Spring District town
hall meetings were held at the end of March. Attendance at the District 1
meeting on March 24 was sparse. Districts 4 and 5 had a more robust turnout on
the 27th., however, attendance at the final one for Districts 2 and
3 on the 31 was lackluster, but perhaps attributable to the county being under
a tornado watch at the time. All sessions were livestreamed and archived on the
“watch county meetings” tab on the Goochland website https://www.goochlandva.us/. Please take
a look at one or all of the presentations.
The Hon. Manuel Alverez, Jr., former District 2 supervisor,
currently serving as interim county administrator while the supervisors recruit
for that position, presented an update on county matters. This included an
overview of the proposed county budget for FY26, which starts on July 1. The supervisors
will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget 6 p.m. on April 1 and approve
the FY26 budget and set county tax rates for calendar year 2025 on April 15.
Alvarez outlined where the county plans to spend tax dollars,
highlighting revisions to the proposed budget the former county administrator presented
in February on his way out the door. These include funding for six new
fire-rescue employees, up from none in the February proposal, but fewer than
the 12 initially requested.
Using graphs and charts, Alverez illustrated changes to local
government expenditures in the past few years. The most dramatic increase has
been in public safety, especially fire-rescue, as the department adds employees
to operate new stations and replace volunteers who, for decades, gave freely of
their time and talents to save lives and protect property in the county. The
increased costs give a true picture of the value of volunteer contributions.
Goochland’s real estate tax, rate 53 cents per $100 of
assessed valuation, has remained unchanged since 2007. Increased valuations,
however, have also increased tax bills. The “revolution board” that was elected
in 2011 and included Alvarez, used a conservative approach to county funding to
avoid repletion of bad fiscal policies that put Goochland far too close to bankruptcy.
He reviewed revenue sources, including state funding. Goochland receives only
20 percent of school funding from the Commonwealth. Alvarez contended that this is a good thing
when the state cannot pass a budget because it’s relatively easy to make up for
the shortfall.
The county budget is crafted being mindful of the impact of
external factors, including recession and inflation, over which the county has
no influence. Then there are unfunded state mandates. Alverez used the state
mandated five percent salary increase for teachers, of which Goochland gets just
20 percent and has to scramble to make up the difference as an example.
He referenced some of the capital—big ticket items with a
long useful life—that will be funded this year, including a $1.77 million “chiller”
for the high/middle school complex. If this part of the HVAC system goes kaput,
the school cannot operate, school windows don’t open anymore, and the lead time
for a replacement could be years.
The school division’s presentation outlined its many accomplishments
but contended that there is more to do. Goochland students’ “pass rates” on English
and math were 82 and 83 percent, the numbers need to be higher, a goal being
actively pursued.
Sara Worley, Director of Economic Development, gave an
update on business activity. She announced the creation of the Rockville
Opportunity corridor https://goochlandva.us/1396/Rockville-Opportunity-Corridor
. This includes the Project Rocky Amazon Distribution Center and the Axial
warehouse/office complex, both under construction.
Temporary road improvements to the Ashland Road/I-64 area that
include a traffic signal at the eastbound on ramp and additional turn lanes at
the westbound turn ramp will soon be in
place. Completion of the diverging diamond interchange, which includes a
second bridge over I64, is expected in 2029.
Other projects in the county include HG Meats, a small local
USDA regulated meat processing facility near Hadensville. This will enable
local meat producers to have their animals prepared for marketing closer to
home, reducing costs, and supporting local agriculture. HG Meats will not be
open for retail sales and hopes to be in operation later this year.
Goochland is a land of contrasts. Residents have very
different outlooks and concerns depending on their location.
Broadband expansion has many people in the upper end justifiably
frustrated at the glacial pace of connectivity there, which was slowed by
winter weather. People in the east end which has greater connectivity, not so
much. They are concerned about growth and traffic. Those in the middle raised
concerns about rumors of a battery storage facility proposed for Old Mill Road near
Crozier.
While Goochland’s real estate tax rate has remained
unchanged for decades, burgeoning assessments have resulted in larger tax bills.
Contrary to social media posts, the supervisors have no role in property valuations,
which are performed by the county assessor.
Todd Kaufman, who lives in Manakin Sabot and is a financial
professional, spoke at all three town hall meetings advocating for a change in the
methods used to assess property. He contended that the county could reduce the
tax rate and still pay the bills.
He will explain his approach at the public hearings on the FY26
county budget tonight, April 1, beginning at 6 p.m.
Citizen engagement, beyond social media ranting, is vital
for the success of local government. These meetings are a good first step, but
more residents need to pay attention.