Children’s Cabinet Meets to Review Past Year and Outline Future Priorities
On May 14, the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet met for its first full meeting of the year. The Cabinet is chaired by First Lady Pamela Northam and is tasked with improving the quality and access of early childhood education resources across the Commonwealth. Discussion at the meeting focused on a recap of the 2019 General Assembly […]
State General Fund Revenues Up in April, Expected to Meet Annual Forecast
Governor Ralph Northam announced this week that the fourth quarter of state revenue collections is off to a strong start, with General Fund (GF) revenues demonstrating growth in the state’s major revenue sources in April. Total GF revenues grew 27.4 percent in April, and on a fiscal year-to-date basis, revenues have grown 6.2 percent, edging […]
Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission Adopts Work Plan for 2019
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) held its first meeting for 2019 on May 13 and adopted a plan for the studies and reports its staff will complete this year. In addition to JLARC’s ongoing oversight of the Virginia Retirement System, the Virginia529 college savings plan, and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, JLARC […]
Stakeholder Sessions Scheduled for CSA Private Day Placement Rate Study; Other CSA Activities Underway
Language included in the 2018 Appropriations Act directed the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) to contract for a study of the current rates paid for special education private day placements funded through CSA, to include a review of the adequacy of those rates and recommendations for implementing a rate-setting structure in the future. A report […]
Prince William County Honors John Jenkins with Rededication of Local Park
Story from Prince William County Members of the Board of County Supervisors, the community and the family of the late Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins recently came together for the rededication ceremony of the John D. Jenkins Neighborhood Park. The event not only unveiled new features of the park, but was an opportunity to remember […]
Application for new round of state broadband grants opens June 24: Deadline to apply September 3
The Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) has announced $19 million in grants in FY 2020 available to local governments (includes towns, cities, counties, economic and industrial development authorities, broadband or wireless authorities, planning district commissions, etc.) to extend broadband service to currently unserved areas. To be eligible the local government must include a private-sector provider as […]
No Kid Hungry Summer Meals Program
Summer can be the hungriest time of the year for Virginia children who depend on school meals. Kids who suffer from hunger in the summer are more likely to experience the “summer slide,” losing what they learned and starting the next school year behind their peers. The Summer Meals Program fills in the gap by providing free meals […]
Nottoway County hosts Regions 1 & 4 Meeting at historic site
On April 30, county government folks from across VACo Regions 1 & 4 converged in Nottoway County for the second Regional Meeting of the year. Gathering at the Army National Guard’s Fort Pickett, a site both historic and inspiring, county officials met and mingled at the unique Officer’s Club. This meeting’s agenda included engagement with […]
Governor Takes Final Action on 2019 Legislation
Governor Northam this week announced his final actions on legislation that was returned to him from the April 3 reconvened session. At this stage of the legislative process, the Governor may sign or veto bills that were returned in this posture. Bills upon which the Governor takes no action within the 30 days after the […]
Preparing for the 2020 Census: Complete Count Committees
The 2020 Census is less than a year away! A great way to help ensure a successful count of all Virginians is to channel the energy, creative thinking, and social ties already existing within your community by creating a Complete Count Committee. What is a Complete Count Committee? Complete Count Committees are volunteer committees established […]
Daniel D. Lee
Dinwiddie County Vice-Chairman Q1. You’re a lifelong resident of Dinwiddie County and you served for 18 years on the Planning Commission before running for the Board of Supervisors. In your view, what are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Dinwiddie County over the next 10 years? Dan Lee: Dinwiddie is a rural community with a […]
Visit Franklin County and Smith Mountain Lake Community Park
The 37-acre Smith Mountain Lake Community Park opened in June 2007. It is a family-oriented facility providing swimming, fishing and family recreation. The park is open year-round (dawn – dusk) and offers a partly-covered handicap accessible fishing pier with seating, picnic shelters with grill, playground area, restrooms, hiking, jogging, 1.7 miles of walking trails, swimming […]
Associate Member SPOTLIGHT: Keystone Information Systems
A comprehensive financial, human resource, and revenue system, aimed at small to medium-sized Virginia counties. Keystone Information Systems has helped small-sized to medium-sized Virginia counties replace the systems that underpin the financial and business operations of a county government. As many county IT staffs know, this is a major undertaking and usually done every 20 […]
Advisory Group on Jail Health Care Standards Begins Work
Work began earlier this week to implement a package of bills approved by the 2019 General Assembly to enhance the care provided to inmates in local and regional jails and to address challenges related to the sharing of inmates’ medical and mental health information between health care providers and jail staff. Two companion bills, HB […]
Virginia Board of Education Proposed Standards of Quality Revisions
On April 24, the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) held its annual retreat to discuss and review its priorities and goals for revisions to the Standards of Quality (SOQs), which set minimum requirements that must be met by all local school divisions for K-12 education in Virginia. The Board reviews these standards every two years. […]
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Letters from Virginia DHCD required to apply for USDA broadband grants
Qualifying applications by counties for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program (first round applications due May 31), must include two letters from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in order to be accepted: The first letter certifies that a proposed project area has not received state funding […]