster handles facility maintenance totaling more than 263,000 square feet. This includes convenience centers; project management; security and key management; fuel management; non-public safety renovations; street signs; voting machine delivery and pickup; and pole banners like those celebrating 63 local veterans. Foster explained that his department uses cloud-based software to use best management practices to provide a clean and safe environment in all government facilities.

Foster reported that the Commonwealth requires localities to recycle 25 percent by weight of solid waste annually. Goochland recycles 58.6 percent, helped by curbside recycling used by 2,227 homes. Foster said that dealing with both aging infrastructure and new spaces coming online will be a challenge for his department.

Parks and Rec Director Tom Cocke said that there are a lot of fun things going on in his department and urged everyone to visit the department on the county website and access the QR code to participate in the survey used to craft the upcoming refresh of the parks and rec master plan.

Cocke reported that the real time online parking lot updates for the Fourth of July fireworks worked well and were viewed 4,967 times.

The P&R grounds crew volunteered to renovate the ball field at the privately held Goochland Rec Center. Special events like the concert series at Tucker Park, Ag Fair, and Fall Festival have seen increasing attendance, as did his department’s summer camps.

The P&R department supported the 5k sponsored by the Goochland 250^th Commission at Elk Hill on October 4.

After school and programs for senior citizens have been well received. Use of athletic fields and other recreational spaces, including the gym behind the administration building is robust. Traffic counters placed at some outdoor facilities indicated that 50,426 vehicles visited Goochland parks from July to September. Cocke contended that the number is probably higher because counters were not deployed at all locations.

This was the first year that Parks and Rec operated the Tuesday afternoon Farmers Market, which attracted more than 6,000 visitors and 30 vendors for the 22 weeks from May to September. Cocke thanked sponsors Farm Bureau, Renewal by Anderson, Advertising Connections, and Smallwood Renovations for their support. The farmers market in Centerville, which was privately owned and held on private property, ceased operation when its owner retired. Supervisors commented that the Centerville market brought in sales tax dollars from Henrico and expressed interest in finding a new location in eastern Goochland for another farmers market location. One supervisor requested more data on the county’s return on investment in the farmers market operation to see if it “broke even”.

Upcoming events include the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and Tree lighting on December 5 in the field near the roundabout at the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads.

Updates on the P&R master plan, which has been in the works for most of this year, will be shared with the supervisors in a one-on-one format and presented to the planning commission at its December 18 meeting.

 

New District 5 planning commissioner appointed.

Duane Cosby who was appointed District 5 planning commissioner in 2024, resigned in October. District 5 Supervisor Jonathan Lyle explained that Cosby’s departure is career related. He is a pastor whose bishop recently assigned him to increased responsibilities that require significant travel outside Virginia, which would have made it difficult to put in the work required of a planning commissioner. “He did an exceptional job as a planning commissioner,” Lyle said.

Martin Dean was appointed to succeed Cosby. Dean, a volunteer fire captain with Manakin Fire-Rescue Company 1, and former executive director of the Goochland Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association, is well acquainted with Goochland. Lyle said that Dean will continue to represent District 5 in the same exceptional manner as Cosby.

 

Martin Dean

 Profound apologies for misidentifying Duane Cosby.

The dust settles

In the wee small hours of Friday, November 7, the Goochland Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 with Jonathan Lyle, District 5 in dissent, to approve creation of a technology overlay district and technology zone (TOD/TZ) in the eastern end of the county, which has been a designated growth area for decades. The vote followed more than six hours of public comment by more than 80 speakers. (A video and transcript of the entire public hearing and comments by the supervisors before the vote is available on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ under the “watch county meetings tab.)

Long story short. Since taking office in 2024, these supervisors set a goal to make the commercial/residential tax ratio of 30/70 through economic development. It is currently about 18/82. Residential development does not pay its own way.

Since the TOD/TD initiative was put forth by the county in early July, it has created a firestorm of opposition, mostly from new residents in the Hockett Road corridor complaining that they were not aware that data centers had been a by right use in West Creek since 2014 and do not want them in their backyards. A provision to allow small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) by right met with even more virulent opposition. The late in the game addition of approximately 900 acres north of the Richmond Country Club between Hockett Road and Mosaic that allowed data centers by right especially enraged residents of Mosaic.

For more than a generation, the owners of the 900 acres, now dubbed TOD west, apart from demanding that the county grant access to privately built internal roads in West Creek and Rt. 288, have been coy about their intentions, if any, to develop their land. Rumor of an agreement between owners of TOD west and unnamed entities to blanket the acreage with enormous by-right data centers further stirred the pot. The land is currently zoned A-2. As approved by the board, data centers in TOD west must obtain a conditional use permit. This process includes at least one community meeting and public hearings before both the planning commission and supervisors. Unlike zoning ordinances, which tend to be generic, CUPs are site specific and better able to mitigate impacts on neighboring properties.

A motion by Lyle to remove the 900 acres from the TOD/TZ died for lack of a second, as did a motion he made to defer a vote for 120 days to allow more study.

Opponents of the TOD/TZ contended that data centers anywhere in Goochland pose a dire health hazard, harm the environment, and cause a significant decline in the value of their homes.

Charle Vaughters, District 4, moved to approve the TOD/TZ with amendments made in response to citizen feedback. He said that the process was the most challenging during his tenure as a supervisor. The TOD/TZ, he said, gives Goochland “the chance to set and follow a higher standard for development, solidify and grow our county’s economy in ways never before imagined, and achieve our stated goals for decades to come.”

Vaughters cited the massive capital needs of the county, more than $217 million in the next decade growing to at least $490 million in 25 years. He said that infrastructure investment was made in the east end to support economic development. The ordinance, as amended, “is thoughtful, both economically and technically feasible in mitigating risk and makes Goochland not only competitive, but hopefully a leader is achieving modern economic development.”

He further said “I know there is a resounding voice against data center development. However, the fact that data centers could be developed in West Creek with far lesser standards than what is proposed in this ordinance led me to find the best compromise possible. My colleagues and I did everything possible to make this as strong as possible knowing it will not appease everyone.

That is an understatement. Even though opponents offered voluminous and detailed tweaks to the TOD/TZ, and demanded more time to study the issue, they really just want the whole thing to go away. Some said that they would gladly pay higher taxes rather than have data centers in the county. They do not seem to understand that many of the other 27,000 Goochland residents struggle to pay taxes at the current rate.

Jonathan Christy District 1 thanked staff, the planning commission, and his fellow supervisors for working tirelessly on the TOD/TZ. “After months of emails, accusations, rumors, adjustments, compromises, meetings, and fear mongering, I am satisfied that the best option that works for everyone is now complete. There are no individual winners in this but as a whole we have fortified our financial standing and will be able to provide some level of protection to residents that had not previously existed. We as a board have the obligation to not just look at the next few years, but to think about the next 50. There are no winners on this board. I have taken some personal hits in this process. Let me be crystal clear on something. I was never involved in any backroom deals regarding development. I hear rumors just like everyone else but have the responsibility to verify them before spreading them. Understand that this process has not been rushed or that concerns have been brushed off.

“This TOD is far different from its original draft. To my shock, I cannot believe that we are being attacked for making concessions and improvements.”

Neil Spoonhower, District 2, also refuted allegations that the measure had been “backdoored,” contending that it could have been done with a single community meeting and public hearings before the planning commission and supervisors. Instead, there were several community meetings and smaller sessions with various focus groups and neighborhoods. He said that economic development in the designated growth area protects rural areas will be protected and enhances the revenue base.

“We did listen,” said Spoonhower. “Nobody wanted to hear what we had to say.” He read all the emails he received, responded to about 600, watched videos, and followed links he was sent. “I heard, I listened, I understand, but I do not agree. I believe that data centers are the best thing for the area. There is nothing I can say that will get you on my side.”

Spoonhower added a bit of perspective to the discussion. He watched the videos of the board meetings at which Readers Branch and Mosaic were approved.

“Many of the same objections were raised then. It’s going to destroy the rural character, harm the environment, people are going to die on Hockett Road because of the increased traffic. That wasn’t because of a data center, it was because of ya’lls neighborhoods. And guess what? I think that was a pretty damn good decision that you’re all here.”

“This should be no surprise to anyone. In 2024 when this board took office the first thing we did, announced in public that we planned to bring commercial development, including working with our EDA to bring data centers to Goochland, to preserve the rural character. This was not hiding the football.”

As approved, the ordinance and comprehensive land use plan changes require energy generation, including small modular nuclear reactors and gas peaker plants, to obtain CUPs. This will provide ample opportunity for public input and a mechanism to educate citizens about the local impact of emerging technology during that process. More stringent noise dampening for generators and data centers as well as increased visual and aural screening, including berms and landscaping, were in the approved documents. More robust sound baffling and restricted hours on generator operation and testing were also approved.

Only two small parcels opted out of inclusion in the TOD/TZ.

The TOD/TZ imposes restrictions on data centers currently allowed by right in West Creek adjacent to residential property. This seems to have been done without the consent of West Creek property owners, which may well lead to legal action.

Since July many ugly and unfounded accusations have been hurled at supervisors, including that they are being bribed and need to be removed from office. It seems likely that they have also gotten emails and phone calls in a similar and, perhaps more violent, vein. Those who claim they could do a better job should remember that the next time the board faces a controversial proposal, and there will be a next time, whoever is in office will face similar calumny. It is impossible to please everyone and no matter how hard they work, at least half the people will be mad at them.