Goochland Day 2026 will be held on Saturday May 16. The
event kicks off with a wonderful hometown parade beginning at 10 a.m. at the
Courthouse and concludes at the old GES, just north of the administration
building. The free festival runs from 11-3 around the Goochland Sports Complex,
near the administration building. Go to https://goochlandday.com/
for details.
The Goochland Board of Supervisors will hold a special
meeting on Thursday, May 28 beginning at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium about
the proposed Valley Link transmission line. Representatives from Valley Link
will attend to hear concerns and answer questions.
At the Goochland Board of Supervisors’ regular monthly
meeting on May 5, Chair Jonathan Christy, District 1 said that Goochland has, along
with Louisa, Orange, Culpeper, and Fluvanna counties, submitted a filing with
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission giving Goochland a seat at the table
and right to be heard on the issue. The board continues to actively and deliberately
oppose the Valley Link project to protect the well-being of our residents and
rural character of the county.
Neil Spoonhower, District 2, was absent.
The supervisors adopted the Goochland County budget for
FY27, which begins on July 1. Tax rates
for calendar year 2026 were set in April. Tax bills computed using those rates
have been mailed out. They are due on June 5.
The FY26 budget was amended by transferring and
appropriating $491,741.74 from unassigned fund balance to cover unanticipated expenditures
resulting from the aftermath of winter storm Fern on January 24. Another amendment
to the FY26 budget transferred and appropriated $235k to the Department of
Public Utilities operating revenues to be used for projected chemical needs at
the eastern wastewater pump station.
County administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley Ed. D. said that the $170,997,815
FY27 budget is the result of an excellent team effort that began last September
working through complications caused by personnel transitions in the finance
department. “We remain steadfast in our approach to making sure that we’re strong
stewards of the taxpayer dollars entrusted to us.” He gave special recognition
to Kathleen Smith, Assistant Director of Finance, for her work on the nearly 300-page
budget document. (Go to https://goochlandva.us/1165/Budget-Transparency
)
Charlie Vaughters, District 4 also commended “team Goochland”
for its work on the budget. He urged everyone to read Raley’s letter of transmission,
which begins on page 15. “It provides
great context and demonstrates how this budget is the result of a thorough and
detailed process,” he said.
Director of Financial Services Denise Sandlin presented the
FY27 budget for adoption by the supervisors. She explained that the final
budget, thanks to strategic review and detailed ‘scrubbing” identified cost
savings of $3.4 million, adds items not included in the February version. These include a three percent raise for school
and county employees; enabling the county to absorb a 9.1 percent increase in
health insurance costs rather than passing it on to participants; two
dispatchers and a full-time information technology director for the Sheriff;
and five fire-rescue employees. Schools received an additional $1.5 million. Modernizing
human resources software and internal alignment of employees as they earn
professional credentials are also funded.
Capital projects for both county and school were funded at $4,400,510.
Among the FY27 CIP items are an ambulance replacement for $501,769; $250k for
roof replacement at the Central High School Cultural and Educational Center; $1,760,000
for various school projects; and $500k for upgrades and replacements for
information technology.
Jonathan Lyle, District 5, moved to amend the FY27 budget by
moving $37k allocated to Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District (MSWCD)
to the instructional category in the schools’ budget for agricultural
education. He contended that MCSWD is well funded but is not reimbursed by the
schools for its “meaningful watershed” presentations to students. The proposed transfer
would provide funds for this. The other supervisors declined to support this
motion and approved the FY27 budget as presented.
Since late last year, workshops chaired by Raley explored
county finances in depth to give the supervisors and public a greater understanding
of the budget process. (These are archived on the county website.)
The “books close” on FY26 in the summer. It will be interesting
to see how the actual revenues collected on June 5 compare with the budget
estimates based on January 1, 2026 valuations and how the supervisors might
allocate surplus revenue, if any. Stay tuned.
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