2018 Virginia Local Government Investment Conference
2018 Presidential Initiative: Healthy Virginia Counties in Action – Spotlight on Early Childhood
The start of each school year is always a time of new beginnings, especially as children board the bus for the first day of kindergarten. While the first day of school often marks the official start of a child’s journey into formal education, research has demonstrated that the initial steps on that path are taken […]
Visit Stafford County and the Gari Melchers Home and Studio
He was one of the most successful painters of his time, sought out by the rich and famous. She was a beautiful, young art student, and his biggest fan. They fell in love on an ocean liner and spent their lives sharing art. More than a hundred years later, the story of Gari and Corinne […]
VACo County Pulse Podcast – Medicaid Expansion and What it Means for County Governments
Link to the Medicaid Expansion and What it Means for County Governments Podcast VACo Executive Director Dean Lynch interviews Dr. Jennifer Lee, Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services, about Medicaid expansion and how her agency is working with local departments of social services, Community Services Boards, and jails on its implementation. Details about […]
Virginia Retirement System Announces FY 2018 Investment Returns
The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) announced on August 29 that its FY 2018 return on its investment portfolio was 7.5 percent, net of fees. VRS assumes an average annual rate of return of 7 percent, so the FY 2018 performance, by exceeding this target, will help to improve the funded status of VRS’s retirement plans. […]
The School Employee Guidance Program: Meeting teachers where they are
As one suburban school teacher put it: “The stress never ends.” She was responding to a 2017 Aetna survey that proved she wasn’t alone. The findings showed school employees with a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety and turnover compared to other professions due to a variety of factors such as classroom behavioral issues, increased class […]
VACo Board of Directors adopts resolution supporting the applications of Northern Virginia Counties for the location of Amazon HQ2
Join us for a seminar on social security benefits
VACo, in partnership with Nationwide Retirement Solutions, is offering an educational seminar regarding Social Security benefits for county employees in Brunswick County on Tuesday, September 11 from 10 – noon. Our speaker will be Carlo Cordasco, Vice President of the Nationwide Retirement Institute. Mr. Cordasco will speak about all aspects of Social Security benefits. The […]
Regions 7 and 8 Meet in Stafford County
Stafford County hosted representatives from Regions 7 and 8 on August 30 at the Gari Melchers Home and Studio for a lively discussion of issues of concern. Attendees who arrived early had the opportunity to tour the galleries and learn about the career and work of artist Gari Melchers, whose home and studio are preserved […]
Governor Northam Addresses Money Committees
By Jim Regimbal, Jr. | Fiscal Analytics In his address to the “money committees” on August 17, Governor Ralph Northam announced a $555.5 million General Fund (GF) revenue surplus for FY 2018. Other than the constitutionally-required 10 percent of surplus to be deposited to the Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF), the remaining surplus funds will […]
Joseph Guthrie
Pulaski County Supervisor Q1. You are a lifelong resident of Pulaski County and run a farm that has been in your family since 1795. What is it like to serve on the governing body for a place where you have such deep roots? Joe Guthrie: Yes, my roots run deep in Pulaski County. I’m the […]
Visit Prince William County and the Manassas National Battlefield Park
Much of the landscape within Manassas National Battlefield Park still retains its wartime character. Henry Hill, focus of heavy fighting at First Manassas in July 1861, is still cleared, though now neat and lush after decades of farming. A new farmhouse marks the site of the old. The unfinished railroad, scene of much of the […]
2018 VACo Annual Conference
November 11-13, 2018 The Omni Homestead Bath County, Virginia Interested in VACo Education? Attending VACo’s Annual Conference is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing localities today. VACo members discover innovative ways to solve problems and meet opportunities, simply through conversation with other local leaders. Counties across Virginia […]
Pierce Group Benefits
Upcoming broadband conferences focus on increasing internet access
Two separate summits scheduled for this fall will be bringing public and private partners together to seek solutions on providing high speed internet access to unserved areas. On September 25-26 the Botetourt Broadband Commission (BBC) will be hosting the Rural Broadband Technology Solutions Summit at the Greenfield Education & Training Center. The objective of the […]
2018 Presidential Initiative: Healthy Virginia Counties in Action – Spotlight on Mental Health Part 2
In my last column, we looked at the critically important topic of mental and behavioral health and major efforts at the state level to improve Virginia’s public behavioral health system. Counties across Virginia recognize the importance of mental health care in building strong, vibrant communities and have worked hard to provide needed services and promote […]