Regions 12 & 13 Meet in Washington County to Discuss Challenges and Opportunities in Southwest Virginia
Counties in Regions 12 & 13 gathered at the Washington County Government Center on September 12 for a robust discussion of issues of importance to local governments. Washington County Chairman Saul Hernandez and VACo President Tim Reeves welcomed attendees, who represented nearly all of the counties in Regions 12 & 13. Tazewell County Administrator Eric […]
Broadband Summit Connects Local Government and Industry
Broadband access and affordability are some of the biggest challenges facing local governments across the Commonwealth. On September 5, VACo partnered with VML and VCTA (Virginia Broadband Association) to host a broadband summit in Richmond for more than 150 attendees interested in public private partnerships and means and methods of improving broadband access in their […]
Body-Worn Camera Workgroup Holds Second Meeting
The workgroup examining the effects of body-worn cameras on the public safety and judicial systems held its second meeting on September 4. This workgroup, created in Appropriations Act language, is an expansion of a 2018 effort to address the more narrowly-focused issue of the effect of body-worn camera use on Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ offices. (VACo reported […]
Visit Surry County and the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry
Ferry Schedules Fall, Winter, and Spring Schedule Summer Schedule The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including all major holidays. On Christmas Day (December 25), the ferry runs on the hour in Surry and on the half-hour in Jamestown. For ferry traffic updates and operational status, call 1-800-VA-Ferry/1-800-823-3779. Boarding Locations […]
Henry County Hosts Regions 10 and 11 for Discussion of Broadband, Community Branding, Agriculture, Transportation, and More
Counties in VACo’s Regions 10 & 11 convened at the New College Institute on August 29 to exchange ideas and discuss shared challenges. Henry County Chairman Jim Adams welcomed attendees and encouraged participants to take advantage of VACo’s advocacy and educational resources. Delegate Danny Marshall, who chairs the House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee […]
VACo’s County Officials’ Summit brings perspectives from all over the Commonwealth
When county officials hailing from all corners of the Commonwealth converge in one place to engage with state legislators, discuss current electoral concerns, dialogue with their colleagues, and deliberate VACo policy positions, it can only mean one thing: It’s VACo Summit Day! On August 15, VACo hosted its annual County Officials’ Summit in Richmond, continuing […]
VACo County Pulse Podcast | Virginia’s Veterans – Innovative Partnerships to Serve Those Who Served Us
Welcome to the County Pulse! Carlos Hopkins, Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs and a member of the Governor’s Cabinet, and Ruby Brabo, at-large Supervisor for King George County, join VACo’s Jeremy Bennett to discuss partnerships, challenges, and opportunities between county and state government addressing the needs of Virginia’s veteran population, collaboration with U.S Military […]
ACF Regional Administrator Visits County Human Services Programs
Two of VACo’s member counties hosted special guests from the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, on August 22. Dr. Martha Okafor, Regional Administrator, and Special Initiatives Coordinator Darlene Tart-Scott spent the day meeting with senior human services staff in Hanover County and Chesterfield County, […]
VACo SPOTLIGHT: William McCarty | Isle of Wight Supervisor
Q1. In addition to serving on the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors, you’re the pastor of a large church that has grown significantly during your tenure. What made you decide to serve your community in an elected capacity in addition to your ministry? William McCarty: Several years ago, I observed that there was […]
VACo Associate Member Spotlight – Assura
The recent Capital One breach has everybody wondering if they are next. The simple answer is most likely – Yes – if you do nothing to protect yourself. Local counties and cities are a top target for cybercrime in the U.S. right now, and even the smallest locality can be a target. Just look at […]
Governor Northam Reports to “Money Committees” on State Revenues
Governor Northam made his annual late-summer address to the “money committees” on August 20, providing an update on the status of state revenues in FY 2019 and offering a preview of the Administration’s expectations and priorities for the upcoming 2020-2022 biennium budget. The overall tone of both the Governor’s remarks and Secretary of Finance Aubrey […]
Auditor of Public Accounts Reports on Revised “Early Warning System” for Local Fiscal Distress
The Auditor of Public Accounts (APA) released a report on August 2 detailing the most recent application of a revised “early warning system” for detecting financial troubles in local governments. The APA was directed to develop the original version of this system in budget language in the 2017 Appropriations Act, which set out a procedure […]
Broadband Expansion Initiative Updates
The Commonwealth Connect Coalition met on July 24 in Williamsburg to provide the latest updates in the effort to empower Virginia communities to reach functionally universal broadband coverage. As part of this process, the Coalition released a “Broadband Toolkit,” which is a set of documents including a step-by-step guide, model solicitation, and example RFPs/RFIs intended […]
Mental Health Commission Discusses Major Changes to Structure, Funding of Public Behavioral Health System
The System Structure and Financing work group of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century held a wide-ranging discussion at its meeting last week as it grappled with fundamental questions about how behavioral health services should be organized, funded, and delivered in Virginia. Joint Subcommittee Chairman Senator Creigh […]
JLARC Presents Virginia Retirement Service (VRS) Oversight and Outlook Report Ahead of Employer Contribution Rate Deliberations
On July 15, VACo staff attended the meeting of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) in which commission staff delivered their annual report on VRS oversight. JLARC is responsible for the ongoing oversight of VRS under the provisions of the Virginia Retirement System Oversight Act. JLARC provides a yearly report in July on […]
State EMS Advisory Board Considers Expansion of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Statewide and Discusses Funding Opportunities
On August 2, VACo staff attended the quarterly meeting of the State EMS Advisory Board in Richmond. This Board is a group of 28 Governor’s appointees who serve as a formal liaison between the public and the Virginia Office of Emergency Services (OEMS), a division within the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). VACo’s representative on […]