All journeys begin with the first step
Everyone has an opinion of what this county needs. Some have quietly begun to make things happen.
On Saturday, three of those groups will be doing their thing in Courthouse Village. Come learn what they’re all about.
Although the James River forms the southern border of Goochland, thanks to the CSX railroad tracks, there is little public access to the water. Last year, the county bought the only riverfront land that does not require crossing the tracks. Although the property lies in the flood plain, it was earmarked for recreational use and eventually dubbed Tucker Park at Maidens Crossing.
A public-private task force, whose members represent county staff, the Chamber of Commerce and interested individuals, are developing a vision for the future use of the park.
Beth Moore, chair of the Tucker Park at Maidens Crossing task force, has already mobilized a corps of volunteers who spent at least one sweaty Saturday on the banks of the river clearing brush and collecting trash. They not only believe in the future of the park, but are willing to pitch in and make it happen.
There will undoubtedly be many more sweaty Saturdays, but on June 27, the Task Force invites everyone to welcome the Batteaux when they arrive at the Maidens boat landing across the river in Powhatan.
Those festivities will start about 11 a.m. Music will be provided by the White Hawk Music Café, another wonderful addition to Courthouse Village, and the Ol’Time Pickers Association. If you’re so inclined, bring your guitar and join in the fun.
The Park is located off of Route 522 just south of the intersection of Maidens Road and Route 6/River Road West. Go towards Powhatan
County and look for signs to the park site. For more information visit
www.maidenscrossingpark.com.
The Batteaux are reproductions of the wide shallow draft boats that were used to transport crops from interior Virginia to the port of Richmond long before there were railroads or even barge canals. The boats are an early example of the American ingenuity.
Each year, the batteaux make the journey from Lynchburg to Maidens. Talk to the crews of the different boats, they all have great tales of the journey. It’s hard enough coming downstream with the flow of the river, especially in times of low water. In their heyday, batteaux moved cargo in both directions.
Batteaux travel on river time, no timepieces allowed on the water, so they get there when they get there. Enjoy the day, catch your breath and try to imagine what life was like back then. Enjoy the river it is truly one of Goochland’s treasures.
Then there is the Goochland Farmers Market on the grounds of Grace Church on River Road West that starts at 8 a.m. each Saturday through October 31.
In addition to vendors who bring locally grown food, crafts and other wonders, this week there will be lots of organized activities for kids.
Sponsored by the Center for Rural Culture (www.centerforruralculture.org,) the GFM came into being to fill a need for an outlet for local products and a place to build community. The GFM has grown by leaps and bounds. Stop by and see what’s going on. Come back often.
(Full disclosure, the author of this blog is a member of the CRC board.)
Perhaps the best example of local people using their skills to benefit the community are the members of the Goochland Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES.) Thanks to their ham radio skills and community spirit, these are the folks that keep us connected to the world after the power fails. They work closely with the county’s emergency services team and are ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice to keep Goochland communications open locally and globally.
This weekend ARES members will be at the Courthouse Company 5 fire-rescue station on Fairground Road from 2 p.m. on Saturday until 5 p. m. on Sunday participating in a field day competition to see who can make the most contacts in North America.
Learn how amateur radio operators using small, simple, self-contained radios and power supplies can contact people around the corner or around the world using equipment that requires little infrastructure and can operate independently.
This all happened because a few people stopped talking and started doing. Others joined in and look what happened. It’s all part of the journey of Goochland. Come see what’s going on and start something yourself!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Rites of spring
The sludge question
Farming is a tough business. The real high rollers in this country aren’t in Vegas—they’re in barns an fields across America. Each year they literally “bet the farm” hoping that the year’s profit exceeds expenses by enough so that they can come back and do it all over again during the next growing season.
High oil prices have driven fertilizer prices through the roof. Some farmers spread biosolids, the processed end product of sewage treatment plants, on their fields and pastures.
Farmers get the stuff at little or no cost from companies paid to dispose of the residue. Use of biosolids can mean the difference between fiscal survival and disaster for farmers.
The practice has supporters and detractors.
Biosolids distributors such as Nutriblend, which delivers the stuff to farmers in Goochland, contend that its product is an environmentally safe and beneficial soil amendment. The Nutriblend website www.nutri-blend.com extols the virtues of using its product to enrich farmland while disposing of the end product of sewers and septic tanks. Soil bacteria, one of God’s many miracles, is capable of digesting and rendering harmless some pretty nasty stuff. For that bacteria to do its job, however, biosolids must be incorporated into the soil, not just slathered over the surface so it can move wherever rainwater takes it.
Detractors contend that, in addition to the possibility of bacterial contamination, biosolids contain heavy metals, synthetic hormones, pharmaceutical residue and other substances not good for children and other living things.
The Cornell Waste Management Institute website (cwmi.css.cornell.edu) provides detailed information about the contents of sewage sludge.
Recently, some residents noticed that biosolids were being applied on sloping land south of Rt. 6 west of Georges Tavern when the county was expecting heavy rain.
They contacted county administration requesting that application be halted until Hugh Hardwicke, the county’s biosolids monitor, could ensure that all pertinent regulations were being observed and the biosolids were not washing into the James River. Eventually, the matter was referred to the health department and application continues.
A few years ago, an Amelia County ordinance banning biosolids application was declared invalid by the courts. The ruling stated that while biosolids could not be prohibited, their application could be regulated.
Regulations included in pertinent Goochland County ordinances are pretty specific but may not have been updated to follow changes in state law.
Even so, the existing laws give a good picture of what is permitted. (The ordinance can be seen in its entirety on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us.)
County rules for application of biosolids seem straightforward. The question is, were the rules followed? Did anyone bother to check?
A very troubling aspect of biosolids use in Goochland is that the chairman of the board of supervisors and former county administrator are believed to be among those who apply sludge to their fields and pastures. There is nothing wrong with that.
Unfortunately, this gives credence to allegations that biosolids application rules are being ignored.
Use of biosolids is one of those sensitive areas where government must find a delicate balance between the property rights of landowners and protecting the health, safety and welfare of citizens.
There are just too many allegations of improper biosolids applications for comfort. Reports of pond ecosystems being destroyed by biosolids runoff from adjoining parcels of land are very disturbing.
Although the Nutriblend website indicates that the biosolids are highly processed, citizens report seeing what resembled used toilet tissue, massive clouds of flies and a suffocating stink following applications of sludge.
It’s one thing to use biosolids on your own land, quite another to allow their residue to slosh onto someone else’s land. That’s just plain disgusting.
Although permits must be obtained well in advance of biosolids applications, it is nearly impossible for county residents to learn when and where the substance will be applied. Often, the only notice citizens receive of biosolids application is from their noses after the fact.
There is also a universal disconnect between the use of biosolids and all of the environmental whacko clean water hullabaloo.
A few months ago, the county presented a new water quality protection ordinance to the planning commission that would require landowners to leave buffers of at least 100 feet around all ponds and streams. The premise is that the vegetation would filter runoff trapping harmful substances that could pollute the water. So any landowner, including those upstream from the fouled water flowing under the closed landfill at Hidden Rock Park, who dared to cut the grass too close to a pond or stream would be in violation.
That ordinance reverted to county staff for revision.
Yet, the county seems, at best, lackadaisical about enforcing its own biosolids application rules.
This is not just a problem for Goochland.
Remember those cute television spots that asked people not to fertilize their lawns in spring to protect the fragile crab population of the Chesapeake Bay? The federal Environmental Protection Agency produced them.
If lawn fertilizer is bad, biosolids, which have a much higher concentration of nutrients, are probably more of a threat.
Yet, searches of websites of several clean water organizations yield zero results for the term biosolids. It could be that those groups believe that, because biosolids application is supposedly carefully regulated and monitored, it is outside their scope of operations.
Last week’s James River clean-up got lots of media attention. Pulling old tires and other junk out of the water is a great photo op. There was no mention of the invisible water pollutants. City folk probably dismiss the whole notion of sludge on farmland, if they ever give it any thought, as not being their problem.
In this part of the world, a significant portion of drinking water comes out of the James River. Hefty doses of chlorine kill the bacteria. The other stuff, however, could come right through the tap.
Regardless of applicable laws, there is no reason that the county cannot list of biosolids application permits on its website giving the location and approximate schedule. Those with health issues that make them especially sensitive to biosolids applications could check and make sure that they keep their windows closed and avoid the areas during time of applications.
There is common law and common decency. Those who spread sludge should do so responsibly and be held accountable for their actions if they do not.
The stuff has to go somewhere and it is naïve to expect a country awash in red ink to implement a program to incinerate sewage sludge any time soon.
In the meantime, it is imperative that the county not only trust that its farmers are using biosolids in a responsible manner, but verify compliance with all applicable laws.
Farming is a tough business. The real high rollers in this country aren’t in Vegas—they’re in barns an fields across America. Each year they literally “bet the farm” hoping that the year’s profit exceeds expenses by enough so that they can come back and do it all over again during the next growing season.
High oil prices have driven fertilizer prices through the roof. Some farmers spread biosolids, the processed end product of sewage treatment plants, on their fields and pastures.
Farmers get the stuff at little or no cost from companies paid to dispose of the residue. Use of biosolids can mean the difference between fiscal survival and disaster for farmers.
The practice has supporters and detractors.
Biosolids distributors such as Nutriblend, which delivers the stuff to farmers in Goochland, contend that its product is an environmentally safe and beneficial soil amendment. The Nutriblend website www.nutri-blend.com extols the virtues of using its product to enrich farmland while disposing of the end product of sewers and septic tanks. Soil bacteria, one of God’s many miracles, is capable of digesting and rendering harmless some pretty nasty stuff. For that bacteria to do its job, however, biosolids must be incorporated into the soil, not just slathered over the surface so it can move wherever rainwater takes it.
Detractors contend that, in addition to the possibility of bacterial contamination, biosolids contain heavy metals, synthetic hormones, pharmaceutical residue and other substances not good for children and other living things.
The Cornell Waste Management Institute website (cwmi.css.cornell.edu) provides detailed information about the contents of sewage sludge.
Recently, some residents noticed that biosolids were being applied on sloping land south of Rt. 6 west of Georges Tavern when the county was expecting heavy rain.
They contacted county administration requesting that application be halted until Hugh Hardwicke, the county’s biosolids monitor, could ensure that all pertinent regulations were being observed and the biosolids were not washing into the James River. Eventually, the matter was referred to the health department and application continues.
A few years ago, an Amelia County ordinance banning biosolids application was declared invalid by the courts. The ruling stated that while biosolids could not be prohibited, their application could be regulated.
Regulations included in pertinent Goochland County ordinances are pretty specific but may not have been updated to follow changes in state law.
Even so, the existing laws give a good picture of what is permitted. (The ordinance can be seen in its entirety on the county website www.co.goochland.va.us.)
County rules for application of biosolids seem straightforward. The question is, were the rules followed? Did anyone bother to check?
A very troubling aspect of biosolids use in Goochland is that the chairman of the board of supervisors and former county administrator are believed to be among those who apply sludge to their fields and pastures. There is nothing wrong with that.
Unfortunately, this gives credence to allegations that biosolids application rules are being ignored.
Use of biosolids is one of those sensitive areas where government must find a delicate balance between the property rights of landowners and protecting the health, safety and welfare of citizens.
There are just too many allegations of improper biosolids applications for comfort. Reports of pond ecosystems being destroyed by biosolids runoff from adjoining parcels of land are very disturbing.
Although the Nutriblend website indicates that the biosolids are highly processed, citizens report seeing what resembled used toilet tissue, massive clouds of flies and a suffocating stink following applications of sludge.
It’s one thing to use biosolids on your own land, quite another to allow their residue to slosh onto someone else’s land. That’s just plain disgusting.
Although permits must be obtained well in advance of biosolids applications, it is nearly impossible for county residents to learn when and where the substance will be applied. Often, the only notice citizens receive of biosolids application is from their noses after the fact.
There is also a universal disconnect between the use of biosolids and all of the environmental whacko clean water hullabaloo.
A few months ago, the county presented a new water quality protection ordinance to the planning commission that would require landowners to leave buffers of at least 100 feet around all ponds and streams. The premise is that the vegetation would filter runoff trapping harmful substances that could pollute the water. So any landowner, including those upstream from the fouled water flowing under the closed landfill at Hidden Rock Park, who dared to cut the grass too close to a pond or stream would be in violation.
That ordinance reverted to county staff for revision.
Yet, the county seems, at best, lackadaisical about enforcing its own biosolids application rules.
This is not just a problem for Goochland.
Remember those cute television spots that asked people not to fertilize their lawns in spring to protect the fragile crab population of the Chesapeake Bay? The federal Environmental Protection Agency produced them.
If lawn fertilizer is bad, biosolids, which have a much higher concentration of nutrients, are probably more of a threat.
Yet, searches of websites of several clean water organizations yield zero results for the term biosolids. It could be that those groups believe that, because biosolids application is supposedly carefully regulated and monitored, it is outside their scope of operations.
Last week’s James River clean-up got lots of media attention. Pulling old tires and other junk out of the water is a great photo op. There was no mention of the invisible water pollutants. City folk probably dismiss the whole notion of sludge on farmland, if they ever give it any thought, as not being their problem.
In this part of the world, a significant portion of drinking water comes out of the James River. Hefty doses of chlorine kill the bacteria. The other stuff, however, could come right through the tap.
Regardless of applicable laws, there is no reason that the county cannot list of biosolids application permits on its website giving the location and approximate schedule. Those with health issues that make them especially sensitive to biosolids applications could check and make sure that they keep their windows closed and avoid the areas during time of applications.
There is common law and common decency. Those who spread sludge should do so responsibly and be held accountable for their actions if they do not.
The stuff has to go somewhere and it is naïve to expect a country awash in red ink to implement a program to incinerate sewage sludge any time soon.
In the meantime, it is imperative that the county not only trust that its farmers are using biosolids in a responsible manner, but verify compliance with all applicable laws.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Citizens in action
Making waves
About two years ago, efforts began to rezone the parcel of land around and behind Satterwhite’s restaurant in Centerville with the stated intent of building a shopping center.
This came just a few months after the southeast quadrant of the Broad Street and Manakin Roads interchange was zoned for both age-restricted residential and retail use. To date, that retail parcel is still for sale.
Last Thursday night (May 28,) the latest of several community meetings about matter was held at the Company 3 fire-rescue station. Although attendance was lower than previous meetings, those who came expressed thoughtful and, for the most part, constructive comments about the latest iteration of the proposal.
The initial concept, your basic strip shopping center dumped on the property, has morphed, in response to vigorous constructive criticism from area residents, into an upscale commercial enclave. Proposed proffers, which, if the rezoning is approved, will become law and must be observed when developing the land regardless of who owns it.
One element that no amount of appealing architectural detail or lavish landscaping can change is its location.
According to Darvin Satterwhite, counsel for the owner Richard Nuckols, private traffic engineers and those from VDOT concur that an access point (represented by a stake with an orange streamer just west of the restaurant) on Rt. 250 that includes both left and right turn lanes is safe.
Area residents disagree, contending that the dip in Rt. 250 just west of the location and the tendency for motorists to drive well above the posted 45 mile-per-hour speed limit make the proposed access point a potential death trap.
The intersection of Rt. 250 and Manakin Road is already a dangerous bottleneck at many times of day. This development will add more cars to that mix.
People who use the intersection believe that a traffic signal there is badly needed. The county has the money to pay for the signal, but VDOT, which has the ultimate authority in the matter, contends that the traffic levels have not reached the thresholds that indicate the need for a traffic light. County officials have little to say in the matter. Other than begging VDOT for action they are helpless in the matter.
Changes in the concept of the proposed retail area are quite amazing and happened because a group of concerned citizens would not give up. The concession to build right and left turn lanes on both Manakin Road and Rt. 250, a pricey proposition, is a significant achievement.
Not too long ago, rezoning applications slipped though the county process with few ripples. Citizens might object at public hearings, but, the rezonings went through with little or no modification.
A few years ago, the board of supervisors mandated that developers hold community meetings with nearby residents before any rezoning application reached the public hearing stage.
Kudos to Paul Costello and his group from the Centerville area for thoughtful, careful research and constructive criticisms that “encouraged” the developers to go back to the drawing board.
Money talks. During the meeting, Nuckols indicated that if anyone wanted to buy the land and keep it in agricultural use, the price is $3 million.
Conceptually, the retail project would be similar to an upscale shopping center on Robious Road in Chesterfield, which will undoubtedly make it expensive to lease. It is important to remember that the attractive photographs are merely conceptual, there is no guarantee that a future developer will use the same architectural styles.
However, the county’s Design Review Committee, which oversees application of the village overlay standards, is quite adept at its job.
One major question about this project, which has yet to be answered, is who will locate there? If it is built, will it be leased?
With the myriad retail delights of Short Pump only a few miles down the road, it’s hard to imagine what sort of business would invest there.
The Chesterfield center, which is accessed from a signalized subdivision road, is quite charming.
Although its remote location has little competition, is not fully leased. Tenants include two medical offices, a day spa, a bank, several restaurants, a dry cleaner and a gourmet food and wine store.
If you can drive another few miles to Short Pump, and make no mistake most of the patrons of whatever businesses locate here will drive, why stop in Centerville?
The developer is not evil. Were it not for developers rezoning land from agricultural to residential use, few if any of the people protesting the rezoning would live here.
A larger question is why was that parcel included in the Centerville village in the first place? Manakin Road would seem to make a good natural western boundary for Centerville. Regardless of how many sidewalks any retail use there contains, traffic on both Manakin and Broad Street Roads will discourage anyone from walking into the rest of the village. Pedestrian access and walkability are supposed to be one of the hallmarks of a village. This falls short.
Nuckols has every right to develop his property profitably. The fault in this process is that his choices for development were limited to what he proposes.
The planning commission, which will hear the case on June 18 and the supervisors who will make the final decision on the application after their own public hearing, must balance the property rights of individual landowners with the health, safety and welfare of county citizens.
Thoughtful public comment is a valuable part of the process. People are too often discouraged if they do not get their way. If citizens had not objected to the original rezoning plan, it would be on the books by now. As it is, their input has given the developer more hurdles to cross. It’s too bad that the developer had so few options for his land.
About two years ago, efforts began to rezone the parcel of land around and behind Satterwhite’s restaurant in Centerville with the stated intent of building a shopping center.
This came just a few months after the southeast quadrant of the Broad Street and Manakin Roads interchange was zoned for both age-restricted residential and retail use. To date, that retail parcel is still for sale.
Last Thursday night (May 28,) the latest of several community meetings about matter was held at the Company 3 fire-rescue station. Although attendance was lower than previous meetings, those who came expressed thoughtful and, for the most part, constructive comments about the latest iteration of the proposal.
The initial concept, your basic strip shopping center dumped on the property, has morphed, in response to vigorous constructive criticism from area residents, into an upscale commercial enclave. Proposed proffers, which, if the rezoning is approved, will become law and must be observed when developing the land regardless of who owns it.
One element that no amount of appealing architectural detail or lavish landscaping can change is its location.
According to Darvin Satterwhite, counsel for the owner Richard Nuckols, private traffic engineers and those from VDOT concur that an access point (represented by a stake with an orange streamer just west of the restaurant) on Rt. 250 that includes both left and right turn lanes is safe.
Area residents disagree, contending that the dip in Rt. 250 just west of the location and the tendency for motorists to drive well above the posted 45 mile-per-hour speed limit make the proposed access point a potential death trap.
The intersection of Rt. 250 and Manakin Road is already a dangerous bottleneck at many times of day. This development will add more cars to that mix.
People who use the intersection believe that a traffic signal there is badly needed. The county has the money to pay for the signal, but VDOT, which has the ultimate authority in the matter, contends that the traffic levels have not reached the thresholds that indicate the need for a traffic light. County officials have little to say in the matter. Other than begging VDOT for action they are helpless in the matter.
Changes in the concept of the proposed retail area are quite amazing and happened because a group of concerned citizens would not give up. The concession to build right and left turn lanes on both Manakin Road and Rt. 250, a pricey proposition, is a significant achievement.
Not too long ago, rezoning applications slipped though the county process with few ripples. Citizens might object at public hearings, but, the rezonings went through with little or no modification.
A few years ago, the board of supervisors mandated that developers hold community meetings with nearby residents before any rezoning application reached the public hearing stage.
Kudos to Paul Costello and his group from the Centerville area for thoughtful, careful research and constructive criticisms that “encouraged” the developers to go back to the drawing board.
Money talks. During the meeting, Nuckols indicated that if anyone wanted to buy the land and keep it in agricultural use, the price is $3 million.
Conceptually, the retail project would be similar to an upscale shopping center on Robious Road in Chesterfield, which will undoubtedly make it expensive to lease. It is important to remember that the attractive photographs are merely conceptual, there is no guarantee that a future developer will use the same architectural styles.
However, the county’s Design Review Committee, which oversees application of the village overlay standards, is quite adept at its job.
One major question about this project, which has yet to be answered, is who will locate there? If it is built, will it be leased?
With the myriad retail delights of Short Pump only a few miles down the road, it’s hard to imagine what sort of business would invest there.
The Chesterfield center, which is accessed from a signalized subdivision road, is quite charming.
Although its remote location has little competition, is not fully leased. Tenants include two medical offices, a day spa, a bank, several restaurants, a dry cleaner and a gourmet food and wine store.
If you can drive another few miles to Short Pump, and make no mistake most of the patrons of whatever businesses locate here will drive, why stop in Centerville?
The developer is not evil. Were it not for developers rezoning land from agricultural to residential use, few if any of the people protesting the rezoning would live here.
A larger question is why was that parcel included in the Centerville village in the first place? Manakin Road would seem to make a good natural western boundary for Centerville. Regardless of how many sidewalks any retail use there contains, traffic on both Manakin and Broad Street Roads will discourage anyone from walking into the rest of the village. Pedestrian access and walkability are supposed to be one of the hallmarks of a village. This falls short.
Nuckols has every right to develop his property profitably. The fault in this process is that his choices for development were limited to what he proposes.
The planning commission, which will hear the case on June 18 and the supervisors who will make the final decision on the application after their own public hearing, must balance the property rights of individual landowners with the health, safety and welfare of county citizens.
Thoughtful public comment is a valuable part of the process. People are too often discouraged if they do not get their way. If citizens had not objected to the original rezoning plan, it would be on the books by now. As it is, their input has given the developer more hurdles to cross. It’s too bad that the developer had so few options for his land.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Poppy Time
Remember the fallen on Memorial Day
On Monday morning at 10 a.m. Goochlanders will gather on the Courthouse green to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty.
Come early and bring a chair.
Get a crepe paper poppy from one of the lovely ladies of the American Legion Post 215 auxiliary. The poppies are distributed for donation, not sold. Dig deep; every penny is used to help the disabled veterans, who make the poppies, not factory workers in China.
Look at some of the monuments on the green. Goochland boys and girls have been marching off to war for a very long time. Some did not come home.
Paul Galanti, CDR USN (Ret.) will address the gathering. Having spent almost seven years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, he knows more about honor, patriotism and torture than all of today’s pundits combined. Galanti came home and went right back to being a good citizen making up for lost time.
It is far too easy to forget that Memorial Day is much more than the unofficial start of summer. We need to remember the cost of war and honor those who bought our freedom with their blood.
Today in known conflicts on the opposite side of the world and secret battles closer to home brave American troopers hold back the forces of darkness who would destroy our way of life. Because our troops voluntarily go into the Valley of the Shadow of Death, we can plan a picnic, shopping excursion or a trip to the beach without giving a thought to our safety.
Since Bunker Hill, when the first shots were fired in the cause of freedom, Americans have owed a huge debt to those who wrenched liberty from tyranny and keep its flame burning bright.
Memorial Day is not about the hate of war, but about the greatest love of those who gave their lives for others.
It is too easy to forget about forever empty seats at the Thanksgiving table; children whose lives will be forever changed by the loss of a parent and lives filled with promise that ended far too soon.
That is why we set aside this day to remember with love our fallen whose blood nourished the poppies of Flanders Field and those who came after to fight in our stead.
Take time before you hit the mall or the beach to remember and appreciate the cost of freedom and national security. Take time to give loving thanks and never forget the sacrifice of ordinary Americans whose duty and honor keep us safe every day.
On Monday morning at 10 a.m. Goochlanders will gather on the Courthouse green to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty.
Come early and bring a chair.
Get a crepe paper poppy from one of the lovely ladies of the American Legion Post 215 auxiliary. The poppies are distributed for donation, not sold. Dig deep; every penny is used to help the disabled veterans, who make the poppies, not factory workers in China.
Look at some of the monuments on the green. Goochland boys and girls have been marching off to war for a very long time. Some did not come home.
Paul Galanti, CDR USN (Ret.) will address the gathering. Having spent almost seven years in a North Vietnamese prison camp, he knows more about honor, patriotism and torture than all of today’s pundits combined. Galanti came home and went right back to being a good citizen making up for lost time.
It is far too easy to forget that Memorial Day is much more than the unofficial start of summer. We need to remember the cost of war and honor those who bought our freedom with their blood.
Today in known conflicts on the opposite side of the world and secret battles closer to home brave American troopers hold back the forces of darkness who would destroy our way of life. Because our troops voluntarily go into the Valley of the Shadow of Death, we can plan a picnic, shopping excursion or a trip to the beach without giving a thought to our safety.
Since Bunker Hill, when the first shots were fired in the cause of freedom, Americans have owed a huge debt to those who wrenched liberty from tyranny and keep its flame burning bright.
Memorial Day is not about the hate of war, but about the greatest love of those who gave their lives for others.
It is too easy to forget about forever empty seats at the Thanksgiving table; children whose lives will be forever changed by the loss of a parent and lives filled with promise that ended far too soon.
That is why we set aside this day to remember with love our fallen whose blood nourished the poppies of Flanders Field and those who came after to fight in our stead.
Take time before you hit the mall or the beach to remember and appreciate the cost of freedom and national security. Take time to give loving thanks and never forget the sacrifice of ordinary Americans whose duty and honor keep us safe every day.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Toxic personnel purged
Get out the mops and disinfectant
On the evening of May 19, after about 100 minutes of closed door deliberation, the Goochland board of supervisors unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Andrew R. McRoberts as county attorney, effective immediately.
In remarks made by interim county administrator Lane Ramsey in open session, it was disclosed that the supervisors “requested and received” the resignation “in the best interest of everyone.”
In accordance with his employment contract, which McRoberts is believed to have written himself, he will receive $49,000 plus $9,440.45 for unused annual leave and $5,000 for accumulated sick time.
McRoberts is the alleged author of the press release announcing his resignation, which attempted to portray his abrupt exit from Goochland government as his decision alone. Some media outlets ran this almost verbatim. McRoberts is also credited with leaking the identity of the new county administrator to the media in advance of the board announcement, perhaps in return for favorable spin.
During the closed session, Darvin Satterwhite, a local lawyer who served as part-time county before McRoberts was hired in 2001, acted as county attorney until the board could appoint Barbara Rose as interim county attorney.
Rose, a superbly well-qualified lawyer with extensive government experience in Hanover county as well as the office of the Virginia Attorney General, will handle Goochland’s legal matters while the supervisors search for a permanent replacement for McRoberts. Her appointment was effective as of May 20.
She will be paid $140 per hour for 20 hours per week and the supervisors approved not more than $10,000 to retain outside counsel as Rose deems appropriate.
They also voted to retain the Springstead search firm, to help them fill the vacant position.
Ramsey said that the county has already received several resumes for the county attorney position, which will be passed on to Springstead for vetting.
The supervisors set a good precedent in hiring a well qualified outsider for county administrator, let’s hope they continues the trend when hiring a new county attorney.
Given the sensitivity of many rezoning and other matters that come before the board on a regular basis, it is crucial that this important staff member have no local allegiances or connections of any kind. Perception is very important matters of government. Smarting from the consequences of good old boyism that descended into gross incompetence at best, corruption at worst, the board should continue to eagerly embrace hiring fresh faces with new eyes to address the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Now the clean up begins.
The situation in county administration is much like the day after the end of one of those movies where giant monsters or hoards of space aliens are vanquished by the good guys.
We never get to see the clean up. They never showed, for example, what they human race did with the remains of the bazillion defunct spaceship beings that littered earth at the end of H. G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds” or the giant mother ships that crashed down at the end of “Independence Day.”
What did the world do with all that stuff? Was it recyclable, compostable or hazardous waster? We’ll never know, but someone had to clean it up, probably the women.
And so it begins in Goochland.
Rose’s initial task may well be sorting and organizing the legal matters of the county to ensure a smooth transition to the new person.
However, during his tenure, McRoberts seemed to involve himself in a wide range of county business, perhaps far beyond the normal purview of the county attorney.
Who knows what sorts of time bombs may lurk in complicated agreements or policies already in place. Hopefully, they will be identified and defused before they explode in the county’s face.
The supervisors, with good justification, seemed very anxious to put this chapter behind them. Goochland doesn’t need any more scandals.
Voters however, must remember that three board members did nothing to address or stop the machinations of toxic personnel when elections roll around in 2011. The clean up has just begun, there is still much to do.
On the evening of May 19, after about 100 minutes of closed door deliberation, the Goochland board of supervisors unanimously voted to accept the resignation of Andrew R. McRoberts as county attorney, effective immediately.
In remarks made by interim county administrator Lane Ramsey in open session, it was disclosed that the supervisors “requested and received” the resignation “in the best interest of everyone.”
In accordance with his employment contract, which McRoberts is believed to have written himself, he will receive $49,000 plus $9,440.45 for unused annual leave and $5,000 for accumulated sick time.
McRoberts is the alleged author of the press release announcing his resignation, which attempted to portray his abrupt exit from Goochland government as his decision alone. Some media outlets ran this almost verbatim. McRoberts is also credited with leaking the identity of the new county administrator to the media in advance of the board announcement, perhaps in return for favorable spin.
During the closed session, Darvin Satterwhite, a local lawyer who served as part-time county before McRoberts was hired in 2001, acted as county attorney until the board could appoint Barbara Rose as interim county attorney.
Rose, a superbly well-qualified lawyer with extensive government experience in Hanover county as well as the office of the Virginia Attorney General, will handle Goochland’s legal matters while the supervisors search for a permanent replacement for McRoberts. Her appointment was effective as of May 20.
She will be paid $140 per hour for 20 hours per week and the supervisors approved not more than $10,000 to retain outside counsel as Rose deems appropriate.
They also voted to retain the Springstead search firm, to help them fill the vacant position.
Ramsey said that the county has already received several resumes for the county attorney position, which will be passed on to Springstead for vetting.
The supervisors set a good precedent in hiring a well qualified outsider for county administrator, let’s hope they continues the trend when hiring a new county attorney.
Given the sensitivity of many rezoning and other matters that come before the board on a regular basis, it is crucial that this important staff member have no local allegiances or connections of any kind. Perception is very important matters of government. Smarting from the consequences of good old boyism that descended into gross incompetence at best, corruption at worst, the board should continue to eagerly embrace hiring fresh faces with new eyes to address the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Now the clean up begins.
The situation in county administration is much like the day after the end of one of those movies where giant monsters or hoards of space aliens are vanquished by the good guys.
We never get to see the clean up. They never showed, for example, what they human race did with the remains of the bazillion defunct spaceship beings that littered earth at the end of H. G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds” or the giant mother ships that crashed down at the end of “Independence Day.”
What did the world do with all that stuff? Was it recyclable, compostable or hazardous waster? We’ll never know, but someone had to clean it up, probably the women.
And so it begins in Goochland.
Rose’s initial task may well be sorting and organizing the legal matters of the county to ensure a smooth transition to the new person.
However, during his tenure, McRoberts seemed to involve himself in a wide range of county business, perhaps far beyond the normal purview of the county attorney.
Who knows what sorts of time bombs may lurk in complicated agreements or policies already in place. Hopefully, they will be identified and defused before they explode in the county’s face.
The supervisors, with good justification, seemed very anxious to put this chapter behind them. Goochland doesn’t need any more scandals.
Voters however, must remember that three board members did nothing to address or stop the machinations of toxic personnel when elections roll around in 2011. The clean up has just begun, there is still much to do.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Right in your own backyard
Interesting things to do in Goochland County
Please consider attending the following events of interest. Come to learn, meet old friends and make new ones. Weekends in Goochland offer something for everyone if you just know where to look!
The 15th annual Goochland Relay for Life, which raises awareness about cancer and funds for research, will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday May 16 at the Goochland Elementary School on River Road West in Courthouse Village. The event runs until Sunday. A wide range of activities are planned. Relay is a great way to have fun and contribute to a serious and important cause.
THE Goochland Historical Society will meet on Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m. at "Soldier's Lodge.”
The guest speaker will be John Chettle, a Rhodes Scholar, attorney, lecturer and author. He is currently completing a book, which will be the subject of his talk, "What Do Presidents Read: And Why It Matters." Refreshments will follow.
"Soldier's Lodge" is located west of Oilville on Fairground Road (Route 632), between Broad Street Road (Route 250) and Hawktown Road (Route 637). Look for GHS signs and balloons.
The true cost of food
An educational and entertaining program about sustainable food will be held on Monday, May 18 at 12 noon at the Grace Church Parish House 2955 River Road West, Goochland, VA 23063. It is sponsored by the Center for Rural Culture.
Cost: $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door (Center for Rural Culture Members, only $10.00 - pay at the door). Checks, cash or credit cards accepted.
JOIN LOCAL FARMERS FOR EDUCATION, DISCUSSION, LOCAL FOOD, CHANCES TO WIN A YEAR OF ORGANIC VALLEY DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND FUN!
“THE TRUE COST OF FOOD” DVD Series will be shown, followed by a moderated discussion with CRC Executive Director Lisa Dearden and local farmers. A light luncheon buffet of local foods will be served. All participants will be given a coupon valued at $5.00 for the Goochland Farmers Market. Raffle tickets will be offered for a chance to win a Year of Free Organic Valley Dairy Products!
Register online at www.centerforruralculture.org or call: 804-314-9141.
Please consider attending the following events of interest. Come to learn, meet old friends and make new ones. Weekends in Goochland offer something for everyone if you just know where to look!
The 15th annual Goochland Relay for Life, which raises awareness about cancer and funds for research, will begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday May 16 at the Goochland Elementary School on River Road West in Courthouse Village. The event runs until Sunday. A wide range of activities are planned. Relay is a great way to have fun and contribute to a serious and important cause.
THE Goochland Historical Society will meet on Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m. at "Soldier's Lodge.”
The guest speaker will be John Chettle, a Rhodes Scholar, attorney, lecturer and author. He is currently completing a book, which will be the subject of his talk, "What Do Presidents Read: And Why It Matters." Refreshments will follow.
"Soldier's Lodge" is located west of Oilville on Fairground Road (Route 632), between Broad Street Road (Route 250) and Hawktown Road (Route 637). Look for GHS signs and balloons.
The true cost of food
An educational and entertaining program about sustainable food will be held on Monday, May 18 at 12 noon at the Grace Church Parish House 2955 River Road West, Goochland, VA 23063. It is sponsored by the Center for Rural Culture.
Cost: $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door (Center for Rural Culture Members, only $10.00 - pay at the door). Checks, cash or credit cards accepted.
JOIN LOCAL FARMERS FOR EDUCATION, DISCUSSION, LOCAL FOOD, CHANCES TO WIN A YEAR OF ORGANIC VALLEY DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND FUN!
“THE TRUE COST OF FOOD” DVD Series will be shown, followed by a moderated discussion with CRC Executive Director Lisa Dearden and local farmers. A light luncheon buffet of local foods will be served. All participants will be given a coupon valued at $5.00 for the Goochland Farmers Market. Raffle tickets will be offered for a chance to win a Year of Free Organic Valley Dairy Products!
Register online at www.centerforruralculture.org or call: 804-314-9141.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The sad saga of Andrew McRoberts
News of the resignation of Goochland County attorney Andrew McRoberts traveled through the community like wildfire well in advance of the notice published on Friday.
The announcement was met with jubilation by many who believe his departure was long overdue.
Hired as the first full time county attorney in 2001, McRoberts’ tenure in Goochland began with great promise that was never fulfilled.
As our once sleepy county moved into the 21st century, McRoberts faced an extended to do list when he walked in the door. The ink on the contract between Capital One and Goochland was still wet as the county turned its attention to expanding public utilities in the eastern end of the county.
McRoberts did much of the cobbling together of right-of-way easements, contracts and agreements with Henrico for water and the City of Richmond for sewerage into the Byzantine arrangement known as the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.
He also handled lawsuits spawned by that project.
They included a challenge to the water tower contract by the lowest bidder, whose proposal was declared non-responsive; a dispute over the location of the road to the Rt. 6 pump Station; the Bryant Electric fiberglass pipe installation matter and the two massive West Creek real estate assessment challenges that resulted in exhaustive court cases.
Although McRoberts worked long and hard on all of the litigation, outside counsel costs are believed to have exceeded $1 million.
McRoberts’ aggressive defense of the county’s 2000 assessment of West Creek generated far more legal fee expense than real estate tax. His contention that the county needed to stand firm in the face of assessment challenges lest other property holders become emboldened was sound. Somewhere along the way, however, the process seems to have gotten out of control.
According to West Creek insiders, McRoberts’ idea of a successful mediation is total capitulation by his opponent.
Goochland Circuit Court Judge Timothy K. Sanner, and on appeal, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld the county’s position. After the second week-long trial, however, Sanner chastised McRoberts’ team and opposing counsel for their conduct during the proceedings.
McRoberts has been sanctioned and fined by Sanner at least once for his failure to comply with court instructions in a timely manner during litigation. It is unknown if the county paid those fines or they came out of McRoberts’ pocket.
While at Goochland, McRoberts was elected president of the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc.
McRoberts was at least partially responsible for perverting zoning ordinance enforcement into a form of punishment. We may never know if he did this on his own initiative or just zealously followed directions from the former county administrator or factions on the board of supervisors.
The torment endured by Debbie Gibson, owner of the Paws Inn kennel in Centerville, degenerated zoning enforcement into outright persecution. Although on the surface, county complaints focused on barking, odor and escaped pets, the true motivation for the enthusiastic pursuit of zoning compliance may well be more sinister.
A land map shows that the Paws Inn property sits like a keystone in an arch formed by properties lining Plaza Drive. Before the advent of public utilities the land, though conveniently located, had limited potential. Once water and sewer were in place, however, the Paws Inn site became an impediment to development of surrounding parcels. Instead of encouraging and assisting Gibson to relocate, the county, enabled at least in part by McRoberts, has relentlessly attempted to destroy Gibson’s successful and tax paying business..
Andrew Dykers, owner of Orapax Plantation, a commercial hunting preserve, has been at odds with the county and some of his neighbors for about 20 years. In 2007, Dykers let it be known that he planned to file an application to build a sporting clays shooting range at Orapax, which, he contended, was permitted by county zoning laws as an accessory use to his main business.
Before Dykers could file that application, McRoberts presented the supervisors with an emergency ordinance to redefine accessory use. During the presentation of the proposed ordinance, Bob Hammond, director of planning and zoning contended that an emergency ordinance was needed to prevent construction of illegally sited garages, which he estimated happened about twice a year. Two out of place garages per year is certainly cause for emergency action.
The board approved the measure. The ensuing dispute included hearings before the planning commission, supervisors, Board of Zoning Appeals and may still be involved in litigation.
During repeated postponements of the Orapax hearing, the BZA experienced an 80 percent turnover in members. Along the way, the BZA decided that it needed its own lawyer because McRoberts deluged it with materials supporting his argument, including briefs and case law citations beyond the ken of ordinary folk.
Indeed, this was viewed by some as an imposition on people willing to do their civic duty by serving on the BZA.
The Orapax hearing, which occurred about six months after its initial scheduled date, resulted in a tie vote (one member was out of the country on a previously scheduled mission trip.) That outcome upheld the county’s position.
During his tenure, McRoberts at least facilitated if not encouraged the supervisors’ proclivity to conduct business behind closed doors. Indeed, since the arrival of interim county administrator Lane Ramsey, closed sessions have dwindled markedly. There was none at the supervisors’ May 5 meeting, a trend that will hopefully continue.
McRoberts’ relations were at best contentious with some supervisors. Other board members seemed cowed by his professional prowess, which he often touted.
Although no authorship was ever attributed for the Signgate fiasco or the expanded supervisors’ code of conduct, which caused much heartburn in January, it is difficult to believe that McRoberts was unaware of either matter.
Charged with advising the county staff and supervisors about legal matters, McRoberts should have strongly argued against sending what amounted to threatening letters to property owners displaying large campaign signs for Ned Creasey and Pat Turner during the 2007 local elections.
Although the county got only one complaint about the signs, 17 people received letters. We still do not know who compiled the list.
McRoberts’ cost to the county above and beyond his generous compensation package may never be known. It may takes years to unravel unintended or unforeseen consequences of his time as county attorney.
It is good news indeed that this strange chapter in Goochland government is over.
Let’s hope that the supervisors have learned from their mistake and will work with the incoming county administrator to fill the post of county attorney with a competent lawyer anxious and willing to serve the government and people of Goochland in a fair and just manner.
The announcement was met with jubilation by many who believe his departure was long overdue.
Hired as the first full time county attorney in 2001, McRoberts’ tenure in Goochland began with great promise that was never fulfilled.
As our once sleepy county moved into the 21st century, McRoberts faced an extended to do list when he walked in the door. The ink on the contract between Capital One and Goochland was still wet as the county turned its attention to expanding public utilities in the eastern end of the county.
McRoberts did much of the cobbling together of right-of-way easements, contracts and agreements with Henrico for water and the City of Richmond for sewerage into the Byzantine arrangement known as the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.
He also handled lawsuits spawned by that project.
They included a challenge to the water tower contract by the lowest bidder, whose proposal was declared non-responsive; a dispute over the location of the road to the Rt. 6 pump Station; the Bryant Electric fiberglass pipe installation matter and the two massive West Creek real estate assessment challenges that resulted in exhaustive court cases.
Although McRoberts worked long and hard on all of the litigation, outside counsel costs are believed to have exceeded $1 million.
McRoberts’ aggressive defense of the county’s 2000 assessment of West Creek generated far more legal fee expense than real estate tax. His contention that the county needed to stand firm in the face of assessment challenges lest other property holders become emboldened was sound. Somewhere along the way, however, the process seems to have gotten out of control.
According to West Creek insiders, McRoberts’ idea of a successful mediation is total capitulation by his opponent.
Goochland Circuit Court Judge Timothy K. Sanner, and on appeal, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld the county’s position. After the second week-long trial, however, Sanner chastised McRoberts’ team and opposing counsel for their conduct during the proceedings.
McRoberts has been sanctioned and fined by Sanner at least once for his failure to comply with court instructions in a timely manner during litigation. It is unknown if the county paid those fines or they came out of McRoberts’ pocket.
While at Goochland, McRoberts was elected president of the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, Inc.
McRoberts was at least partially responsible for perverting zoning ordinance enforcement into a form of punishment. We may never know if he did this on his own initiative or just zealously followed directions from the former county administrator or factions on the board of supervisors.
The torment endured by Debbie Gibson, owner of the Paws Inn kennel in Centerville, degenerated zoning enforcement into outright persecution. Although on the surface, county complaints focused on barking, odor and escaped pets, the true motivation for the enthusiastic pursuit of zoning compliance may well be more sinister.
A land map shows that the Paws Inn property sits like a keystone in an arch formed by properties lining Plaza Drive. Before the advent of public utilities the land, though conveniently located, had limited potential. Once water and sewer were in place, however, the Paws Inn site became an impediment to development of surrounding parcels. Instead of encouraging and assisting Gibson to relocate, the county, enabled at least in part by McRoberts, has relentlessly attempted to destroy Gibson’s successful and tax paying business..
Andrew Dykers, owner of Orapax Plantation, a commercial hunting preserve, has been at odds with the county and some of his neighbors for about 20 years. In 2007, Dykers let it be known that he planned to file an application to build a sporting clays shooting range at Orapax, which, he contended, was permitted by county zoning laws as an accessory use to his main business.
Before Dykers could file that application, McRoberts presented the supervisors with an emergency ordinance to redefine accessory use. During the presentation of the proposed ordinance, Bob Hammond, director of planning and zoning contended that an emergency ordinance was needed to prevent construction of illegally sited garages, which he estimated happened about twice a year. Two out of place garages per year is certainly cause for emergency action.
The board approved the measure. The ensuing dispute included hearings before the planning commission, supervisors, Board of Zoning Appeals and may still be involved in litigation.
During repeated postponements of the Orapax hearing, the BZA experienced an 80 percent turnover in members. Along the way, the BZA decided that it needed its own lawyer because McRoberts deluged it with materials supporting his argument, including briefs and case law citations beyond the ken of ordinary folk.
Indeed, this was viewed by some as an imposition on people willing to do their civic duty by serving on the BZA.
The Orapax hearing, which occurred about six months after its initial scheduled date, resulted in a tie vote (one member was out of the country on a previously scheduled mission trip.) That outcome upheld the county’s position.
During his tenure, McRoberts at least facilitated if not encouraged the supervisors’ proclivity to conduct business behind closed doors. Indeed, since the arrival of interim county administrator Lane Ramsey, closed sessions have dwindled markedly. There was none at the supervisors’ May 5 meeting, a trend that will hopefully continue.
McRoberts’ relations were at best contentious with some supervisors. Other board members seemed cowed by his professional prowess, which he often touted.
Although no authorship was ever attributed for the Signgate fiasco or the expanded supervisors’ code of conduct, which caused much heartburn in January, it is difficult to believe that McRoberts was unaware of either matter.
Charged with advising the county staff and supervisors about legal matters, McRoberts should have strongly argued against sending what amounted to threatening letters to property owners displaying large campaign signs for Ned Creasey and Pat Turner during the 2007 local elections.
Although the county got only one complaint about the signs, 17 people received letters. We still do not know who compiled the list.
McRoberts’ cost to the county above and beyond his generous compensation package may never be known. It may takes years to unravel unintended or unforeseen consequences of his time as county attorney.
It is good news indeed that this strange chapter in Goochland government is over.
Let’s hope that the supervisors have learned from their mistake and will work with the incoming county administrator to fill the post of county attorney with a competent lawyer anxious and willing to serve the government and people of Goochland in a fair and just manner.
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