Local political events warm winter’s chill
Virginians vote every year. Late last week, two Goochland citizens tossed their hats into the electoral ring for District 5 supervisor. The next election for that office is in November 2011.
Ken Peterson, a West Point graduate, former army officer and bond trader, announced on Thursday via an email sent to chairman of the Goochland Republican Committee, Ben Slone, that he planned to seek the GOP nomination for the position. Peterson said he would formally state his intentions at a special event on January 9.
Not to be outdone, Courtney Hyers, a retired attorney announced her intention to seek the GOP nomination at a meeting of the Goochland Republican Women on Friday, January 9.
Incumbent District 5 supervisor James T. Eads, who attended the GRW meeting, promptly endorsed Hyers. Although he did not specifically announce his intention to retire at the end of his current term, Eads’ endorsement seems to be a de facto indication that he will not seek reelection.
Hyers has represented District 5 on the county planning commission since 2006.
She is a graduate of Randolph Macon Women’s College and the University of Florida College of Law. During a three decade career with CSX Corporation Hyers served as Senior Tax Counsel, which included responsibility for tax legislative matters.
She and her husband have lived in Goochland for 20 years and she served as president of the Lower Tuckahoe Homeowners’ Association.
Hers said that she believes citizens must fight to preserve Goochland’s rural character. She rejects then notion that Goochland must look like Chesterfield and Henrico. She is committed to an efficient high quality school system as well as supporting law enforcement and fire-rescue volunteers.
She commended the board of supervisors for taking the initiative to identify and correct recently discovered deficiencies in the county’s public utilities department.
She praised James Eads, current District 5 supervisor, for introducing sound business practices to county government including careful and controlled growth and pledged to continue his work.
Of major concern, said Hyers is the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, which was conceived to provide opportunities for high quality economic development, which she supports.
She supports low taxes and believes that government, like families and businesses, must adjust its expenditures to deal with revenue shortfalls.
Eads endorsed her.
“Beginning with the utility billing problems we discovered last year and weaknesses in our administration we know we have to restructure our county government with skilled professionals,” said Eads.
This was great political theater following the long tradition of notables like former President Bill Clinton who overlook past events.
It was quite curious that Eads took credit for uncovering the discrepancies in the utility department and seemed surprised to learn that county administration was at the least, inept.
One of the reasons that Eads was ”hired” by his constituents in 1999 was to remove the former county administrator. In comments made before the 2007 election, Eads praised that very person. About a year ago, during an open meeting of the board of supervisors, Eads voted against a motion to essentially fire that person, who was permitted to retire.
Peterson is new to county politics.
He announced at a event at the Manakin Fire-Rescue station on Saturday, January 9.
He was introduced by Bob Marcellus who is president of The Richmond Group Fund and a member of the economic work group committee of the transition team of governor-elect Bob McDonnell. Marcellus cited Peterson’s MBA from Northwestern University and experience as a Wall Street bond trader as prime credentials for elected office in the county.
Peterson, a former paratrooper, has been treasurer of River Road Methodist Church and the Meadows Homeowners Association. Marcellus said that Peterson has provided valuable input to the “business of the state of Virginia.”
He has lived in Goochland since 2006 arriving here after an exhaustive search for the best place to live in America.
“Today’s rally is a celebration of democracy in action,” said Peterson. “It is an opportunity for the citizens of Goochland to discuss the issues of the day and learn more about our campaign.”
In very brief remarks following his formal announcement, Peterson said that he plans to spend the coming months meeting the citizens of District 5 and listening to their concerns about local government and collecting good ideas.
He said that positions for his campaign will be formulated around basic concepts including fiscal responsibility, transparency in government and focus on the will of the people.
“That’s not just the few courageous people who speak during the board of supervisors’ open mike sessions, but everyone,” said Peterson. “I am honored to help shape the debate about Goochland’s future.”
Liz Culley, GRW president, and Slone welcomed both candidates to the fray. The GOP will formally select its candidates at a mass meeting in April 2011. The deadline for legal filings to be a candidate in the 2011 elections is in June 2011.
This is quite a startling development. Eads’ vote to support District 2 supervisor William Quarles, Jr. as
2010 Board chair last Tuesday was viewed with displeasure among republicans and his supporters may have precipitated the announcements.
That there is enough interest in holding the position, which pays $1,000 per month and comes with a mountain of headaches, is a positive development. It will be interesting to see if any democrats jump in the ring before the election.
These candidacies will also provide a gracious plenty of opportunity for detailed discussion and careful thought about issues facing Goochland ranging from the amount and kind of development appropriate for our county to the portion of our public treasure that we want to devote to education.
Perhaps theses discussions will result in a more useful definition of rural than “I know it when I see it” so that county officials can guide Goochland’s future in the direction that its citizens truly want to go.
The time is past to let things roll along and hope for the best.
Too many citizens have become either complacent or disgusted and turned their backs on government involvement at all levels. The time has come to pay attention and decide who will lead us and hold our leaders responsible fro their actions.
As the magnitude of the mismanagement of county government comes into greater focus, we can only hope that the voters of all five districts in the county will realize the consequences of their inattention to local government over the years.
Kudos to Hyers and Peterson for their interest in civic matters and willingness to devote their considerable talents to public service.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Of tea and tyranny
Grass roots movement stirs sleeping giant
The Boston Tea Party is perhaps the most famous manifestation of an “I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” attitude. It will not be the last.
On April 15, 2009, the seeds planted by early patriots as they threw precious tea into Boston Harbor sprouted with renewed vigor as Americans of all backgrounds and political philosophies gave voice to their disgust about the manner in which they are governed.
Dismissed as Astroturf by the leftists in power, the Tea Party Movement erupted spontaneously at the grass roots level and is spreading around the country faster than kudzu in a Mississippi summer.
On January 8 Jamie Radtke the chairwoman of the Richmond Tea Party (richmondteaparty.com) and Federation of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots (virginiateapartypatriots.com) spoke to the Goochland Republican Women about the history of the movement and its future on the local level.
Radtke said liberals believed that the original tea parties that took place all over the country last April resulted from a well organized group.
“That couldn’t have been further from the truth, but that’s changing,” said Radtke who holds a master’s degree from William and Mary. “The April 15 rally was thrown together in three weeks. People decided enough is enough and 5,500 people showed up.”
The initial tea parties resonated in the hearts and minds of the American people. They are finally starting to get interested in the government process said Radtke.
Other events, including the 9/12 event in Washington, D.C. advocated by conservative thinker Glenn Beck, drew huge crowds of like-minded people.
The 9/12 event, which drew many locals was quite moving, said Radtke. Americans are ready to restore the Founders’ Vision for our country.
They feel a sense of urgency and cannot be silent anymore, she contended.
“Even college kids are starting to understand the financial burden that actions currently underway in congress will place on them.”
The Founding Fathers were incredibly perceptive when they built a political system on the foundations of justice, personal responsibility and restraint, Radtke said.
Government takeover of the auto and banking industries are clear indications that America has forsaken its virtue.
Radtke said that even the legendary Russian newspaper Pravda observed that the speed of America’s descent into Marxism is breathtaking.
The tea party movement, said Radtke, is a way for concerned citizens to get involved to change things. When many people work together big changes can happen fast.
Radtke was careful to point out that, while many in the tea party movement are republicans, the GOP is not behind the tea party movement. Many tea party patriots consider themselves independents and there may even be a few lapsed democrats in there too. All tea party patriots are conservatives and will oppose putative republicans who do not act in accordance with the republican creed.
For years, she contended, the Republican Party has been on the defensive instead of setting forth proactive solutions for the challenges that face our country.
She believes that, without the tea party movement health care legislation would have passed last summer.
Now, the movement is shifting its focus to the local level, because that is where elected officials get their start and are groomed for higher office.
“We’ll never change congress if we can’t change our own backyards,” she said. “Local government is boring for most people, they’d rather send hate mail to their senators.”
The tea party movement, which consisted of 24 local tea parties and about 10,000 people in October, 2009 and grew to 40 local groups representing more than 25,000 by December, is supporting two bills at this year’s session of the Virginia General Assembly.
One House Bill 10, would say that the government may not mandate health insurance in Virginia nor fine nor jail anyone who does not have insurance.
House bill 69 will challenge the federal commerce clause contending that the feds cannot regulate firearms if they are built and sold in Virginia.
While there are currently no manufacturers of firearms in the Commonwealth, success of this legislation might well create new industry and attract new jobs.
Radtke invites all to a rally to be held at the bell tower on Capital Square in Richmond on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 10 a.m. Valet parking and shuttles will be available at the Tobacco Company restaurant. Following the rally, participants are encouraged to meet with their representatives.
(The Goochland Republican Women will next meet on Friday, February 5 at 10 a.m. at the Manakin Fire-Rescue Station on Rt.6. Thelma Drake, former US representative will speak about issues facing Congress, the GOP and what it will take, especially for women, to win elections in 2010. For more information, contact president Liz Culley at elizabethacully@aol.com)
The Boston Tea Party is perhaps the most famous manifestation of an “I’m mad as hell and not going to take it anymore” attitude. It will not be the last.
On April 15, 2009, the seeds planted by early patriots as they threw precious tea into Boston Harbor sprouted with renewed vigor as Americans of all backgrounds and political philosophies gave voice to their disgust about the manner in which they are governed.
Dismissed as Astroturf by the leftists in power, the Tea Party Movement erupted spontaneously at the grass roots level and is spreading around the country faster than kudzu in a Mississippi summer.
On January 8 Jamie Radtke the chairwoman of the Richmond Tea Party (richmondteaparty.com) and Federation of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots (virginiateapartypatriots.com) spoke to the Goochland Republican Women about the history of the movement and its future on the local level.
Radtke said liberals believed that the original tea parties that took place all over the country last April resulted from a well organized group.
“That couldn’t have been further from the truth, but that’s changing,” said Radtke who holds a master’s degree from William and Mary. “The April 15 rally was thrown together in three weeks. People decided enough is enough and 5,500 people showed up.”
The initial tea parties resonated in the hearts and minds of the American people. They are finally starting to get interested in the government process said Radtke.
Other events, including the 9/12 event in Washington, D.C. advocated by conservative thinker Glenn Beck, drew huge crowds of like-minded people.
The 9/12 event, which drew many locals was quite moving, said Radtke. Americans are ready to restore the Founders’ Vision for our country.
They feel a sense of urgency and cannot be silent anymore, she contended.
“Even college kids are starting to understand the financial burden that actions currently underway in congress will place on them.”
The Founding Fathers were incredibly perceptive when they built a political system on the foundations of justice, personal responsibility and restraint, Radtke said.
Government takeover of the auto and banking industries are clear indications that America has forsaken its virtue.
Radtke said that even the legendary Russian newspaper Pravda observed that the speed of America’s descent into Marxism is breathtaking.
The tea party movement, said Radtke, is a way for concerned citizens to get involved to change things. When many people work together big changes can happen fast.
Radtke was careful to point out that, while many in the tea party movement are republicans, the GOP is not behind the tea party movement. Many tea party patriots consider themselves independents and there may even be a few lapsed democrats in there too. All tea party patriots are conservatives and will oppose putative republicans who do not act in accordance with the republican creed.
For years, she contended, the Republican Party has been on the defensive instead of setting forth proactive solutions for the challenges that face our country.
She believes that, without the tea party movement health care legislation would have passed last summer.
Now, the movement is shifting its focus to the local level, because that is where elected officials get their start and are groomed for higher office.
“We’ll never change congress if we can’t change our own backyards,” she said. “Local government is boring for most people, they’d rather send hate mail to their senators.”
The tea party movement, which consisted of 24 local tea parties and about 10,000 people in October, 2009 and grew to 40 local groups representing more than 25,000 by December, is supporting two bills at this year’s session of the Virginia General Assembly.
One House Bill 10, would say that the government may not mandate health insurance in Virginia nor fine nor jail anyone who does not have insurance.
House bill 69 will challenge the federal commerce clause contending that the feds cannot regulate firearms if they are built and sold in Virginia.
While there are currently no manufacturers of firearms in the Commonwealth, success of this legislation might well create new industry and attract new jobs.
Radtke invites all to a rally to be held at the bell tower on Capital Square in Richmond on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 10 a.m. Valet parking and shuttles will be available at the Tobacco Company restaurant. Following the rally, participants are encouraged to meet with their representatives.
(The Goochland Republican Women will next meet on Friday, February 5 at 10 a.m. at the Manakin Fire-Rescue Station on Rt.6. Thelma Drake, former US representative will speak about issues facing Congress, the GOP and what it will take, especially for women, to win elections in 2010. For more information, contact president Liz Culley at elizabethacully@aol.com)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Welcome to 2010
Highlights of the first supervisors’ meeting
In addition to choosing a new chairman, the board of supervisors started to address issues facing the county in 2010. Their most important is how to determine what services are essential and how to fund them.
County assessor Glenn Branham presented a summary of the latest reassessment of county property. Real estate taxes provide the single largest revenue source for Goochland.
Overall, land values declined by 8.2 percent or $451,043,600. Residential assessments decreased by 7.7 percent. Commercial assessments for 2010 declined by 11.5 percent due to increased vacancy rates, lower rents, difficulty in securing financing and overall negative economic conditions.
According to a reassessment overview distributed by Branham, the county’s commercial tax base is about 15 percent of the total real estate tax base. There are currently 717 commercial properties in the county. Of those 385 are improved and 332 are vacant.
Land use values will not change for 2010. Agricultural land will remain at $220 per acre and forestal at $613. The deadline for applying for land use taxation status for 2010 is February 16, 2010.
Notices of reassessment will be mailed on January 15, 2010 and property owners will have until February 16, 2010 to appeal that assessment.
The supervisors will set the real estate tax rate, currently 53 cents per $100 of valuation, on April 6 and the first half tax payments are due on June 5.
The board’s meeting schedule includes several possible dates for additional meetings to work on the budget. They’ve also built some time before meetings for workshop sessions as needed.
Sheriff Agnew reported that as a result of multijurisdictional cooperation among Goochland, Louisa and Hanover law enforcement, suspects in the rash of break-ins have been arrested and charged with the crimes. He warned that citizens should still be on guard and lock their doors and not leave keys or valuables in vehicles.
Agnew said that, in spite of rewards, there are no leads about the disgusting vandalism of Second Union Baptist Church on Hadensville-Fife Road last fall. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 556-5349 or crimestoppers at 780-1000.
The county faired well in the recent snowstorm thanks to citizens staying home and driving carefully when they did venture out, said Agnew. He said that VDOT got the main roads clear promptly and did as good a job as possible on secondary roads.
D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Deputy Chief-EMS said that Goochland’s fire-rescue volunteers spent hundreds of hours in their stations and responding to emergency calls during the storm. EMS volunteers operated under storm procedures that included deploying four wheel drive winch equipped “brush trucks” with ambulances to deal with unplowed roads and driveways.
Wayne Allen will serve as interim fire-rescue chief until a permanent chief is hired. Ferguson will supervise all fire-rescue personnel who are county employees. Anthony “Tony” Gordon, former Courthouse Company 5 District Chief, will assume the duties of Deputy Chief-operations, a volunteer position. The changes follow the retirement of Ken Brown as fire-rescue chief on December 31.
To accommodate land owners, action on the proposed Oilville pre-zoning and establishment of a utilities service district there has been moved back to the spring.
Needed roof repairs provoked yet another discussion about the fate of the old middle school, which has been vacant since June 2007. The county received some money as part of a class action lawsuit about a portion of the roof.
Suggestions for its future include renovation as a new elementary school, a community center and site for a fire-rescue station in District 2. This is yet another issue that generates much smoke and little light.
County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson offered to include a plan for its use when restored to a useful condition in the next capital improvement plan.
During the citizen comment period preceding the evening public hearing, several parents of students in Goochland schools implored to supervisors to tread lightly when dealing with the school budget.
These parents, mostly of children who attend the gifted center, a rumored target of budget cuts, offered some tasty food for thought.
Jo D. Hosken suggested that the board enact a temporary auxiliary land tax of $25 per acre for the next three years. She contended that this would generate sufficient revenue to cover the expected shortfall in the school budget.
Hosken said that school parents will not support elected officials who do not support a school budget that funds essentials.
“You opened this box, now it’s time to think outside it,” she said.
Temporary taxes have a nasty habit of becoming permanent, like the temporary tax levied on phone use to fund the Spanish-American War in 1898 that was only eliminated a few years ago.
More important, because Virginia operates under the Dillon Rule, localities only have the powers given to them by the General Assembly. The state folk guard their power to tax carefully and the supervisors are not able to add new methods of taxation at will.
While there may well be ample justification for an upward adjustment in the real estate tax rate this year, there is just not enough available information about what is essential and what is fluff to make that call just yet.
Carolyn Elliott asked the board to videotape its meetings and put them on the internet for people unable to attend. Supervisors’ meetings are recorded and CDs of the meetings are available for a modest fee from the county.
It would be nice if school board meetings were at least recorded for those unable to attend. While the school board does post minutes of their meetings, they tend to be brief summaries of the proceedings and do not record verbatim statements of those present. As the board room in the administration building is set up to record meetings, it would make a lot of sense for school board meetings to be held there.
Elliott observed that the $3 million the board recently loaned the Tuckahoe Creek Service District to build a water line extension entirely in Henrico County is a bit more than the $2.9 million the school system was asked to cut from its budget.
“It would have been nice to have had that money available for the schools,” said Elliott.
Although the $3 million will be repaid to the county’s general fund, with interest, and the money will be used for capital costs rather than operating expenses, her comments were on target.
Elliott said that a 15 percent reduction of the school budget is more than the system can sustain. She supports cutting wasteful spending and implementing economies of scale including the combination of county and school employees in the same health insurance plan.
She also said that she had been pleased to notice some supervisors attending school board meetings and commended Dickson for her the prompt and helpful response to some earlier questions.
“This is change,” said Elliott.
Elliott characterized moving the required date for approval of the school budget to the end of January from December 31, “when it was approved in the dead of night just before Christmas” as a step in the right direction.
The meeting also marked the departure of Barbra Rose, who served as interim county attorney since early summer. Ms. Rose gracefully applied her broad knowledge of law and procedure to Goochland government at a time when it was badly needed.
In addition to choosing a new chairman, the board of supervisors started to address issues facing the county in 2010. Their most important is how to determine what services are essential and how to fund them.
County assessor Glenn Branham presented a summary of the latest reassessment of county property. Real estate taxes provide the single largest revenue source for Goochland.
Overall, land values declined by 8.2 percent or $451,043,600. Residential assessments decreased by 7.7 percent. Commercial assessments for 2010 declined by 11.5 percent due to increased vacancy rates, lower rents, difficulty in securing financing and overall negative economic conditions.
According to a reassessment overview distributed by Branham, the county’s commercial tax base is about 15 percent of the total real estate tax base. There are currently 717 commercial properties in the county. Of those 385 are improved and 332 are vacant.
Land use values will not change for 2010. Agricultural land will remain at $220 per acre and forestal at $613. The deadline for applying for land use taxation status for 2010 is February 16, 2010.
Notices of reassessment will be mailed on January 15, 2010 and property owners will have until February 16, 2010 to appeal that assessment.
The supervisors will set the real estate tax rate, currently 53 cents per $100 of valuation, on April 6 and the first half tax payments are due on June 5.
The board’s meeting schedule includes several possible dates for additional meetings to work on the budget. They’ve also built some time before meetings for workshop sessions as needed.
Sheriff Agnew reported that as a result of multijurisdictional cooperation among Goochland, Louisa and Hanover law enforcement, suspects in the rash of break-ins have been arrested and charged with the crimes. He warned that citizens should still be on guard and lock their doors and not leave keys or valuables in vehicles.
Agnew said that, in spite of rewards, there are no leads about the disgusting vandalism of Second Union Baptist Church on Hadensville-Fife Road last fall. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 556-5349 or crimestoppers at 780-1000.
The county faired well in the recent snowstorm thanks to citizens staying home and driving carefully when they did venture out, said Agnew. He said that VDOT got the main roads clear promptly and did as good a job as possible on secondary roads.
D. E. “Eddie” Ferguson, Jr. Deputy Chief-EMS said that Goochland’s fire-rescue volunteers spent hundreds of hours in their stations and responding to emergency calls during the storm. EMS volunteers operated under storm procedures that included deploying four wheel drive winch equipped “brush trucks” with ambulances to deal with unplowed roads and driveways.
Wayne Allen will serve as interim fire-rescue chief until a permanent chief is hired. Ferguson will supervise all fire-rescue personnel who are county employees. Anthony “Tony” Gordon, former Courthouse Company 5 District Chief, will assume the duties of Deputy Chief-operations, a volunteer position. The changes follow the retirement of Ken Brown as fire-rescue chief on December 31.
To accommodate land owners, action on the proposed Oilville pre-zoning and establishment of a utilities service district there has been moved back to the spring.
Needed roof repairs provoked yet another discussion about the fate of the old middle school, which has been vacant since June 2007. The county received some money as part of a class action lawsuit about a portion of the roof.
Suggestions for its future include renovation as a new elementary school, a community center and site for a fire-rescue station in District 2. This is yet another issue that generates much smoke and little light.
County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson offered to include a plan for its use when restored to a useful condition in the next capital improvement plan.
During the citizen comment period preceding the evening public hearing, several parents of students in Goochland schools implored to supervisors to tread lightly when dealing with the school budget.
These parents, mostly of children who attend the gifted center, a rumored target of budget cuts, offered some tasty food for thought.
Jo D. Hosken suggested that the board enact a temporary auxiliary land tax of $25 per acre for the next three years. She contended that this would generate sufficient revenue to cover the expected shortfall in the school budget.
Hosken said that school parents will not support elected officials who do not support a school budget that funds essentials.
“You opened this box, now it’s time to think outside it,” she said.
Temporary taxes have a nasty habit of becoming permanent, like the temporary tax levied on phone use to fund the Spanish-American War in 1898 that was only eliminated a few years ago.
More important, because Virginia operates under the Dillon Rule, localities only have the powers given to them by the General Assembly. The state folk guard their power to tax carefully and the supervisors are not able to add new methods of taxation at will.
While there may well be ample justification for an upward adjustment in the real estate tax rate this year, there is just not enough available information about what is essential and what is fluff to make that call just yet.
Carolyn Elliott asked the board to videotape its meetings and put them on the internet for people unable to attend. Supervisors’ meetings are recorded and CDs of the meetings are available for a modest fee from the county.
It would be nice if school board meetings were at least recorded for those unable to attend. While the school board does post minutes of their meetings, they tend to be brief summaries of the proceedings and do not record verbatim statements of those present. As the board room in the administration building is set up to record meetings, it would make a lot of sense for school board meetings to be held there.
Elliott observed that the $3 million the board recently loaned the Tuckahoe Creek Service District to build a water line extension entirely in Henrico County is a bit more than the $2.9 million the school system was asked to cut from its budget.
“It would have been nice to have had that money available for the schools,” said Elliott.
Although the $3 million will be repaid to the county’s general fund, with interest, and the money will be used for capital costs rather than operating expenses, her comments were on target.
Elliott said that a 15 percent reduction of the school budget is more than the system can sustain. She supports cutting wasteful spending and implementing economies of scale including the combination of county and school employees in the same health insurance plan.
She also said that she had been pleased to notice some supervisors attending school board meetings and commended Dickson for her the prompt and helpful response to some earlier questions.
“This is change,” said Elliott.
Elliott characterized moving the required date for approval of the school budget to the end of January from December 31, “when it was approved in the dead of night just before Christmas” as a step in the right direction.
The meeting also marked the departure of Barbra Rose, who served as interim county attorney since early summer. Ms. Rose gracefully applied her broad knowledge of law and procedure to Goochland government at a time when it was badly needed.
What a difference a decade makes
It’s Déjà vu all over again
Ten years ago, James Eads, then newly elected District 5 supervisor, cast the tie-breaking vote to rotate the chairmanship of the board of supervisors. His action ended the rule of the good old boy network. Before Eads’ vote, Andrew Pryor, District 1, had been chair for many years, easily rebuffing any attempt to unseat him. The county was then in the midst of an electoral turmoil following Pryor’s reelection by a handful of votes and many others left under a cloud.
Now, after a decade in office, Eads seems to have become the “goodest” of the good old boys.
At the Tuesday, January 5 organizational meeting of the supervisors, Eads voted with Pryor and William Quarles, Jr. District 2 to break a rotational pattern that would have moved last year’s vice chairman, Rudy Butler District 4, to the chairman’s seat. Instead, Quarles was elected by a 3-2 vote with Eads in the second chair. Quarles last served as chair in 2008. Only Ned Creasey, District 3, first elected in 2007, has not had at least one turn as chair.
Overturning the policy of chair rotation among all board members signals a return to the bad old days.
After a year of changes that filled many with hope, we seem to be headed back to an oppressive regime whose operations are as transparent as mud.
Just a year ago, a battle between the former county administrator, some board members and the citizens about a virtual gag order to be placed on county employees led to significant and sudden high-level personnel changes.
Although there were relatively few people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, both Oilville native Ann James, a perennial thorn in the board’s side and community activist Anne Rockecharlie of District 5 used the citizen comment period to express their displeasure at the board’s action.
“Three of you on the board felt threatened by what happened last year,” James told Pryor, Eads and Quarles. “You think the three of you hold all the cards, but you’re the ones who put us in the position we’re in now. People in this county think of you as “the three blind mice” because you turned your eyes away from everything that was happening.”
Rockecharlie, perhaps Eads’ most ardent supporter when he first ran for election, said that she has been apologizing to those she urged to vote for him.
One of Quarles’ first acts as board chair was to ask county administrator Rebecca T. Dickson to read the supervisors’ rules of procedure, code of ethics and standards of conduct into the record before they were adopted by unanimous vote. (These are posted on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us in the board of supervisors’ section.)
The section stating “… E-mails on matters of public business before the Board which are sent to more than one member of the Board of Supervisors
should be sent to all other Board members” was amended to “shall be sent to all board members.”
Hopefully, that will prevent any board subgroup from holding electronic meetings and circumventing the open meeting requirements spelled out in the Code of Virginia.
It looks like 3-2 split on the board of supervisors will continue.
One reason for the enmity between the two factions is believed to be Creasey’s dogged pursuit of the undeposited check matter about a year ago that led to the personnel changes.
It is curious that even though the Code of Ethics states that supervisors are to “….Expose through appropriate means and channels, corruption, misconduct, or neglect of
duty whenever discovered” such action seems to have been deemed inappropriate.
Creasey has been faulted for exposing what can at least be termed profound dysfunction in the public utilities department. Had he worked through the former county administrator, the whole mess would have been swept further under the rug.
Did Eads, Quarles and Pryor truly have no clue about the mess in the utilities department or did they honestly believe that problems there would never float to the surface? Given the state financing and agreements with Henrico and Richmond for water and wastewater respectively, at some point the problems would become impossible to ignore.
Results of the countywide audit, which should be made public in their entirety, will paint a clear picture of the county’s fiscal dysfunction. The auditors, KPMG, have been hard at work for many months in all county departments, including the school system. An audit of a county the size of Goochland normally takes a few weeks. This report is expected in February.
For too many years, the same auditing firm was used to examine the county’s fiscal matters. In the real world, auditors are changed often. Fresh eyes looking at a situation ensure that nothing is overlooked due to familiarity.
The real question in all of this is what do the majority of supervisors fear enough to pull these stunts? By now they surely realize that the county faces significant challenges resulting from long- term mismanagement that must be addressed and corrected.
Crafting this year’s budget will be a painful and delicate process. There will be no room for petty internecine conflict. The county needs a sound fiscal strategy to move forward.
Goochland citizens expect the best for their county and will pay close attention to the actions of their elected officials in the coming months.
Ten years ago, James Eads, then newly elected District 5 supervisor, cast the tie-breaking vote to rotate the chairmanship of the board of supervisors. His action ended the rule of the good old boy network. Before Eads’ vote, Andrew Pryor, District 1, had been chair for many years, easily rebuffing any attempt to unseat him. The county was then in the midst of an electoral turmoil following Pryor’s reelection by a handful of votes and many others left under a cloud.
Now, after a decade in office, Eads seems to have become the “goodest” of the good old boys.
At the Tuesday, January 5 organizational meeting of the supervisors, Eads voted with Pryor and William Quarles, Jr. District 2 to break a rotational pattern that would have moved last year’s vice chairman, Rudy Butler District 4, to the chairman’s seat. Instead, Quarles was elected by a 3-2 vote with Eads in the second chair. Quarles last served as chair in 2008. Only Ned Creasey, District 3, first elected in 2007, has not had at least one turn as chair.
Overturning the policy of chair rotation among all board members signals a return to the bad old days.
After a year of changes that filled many with hope, we seem to be headed back to an oppressive regime whose operations are as transparent as mud.
Just a year ago, a battle between the former county administrator, some board members and the citizens about a virtual gag order to be placed on county employees led to significant and sudden high-level personnel changes.
Although there were relatively few people in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, both Oilville native Ann James, a perennial thorn in the board’s side and community activist Anne Rockecharlie of District 5 used the citizen comment period to express their displeasure at the board’s action.
“Three of you on the board felt threatened by what happened last year,” James told Pryor, Eads and Quarles. “You think the three of you hold all the cards, but you’re the ones who put us in the position we’re in now. People in this county think of you as “the three blind mice” because you turned your eyes away from everything that was happening.”
Rockecharlie, perhaps Eads’ most ardent supporter when he first ran for election, said that she has been apologizing to those she urged to vote for him.
One of Quarles’ first acts as board chair was to ask county administrator Rebecca T. Dickson to read the supervisors’ rules of procedure, code of ethics and standards of conduct into the record before they were adopted by unanimous vote. (These are posted on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us in the board of supervisors’ section.)
The section stating “… E-mails on matters of public business before the Board which are sent to more than one member of the Board of Supervisors
should be sent to all other Board members” was amended to “shall be sent to all board members.”
Hopefully, that will prevent any board subgroup from holding electronic meetings and circumventing the open meeting requirements spelled out in the Code of Virginia.
It looks like 3-2 split on the board of supervisors will continue.
One reason for the enmity between the two factions is believed to be Creasey’s dogged pursuit of the undeposited check matter about a year ago that led to the personnel changes.
It is curious that even though the Code of Ethics states that supervisors are to “….Expose through appropriate means and channels, corruption, misconduct, or neglect of
duty whenever discovered” such action seems to have been deemed inappropriate.
Creasey has been faulted for exposing what can at least be termed profound dysfunction in the public utilities department. Had he worked through the former county administrator, the whole mess would have been swept further under the rug.
Did Eads, Quarles and Pryor truly have no clue about the mess in the utilities department or did they honestly believe that problems there would never float to the surface? Given the state financing and agreements with Henrico and Richmond for water and wastewater respectively, at some point the problems would become impossible to ignore.
Results of the countywide audit, which should be made public in their entirety, will paint a clear picture of the county’s fiscal dysfunction. The auditors, KPMG, have been hard at work for many months in all county departments, including the school system. An audit of a county the size of Goochland normally takes a few weeks. This report is expected in February.
For too many years, the same auditing firm was used to examine the county’s fiscal matters. In the real world, auditors are changed often. Fresh eyes looking at a situation ensure that nothing is overlooked due to familiarity.
The real question in all of this is what do the majority of supervisors fear enough to pull these stunts? By now they surely realize that the county faces significant challenges resulting from long- term mismanagement that must be addressed and corrected.
Crafting this year’s budget will be a painful and delicate process. There will be no room for petty internecine conflict. The county needs a sound fiscal strategy to move forward.
Goochland citizens expect the best for their county and will pay close attention to the actions of their elected officials in the coming months.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A look back at 2009
What a difference a year makes
It’s time to bid farewell to 2009 and not a moment too soon. This was a year to remember and forget.
The year began with an attempt to spread a shroud of repression over all county government operations. This included threats of immediate termination for any county employee who spoke to a supervisor without the knowledge and permission of the county administrator.
This followed revelations of as many as four years of incomprehensible mismanagement in the public utilities department.
By the end of January, the county administrator had a sudden urge to retire and followed Elvis out of the building and was allegedly feted at several retirement parties.
The consequences of his administration will affect the county for a long time.
The Tuckahoe Creek Service District, created to attract economic development to the eastern end of the county has become like a toothache that will not go away.
The wayward check matter was the tip of the iceberg for TCSD issues. During the 2009 county budget process, it was discovered that routine utility maintenance costs were never factored into rate computations. The dearth of customers for sewer service is expected to result in significant rate increases going forward.
In mid-December, a section of the fiber reinforced pipe used for the sewer force main, which was the subject of costly litigation, shredded like a piñata in the rain spewing raw sewage along River Road across from the entrance to Randolph Square. Repair costs are not covered by insurance.
A narrowly focused forensic audit of the utilities department revealed no evidence of criminal activity. A countywide comprehensive audit, whose results are expected by February, will paint a clear picture of past county operations and include suggestions for improvement.
Rebecca T. Dickson was sworn in as Goochland County administrator on July 20. She rolled up her sleeves and got right to work trying to clean up the mess. She knows her stuff and, if given full support by the supervisors, will bring Goochland up to speed. The process will be painful and messy, but well worth the result.
In May, the supervisors “requested and received” the resignation of the county attorney.
Norman Sales, the highly experienced and well-qualified former city attorney for Richmond, will take over that key position on January 18, 2010.
The most significant change in 2009 was an enthusiastic increase in public expression of citizen concern about the manner in which our county is run.
Supervisors’ meetings in the early part of the year were attended by standing room only crowds that listened to what was said and made it clear that they were not buying the carefully crafted, but absurd, contentions put forward by the old regime.
The supervisors realized that their constituents were paying attention and have changed their tune.
These same citizens let the board know that they preferred a local pharmacy when rumors that Walgreen’s wanted to buy the Fairgrounds property. The supervisors decided to take a pass on the sale of that parcel and the county kept a valued small business.
Citizen made thoughtful and constructive comments about land use issues that included rezoning and a proposed recreation master plan. They turned out in large numbers for community meetings and public hearings. Though some were discouraged that they did not win the day, their involvement put developers and county officials on notice.
Goochlanders are finally paying attention and demanding accountability and transparency in government.
A good first step was the inclusion of check registers for both the county and school system on the Goochland website www.co.goochland.va.us. Take a look and see where your tax dollars go.
The meltdown in the financial sector plagued the county in many ways.
A dramatic decline in property values is translating into far less real estate tax revenue to fund county services. The grim reality of drastically smaller budgets is just coming into focus and underlining the importance of meaningful economic development.
High methane levels from the closed landfill under Hidden Rock Park cancelled the spring soccer season for many county kids. Installation of a new venting and monitoring system made it safe by the fall season.
The Hidden Rock Park debacle motivated the supervisors to begin work on a new soccer complex near the high school. While it won’t be ready for play for a while, the new soccer field was the site of the Fourth of July fireworks, which could be viewed from many locations throughout Courthouse Village. This move eliminated the traffic bottleneck and other safety concerns at the park, which only has one entrance.
Goochland’s other new public space, Tucker Park at Maidens Landing, will finally give county residents access to the James River. This park will be developed under the auspices of a public/private task force, a concept with much promise.
We had no hurricanes in 2009, but heavy snows on March 1 and the week before Christmas kept us aware of who is in charge. Our deputies and fire-rescue volunteers did an outstanding job in the emergencies, guided by the terrific, and all too often unsung, team in Goochland dispatch who keep them all on track.
Our sports teams made us proud, but not enough to justify the cost of a helicopter to dry off the football field, no matter who picked up the tab.
The school board continued true to form by rubber stamping the superintendent’s proposed school budget without asking the hard questions. Education is an expensive business and Goochland has good schools. There’s just not enough information available to judge if the proposed expenditures are justified or fluff.
Rumors of county-funded IPhones and IPods, and justification for all of the employees in the central office need clarification.
Parents are putting on their critical thinking caps and questioning information put out, often through rumor, by the superintendent and the school board. They’ve stopped acting like automatons deployed to terrorize the supervisors at budget time. Parents and taxpayers have a right to detailed information about the expenditure of public money.
We can only hope that the results of the comprehensive audit, which included the schools, shed some light on this.
Goochland may be on the right track after many years of wandering in the wilderness. Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2010.
Happy New Year!
It’s time to bid farewell to 2009 and not a moment too soon. This was a year to remember and forget.
The year began with an attempt to spread a shroud of repression over all county government operations. This included threats of immediate termination for any county employee who spoke to a supervisor without the knowledge and permission of the county administrator.
This followed revelations of as many as four years of incomprehensible mismanagement in the public utilities department.
By the end of January, the county administrator had a sudden urge to retire and followed Elvis out of the building and was allegedly feted at several retirement parties.
The consequences of his administration will affect the county for a long time.
The Tuckahoe Creek Service District, created to attract economic development to the eastern end of the county has become like a toothache that will not go away.
The wayward check matter was the tip of the iceberg for TCSD issues. During the 2009 county budget process, it was discovered that routine utility maintenance costs were never factored into rate computations. The dearth of customers for sewer service is expected to result in significant rate increases going forward.
In mid-December, a section of the fiber reinforced pipe used for the sewer force main, which was the subject of costly litigation, shredded like a piñata in the rain spewing raw sewage along River Road across from the entrance to Randolph Square. Repair costs are not covered by insurance.
A narrowly focused forensic audit of the utilities department revealed no evidence of criminal activity. A countywide comprehensive audit, whose results are expected by February, will paint a clear picture of past county operations and include suggestions for improvement.
Rebecca T. Dickson was sworn in as Goochland County administrator on July 20. She rolled up her sleeves and got right to work trying to clean up the mess. She knows her stuff and, if given full support by the supervisors, will bring Goochland up to speed. The process will be painful and messy, but well worth the result.
In May, the supervisors “requested and received” the resignation of the county attorney.
Norman Sales, the highly experienced and well-qualified former city attorney for Richmond, will take over that key position on January 18, 2010.
The most significant change in 2009 was an enthusiastic increase in public expression of citizen concern about the manner in which our county is run.
Supervisors’ meetings in the early part of the year were attended by standing room only crowds that listened to what was said and made it clear that they were not buying the carefully crafted, but absurd, contentions put forward by the old regime.
The supervisors realized that their constituents were paying attention and have changed their tune.
These same citizens let the board know that they preferred a local pharmacy when rumors that Walgreen’s wanted to buy the Fairgrounds property. The supervisors decided to take a pass on the sale of that parcel and the county kept a valued small business.
Citizen made thoughtful and constructive comments about land use issues that included rezoning and a proposed recreation master plan. They turned out in large numbers for community meetings and public hearings. Though some were discouraged that they did not win the day, their involvement put developers and county officials on notice.
Goochlanders are finally paying attention and demanding accountability and transparency in government.
A good first step was the inclusion of check registers for both the county and school system on the Goochland website www.co.goochland.va.us. Take a look and see where your tax dollars go.
The meltdown in the financial sector plagued the county in many ways.
A dramatic decline in property values is translating into far less real estate tax revenue to fund county services. The grim reality of drastically smaller budgets is just coming into focus and underlining the importance of meaningful economic development.
High methane levels from the closed landfill under Hidden Rock Park cancelled the spring soccer season for many county kids. Installation of a new venting and monitoring system made it safe by the fall season.
The Hidden Rock Park debacle motivated the supervisors to begin work on a new soccer complex near the high school. While it won’t be ready for play for a while, the new soccer field was the site of the Fourth of July fireworks, which could be viewed from many locations throughout Courthouse Village. This move eliminated the traffic bottleneck and other safety concerns at the park, which only has one entrance.
Goochland’s other new public space, Tucker Park at Maidens Landing, will finally give county residents access to the James River. This park will be developed under the auspices of a public/private task force, a concept with much promise.
We had no hurricanes in 2009, but heavy snows on March 1 and the week before Christmas kept us aware of who is in charge. Our deputies and fire-rescue volunteers did an outstanding job in the emergencies, guided by the terrific, and all too often unsung, team in Goochland dispatch who keep them all on track.
Our sports teams made us proud, but not enough to justify the cost of a helicopter to dry off the football field, no matter who picked up the tab.
The school board continued true to form by rubber stamping the superintendent’s proposed school budget without asking the hard questions. Education is an expensive business and Goochland has good schools. There’s just not enough information available to judge if the proposed expenditures are justified or fluff.
Rumors of county-funded IPhones and IPods, and justification for all of the employees in the central office need clarification.
Parents are putting on their critical thinking caps and questioning information put out, often through rumor, by the superintendent and the school board. They’ve stopped acting like automatons deployed to terrorize the supervisors at budget time. Parents and taxpayers have a right to detailed information about the expenditure of public money.
We can only hope that the results of the comprehensive audit, which included the schools, shed some light on this.
Goochland may be on the right track after many years of wandering in the wilderness. Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2010.
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas
I mean no disrespect
It’s that awkward time of year again. Not that long ago, we wished each other Merry Christmas, or perhaps Happy Hanukah or Kwanza.
Schools had Christmas concerts and vacations. There were lots of manger scenes in public places and no one thought much about it.
Somewhere along the way, the political correctness movement arrived and now we’re so afraid of offending some nameless person, that we mumble meaningless gibberish like happy holidays or season’s greetings. Those catch phrases have become knee jerk faux manners, often with as much sincerity as the air kisses politicians and celebrities aim at each other.
Generic well wishes should offend everyone regardless of how, or if, they mark the season.
One of America’s strengths is that we are a melting pot of cultures, a mongrel race thriving with hybrid vigor. For the most part, we’ve learned to live side by side with people who do things differently than we do with mutual respect.
Unlike Northern Ireland or the Balkans, for instance, we don’t kill people who practice different religions, or no religion at all. Our military has chaplains for many faiths. Al Qaeda probably has no Christian or Jewish chaplains.
For all of our pretended sophistication, at heart we’re primitives worried that the sun will disappear as the days grow shorter regardless of the global warming nonsense.
The dark days of the year touch something primordial in our beings. We need to celebrate and praise a higher power as the days begin to lengthen by minutes. What better excuse than to celebrate the birth of a savior?
Our modern Christmas culture is an amalgam of customs. The inclusion of pagan practices into Christian ritual is perhaps the most effective marketing campaign of all times.
Mistletoe, for instance, was sacred to the Druids who ruled the forests of Britain before the Romans arrived. (Rumor has it that there are some Druids in the Gum Spring/Sandy Hook part of Goochland County who harvest and sell local mistletoe in December.)
Christians adopted mistletoe when converts refused to abandon its use. There is something miraculous about a plant that grows green and flourishes at the top of dormant oak trees in the dead of winter.
Science tells us that mistletoe is a parasitic plant whose roots creep beneath the tree bark to steal nourishment. Its seeds are planted by birds who eat the berries and rub a sticky binder off of their beaks while sitting in the tree tops. Not all that mysterious, but why go to all that trouble for a plant?
Perhaps that is God’s way of planting seeds of belief in powers far greater than man’s intellect. As we grew more sophisticated, we held to our beliefs because, well, there’s no rational explanation for the existence of something like mistletoe.
Once they decided to end the ban on Mistletoe, the early Christians adopted it in a big way. Some even contended that the true cross was made out of mistletoe wood.
A hearty Merry Christmas is the ultimate love bomb. Why are people offended when someone wishes them, literally, everything that is goodness, peace, redemption and hope? Hold fast to this traditional greeting and make sure it lasts throughout the 21st century.
Merry Christmas to all!
It’s that awkward time of year again. Not that long ago, we wished each other Merry Christmas, or perhaps Happy Hanukah or Kwanza.
Schools had Christmas concerts and vacations. There were lots of manger scenes in public places and no one thought much about it.
Somewhere along the way, the political correctness movement arrived and now we’re so afraid of offending some nameless person, that we mumble meaningless gibberish like happy holidays or season’s greetings. Those catch phrases have become knee jerk faux manners, often with as much sincerity as the air kisses politicians and celebrities aim at each other.
Generic well wishes should offend everyone regardless of how, or if, they mark the season.
One of America’s strengths is that we are a melting pot of cultures, a mongrel race thriving with hybrid vigor. For the most part, we’ve learned to live side by side with people who do things differently than we do with mutual respect.
Unlike Northern Ireland or the Balkans, for instance, we don’t kill people who practice different religions, or no religion at all. Our military has chaplains for many faiths. Al Qaeda probably has no Christian or Jewish chaplains.
For all of our pretended sophistication, at heart we’re primitives worried that the sun will disappear as the days grow shorter regardless of the global warming nonsense.
The dark days of the year touch something primordial in our beings. We need to celebrate and praise a higher power as the days begin to lengthen by minutes. What better excuse than to celebrate the birth of a savior?
Our modern Christmas culture is an amalgam of customs. The inclusion of pagan practices into Christian ritual is perhaps the most effective marketing campaign of all times.
Mistletoe, for instance, was sacred to the Druids who ruled the forests of Britain before the Romans arrived. (Rumor has it that there are some Druids in the Gum Spring/Sandy Hook part of Goochland County who harvest and sell local mistletoe in December.)
Christians adopted mistletoe when converts refused to abandon its use. There is something miraculous about a plant that grows green and flourishes at the top of dormant oak trees in the dead of winter.
Science tells us that mistletoe is a parasitic plant whose roots creep beneath the tree bark to steal nourishment. Its seeds are planted by birds who eat the berries and rub a sticky binder off of their beaks while sitting in the tree tops. Not all that mysterious, but why go to all that trouble for a plant?
Perhaps that is God’s way of planting seeds of belief in powers far greater than man’s intellect. As we grew more sophisticated, we held to our beliefs because, well, there’s no rational explanation for the existence of something like mistletoe.
Once they decided to end the ban on Mistletoe, the early Christians adopted it in a big way. Some even contended that the true cross was made out of mistletoe wood.
A hearty Merry Christmas is the ultimate love bomb. Why are people offended when someone wishes them, literally, everything that is goodness, peace, redemption and hope? Hold fast to this traditional greeting and make sure it lasts throughout the 21st century.
Merry Christmas to all!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Grinch after Christmas
School board abdicates responsibility
Happily, Goochland is replete with dogs and ponies. They will all get a good workout before the coming painful budget process is complete.
With the release of the proposed school budget for fiscal year 2010-11 on December 14 the school board indicated that it will follow its practice of past years by laying the blame for school budget cuts on the board of supervisors.
On Tuesday December 15, the school board held the first of several public hearings on next year’s proposed school budget, which was posted on the school website www.glndk12.va.us only the day before the hearing.
Held in the high school auditorium, the hearing attracted about 75 people including school officials; law enforcement; interested citizens and a handful of concerned parents.
Expected revenue shortfalls for the fiscal 2010-11 county budget are no surprise. County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson publicly informed the school board last fall that significantly less money will be available in the next budget cycle. She asked the school board to trim $2.7 million dollars from its spending plans.
The proposed budget is $25,339,366 versus last year’s $26,090,510, a reduction of $756,744.
Exacerbating the whole process is the delay in information about the magnitude of reduction in state funding. The good news there, if there is any, for Goochland is that we get only about 20 percent of our operating needs from state funds.
School board chairman Raymond Miller, District 2 read a prepared statement at the start of the meeting. This is available in its entirety on the school website.
Miller’s carefully scripted remarks ignored specific questions posed by parents at previous meetings. School superintendent Dr. Linda Underwood listed the strategies used to reduce the proposed 2010-11 budget.
These included eliminating the high school receptionist position and the Tender Tots program. Using attrition rather than lay offs to reduce the number of teachers. Contract employees who work more than 200 days per year will take two days of unpaid furlough. Underwood also said that the budget included a 12 percent increase in the cost of health insurance.
Only three people spoke during the public hearing.
Jo D. Hosken, a parent, observed that the current revenue shortfall puts a terrible burden on everyone. She said that better and more open lines of communication between the school board and parents are needed to enable them to work together to find compromise solutions. Hosken contended that there are many competent professionals in Goochland ready to pull together in “any way, shape or form” to find workable solutions to the fiscal challenges. Her comments fell on deaf ears.
Jane Christie, another parent, asked why the athletic coaching budget (line items 217 and 218) had been increased by about $150,000. She also wanted to know why the administrative staff was reduced by one percent while the instructional staff was cut five.
In some parts of the world, when money for schools is tight, the first item to be sliced from the budget is athletics.
In spite of all the exhortations that children need to be more active, just how many students participate in those athletic programs or are they reserved for a small elite? If that is the case, perhaps the athletic program could be funded by private sources.
Maybe the generous donors who paid to have a helicopter dry off the football field would be willing to cover the cost of the coaching staff.
Although Underwood has commented often that significant increases in health insurance costs have further complicated crafting the budget those increases are not clearly outlined in the proposed budget.
Christie asked why, if it is such an important issue, health insurance is not itemized in the proposed budget. It seems to be part of the broad category titled salaries and benefits for a total of $16,162,528 versus $16,945,899 in the current year’s budget (line item 8.)
Seeking to clarify one of the many budget rumors, Christie wanted to know if the health insurance premiums are expected to increase to $1 million or by $1 million.
Miller asked for questions in writing. Christie may get a personal written response, but that kind of information should be posted on the website.
Addressing other budget rumors, Christie asked why positions at the Maggie L, Walker Governor’s School, at approximately $8,000 annually per student were ever considered for elimination when the county spends about $10,894 annually per student. At that rate, why isn’t the county trying to send more students there?
The proposed budget indicates that about $130,000 is spent on summer school (line items 102,107,111,113,135,395 and 412) not including electricity. How many students attend summer school and is it a cost effective program?
Underwood contended that increases in water and sewer $2,250, (line item 457;) heat $45,000(line item 456) and electricity $33,630 (line item 455) were significant, yet together are less than the jump in the cost of the coaching staff.
The proposed school budget is not “a responsible budget to move Goochland forward” as Miller said in his remarks. Rather, it displays arrogant disregard for the fiscal realties of the times and blatant refusal on the part of the school board to operate in a transparent manner.
The next public hearing on next year’s proposed school budget will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
Please look at the proposed school budget and draw your own conclusions about the way our tax dollars are being used. A secret decoder ring should not be needed to decipher the school budget.
Happily, Goochland is replete with dogs and ponies. They will all get a good workout before the coming painful budget process is complete.
With the release of the proposed school budget for fiscal year 2010-11 on December 14 the school board indicated that it will follow its practice of past years by laying the blame for school budget cuts on the board of supervisors.
On Tuesday December 15, the school board held the first of several public hearings on next year’s proposed school budget, which was posted on the school website www.glndk12.va.us only the day before the hearing.
Held in the high school auditorium, the hearing attracted about 75 people including school officials; law enforcement; interested citizens and a handful of concerned parents.
Expected revenue shortfalls for the fiscal 2010-11 county budget are no surprise. County administrator Rebecca T. Dickson publicly informed the school board last fall that significantly less money will be available in the next budget cycle. She asked the school board to trim $2.7 million dollars from its spending plans.
The proposed budget is $25,339,366 versus last year’s $26,090,510, a reduction of $756,744.
Exacerbating the whole process is the delay in information about the magnitude of reduction in state funding. The good news there, if there is any, for Goochland is that we get only about 20 percent of our operating needs from state funds.
School board chairman Raymond Miller, District 2 read a prepared statement at the start of the meeting. This is available in its entirety on the school website.
Miller’s carefully scripted remarks ignored specific questions posed by parents at previous meetings. School superintendent Dr. Linda Underwood listed the strategies used to reduce the proposed 2010-11 budget.
These included eliminating the high school receptionist position and the Tender Tots program. Using attrition rather than lay offs to reduce the number of teachers. Contract employees who work more than 200 days per year will take two days of unpaid furlough. Underwood also said that the budget included a 12 percent increase in the cost of health insurance.
Only three people spoke during the public hearing.
Jo D. Hosken, a parent, observed that the current revenue shortfall puts a terrible burden on everyone. She said that better and more open lines of communication between the school board and parents are needed to enable them to work together to find compromise solutions. Hosken contended that there are many competent professionals in Goochland ready to pull together in “any way, shape or form” to find workable solutions to the fiscal challenges. Her comments fell on deaf ears.
Jane Christie, another parent, asked why the athletic coaching budget (line items 217 and 218) had been increased by about $150,000. She also wanted to know why the administrative staff was reduced by one percent while the instructional staff was cut five.
In some parts of the world, when money for schools is tight, the first item to be sliced from the budget is athletics.
In spite of all the exhortations that children need to be more active, just how many students participate in those athletic programs or are they reserved for a small elite? If that is the case, perhaps the athletic program could be funded by private sources.
Maybe the generous donors who paid to have a helicopter dry off the football field would be willing to cover the cost of the coaching staff.
Although Underwood has commented often that significant increases in health insurance costs have further complicated crafting the budget those increases are not clearly outlined in the proposed budget.
Christie asked why, if it is such an important issue, health insurance is not itemized in the proposed budget. It seems to be part of the broad category titled salaries and benefits for a total of $16,162,528 versus $16,945,899 in the current year’s budget (line item 8.)
Seeking to clarify one of the many budget rumors, Christie wanted to know if the health insurance premiums are expected to increase to $1 million or by $1 million.
Miller asked for questions in writing. Christie may get a personal written response, but that kind of information should be posted on the website.
Addressing other budget rumors, Christie asked why positions at the Maggie L, Walker Governor’s School, at approximately $8,000 annually per student were ever considered for elimination when the county spends about $10,894 annually per student. At that rate, why isn’t the county trying to send more students there?
The proposed budget indicates that about $130,000 is spent on summer school (line items 102,107,111,113,135,395 and 412) not including electricity. How many students attend summer school and is it a cost effective program?
Underwood contended that increases in water and sewer $2,250, (line item 457;) heat $45,000(line item 456) and electricity $33,630 (line item 455) were significant, yet together are less than the jump in the cost of the coaching staff.
The proposed school budget is not “a responsible budget to move Goochland forward” as Miller said in his remarks. Rather, it displays arrogant disregard for the fiscal realties of the times and blatant refusal on the part of the school board to operate in a transparent manner.
The next public hearing on next year’s proposed school budget will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
Please look at the proposed school budget and draw your own conclusions about the way our tax dollars are being used. A secret decoder ring should not be needed to decipher the school budget.
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