Mental Health Study Continues Work; Standards for Care in Jails Contemplated
A possible new funding formula for Community Services Boards (CSBs) and standards for the provision of mental health care in local and regional jails are two major issues under discussion by the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century, which met earlier this month to continue developing recommendations […]
Money Committee Retreats Offer Preview of Top 2019 Issues; State General Fund Revenues Continue Growth in October
Both the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees held their annual pre-Session retreats last week, discussing the state of the national economy, revenue projections for the remainder of the biennium, major budget pressures, and priority spending items. Staff to both committees expect additional revenues to flow into Virginia’s coffers in the remainder of FY 2019 […]
2018 VACo Annual Conference Thank You
Thank you for making the VACo 84th Annual Conference a success! The Theme “Commonwealth of Opportunities: Preparing Counties for the Future” was felt throughout the 2.5 days. Thank you to 2018 Conference Planning Committee Chair, Jeff McKay, Fairfax County Supervisor, and all of the committee members for their guidance, ideas and attention to detail. Check […]
VACo Releases 2019 Legislative Program
After months of steering committee meetings, lively debate and participation through the association’s legislative process, VACo adopted its 2019 Legislative Program. The Legislative Program is organized according to VACo’s Steering Committees. VACo’s 2019 Legislative Program addresses other priorities in the realms of Economic Development and Planning, Education, Environment and Agriculture, Finance, General Government, Health and […]
Financial Facts
Statement No. 90, Majority Equity Interests, explains that a government’s majority equity interest in a legally separate organization should be reported as an investment if that equity interest meets GASB’s investment definition. If the interest does not meet the definition of an investment, Statement 90 requires a government to report the legally separate entity as […]
Governor’s Mansion County Ornaments
Thank you for working within your communities to make this happen. The 2018 ornaments will be on display at the Executive Mansion. Click here to view the ornaments. VACo Contact: Valerie Russell
VACo Welcomes Jeremy Bennett
The Virginia Association of Counties is pleased to announce that Jeremy R. Bennett will join the team on November 16 as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. Bennett comes to VACo after serving as Government Relations Specialist at the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA). He also previously worked in Congress for Representative Don Beyer (VA-08), Representative Dan […]
School Safety in Virginia Part 3. House Select Committee on School Safety
EDITOR’S NOTE: In the November 21 County Connections, VACo reported on the final recommendations by House Select Committee on School Safety. Read the article here. Over the past several years, Virginia has implemented various policy measures meant to decrease the likelihood of school violence within the Commonwealth. Our last post delved into those actions, and […]
See you soon for VACo’s 84th Annual Conference!
VACo County Pulse Podcast – Top Issues in Behavioral Health with Dr. Hughes Melton
Link to the Top Issues in Behavioral Health with Dr. Hughes Melton Podcast Dr. Hughes Melton, Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, sat down with VACo’s Dean Lynch to discuss major issues in behavioral health, including efforts to address the addiction crisis and the effects of Medicaid expansion.
Martha Hooker
Roanoke County Chairman Q1. You’re in the middle of your first term on the Board of Supervisors, but you served for more than 20 years on the Roanoke County Planning Commission prior to your election. Are there aspects of your current role that have surprised you? What elements of your service on the Planning […]
Visit Powhatan County and its newly completed water tower
Powhatan County’s new water tower is a 185-foot, 500,000-gallon elevated spheroid water tank built to provide fire protection to county facilities. The project was designed by Timmons Group and built by Phoenix Fabricators and Erectors, LLC.
Introducing a New Associate Member – Klett Consulting Group, Inc.
Klett Consulting Group, Inc. (KCG), a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, provides innovative system engineering and consulting for municipal services, broadband, cyber security, military transformation, joint experimentation, C4I, and interoperability Subject Matter Expertise (SME). We also offer system integration services facilitating ideas and concepts across technical and operational boundaries to create new capabilities. KCG’s […]
VACo Premier Partner Spotlight Podcast – Enterprise Fleet Management
LINK TO THE ENTERPRISE FLEET MANAGEMENT PODCAST Host Dean Lynch speaks with Enterprise Fleet Management’s Eddy Simon, Account Executive, and Kate Quinn, Area Sales Manager. Listen to how Enterprise Fleet Management can help counties save thousands of dollars with its hands-on management, award-winning technology, and the infrastructure and expertise of Enterprise, the world’s largest fleet […]
2018 Presidential Initiative: Healthy Virginia Counties in Action
As the end of my term as VACo President draws near, I’ve been reflecting on the Healthy Virginia Counties initiative and wanted to share a few thoughts. As many of my colleagues know, health care is one of my passions, both as a direct service provider in my time as a volunteer EMT, and in […]
My County Works
NACo and ICivics have partnered together to create a comprehensive educational program that teaches students about the importance of local government. This much-needed resource will help students in any educational setting gain a solid understanding of the roles, duties, and challenges of local governance. NACo’s program includes an educational video game, a set of courses […]