Highlights of October 7 supervisors' meeting

 

Aerial view of Goochland Courthouse Complex

At their October 7 meeting, Goochland Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny a rezoning application for Serenity Trail, proposed for land on Maidens Road; unanimously voted to defer a public hearing on the proposed TOD/TZ to their November 4 meeting; and unanimously approved the removal of access requirements for parcels on Pond View Lane, just west of Hockett Road.

Opponents to the proposed TOD/TZ (go to https://www.goochlandva.us/1408/Technology-Overlay-District-Technology-Z for details) reiterated their objections during citizen comment at both the afternoon and evening sessions. This followed extensive comments at the October 6 town hall meeting.

County administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley invited all to the Goochland Fall Festival on Saturday, October 25 on the old GES track field (River Road West between the old GES and the high school) from 11 to 2. The free event will feature activities for kids, free pumpkins, face painting, live music, balloon artists. More than 70 vendors, a mix of local non-profits, artisans, community groups, and Goochland businesses will be there.

Raley said that the next Board meeting will be held on Thursday, November 6 with the evening session at the high school. County offices will be closed next Monday, October 13 and on election day, November 4. The county will host trick or treat in the admin building, 1800 Sandy Hook Road on October 31 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for a safe, fun afternoon.

Highlighting county staff

New employees were welcomed to “team Goochland”. After taking office in June, Raley began to share the good work of county staff, whose accomplishments too often fall below the radar.  He reported that Parks and Rec managed 4,095 individual facility reservations in FY25. The construction staff of the department of public utilities cleared 4,436 Miss Utility tickets in calendar 2025 with the year far from over. Goochland’s DMV Select processed 71, 342 transactions in FY25, averaging 5,945 per month.

Raley also thanked staff who supported the community meetings in past weeks and kept things flowing smoothly.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The  supervisors adopted a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence awareness month and thanked staff member from Goochland Cares (https://goochlandcares.org/) which provides sexual and domestic violence services to all victims regardless of gender, sexual orientation or income. You do not need to be a Goochland Cares client to use its sexual assault and domestic violence services.

Schools

Dr. Andy Armstrong, Superintendent of Goochland Schools, gave a brief update on our schools. The student body has grown by 47, to 2,690, more than half with special needs, whose individual education plans could require additional staffing. This will have an impact on the FY27 budget, which is in development. Watch his full presentation on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ under the “watch county meetings” tab.

 

The school division’s strategic plan is being updated. This document, said Armstrong, being developed with assistance from the Luck Company, is recognized for its concision and effectiveness. Feedback on the strategic plan is currently being gathered via a survey.

Among the many accomplishments of GCPS is the high school Marine Corps Jr. ROTC which has an all-time high enrollment of 150 students. Go to the GCPS website https://www.goochlandschools.org/ to learn more about our schools.

 

Fire-Rescue

D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Chief of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Management and Mike Watkins, Deputy Chief EMS gave a brief presentation on the newly adopted protocol that makes whole blood available for first responders in field. This advanced capability gets blood quickly to a patient reverse the dire impact of severe blood loss.

Goochland Fire-Rescue is one of 280 agencies in the nation that use this protocol. This is especially valuable in a rural area where the distance to a hospital literally means the difference between life and death timewise.

This protocol, said Ferguson takes Goochland Fire-Rescue, known for having top end EMS in the region carrying ventilators, and IV pumps for use by some of the “sharpest paramedics in the region”.

This is fire prevention week, there will be open houses at Courthouse Company 5 from 11-2 and Hadensville Company 6 from 1-3 on Saturday, October 11. This year’s theme is “Charge into fire safety” and explains proper use and disposal of lithium-ion batteries that power the devices we use every day. Go to https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week for safety tips.

The new courthouse

Next year, Goochland’s iconic courthouse will mark its 200^th anniversary. Thomas Jefferson was still alive when this venerable structure was in the planning stage. We’ve needed a new courthouse for some time and in 2021, Goochland citizens approved a bond referendum to fund, in addition to other public facilities, a new courthouse.

For several months, explained Raley, staff has been working with the people who occupy our judicial spaces, to determine what is needed to provide security, safety, and functional space going forward.

The county retained the services of court planning consultants Fentress, Inc.   (https://www.fentress.com/) to analyze current and future needs. Keith Fentress said that courthouses must balance flexibility, efficiency, and innovation to meet the evolving needs of modern justice systems. Advances in technology could require less space to store physical documents, which could translate into additional space for people.

An initial 75k square foot design, said Fentress, includes four courtrooms. We currently have two. While some could be interchangeable, he does not advocate jury space in a juvenile and domestic relations courtroom. The design is based on hard data, not a wish list. Office space for court-related functions including grand jury and jury rooms.

Fentress said that while Goochland is growing, the population increase will not be enough to justify full time judges, but rather more sessions with visiting judges.

The Sheriff, Commonwealth’s Attorney, and Clerk of the Court are among county officials who have been visiting neighboring counties who have built new courthouses in the recent past to gather feedback on the process. The goal is a new courthouse that harmonizes with the character of the vision of the Courthouse Village small area plan that was adopted a few years ago. Ideally this will use realistic standards to craft a design with a generational impact on Courthouse Village and meet the evolving needs of the court.  

Next steps will include conceptual designs, potential building layouts, an exploration of next steps for buildings vacated, and cost estimates.

It will be very interesting to see how the creation of the new courthouse will unfold.

 

Go to https://goochlandva.new.swagit.com/videos/357499 to view a recording of the entire meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at your library

 

Zach Roberts, Director of the Pamunkey Regional Library

The new director of the Pamunkey Regional Library (PRL), Zach Roberts, hired after a careful search, was introduced to the Goochland Board of Supervisors at its September 4 meeting by the county’s representatives on the PRL board, trustees Barbara Young and Barbara Slone.

Roberts comes to PRL from Prince William County, where he served as senior library manager for public libraries with its school division. He has worked in public libraries for more than two decades in roles ranging from frontline public service and programming to senior management. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Purdue with a double major in political science and history, a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Arkansas State University.

Then in his new position for just 13 days, Roberts told the supervisors that he was in the process of meeting with every member of the PRL team to find out what they need from him and assess the activities of the library including service areas, programming, and community engagement. He plans to analyze PRL’s structure to identify possible improvements and expansions. Roberts pledged to be an advocate for PRL staff and looks forward to collaborating with the supervisors and staff to better serve the community.

Young gave an update on other PRL activities. Prince William County left the PRL system as of July first, leaving Goochland and Hanover in PRL. The board of trustees now has seven members, five from Hanover and two from Goochland. In addition to the Goochland Branch Library in Courthouse Village, there are PRL branches in Rockville and Montpelier.

Going forward, trustee meetings, said Young, will include the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Roberts is in the process of purchasing American flags for each branch community room.

PRL has acquired a new van to move materials among branches every day. The Richmond Times Dispatch is now available electronically to PRL cardholders.

As the Virginia Library Association annual conference will be held in Richmond this year, PRL staff will be offered the opportunity to attend.

Barbara Slone, newly elected vice chair of the PRL board, reported that Ace Phillips has been hired as the PRL business operations manager. The audit for the 2025 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, is underway and going well.

Slone said that the PRL audit committee, created a few years ago to address fiscal problems, has been rolled into the finance committee. PRL staff will present its preliminary FY27 budget to the trustees in the next few weeks.

As electronic checkouts are getting more popular, they are being tracked more carefully. The number of items that patrons may check out has increased from five to seven per month. Check out limits for “Libby” and “Hoopla” other electronic material providers available to PRL members, have also gone up.

Overdue billing notices are being emailed and mailed out.

The summer reading program at the Goochland Branch Library was very successful, placing us second out of seven participating libraries. A bottle filler has been installed at the library.

Slone urged everyone to stop by the library to see the tiny art show, the brainchild of a staff member, who distributed 100 four by four-inch canvas boards during the summer reading program. Patrons were encouraged to paint, color, or collage, and return to the library. Fifty were returned and are currently displayed at the library showcasing the incredible talent of Goochlanders.

PRL provides a wide range of services to its patrons. Library cards are free to residents of Goochland County. Go to the PRL website www.pamunkeylibrary.org and click on the “ask a question” tab for details on obtaining your library card and services provided. The library is located at 3075 River Road West, Goochland 23063.

 

Goochland Fire-Rescue advances emergency care

 From Goochland County: 

Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services Launches EMS Blood Patient Care Protocol

 

Goochland, VA – On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Goochland County Department of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Services (GCFR) began their new EMS Whole Blood Program, marking a monumental advancement in emergency medical care in the County. Through a partnership with Chesterfield Fire and EMS, Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight 1, and Inova Blood Donor Services this program allows GCFR to administer up to two units of low titer O+ positive whole blood as part of pre-hospital care. 

 

Goochland first responders train to implement new life saving EMS protocol (Goochland County image)

Goochland County is proud to be among the few EMS agencies in Central Virginia, outside of helicopter EMS programs, to carry blood and is the first rural agency in Central Virginia to implement a program of this type. As part of the implementation of this program, Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services staff have undergone extensive training; including the requirement to receive patient consent to administer blood products and protocols on addressing patients who may decline a blood transfusion due to faith-based beliefs.  

 

Within the last five years, blood has been available on medical helicopters. However, there are times where transport by medical helicopter may not be available, or situational circumstances where the patient could be transported to definitive care by ground ambulance.  

 

The leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 46 is traumatic injury.  A person can bleed to death in three to five minutes. Blood is the “gift of life” and having a protocol to administer blood products to a patient bleeding and in shock can be lifesaving.  Administering blood pre-hospital environment reduces e mortality and morbidity, and improving patient outcomes and their quality of life.  

 

“We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment that would not have been possible without our member’s exemplary skill and talent, and the tremendous support from our partners at Chesterfield Fire and EMS, Virginia State Police EMS Med-Flight 1, and INOVA Blood Donor Services.”, said Chief Eddie Ferguson. “This is a pivotal moment and a huge leap forward for Goochland County Fire- Rescue. We are truly fortunate and blessed to have been afforded this opportunity to help our patients and serve our community in this way.”  

 

“By equipping our highly trained paramedics with this lifesaving capability, Goochland County Fire-Rescue becomes one of the few EMS systems in the region offering this cutting-edge intervention.”, said Dr. Anderson, Operational Medica Director for Goochland County Fire-Rescue. “We are honored to bring this lifesaving resource to our community and will continue working tirelessly to advance the health and safety of those we serve.” 

 

“This program is a testament to the dedication and leadership of our Fire-Rescue and Emergency Services’ staff.,” said Dr. Raley, County Administrator. “We are proud to be able to provide this life-saving program to our residents through the support of our regional partners.”   

 

Given the geographical makeup of Goochland County, particularly the rural regions and the distance to the nearest trauma centers, this blood program will make a positive difference for patients. 

 

Goochland County would like to extend special appreciation to INOVA Blood Donor Services for making whole blood available for EMS agencies supporting the delivery of life-saving pre-hospital care.  To help support their efforts, Goochland County Fire-Rescue will be organizing blood drives to give back to the INOVA Blood Donor Services supply. 

 

For more information on Goochland County Fire – Rescue and Emergency Services, please visit www.goochlandfirerescue.org.  

 

Next steps

 

The GHS auditorium was packed for the planning commission meeting

After more than six hours of public hearing, the Goochland Planning Commission recommended approval of the TOD/TZ amendments on September 25. This was a continuation of a meeting that began on September 18 held in the high school auditorium to accommodate a large crowd.

The recommendation included suggestions to require that primary and secondary energy generation facilities, especially small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), obtain conditional use permits. (The CUP process requires at least one community meeting and public hearings before both the planning commission and board of supervisors.) Other suggestions were imposition of a 500-foot setback for data centers on land currently zoned A-2, limiting building height to 80 feet next to residential areas, and a noise less than the proposed 65 decibels in the daytime, 60 at night.

The vote was 3-2 with Guy Kemmerly, District 1, and Amanda Kowalski, District 2, in dissent. Kemmerly made the motion to approve, which under procedural rules, opened discussion.

The planning commission is an advisory board charged with making recommendations to the supervisors about land use matters. Attendees did not seem to understand commission protocols and that public hearings are not interactive. After the hearing is closed, a motion must be made and seconded to begin discussion among the commissioners preceding a vote. When attendees screamed that the commissioners were not doing what the “public” wanted (of the 28,000 people in Goochland, approximately 1,000 have weighed in on this topic) Curt Pituck, District 4, said “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

County Attorney Tara McGee explained, though the audience was not paying attention, under state law, the commission may only address the proposal as advertised. She said that recommendations from the planning commission, further studies, and “other activities” will be used to craft the final version brought before the supervisors. The matter is currently scheduled to go before the supervisors, who will hold another public hearing, on November 6. The final version of a land use change proposal is often tweaked between the planning commission and supervisors’ final vote.

Residents of eastern Goochland, especially Readers Branch and Mosaic, made it very clear during several community and focus group meetings, a District 5 town hall held on September 22, and the planning commission public hearing that they do not want a SMR anywhere near them, and reject data centers outright, especially as a by-right use in West Creek. Ironically, there was significant opposition to the rezoning that created both communities contending that high density neighborhoods would destroy the rural character of the area.

Several comments were thoughtful and constructive. There were also many rants, some bordering on the hysterical, about the horrors of reactor meltdown, nuclear waste disposal, fantastical estimates of water usage, and health hazards of the data centers that will be a blight on Goochland if the TOD/TZ is approved.

Opponents believe that data center construction is imminent even though county officials have repeatedly stated that there are no, zip, zero, nada pending data center applications in Goochland. (They may have confused it with a proposal recently filed in Hanover County by HHHunt, developer of Mosaic, for a 10-building data center campus on 410 acres near the Hunting Hawk golf course on Ashland Road east of Pouncy Tract Road. Building height would be limited to 62 feet, according to a recent story on Richmondbizsense.com.)

 A few speakers lauded and welcomed the Eli Lilly plant coming to West Creek and suggested that the county forget data centers and concentrate on attracting companies that support the Lilly plant. We hope that happens. However, the county tried the “putting all your eggs in one basket” when a Motorola plant was proposed decades ago. The plant never materialized, and the county scrambled for tax revenue.

After congratulating the group on the general civility of the hearing, Delegate David Owen, who lives in Manakin Sabot, urged the commission to defer a vote until county staff and community stakeholders have an opportunity to work through the proposal and find a way to move forward both preserving the quality of life in Goochland and advancing economic development. “Those two have to go hand in hand and I think right now we don’t have that,” he said.

Opponents do not seem to understand that existing by-right uses for property currently zoned M-1, including West Creek, remain unchanged regardless of what happens with the TOD/TZ. The M-1 data center zoning in place lacks any noise mitigation mandates and has setbacks of just 50 feet from property lines. Creating the TOD/TZ sooner rather than later could fix that. As a practical matter, if favorable conditions for a data center existed in West Creek one would have been built by now.

The version of the TOD/TZ taken up by the supervisors, perhaps in November unless they defer, which they have done in the past, will undoubtedly be revised to address concerns articulated by the planning commission and citizens.

It seems very likely that SMRs, if not stricken entirely, will require a CUP, whose related public input could effectively kill them. These devices are still in the conceptual stage. The 120-foot height included in the initial draft of TOD/TZ document seems to have been aimed at the Lilly factory. Carving out greater heights for advanced manufacturing more than a distance certain away from homes could address that.

Land not currently designated M-1 should not be magically rezoned by joining the TOD/TZ but rather go through the usual process. This includes parcels north of Broad Street Road in the Centerville Village, which was not mentioned in the discussion.  A-2 property that opts out of the TOD/TZ would need to be rezoned for higher use anyway. Switching from A-2 to M-1 is a big change and needs input from neighboring landowners. Rezoning parcels for a specific use often includes proffers to address issues in a particular location, providing more protection for neighbors.

Complete recordings and transcripts of all of these meetings, including the marathon planning commission public hearing, are available under the “watch county meetings” tab on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/

There will be a county wide town hall meeting on Monday October 6 in the Goochland High School auditorium beginning at 6:30 p.m.

So, what kind of economic development is acceptable to the folks who live in Readers Branch and Mosaic? Land in the designated growth area, especially West Creek, will be developed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One size does not fit all

 

Our delegation in Richmond ltr Tom Garrett Luther Cifers, David Owen

Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means that local governments, like Goochland, have only those powers given to them by the state. Each of the 100 delegates to the Virginia General Assembly represents about 86,000 people. Each of the 40 state senators represents approximately 215,758 citizens. Goochland’s population is a little over 28k, so we share our representatives with other counties.

To ensure that open lines of communication exist with our state government representatives: Delegates Tom Garrett 57th District, David Owen, 56^th District, and 10th District Senator Luther Cifers, Goochland meets with them annually.

The latest of these in-depth discussions took place at the Central High School Educational and Cultural Center in Sandy Hook on September 12. Supervisors, school board members, county and school staff, economic development authority members, constitutional officers, Commonwealth’s Attorney John Lumpkins, Jr., Clerk of the Court Amanda Adams, and from the Goochland Electoral Board, Chair Robert Walker and Vice Chair Pamela Johnson also attended.

The county, schools, and economic development authority each prepared a “legislative agenda” outlining their concerns and wants for the GA in advance of the next session, which begins in January.

Following are highlights of the productive conversation.

Johnson said that the 45 day early voting period is too long and puts a terrible strain on local election officials and registrars. Walker opposed the notion of requiring every voting precinct in the state to use the same voting machines.

A small jurisdiction, lumped in with other rural counties, Goochland is at a disadvantage making its voice heard in Richmond.  Northern Virginia and Tidewater have the most representatives in the General Assembly, who propose and pass legislation that favors their constituents but often has different impacts in other parts of the state.

As an example, Garrett cited legislation allowing jurisdictions to levy an additional one cent local sales tax to generate revenue for school construction. This sounds like a great idea. However, Garrett noted, none of the counties in his district have big box stores, as does Henrico, so Goochlanders, take their sales tax dollars to Henrico to help pay for school construction there, while Goochland struggles to find revenue to build our schools.

Cifers lauded Goochland for being farther down the road of economic development than some of the other counties he represents. (Note, this was a few days before the announcement that Eli Lilly will build a $5 billion facility in West Creek.) He said that his job in Richmond “is to keep state government out of your hair.” He believes that governing closest to the people it serves is the best kind.

Owen observed that there will be lots of new faces in Richmond after the November election, but what Goochland needs at the state level is important and pledged to make our voice heard. He, Cifers, and Garret said that it’s their job to ensure that zoning authority remains at the local level forever. They concurred that negotiating competing interests in the General Assembly is a delicate, and often frustrating task.

Common themes

The county, schools and EDA had many common themes, including preservation of local autonomy and rejection of unfunded state mandates, which play havoc with local budgets. Goochland supports the development of fair and sustainable funding formulas for public education, transportation, and constitutional officers, which do not place an undue burden on localities and recognize unique challenges they face.

For instance, the duties of a sheriff in say, Fairfax, which are mostly court related, are quite different from those in Goochland, where our Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency. The notion of collective bargaining for government employees was also rejected. “Police officers cannot be allowed to go on strike,” Owen said.

The county opposes any amendment that weakens local control over land use especially related to attainable housing, energy storage, or energy generation. This includes opposition to state zoning mandates about attainable housing and accessory dwelling units that usurp local authority. Attainable housing mandates mean apartments, which increase population and provide no funding mechanisms to build infrastructure to deal with more people like schools and fire-rescue stations.

The county legislative agenda (available in full beginning on page 140 of the September 4 board packet available on the county website goochladva.us) urges support of local choice and local governing authority. This includes the protection of existing local government authority over revenue streams; local land use decisions; procurement; and housing.  The county also supports a robust and sustainable transportation funding framework that effectively addresses the evolving needs of Goochland Couty and communities across the Commonwealth. Goochland is dependent on VDOT for roads and must play a very complicated game of “mother may I” to get anything done at glacial speed.

A meaningful level of support for constitutional officers for tools and technology not leaving localities to make up the difference.

The county also supports legislation to streamline required newspaper advertising for public hearings, notices to give localities the option to use electronic forms of notification.

 

Control of State-owned property

Large parcels of land in the Goochland Courthouse area, two department of corrections facilities, the “men’s farm” and the Virginia Correctional Center for Women, as well as the Reynolds Community College campus, do not pay local real estate tax.

Public utilities in the Courthouse Village area are supplied by the water plant at the men’s farm, and the wastewater treatment plant at the VCCW through agreements with the Department of Corrections. The EDA supports additional state resources for the transfer of both DOC propertied to the county with additional resources allocated to enable initial operations, transfer, and needed site remediation to approve and fund strategies to determine how both facilities should be funded and operated.

The RCC campus, which, according to county land records, has an assessed value of $14.5 million, has been a 90-acre dead zone in the middle of Courthouse Village since before Covid. The dual enrollment program, through which Goochland High School students earn an associate’s degree before graduation, is conducted virtually.

Both the county and EDA support the Commonwealth fully transferring the Reynolds Community College to the exclusive use of Goochland County. Raley said that the property transfer would open many opportunities, perhaps for a combination of public and private market uses. Talks may be in process of turning over the RCC campus to the Reynolds Foundation.

Garrett observed that the Men’s Farm would be a good place for a state park, which would boost local tourism. The chapel and other buildings there have historic significance and should be preserved.

Schools

 

A partial list of items our school division supports:

Creation of a student-weighted funding formula for public education to replace the antiquated funding formula in place with one that prioritizes student needs and recognizes the local characteristics of rural communities like Goochland. The local composite index, which through arithmetic legerdemain has determined that Goochland is on a par with Fairfax in local ability to pay its own way, puts an unfair burden on the county to pay for unfunded state mandates.

Local autonomy in schools to allow for maximin flexibility to meet the unique needs of the community without arbitrary requirements of standardized tests.

Changes to the licensure process to encourage and enable professionals with relevant expertise in career and technical fields to become teachers and prepare students for careers in emerging fields. This includes changes to the Virginia Retirement System to encourage these professionals to transition to teaching career and technical skills to ease the shortage of instructors in these fields.

Incentivization of local, regional, and industry to partner in high-quality work-based learning opportunities to provide meaningful career exploration and pathways for K-12.

Each year the General Assembly deals with thousands of pieces of legislation. The 2026 session will be 60 days long. Go to https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/ to follow the action. Thanks to our delegation for their hard work making Goochland’s voice heard in Richmond.

 

 

 

 

 

With a B

 

Lilly facility coming to West Creek (Eli Lilly image)

Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle Sears, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura welcomed the Eli Lilly company to the Commonwealth, and more importantly, to Goochland at an event held at Main Street Station in Richmond on September 16.

Those who worked to bring Lilly to Goochland

Goochland was well represented at the event by State Senator Luther Cifers, Delegates Tom Garrett and David Owen; Supervisors Jonathan Christy, Neil Spoonhower, Tom Winfree, Charlie Vaughters and Jonathan Lyle; County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley, Deputy County Administrators Josh Gillespie and Sara Worley, Deputy Director of Economic Development Chance Robinson; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Andy Armstrong; EDA members Ben Slone, Ken Collier, Jennie Slade, D. B. Smit, Lisa Dearden, and Carol Taylor executive director of the Goochland Chamber of Commerce.

 After a brief video about how Lilly brings life-changing medicines to those who need them, Lilly CEO David A. Ricks announced that the company will invest $ 5 billion—yes with a B—in Goochland to build a more than 200k square foot advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. In addition to creating an estimated 650 highly skilled jobs including engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and lab technicians to operate the facility, it will generate 1,800 construction jobs. He anticipated that most of those jobs would be filled by Virginians. This is part of a $50 billion capital expenditure expansion that will include three other facilities around the country.

Lilly, Ricks explained, is an American company founded 149 years ago guided by a simple principle “investing in American innovation, communities, and workers, making America healthier.”

Virginia and Goochland were selected in a highly competitive process that included more than 400 sites in 46 states across the country. Criteria that won Lilly over included workforce potential in the Richmond region, local incentives, zoning, and access to utilities and transportation, said Ricks. Virginia also has talent in place to operate and build the site in what he hopes will be record time, and a partnership-oriented attitude that moves projects into production also got high marks.

Goochland’s application, said Ricks, was one of the strongest on paper. Two factors set Goochland apart: the speed to build and develop the site, which he said was beyond shovel ready and even has parking lots, which lets us get a running start. The patient needs the medicine; we don’t have time to waste. Second, the people, all the necessary partners, were involved from the start with a team approach that was committed to our success.

The site selected in West Creek is currently owned by Markel Properties LLC and used as a soccer facility. The 227-acre parcel is assessed by Goochland County at $23, 967,700 and has not yet changed hands. It is roughly opposite Hardywood Creek Brewery in an area set aside for industrial and business use for at least 35 years.

This Lilly facility, the first of several new sites planned for the United States, will make cancer, autoimmune, and other advanced therapies. It will be the company’s first dedicated, fully integrated active pharmaceutical ingredients (API)and drug product plant for its emerging biconjugate platform and multiclonal antibody portfolio. At over 200k square feet, it will be the largest facility of its kind in the world.

“We united science and manufacturing to speed medicine to patients,” Ricks said. The facility will make some of the most complex therapies known in medicine and advanced technology to ensure precision in every step, medicine at the cutting edge of science.

The company is committed to its 2030 climate goals of having carbon neutral operation powered by 100 percent renewal energy, zero waste to landfills, and reduction of all other emission types.

Lily is also committed to partner with local education systems and workforce programs to create pathways into advanced manufacturing careers with high paying life-changing jobs. Every dollar that Lilly invests in a community generates up to four dollars of local economic activity.

Ricks thanked all who made the investment possible, and the warm Virginia welcome.

“Lilly defines the standards for building new advanced manufacturing in our country that scale innovation and create an export economy. The company is committed to making life saving therapies in America. By expanding our domestic capacity, we're building a secure, resilient supply chain that delivers for patients today and supports the breakthrough medicines of tomorrow.”

Ricks said that it could take five years to build the facility, including regulatory approval, but he hopes it will be done sooner. Site work and permitting in the next few weeks.

Youngkin said the plant location was one of the premier shovel ready sites in Virginia. He thanked Goochland for its investment in the process. The Governor said that the Virginia talent accelerator, run by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, for the third consecutive year, has been recognized for having the most customized workforce development program in America.

“We look forward to work with Lilly to build that workforce. Virginia went to work a long time ago partnering with our community colleges to build programs offering advanced manufacturing credentials.” He also pointed out that Virginia Commonwealth University’s programs in biomedical engineering, and related subjects created a life science ecosystem that puts our state ahead of those around us in having a highly qualified “talent pipeline” ready to staff the new facility. The Governor contended that this created a sustainable environment that must be maintained to “keep Virginia soaring”.

Ricks said that Lilly employees often come from other jobs and that his company uses a “grow from within” approach. Companies, said Ricks, vote with their feet. He recommends Virginia highly for anyone looking for advanced manufacturing sites.

Goochland supervisors worked closely with the EDA and economic development department, including trips to Lilly’s headquarters in Indianapolis to close the deal. Funds appropriated by the Board to allow the EDA to promote what became the Lilly site got a fast return on investment.

The announcement is good news for Goochland, and the result of the Board of Supervisors’ commitment to diversifying the tax base to fund needed infrastructure and lighten the tax burden on property owners. The Lilly facility is in the right place at the right time. Kudos to all involved.

 

 

 

 

Never forget

 

Speakers lined up to read names

The bright blue sky over Goochland Fire-Rescue Courthouse Company 5 on September 12 was eerily reminiscent of the perfect Tuesday morning 24 years ago when skyscrapers in New York, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the unknown target of Flight 93, were attacked.

Retired Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief, Bill MacKay, who was a first responder at the Pentagon on 911 and began his fire service career as a volunteer on Long Island, created the tradition in Goochland. The fire service community is universal, when one member perishes, all mourn.

The event began with remarks by Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. "Eddie" Ferguson, Jr., followed by presentation of the colors by the Goochland High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC, prayers. and the Pledge, Then names of the 343 Fire Department of New York (FDNY) members who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty were read by representatives of Fire-Recue, the Goochland Sheriff’s Office, and staff members from the county, school, and constitutional offices.

Casualties came from all FDNY ranks, including Deputy Commissioner Michael Feehan, who at 71, was the oldest FDNY death. He held every rank during his career. Department chaplain, Father Mychal Judge the first FDNY 911 certified fatality, died giving last rites to victims.

FDNY dead were resolute public servants as well as parents, children, and siblings, whose passing left perpetual voids in their families.  Remains of some who died on 911 have never been found. Since that horrific day, others have died due to service-related illness contracted during the cleanup in the aftermath of the attacks.

Goochland’s current Fire-Rescue recruits, many born after 2001, attended the ceremony.  They watched as a 911 wreath inscribed “never forget” was placed by members of Goochland American Legion Post 215 at the memorial for Michael “Tink” Sims, the was the only Goochland Fire-Rescue volunteer to die in the line of service. His brother brought Tink’s toddler namesake to the ceremony.

Fire-rescue recruits watch wreath placement

Reminder of the service of Michael "Tink" Sims

Tolling of the bell, a fire service tradition to mark the  "end of watch" for a fallen fire fighter and dispatch tones were sounded.

Tolling of the bell.

The event was a solemn reminder that law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS providers never know what dangers await them, even in Goochland, during their next shift. Yet they answer every call, running toward danger so the rest of us can get on with our lives. We must never forget the sacrifices of 911 and honor the fallen with respect and gratitude for those who protect and serve today and in the future.

 

 

Addressing concerns

 

Once again, a handful of self-important newcomers who live in the sterile perfection of manicured regulated high-density enclaves for the affluent, the anthesis of rural character, displayed their arrogance and ignorance at a September 8 community meeting to discuss proposals to create a technology overlay district (TOD) and tech zone (TZ).  (Watch the meeting at https://goochlandva.new.swagit.com/videos/354699)

For two hours County Administrator Jeremy Raley, Ed. D. and Deputy County Administrator Sara Worley outlined details of the proposals and fielded questions. They addressed legitimate concerns about noise, building heights, and setbacks—proposed distance from residential areas. They also tried to dispel misinformation that has risen to bizarre proportions.

Raley explained that the TOD/TZ is in an area identified decades ago for economic development. This aligns with the county’s long-standing goal to encourage commercial and industrial growth in 15 percent of Goochland, the eastern part, to keep the remaining 85 percent rural. Many kinds of technology businesses, including advanced manufacturing like the LEGO plant in Chesterfield, are mentioned in the proposals, but opponents seem convinced that every square inch of the TOD/TZ will be covered with data centers.

Photos of balloon tests near both Readers Branch and Mosaic performed on September 3 were shared. These tests provide a visual of proposed heights, up to 120 feet, at different setbacks from property lines. Worley explained that the county retained an engineering company to perform the tests using a bright orange balloon suspended 50 feet below a drone to illustrate exact heights and setbacks around the communities.

An orange balloon suspended 50 feet below a drone was used to

 give residents of Readers Branch and Mosaic an idea of what would be visible over the tree line at different heights and distances from property boundaries. Raley, in orange vest, chats with citizen.

Worley said that the balloon was visible in only a few parts of Mosaic. Residents pushed back contending that the test should be done after leaves fall.

Many of the uses in the TOD/TZ are already permitted by right in M-1 zoning and West Creek, with fewer restrictions on height, buffering, setback, and none for noise, which will remain unchanged, said Worley. Incentives in the TOD/TZ come with greater controls. M-1 zoning will not change. The county hopes the TOD/TZ will attract high revenue for profit businesses to bolster the tax base while adding greater protection for adjacent homes than exists under current M-1 zoning.

Landowners inside the proposed boundaries of the TOD/TZ who wish to opt out must file with the county by October 10. A form to do so is available on the county website.

Richmond television stations showed up to record remarks from citizens who apparently failed to perform much due diligence before buying their high six figure homes. One woman allegedly remarked that she was told that the land south of Readers Branch was zoned M-1 but didn’t know what that meant. A simple internet search would have revealed that data centers; manufacture of small parts like semiconductors; places of public assembly for fewer than 1,500 people; drive through restaurants; and energy storage facilities are by right uses in M-1. (Go to https://library.municode.com/va/goochland_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH15ZO_ART18INLIDIM- for the complete list.)

The whole concept of by right zoning, allowing specific uses in zoning districts without public input, was condemned by many attendees who declared that the county should not approve anything without citizen input. Current policy mandates that all land use actions require the applicant to hold at least one community meeting to explain the proposal to nearby landowners before it proceeds to the planning commission. All too often, these meetings are at best sparsely attended by neighbors.

Raley said that by right uses, which shorten approval time, help the county be more competitive in attracting business.  Therefore, it is important to include stringent parameters at the front end.

Goochland, detractors said, should follow the lead of Henrico and Loudon counties, with enormous business and industrial tax revenue streams, who are dialing back by right zoning policies. Those jurisdictions, who probably have run out of developable land, may be doing this to virtue signal.

Goochland, on the other hand, derives very little tax revenue, 18.65 percent, from business. The county would like to increase that percentage to 30.  We need the money to fund core services. High end homes in Eastern Goochland are marketed as being close to Short Pump, whose residents take their sales tax dollars to Henrico to fund its government. Do newcomers patronize fine local businesses, like JJ's Seafood Market on Hockett Road?

Meeting attendees, while whining about the ad valorem tax on one hand asked to have their taxes raised on the other to cancel the TOD/TZ. They also wanted the county to put commercial development in the western part of the county where there is more land. Guess they missed the part about developing the eastern end to keep the rest of Goochland rural. They also do not realize that, while they can afford higher taxes, many people in the rest of the county are struggling to pay taxes.

The county does not “put” anything other than public buildings, like schools, fire-rescue stations and a courthouse, anywhere. Its job is to create an environment that is attractive to private investment, which generates tax revenue to fund government.

Raley spent more than an hour responding to comments submitted by attendees. Many of these advocated for more stringent noise standards and a decibel range from 50 to 55 rather than the proposed 60 to 65. Raley acknowledged the concern and said that noise mitigation strategies, including specification of enhanced sound baffling on noisy equipment are being explored. He also said that specific and robust enforcement mechanisms for violation of sound limits will apply.

Perhaps the most emotional topic related to the TOD/TZ proposal is by right permission for small modular nuclear reactors (SMR).  Despite repeated declarations by Raley that there are no pending proposals for data centers or SMRs, some residents of Readers Branch believe that data centers and a nuclear reactor will appear behind their homes in the next few months. SMRs are in the conceptual stage. It could be a decade or longer before economically feasible SMRs are available. A map included in the latest version of the TOD/TZ proposal https://www.goochlandva.us/1408/Technology-Overlay-District-Technology-Z indicates that all utility generating energy stations, SMS  and gas peaking plants will be in an area north of I64 and 1500 feet east of the Henrico County line, more than a mile from the northern most part of Readers Branch.

Raley pointed out that SMRs would be highly regulated by federal and state agencies during every step of the permitting and operational stages. At that time, if any materialize, safety protocols would be established to protect citizens and the environment. This did not seem to satisfy people who were worried about radioactive plumes and food contamination. They want SMRs banned.

Energy supply for the TOD/TZ is between the utility and the property owner, said Raley, the county does not get involved. He hopes to have a representative from Dominion at the Planning Commission hearing on September 18 to speak to provide additional information.

Concerns about pollutants from diesel generators were raised. Raley said that alternatives to diesel generators, including those that use natural gas, are being explored.

Once again Raley explained that the county currently gets five million gallons of water per day in the TCSD from an agreement with Henrico and uses about half of that. Up to 25 million gpd is available should Goochland need it. The TOD/TZ will have no impact on local wells. He also said that the January disruptions to the water system caused by dysfunction in Richmond “are behind us”.

One person asked why the county just doesn’t build more homes and forget business. Raley explained that residential growth increases traffic, the need for schools and other services, whose cost outstrips gains in residential tax revenues. More houses bring more people which means less rural.

Raley urged everyone to visit the TOD/TZ tab on the county website. All comments via the web page or email are welcome and will be included in the public record. The planning commission will hold a public hearing on the TOD/TZ on September 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Goochland High School auditorium. There will be a District 5 town hall meeting at Hope Church on September 22 at 6 p.m. to discuss matters of interest to the east end in addition to the TOD/TZ.

Please take time to read the entries at https://www.goochlandva.us/1408/Technology-Overlay-District-Technology-Z and share your thoughts.

The TOD/TZ will bring much needed commercial tax revenue to Goochland. The proposal will undoubtedly be tweaked between now and final approval. The county is bending over backwards to be transparent and address legitimate concerns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where the money goes

 

On September 4, the Goochland Board of Supervisors held a three-hour work session to discuss capital items—defined as costing more than $50k with a useful life greater than five years—and prioritizing and identifying possible funding mechanisms. The CIP is a tool to identify big ticket items and craft finance strategies to pay for them.

There are a lot of moving parts to Goochland government. Efficient use of tax dollars to cover all needed expenses, long and short term, is a complicated process. This work session provides a look at the process. To view the entire session, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zowo3w_jIDc

This was the first time that all board members gathered for meaningful discussions about the county’s infrastructure needs and financial position, as opposed to nibbling around the edges during “two by two” meetings with county staff. The ‘kicking tires’ session explored what the county needs and how to pay for it.

County Administrator Jeremy Raley, Ed.D., who has been tirelessly delving into all facets of local government since starting work about nine weeks ago, outlined potential capital investments, and the status of projects “in the works”. The discussion created a mechanism to help the board make thoughtful, deliberate decisions for the benefit of all residents.

The discussion revealed contrasting yet valid views among board members about capital projects. Indeed, Raley may need to don a striped shirt and use a whistle to find consensus.

Charlie Vaughters, District 4, said, that for far too long, Goochland has deferred routine maintenance, or kicked the can down the road on infrastructure. While applauding the fiscal restraint that funded many projects with a “pay as you go” policy using annual surpluses, he contended that Goochland should have best in class facilities to attract and retain exceptional employees that set us apart from our neighbors. Vaughters reflected on the vital component that human capital, people, plays in the success of county government. Factoring the cost of additional staff for new facilities, like fire-rescue stations, should be part of the capital calculation, not just lumped into the annual budget for the first year of operation hoping there is enough money to fund all the positions needed.

Director of Finance Carla Cave reported that Goochland is currently in a strong cash position with about $65 million of fund balance as of June 30, the end of the fiscal year, and above all debt policy thresholds and targets. However, a long laundry list of needed projects could vaporize that in a heartbeat. (Go to the finance tab on the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ to view the adopted budget for FY26, which began on July 1.)

Among the topics discussed was the end of the ad valorem tax levied on all property in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District. Some TCSD property owners have paid this tax since 2002 with little hope of being connected. (Full disclosure, GOMM world headquarters moved into the TCSD a few years ago and pays the tax.)

Cave said, based on current projections, the ad valorem tax will be paid off in 2030, well ahead of the previous 2042 date, but it could happen sooner if county revenues have a dramatic increase. Cave observed that everyone wants to get rid of the tax, whose sole purpose is to service debt incurred by Goochland County to build the basic infrastructure of the TCSD. Created in 2002 to provide water and sewer to the designated growth area in the east end, the TCSD was intended for industrial and commercial, not residential, use.

A portion of the annual general fund revenue goes to the TCSD debt as revenue sharing. This is in the TCSD ordinance and has been about $4 million in recent years. Ending the tax would put more money in taxpayers’ pockets and add the $4 million to county coffers, to be used as the supervisors see fit.

Neil Spoonhower, District 2 contended that funds generated, for example, by the Amazon project on Ashland Road should be directed to pay off the TCSD debt. Raley said that could be accomplished by a board action.

Vaughters observed that TCSD debt could be eliminated sooner by using the county’s “triple triple” AAA bond rating to issue general obligation bond debt to pay off the TCSD bonds, which, he contended would provide an equitable solution for every district to support the potential of enhanced revenue generating power of the TOD for the next 25 to 50 years.

Jonathan Lyle, District 5 said that he likes the fact that Goochland is a county rather than districts. While he too would like to see the end of the TCSD bonds, he does not want to do it at the expense of core services public safety, education, and transportation. He said he would rather see fire-rescue stations built than debt retired. He also pointed out that the assumptions used to justify borrowing for the TCSD in the first place were “somewhat ebullient” and never came to pass. He urged caution about issuing new debt to pay off old debt.

Jonathan Christy, District 1, said that while the math of paying off the TCSD debt as soon as possible makes sense, he asked if the county would also pay to dig wells for those not on public utilities and contended that spreading the TCSD debt to the entire county is insulting to those not in the district. He prefers to pay off the debt with revenues generated by the proposed technology overlay district (TOD) and other new investments in the district. The notion of spreading TCSD debt has been floated before and promptly torpedoed. (Fun fact, none of the supervisors live in areas served by public utilities.)

When created, the TCSD was seen as a moat to contain industrial and commercial development within its boundaries to generate tax revenue and keep the rest of the county rural. Once the bonds are paid off, there might be nothing to prevent high density development, which requires public utilities, from oozing into “rural preservation” areas. This unintended consequence could result in more development, which will increase the demand for public safety, education, and transportation and further degrade the rural character. Perhaps the county could restrict new utility users in the east end to commercial and industrial uses. This should be investigated.

Spoonhower said that fiscal strategies should include any incentives being considered to attract economic development to put the county on a forward-looking trajectory.

The security annex under construction in 2019, replaced the tent used for court security screening

to defer the need for a new courthouse.

A new courthouse to replace the one that has been in continuous use for almost two centuries has been on the list of badly needed infrastructure for years. A line item of $27.8 million is on the FY27 CIP.

Goochland Sheriff Steven Creasey said that, having toured several new courthouses, $27 million is way too low and estimated that $40 million is more realistic. Commonwealth’s Attorney John Lumpkins agreed that the $27 million will not meet needs of the new courthouse, depending on population growth projections for the next few generations. He also contended that an attractive and functional courthouse should enhance the village.

Raley said the scope of the courthouse is to serve the judicial system for the next 40 years or more and that the supervisors will need to roll their sleeves up to find a funding solution for the new courthouse.

Vaughters concurred with Lumpkins that, given the location of the courthouse, it should be designed to put the best foot forward for Courthouse Village. He said that the 200-year-old courthouse should be honored by the new courthouse, which comes with a price.

Raley expects more clarity on the cost and design of the courthouse by November. A good example of deferred maintenance is the annex added to the courthouse in 2019 to replace a tent that had been used to provide screening for court security to defer building the new courthouse.

The West Creek Fire-Rescue station 7, whose funding was allegedly also part of the 2021 referendum, was “paused” for a couple of years. When construction of the roundabout at the intersection of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads in Courthouse Village caused fire-rescue to deploy an ambulance on land purchased on Whitehall Road for station 8, resources from station 7 were diverted there. Now, station 8 is in the design phase. Station 7, to be located on the site selected in 2019 will move forward. When it will be built and how it will be funded are still to be determined.

The more than $11 million estimated current price tag for station 8 was questioned by Spoonhower who felt blindsided by the increase from the $8 million number that had been used.

Fire-Rescue Chief D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. explained that the cost estimate, about $520 per square foot, is typical for the region. The stations are designed in accordance with the 2035 comprehensive land use plan. He said that neighboring jurisdictions are finding that capital bids coming in higher than anticipated.

Ferguson explained that the fire service is changing. Stations are staffed 24/7. The pandemic mandated that sleeping quarters change from dormitory to individual bunkrooms, which increases square footage and cost. He said that the new stations are being built to last for 75 years, not unlike the four existing stations owned by the volunteers, most of which were built in the 1960s. Station 8 is expected to go out to bid later this year. Both Raley and Ferguson were hopeful that the final cost will be closer to the $8 million figure.

Spoonhower and Lyle contended that the fire-rescue stations should be built with the money earmarked for them, Vaughters said failure to build best in class for the next 75 years is penny wise and pound foolish

While it would seem sensible to use, as far as possible, the same set of plans for stations 7 and 8 and perhaps hope for cost savings in a  “two fer” Raley explained that state procurement regulations mandate that each project be considered separately to encourage competition. Ferguson said that research done on design of station 8 would apply to station 7, but there are substantial differences in building mechanics.

Vaughters mentioned the long lead times for equipment like the replacement for the chiller at the “new” high school, which opened more than 20 years ago, and fire-rescue apparatus. He said when items are identified in the CIP, they should be ordered immediately.

A myriad of items including software updates, HVAC replacement for county buildings, equipment for parks and rec, and convenience centers are also in the CIP budget.

Later in the session, School Superintendent Andrew Armstrong, Ph.D. shared identified needs of the division.

Armstrong said that our school division is the tangible return on the investment of every citizen for facilities that are safe, comfortable, inviting, and efficient. The school division’s capital needs are aligned with the county.

Projects like the new chiller, a vital component of the HVAC at the high school are big ticket, long term, and a bit boring, but vital.

Priority projects under discussion include a motor control system for the chiller, replacing boilers, and weapons detections equipment. Armstrong said that Goochland is following Louisa’s deployment of the detectors.

Armstrong mentioned the advantages of using artificial turf rather than grass that could lead to cost savings on routine maintenance by eliminating seeding, mowing, and irrigation, and make fields usable for more than one sport.

An addition to high school to expand the county’s excellent career and technical program, estimated at about $18 million in the bond referendum, will cost far more than that. The good news is that given the proposed location adjoining the high school, site work will be minimal. This facility will accommodate a wide range of CTE programs, including flexibility to add programs that equip our kids to work in emerging industries coming to Goochland.

Spoonhower wants Goochland CTE to be the beacon for the region.

Armstrong said that he does not want any Goochland student to walk across the graduation stage on Saturday night and not know what they are going to do on Monday morning. Whether they go to the workforce with a high demand credential, college, or the miliary they must have a path. “Kids have to read they have to have arithmetical literacy to achieve that,” said Armstrong.

 Other capital needs of the school division are expanding the middle school band room and an auxiliary gym.

Armstrong said that Goochland is the exception rather than the rule of lacking school weapons detection systems. Current equipment detects guns and knives and is portable for use at graduation and football games, for instance. They require additional staff. A $500k initial investment is required.

The Sheriff, said Armstrong, has been alongside the school division in the investigation and eventual deployment of weapons detectors.

In the next five years, routine equipment and roof replacement, maintenance, and renovations for Byrd and Randolph will be in the CIP. Some of these items are so old that replacement parts are no longer available.

 

 

 

 

Lace up your running shoes

 

Attention runners and ambitious walkers. Registration is now open for the second annual Run to Revolution 5k to be held on Saturday, October 4 at Elk Hill in western Goochland.

The historic  Elk Hill property (https://goochlandhistory.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/thomas-jeffersons-elk-hill/  is now home to a facility that helps troubled youth get their lives back on track (https://www.elkhill.org/).  

Run to Revolution is sponsored by the Goochland 250 Commission, which was created by the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to commemorate the founding of our great nation and remind Americans how our country came to be.

Next July 4, we will celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Although the document was the result of collaboration of several people, Thomas Jefferson, who Goochlanders tend to consider a local boy because he spent part of his childhood at Tuckahoe Plantation in the east end, is credited with its authorship.

Go to https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Goochland/RuntotheRevolution for sign up information or to donate to fund other activities of the Goochland 250 Commission.

Signed months after the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired in Massachusetts, the Declaration was an early event in the long and bitter struggle for independence that ended with the 1783 Treaty of Paris. In the interim, many signers of the Declaration lost everything to secure liberty for the 13 colonies.

 

 

Stewardship

 

Goochland County finances have come a long way since the dark pre-2012 days when the county struggled to cover the cost of providing core services with declining tax revenues caused by the negative impact on real estate valuations by the Great Recession.

On August 5, the county’s budget and audit committee made up of three supervisors, Chair Tom Winfree, District 3; Vice Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1; Charlie Vaughters, District 4; County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley; and Director of Financial Services Carla Cave, met. (Go to the county website https://www.goochlandva.us/ click on the watch county meetings tab and select BoS Audit and Finance Committee August 5 for details.)

ACFR

First on the agenda was the kick off for the Annual Certified Financial Report (ACFR) with comments by Andrea Nichols of the Harrisonburg office of PBMares (https://www.pbmares.com/) the outside auditing firm retained by Goochland County to prepare the ACFR. She is the senior audit manager, the point person from PBMAres, working with partners Mike Garber and Betsy Hendrick, who focuses on the school part of the audit.  The ACFR must be approved locally for transmission to the Virginia Auditor of Public Account by December 15 of each year. Nichols expects that the Goochland ACFR will be finished on time so that can be accepted by the supervisors at their December meeting.

PBMares has been the county auditor through several contract cycles and has established a strong working relationship with all county departments, said Nichols. She explained that PBMares rotates those involved to ensure that a “fresh set of eyes” are used to perform Goochland audits each year.

Nichols said that her role is to oversee day-to-day logistics, coordinate with all departments, and handle the flow of information through the auditing process, to communicate clearly with those charged with governance, and ensure effective two-way communication.

The ACFR process includes reviews of internal controls, compliance with federal grants, and performs risk assessments to ensure that fiscal policies and procedures are appropriate and in compliance to mitigate risk. Standards used to assess that financial statements are not fraudulently misstated are also applied. (To review details of ACFRs for past years, https://www.goochlandva.us/Archive.aspx?AMID=43)

In the next few weeks, the audit team will be onsite in Goochland as work on the ACFR kicks into high gear. Goochland has earned high marks for financial reporting and operations for the past several years thanks to the hard work and attention to detail by all employees of the county and school division throughout the year. Kudos to all involved for being good stewards of public funds.

Fiscal ’25 fourth quarter projections

Cave presented preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter of the county’s 2025 fiscal year, which ended on June 30. As the county works under a 45-day accrual period, Cave explained, the numbers aren’t final.

Preliminary figures indicate that projected revenues will exceed those budgeted by approximately $4.8 million, much of which is due to a spike in fees generated by the Amazon facility under construction on Ashland Road. Departments are turning back budgeted but unspent funds, most of which Cave attributed to vacancies and $1.5 million not spent on the new GES returned by the schools. This translates into about $7.6 million put back into fund balance at the end of the year.

That’s the operating side. A notice at the bottom of Cave’s report  states that “The supervisors have indicated an interest in assigned these funds to future CIP (capital improvement plan) projects such as fire-rescue station 7, renovation of the old Goochland elementary school, hiring of a second deputy county administrator (Sara Worley was recently appointed to this post), future economic development incentives, or a possible additional contribution to Schools for unfunded  priorities. These assignments will be determined by the Board in October 2025.”

A CIP work session will take place on Thursday, September 4 at noon. This was postponed from an earlier date to include the new county administrator. Goochland’s capital—high dollar, long life items that cannot be funded in a single budget cycle—needs are at least $100 million. These include a new courthouse, (Goochland’'s will mark its bicentennial next year), school improvements, public safety equipment, routine maintenance to existing buildings, and other important items.

Financial Management Policies

The “Revolution” board of supervisors elected in 2011 took office in 2012 and immediately rolled up its sleeves to get the county’s fiscal house in order. Thirteen years later, the result of these Herculean efforts to wrest Goochland from the brink of bankruptcy, is a county with three AAA bond ratings, making Goochland the smallest jurisdiction in the country to accomplish this feat.

Among the measures put in place to get a handle on county finances were creation of financial management policies in 2013, which have been amended several times to ensure Goochland’s fiscal stability. These took a very conservative approach and included a revenue stabilization fund—essentially a rainy-day fund—to ease the county over fiscal bumps in the road caused by economic conditions beyond its control and enable the county to continue to provide core services.

This philosophy served the county well as it climbed out of revenue declines caused by the Great Recession and uncertainties during the early days of the Covid pandemic.

Current supervisors have discussed if perhaps the ratio of debt relative to the assessed value of real estate not to exceed 2.5 percent as expressed in existing policy, is too conservative. Debt payments, exclusive of that for the Tuckahoe Creek Service District Bonds, have a target of 10 percent of general fund expenditures and a ceiling of 12 percent to accommodate temporary overlap of debt service payments.

Last December, the audit committee met with the county’s financial advisor to discuss reducing or eliminating the policy of keeping an amount equal to 55 percent of unassigned fund balance on hand for emergencies. After discussion, a decision on the topic was postponed allowing more time to investigate the implications of the change.

If there was a March meeting of the audit committee, a recording and minutes of it do not seem to be on the county website. At the May meeting, there was mention of approval of reducing the required percentage of unassigned fund balance on hand from 55 to what seems to be 20 percent of the coming year’s General fund budget and the non-local portion of the school operating budget.

The quandary is between ensuring adequate reserves as a cushion for county operations and perhaps sitting on money that could be better used to fund capital projects.

Supervisor Jonathan Lyle, District 5, presented simplified financial language for the policies, whose current terminology, he contended, was written for and by lawyers and accountants. Lyle’s revisions, which include footers on each page with illustrative calculations of the policies using real county numbers for the most recent five years, were approved. However, the updated version has not yet been posted on the county website.