In the weeds

And so it begins. On February 20, Goochland County Administrator John Budesky presented his recommended $89.4 million budget for fiscal year 2019, which begins on July 1, to the Board of Supervisors. This represents an increase of 11.3 percent over the current year’s budget. (The document may be viewed at:  http://goochlandva.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1153  Recordings of these sessions, February 20 and 27, are available under the “on demand meeting” tab on the county website goochlandva.us.)

The county budget process is a continual activity. Each annual budget includes a “look ahead” to the next year to limit surprises. Budesky commended county staff, schools, and constitutional officers for their hard work and collaborative spirit in managing public funds and commitment to transparency.

Budesky’s budget is based on retention of the 53 cent per $100 of valuation real estate tax rate, in place for more than a decade. As the economy improved, and with it the fortunes of the county, the flat tax rate may result in higher tax bills for those who property values have increased.

Even with increased revenues, Budesky said there was not enough to fully fund every submitted item. He was careful to point out that the departmental requests were needs based and not padded wish lists.

When this board took office in 2012 it declared that funding core services—law enforcement; fire-rescue; schools; and social services—would be its priority. The Board sharpened its pencils and kept everything going.

Budesky said that after many lean years, spending in some places, can no longer be postponed. The countywide financial software, for instance, which is nearly 30 years old, has far outlived its useful life.

Growth is pressuring every local government function. New residents tend to come from places with higher levels of service and they expect to find the same here. People do not understand that services provide by local government are not funded by fairy dust. County employees have bills to pay and dreams of retirement like everyone else and deserve adequate compensation. Tax dollars only go so far.

Details of the FY’19 budget paint a clear picture of the wide variety of county functions and their cost.

Sheriff James Agnew requested five new deputies for each of the next two years in addition to this year’s three recommend dispatcher positions. (Budesky’s budget recommends no new deputy slots.) He said that five people are needed to put one additional patrol deputy “on the street” for all 168 hours in a week. Failing that he asked for additional overtime pay instead of the “comp time” used for extra hours.

Agnew explained that demands for the many functions of the Sheriff’s office, from transporting people with mental health emergencies and staying with them until they are admitted to an appropriate care facility, to issuing eviction notices to apartment dwellers, are increasing and will continue to do so. Burgeoning traffic in the county’s east end, which brings more accidents and DUI arrests, further exacerbates the situation.

The Sheriff also reported that filling vacancies is difficult because the pool of acceptable candidates is shrinking. Fewer young people, he said, are drawn to law enforcement  because of the relatively low pay, irregular hours, and potential for danger. The negative picture of law enforcement painted by the media is also a deterrent.

Fire-rescue Chief Bill MacKay echoed Agnew’s concerns about growing demand for service. His department is also grappling with a dramatic falloff in volunteer participation. MacKay said that 70 percent of fire-rescue volunteers in the east end of the county live outside the Goochland and do not have the community buy-in of volunteers of yore.

Retention for both law enforcement and fire-rescue is a challenge due to not only salary levels, but a dearth of opportunities for advancement in small departments like Goochland.

Director of Human Resources Kelly Parrish said on February 27,  that more than 50 percent of the Goochland General Fund budget is consumed by salary and benefits. She said that there are 118 full time and 25 part time county employees. Constitutional Offices employ 75 full and 10 part time employees. During calendar year 2017, 21 employees left county employ and seven departed from Constitutional Office staffs for a combined turnover rate of  12.3 percent, down a bit from the previous year. Reasons for leaving included retirement, other employment, and involuntary separation. Parrish said that her turnover goal rare is under ten percent.

Board Chair Ken Peterson, District 5, asked for a breakdown of the growth of local government, absent increases in fire-rescue providers, to gauge if county staff is growing appropriately in relation to population increase.

A proposed two percent across the board salary increase  is in line with neighboring jurisdictions, except for Henrico, which is offering a 2.5 percent bump.

Staffing requests for the FY 2019 budget included 23 fulltime positions, 14 are recommended, including no deputies or convenience center attendants. The cost of 10 new full time positions, and conversion of four part time to full time; merit increase and benchmark salary adjustments is  $1,126,001.

While the largest source of county revenue is real estate taxes, there is other income. Local sales tax for FY ’19 is budgeted at $2.9 million; personal property taxes not quite $13 million; and building permits $1 million.

The capital improvement plan (CIP) (discussed at length in other posts) will require some hefty borrowing on the county’s part in the not too distant future. While each annual budget tucks money away for capital projects, it is not enough to fully fund them. By FY 2023, the county expects to borrow approximately $53 million to fund a new courthouse, elementary school, fire-rescue station, and improvements to the high school. Service on the debt incurred is projected to be within borrowing threshold policies established by this board. IN FY 2024, the debt service is projected to be eight percent of general government expenses, well below the 12 percent limit. These numbers assume a 1.8 percent annual increase in taxable assessed values through 2032.

 Todd Kilduff, Assistant County Administrator for Utilities and Community Development  said that increases in water and sewer rates are necessary to ensure that the county is able to maintain infrastructure and meets its financial obligations to Henrico County, the City of Richmond, and the Virginia Department of Corrections.

There are, according to Kilduff, 140 miles of pipe in the ground in Goochland. Water and sewer lines have a general useful life of 50 years. To ensure continuity of service with minimal disruption, an R and R (repair and replacement) policy has been created.  It will be funded by a portion of utility rates.

The Henrico based civil engineering firm of Draper Aden was retained by the county to prepare a rate study. Kilduff said that the study suggests that bi-monthly rate increases of  fiver percent for water and six percent for sewer, which translates to a $5.20 per month increase for 4,000 gallons. Kilduff contended that the rate increases are needed to cover operating costs as well as the R and R initiative and prevent large one time increases to pay for emergency mends.

The ad valorem tax for land in the Tuckahoe Creek Service District is expected to remain constant at  32 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

Public hearings on the proposed budget, tax and utility rates will be held on April 3. Rates and the budget will be voted on at an April 17 meeting of the  Board of Supervisors.

In addition to comments and discussion at the upcoming Town Hall meetings, Budesky and the supervisor welcome all citizen comment on the budget. They are spending your money. Please pay attention.

Toward the end of winter

Spring is just around the corner and with it, April adoption of the Goochland County budget for fiscal year 2019, which begins on July 1. The budget process, is an ongoing, never ending activity.

The Board of Supervisors received a report from County Assessor Mary Ann Davis at its February 6 meeting. The total value of property in Goochland County as of January 1, 2018 was $4.85 billion. This represents a 4.4 percent increase over last year, and finally exceeded the all-time high 2009 assessment of $4.72 billion, the last before property values took a nosedive during the recession.

Of the increase, three percent represents increased valuations over last year, the remaining 1.4 percent new construction. Fair market value for the TCSD rose 4.4 percent to $1 billion. Land use assessments rose 1.4 percent to $579 million. The supervisors support retention of land use taxation, computed per acre using a state supplied rate, to preserve the rural character of the county. Deferred revenue attributable to land use taxation is $3 million. The breakdown between residential and commercial use is 80.4 percent to 19.6 percent.

Goochland County Administrator John Budesky will present his recommend budget for FY 2019 to the supervisors in a public 3 p.m. meeting on February 20.  

Spring Town Hall meetings by District are scheduled for March. ( Districts 4 and 5 March 7 at Hermitage Country Club. District 1 at the Fife Fire-Rescue Station on March 20. Districts 2 and 3 March 28 at Central High School.  All sessions begin at 7 p.m.)

At these meetings, the proposed budget will be discussed along with items of interest both county and district-wide. Budesky said that he and the supervisors welcome feedback on the budget and any subject. Letters, calls, and other citizen input about the budget are welcome and have an impact on final decisions, he said.

Citizen engagement is a vital part of good government. The county does a good  job of making information available for citizen inspection on the county website, http://goochlandva.us/. Without citizen input, this effort at transparency is like the sound of one hand clapping. They’re spending your money on your community, pay attention.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovations at Central High School and Cultural Center  on Dogtown Road will be held on March 6 at 1:30, all are welcome to attend.

Fire-Rescue Chief Bill MacKay reported that calls for service continue to rise. Cost recovery revenue—fees collected from insurance for emergency hospital transport—tended to increase between 15 and 20 percent per month in FY 2018 adjustments.

MacKay said that Goochland Fire-Rescue now has specialized training devices to address the issue of massive hemorrhaging in Active Shooter scenarios. May God grant that our first responders never need to use this skill.

In April, Goochland Fire-Rescue will again host  a “Survivor Day” event at Manakin Company 1. This event makes citizens more resilient in the face of emergency.  A citizens’ fire-rescue academy is also in the works with the hopes of  attracting new volunteers.

MacKay said that, of the new career positions accelerated to January 1 from July 1, one remains unfilled.

A report of planning activity for 2017 revealed that an application to increase the  number of homes in the Hunt Club Hill subdivision on Three Chopt Road was withdrawn.

An item to set a public hearing for the purpose of the proposed sale of 3.61 acres of the Fairgrounds Property at the corner of Fairground and Sandy Hook Roads to Chase Development Corp, which owns the Courthouse Commons Shopping Center, was withdrawn from the agenda without explanation. The price mentioned was $850,000, the fair market value of the entire parcel as of January 1, 2017. Chase Development, according to the agenda item, planned retail uses for the parcel, which has been declared surplus by the county. (See pages 66 through 68 of the February 6 packet.)

Director of Economic Development Matt Ryan reported that  capital investment in Goochland reached $120 million in 2017. New projects included The Bristol Apartments in West Creek; expansion of the Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery; new Hardywood Park Brewery in West Creek; Drive Shack, expected to open in 2018; and Richmond Audi nearing completion on Broad Street Road. There were 131 commercial permits issued in 2017, an all-time high.

Budesky presented an overview of activity in the current General Assembly session, which concludes on March 10. He reported that Del. John McGuire brokered a non-legislative resolution to place The Goochland Drive-In on attraction signs on Interstate 64.

Susan Lascolette, District 1, commended Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumwright, who keeps a close eye on the GA, for his “super job” following legislation. Drumwright was unable to attend the Broad meeting because he and Assistant County Attorney Whitney Marshall were in Richmond at the General Assembly keeping an even closer eye on the county’s delegation.

Carter Duke will replace Derek Murray as the District 3 planning commissioner. All other planning commissioners were reappointed. Murray served the county well for the maximum number of terms permitted.

There will be a number of Board  meetings in the next two months. These will address budget issues and are expected to include final disposition of several residential rezoning applications that were deferred until the capital impact model and revised 2035 comprehensive land use plan were adopted.

Numbers game

Following months of hard work by every department of Goochland government, the long-awaited capital impact model CIM) crafted by outside consulting firm Tischler Bise, was adopted by the Board of Supervisors to justify a new cash proffer policy, also adopted, on February 6.

During its 2016 session, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation intending to limit cash proffers to mitigate only the capital impacts specifically attributable to a particular project. The unintended consequences, however, resulted in a de facto freeze on residential rezoning applications statewide.

In the past few months, Goochland’s supervisors deferred action on four residential rezoning applications until the revised proffer policy and supporting data was in place. This document provides a mechanism to make capital cost impact determinations per project or unit.

Capital items include buildings; expensive equipment like fire-recue apparatus; and parks. Not all capital projects are proffer eligible. For instance, the courthouse and library included in the 25 year capital improvement plan, cannot be funded with proffer dollars.

Even though demand for law enforcement services, provided in the county by the Goochland Sheriff’s Office, are expected to increase, no additional capital facility capacity beyond emergency communications is anticipated, so there is no law enforcement component. In contrast, new fire-rescue stations will be built and equipped, so there is a fire-rescue component. Capital costs are also shown for non-residential uses, which are not subject to cash proffers.

Thresholds of growth that trigger the need for increased capacity in public facilities underlie the calculations. For instance, the number of students generated by a particular subdivision could trigger a need for additional school space.

Based on the recently completed 25 year CIP, some categories are not included. For instance, the animal shelter under construction is deemed to meet the needs of the county for 25 years, and is not included. Costs are based on current numbers and should be updated over time.

County Attorney Tara McGee reminded the supervisors that revenue generated by cash proffers under the old policy never met all of the costs of development. She also said that the policy deals with facility capacity and anything not connected to construction is not included in the current law.

The CIM divides the county into three districts, roughly equivalent to the elementary school attendance zones. The western zone is approximately District 1; the central Districts 2 and 3; and the eastern districts 4 and five.

County population, according to the study, is expected to rise by 8,099 to 30,807 in the next decade and add 565 students to the school system.  It should be noted that even if homes do generate school aged children, there is no guarantee that they will attend public school. Most of this growth is expected in the eastern district.

The CIM report, which is more than 100 pages, includes a lot of data. Summaries for proffer eligible costs by district are interesting. The lowest numbers are in the eastern district, the highest in the central and western between the two.

By right development, which requires no rezoning, is not subject to proffers, nor are single lot rezonings.

Louise Thompson, a local realtor and developer, questioned the methodology of the CIM with respect to the number of students generated by the Breeze Hill and Lane’s End subdivisions.  The CIM into placed those communities into the central school attendance zone even though students who live there go to Randolph. She also contended that the actual number of students generated is far lower than indicated by the CIM and some who already live there attend private schools.

Julie Herlands of TischlerBise contended that, over their lifespan, the homes in question will generate students and moving the homes from one zone to another will make little difference in the overall results. The CIM is based on the recently adopted CIP, which looks forward 25 years.

Herlands commended the county for looking forward in combining a facilities plan, and long term CIP with a tool to address capital impacts of development.

Thompson also contended that high dollar proffers just increase home prices—builders pass the proffer costs along—and make it harder for people of modest means to live in Goochland.

It remains to be seen if developers will “voluntarily” pay these new amounts and if the supervisors will decline to approve rezoning applications without them. In the meantime, the General Assembly is “passing by”  a number of proffer bills this session to be discussed at a “proffer party” sometime next summer. It is hoped that legislation acceptable to both developers and local government  can be crafted at that time.

Board Chair Ken Peterson, District 5 observed that all of the data included in the CIM is interesting and useful but it seems to be only part of the puzzle. The expense of the people who provide government services for the new residents, equipment, and maintenance is not addressed.

Fire-rescue Chief Bill MacKay mentions often the difficulty of finding, hiring, and retaining career providers to compensate for the decline in volunteer participation. Sheriff James Agnew has commented on the dearth of qualified candidates for deputy slots as fewer people choose law enforcement careers. Goochland public safety jobs pay less and offer fewer opportunities for advancement than larger departments,  but we still need enough good people to keep the peace, save lives, and protect property. A closer look at these needs should be part of development decisions.

McGee contended that the new policy is reasonable and defensible under the current law. Applicants still have the option of preparing their own development impact statement, or use the county’s model, if they determine it to be reasonable. Staff can use the CIM to evaluate the applications in a meaningful way.

The TischlerBise report is included in the board packet for February 6, on the county website goochlandva.us. The stream of the presentation is included in the February 6 “meetings on demand” at about the 1:30 mark. Both are worthy of your perusal to understand how new residential growth will be evaluated.

This leaves enough questions to be a cliffhanger on a soap opera. Will developers accept higher proffers? Will the supervisors reject the rezoning applications if they don’t? Will tax rates increase to cover the cost of expanded services? Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode!

In case there was any doubt

The new sign at the organization formerly known as Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services says it all

The organization, beloved in Goochland County, formerly known by the jaw breaking moniker of Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services is now known as “Goochland Cares”.

Announced during an unveiling of a sign on its wonderful new headquarters just off of River Road West in Courthouse Village, the new name is a pleasant change for those involved in the 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. (See goochlandcares.org for complete information.)

 “I answer the phone and had to write the name down so I could say it correctly,” a volunteer said. “This is much better.”

Goochland Cares is the latest incarnation of community benevolence that began with Goochland Fellowship and Family Services in 1952. In 1998, the Goochland Free Clinic was founded by a group of parishioners from Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church. Both sought to help those in need who did not qualify for other assistance programs. In 2007, the organizations merged to avoid duplication of effort and provide a wide range of services in a cost effective manner.

The new twenty thousand square foot building brings all services offered by Goochland Cares, which had been scattered in several sites around Courthouse Village, together under one roof.  Over the years, services expanded to meet needs, including the Clothes Closet, food pantry, medical and dental clinics, emergency home repairs, and most recently, help for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Staff and volunteers give freely of their time, talents, and treasure to make the mission of Goochland Cares: “access to healthcare and basic human services to Goochland County residents in need of assistance”  become reality.  The ultimate goal is to help all Goochland residents thrive, physically, emotionally, and socially, to create a vibrant community.

Goochlanders and others came together beginning in 2016 to support an ambitious capital campaign, All.Here.Now that raised $7.1 million to cover construction costs and provide a $1.5 million endowment to ensure sustainability.

Development Director Adair Roper praised Hourigan Construction, which transformed the new building from a drawing to reality in approximately eight months. “I cannot say enough good things about them. They were on every issue and got things done right the first time.”

Sally Graham Executive Director welcomed visitors to Goochland Cares’ new home with a broad grin. She looked like she wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

A mural in the lobby of the new building is a landscape, presumably of Goochland, sprinkled with stars emblazoned with the names of major donors. This is homage to the designation as one of a “thousand points of light” organization recognized for service to fellow citizens.

May those stars grow in number and twinkle brightly forever.

From the Halls of Montezuma to the halls of Goochland High!

Goochland Bulldogs need to come to the aid of our Marine Junior ROTC Bulldogs.

Since its inception a few years ago, the Marine Junior ROTC (MJROTC) program at Goochland High School has been a rousing success. The program met and exceeded establishment requirements in its first year, quite a feat for a small high school.       

Established in 2014 under the National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC)authority, it was understood that if the Goochland program met certain criteria, it would become a fully-funded JROTC program. Goochland met, and exceeded those benchmarks, which included maintaining an enrollment of more than ten percent of the student body. To date, participation in our program has ranged between 12 and 14 percent.

Lessons learned in this program, in addition to the military stuff, like leadership, teamwork, personal responsibility, and discipline, prepare the cadets to succeed in military service, and will stand them in good stead wherever life’s journey takes them. Leading by example, Goochland MCJROTC cadets have changed the attitude of the entire student body.

In its short existence, the Goochland MCJROTC program, and its ripple effect on the entire student body,  has earned a reputation for excellence among military recruiters who actively pursue not only cadets, and other students.

Goochland MCJROTC color guard in action.

Goochland county enthusiastically supported the program, investing $750,000 in a building and fully funding salaries for its faculty. American Legion Post 215 was instrumental in securing the program for GHS.

In November, 2017, Lt. Col. Kevin Williams and Staff Sergeant Daniel Strong, leader of the MCJROTC,  received notice that the Marine Corps funding for the NDCC has ceased. This loss of funding—the cost of travel, training, equipment, and supplies—will cause an approximately $45,000  shortfall for the Goochland MCJROTC.

Our MJROTC program not only prepares students for military service—qualified volunteers are becoming harder to find—but teaches them leadership, personal responsibility, discipline, and teamwork. These skills will stand them in good stead no matter where life’s journey takes them.

Many MCJROTC cadets are encouraged by instructors to pursue higher education. They also help highly qualified candidates seek scholarships. Since its inception,  95 percent of MCJROTC cadets indicated their intent to continue their education, securing $162,000 in scholarship funds, and 84 academic awards.

In the short time that the Goochland MJROTC has been in existence, it has provided valuable assistance to community organizations, including the Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services, and Goochland Christmas Mother. Its color guard proudly presents the Stars and Stripes, demonstrating  proper respect for our flag.

The rigor of the program is demonstrated by the accolades won by our cadets in various ROTC competitions, especially being recognized as outstanding on its first Marine Corps inspection.

We need to let those who represent us in Washington about the high quality of this program, its importance to the community. To continue financial support that the MCJROTC has gotten from the Marine Corps, our representatives in Washington must take action on our behalf.

There are two ways to do this. The best choice is to change the status of the Goochland program to that of a fully sanctioned junior ROTC program. There are two slots nationwide for this. If that cannot be done, lawmakers need to change the law to restore federal funding under the NDCC model.

Show your support for Goochland’s Marine Corps Bulldogs by contacting Senators Warner and Kaine and Congressman Brat to encourage restoration of full funding for the Goochland High School Marine Corps Cadet program.

Senator Tim Kaine
919 East Main Street, Suite 970
Richmond, VA 23219
804-771-2221
https://www.kaine.senate.gov/contact

Senator Mark Warner
919 East Main Street, Suite 630
Richmond, VA 23219
804-775-2314
https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage

Congressman Dave Brat
4201 Dominion Boulevard, Suite 110
Glen Allen, VA 23060
804-747-4073
https://brat.house.gov/contact/

Additional information regarding the Goochland High School Marine Cadet Corps program can be found here: https://docs.google.com/a/glnd.k12.va.us/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=Z2xuZC5rMTIudmEudXN8c2ItYWdlbmRhc3xneDo0YjhiNTYyNWUwYzIyMTky

The devil is in the details

During the public hearing section of  their first meeting of 2018, Goochland County’s supervisors deferred a decision on yet another residential rezoning application—for Swann’s Inn—until March. By then the supervisors expect to adopt a development impact model to help  gauge the true cost of new homes.

They did approve rezoning of  4.45 acres adjacent to Rt. 288 and an accompanying conditional use permit for a  building height of 80 or so feet, both to move the Sheltering Arms rehabilitation hospital in West Creek, roughly opposite the Wawa, to move forward.

The long meeting finished with adoption of the 25 year capital improvement plan (CIP), which was crafted as part of the capital impact model.

Since its creation decades ago, West Creek, a 3,500 acre enclave on Goochland’s eastern border, was touted as an economic engine whose revenues would fund local government and preserve “rural character” everywhere else.

Even after creation of the Tuckahoe Creek Service District, which brought water and sewer to much of West Creek and bisection by state route 288, West Creek still resembles a nature preserve  more than an economic engine.

Things have picked up there in recent years with new projects including medical office building, the hospital, apartments, and, of all things, the magnificent new campus of the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Though not the corporate headquarters originally envisioned for West Creek, these bring jobs, increase property values, which in turn boost real estate taxes, and add users to the TCSD.

As western Henrico runs out of raw land, the push for development is sloshing into Goochland. Mixed-use zoning was recently approved for the old Oak Hill property on Route 6.

Rezoning applications for two residential communities in the Hockett Road corridor, one in West Creek, the other at the edge of the Centerville Village, to bring more than 800 homes, caused the supervisors to tap the development brakes. Before increasing by ten percent  the number of  homes in the county, the supervisors want to better understand how this dramatic increase in population will affect the cost of delivering government services.

The planning commission recommended approval of an expanded capital facilities plan at its January 4 meeting. This will replace chapter 6 in the 2035  Comprehensive Land Use Plan. It is also a component of the capital impact model. (See the packet for the January 4 planning commission meeting for details.)

This deep dive into county infrastructure was a prudent move by the supervisors.

The results dispelled some conventional wisdom. For instance, the notion that the county would build a new elementary school somewhere in the eastern end of the county, may not come to pass. The school board recommends, going forward 25 years, that the county stick with three elementary schools with larger capacities. A new Randolph will be built at some point. The site has not been determined and it could pretty much stay where it is.

Another assumption, that the next new county built fire-rescue station be located in West Creek, may also be flawed. There is no fire-rescue station in District 2, which is also experiencing a residential growth spurt. This increases homeowner’s insurance premiums and potential for  loss of life and property.

Goochland Fire-Rescue Chief Bill MacKay, during a December 11 workshop on the 25 year CIP,  said that Manakin Company 1 and Centerville Company 3 could provide fire-rescue coverage to the east end if they were adequately staffed. He also pointed out that it can take up to 25 minutes for fire apparatus to reach remote parts of District 2 from exisiting stations.

Funding assumptions in the 25 year CIP  are based on retention of the 53 cent per hundred dollars of assessed valuation tax rate. This rate has been in place for at least a decade. Some residents argue that the tax rate should rise, others believe the rate is too high.

Economic development has picked up in the past few years. However, thanks to the TCSD debt, the county must attract a lot of new business every year to stay even. Although real estate tax revenues grow each year due to new construction and appreciation, it remains to be seen if proposed residential enclaves can pay for themselves.

The supervisors will need to decide, no matter what, which capital projects—and the list is long—take precedence. They may also need  “to have a conversation with the community” about floating a bond issue, and incur additional debt, to fund these items sooner rather than later.

In 2014, the supervisors adopted a four year strategic plan (see goochlandva.us under supervisor’s tab),  which includes a goal of “balanced development that contributes to the welfare of the community and preserves its rural character.”

Finding the sweet spot between development pressures in the east and the welfare of the entire county is a delicate task. Growth is like fire—controlled it provides heat and energy, unchecked, it devours everything in its path. 

The next few months will be interesting indeed.

The start of 2018

Goochland’s supervisors rang in 2018 with punch and cake before their January 3 meeting to celebrate being named the most tax friendly county in the nation for 2017 by the American City County Exchange.  The award, totally unsolicited, according to Supervisor Ken Peterson, District 5, recognizes Goochland for… “outstanding performance on spending, taxes, and transparency”.

Goochland has yet another award for excellence in governing .

“Goochland County is  a national leader in taxpayer friendly policies,” said Jon Russell, National Director of ACCE and a Culpeper Town Councilman in an ACCE press release. “Other counties need to look at their model of governance and replicate their success.” Visit http://www.acce.us for more information about this organization.

Electing  board leadership for calendar year 2018 was the first item on the Board’s afternoon agenda. Peterson was elected chair and Manuel Alvarez, Jr., District 2, vice chair. Outgoing chair Ned Creasey, District 3, thanked fellow board members for their support and county staff for its dedication to serving the citizens while implementing board policies. It is board policy to rotate leadership each year.

Ken Peterson, District 5, (l) will be 2018 Board Chair; Manuel Alvarez, Jr., District 2, Vice Chair.

Peterson thanked Creasey for being the catalyst of the good things that have happened in Goochland since he was first elected in 2007.  He commended Creasey on completing a second term as board chair and for setting high standards for those in local government.

 “Ned is a plain spoken man of few words who has served in the uniform of his country; as a police officer; and as a long time Goochland Fire-Rescue volunteer. He has been a great friend and mentor to all of us,” said Peterson.

Following elections, the supervisors adopted their code of ethics and operating procedures. (These are available on the county website http://goochlandva.us/) Adopting a code of ethics that lists, in detail, expected behavior of elected officials to earn  public trust in performance of their duties sets a clear standard for moral behavior. It was first adopted on March 1, 2001.

County Administrator John Budesky said that the county budget season is in full swing. He thanked everyone who worked hard  last year to compile the 25 year capital improvement plan that identifies priorities going forward. Between now and adoption of the county budget for fiscal year 2019 in April, there will be ample opportunity for citizens to weigh in on county finances with several public hearings and a spring round of town hall meetings. Citizen feedback on money matters, said Budesky, is extremely important. In addition to public forums, county administration and the supervisors may be contacted by phone or electronic means.

The afternoon session addressed a number of items in an expeditious manner.

A  resolution denying a damage claim on the recommendation of the county attorney was unanimously adopted.

Perhaps the most interesting item on the agenda was an unsolicited proposal by a private company to expand broadband in Goochland.

Since taking office in 2012 this board, especially Alvarez, has sought ways to expand high speed internet access. Western Goochland and areas throughout the county have no access to broadband and, in some places, difficulty obtaining adequate cell phone signals. The supervisors do not believe the county should be in the internet business.  They prefer to create an environment attractive to private sector providers more able to react quickly to technological advances than a governmentally regulated utility.    

The proposal, submitted by SCS Broadband Acelanet,LLC, is for a public-private partnership to provide high-speed internet in the county. The supervisors authorized staff to review the proposal and report back to them.

Budesky said that he is pleased about this development, but cautioned that it has not yet been fully vetted to ensure that it is in the best interest of the citizens.  “This is just the beginning,” said Budesky. “We’re not prepared to talk details at this point. We need to make sure that they (SCA Broadband) can deliver before we get locked into anything.”

The evaluation will take about 90 days; the supervisors will be kept abreast of the process. “This proposal was a long time coming and we want to make sure it is done right,” said Budesky. “As this was not the result of a request for proposals, it is now a public document open to some level of negotiation.” The county, said Budesky wants to remain as transparent as possible so that the citizens are clear on what is being considered. He also hoped that the SCS Broadband overture will attract competitors. Goochland does not have a non-compete arrangement with Comcast or Verizon.

In response to a query from Peterson, Budesky confirmed that the supervisors authorized only an evaluation of the proposal by staff. No commitment, monetary or otherwise, was made.

Peterson reiterated that this proposal is just the beginning. NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, and this could turn out not to be the answer to bring broadband to underserved parts of the county. Stay tuned, this is an encouraging development, but it is very early days.

Administrative Services Manager Paul Drumwright presented an update on the county’s 2018 Legislative Agenda—the document that communicates Goochland’s position on proposed legislation before the General Assembly and “wish list” of new laws to benefit the county. The list of proposed laws for 2018, so far, is relatively light. Drumwright attributed this to the November defeat of  many incumbents. Indeed, this year it seems likely that little will be accomplished at the General Assembly as both parties battle for control, rather than serve the citizens who elected them.

Only a few of the county’s priority requests have been addressed in pending legislation. These include: a change on composition of the economic development authority; determination of public facility capacity; expansion of broadband through the Virginia Telecommunications initiative; and elimination of the requirement for schools to open after Labor Day. Additional bills are expected to be filed in the near future.

The General Assembly convenes on January 10. Goochland’s representation in the GA consists of Delegates Lee Ware, 65^th District; newly elected John McGuire, 56^th District, and Senator Mark Peake, 22^nd District.