County Officials’ Summit shaping into form
VACo Education and Steering Committee Meetings Thursday, August 16 VACo Board of Directors Meeting Friday, August 17 Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center | 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway | Fredericksburg, VA 22401 | Agenda VACo’s County Officials’ Summit is now less than one month away! We hope you’re making plans to join us at this […]
2018 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOIA) “RECORDS” TRAINING
November 7 | November 14 The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Freedom of Information Advisory Council will conduct its 2018 FOIA “Records” training in Richmond starting July 25. The training sessions will be held at the Pocahontas Building located at 900 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219, near the Virginia State Capitol. Citizens, media representatives, public officials, […]
Financial Facts
The new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) has a lesser known provision that provides for new community development incentives designed to increase long-term investments in low income communities. Sections 1400Z-1 and 1400Z-2 of the IRS Code tries to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities by providing incentives to investors. The […]
Digital Counties Survey 2018 – Winners Announced
The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) announced the winners of the 15th anniversary Digital Counties Survey. The survey, conducted by CDG in partnership with NACo, identifies the best technology practices among U.S. counties, including initiatives that streamline delivery of government services, encourage open data, collaboration and shared services, […]
Blueprint for Broadband
This year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that almost 29 percent of rural Virginians lack access to highspeed internet. To compare, only 2.8 percent of Virginians who live in urban areas lack access. VACo believes that closing the digital divide ensures that all Virginia communities can compete in the 21st century economy. Connectivity is […]
2018 Presidential Initiative: Spotlight on Physical Activity
Last month we explored nutrition as a major determinant of health and some of the innovative ways that counties have tackled the interconnected issues of food instability and obesity. This month, we’ll be taking a look at the related issue of physical activity. This time of year, when school is out and the days are […]
Visit Grayson County and the Historic 1908 Courthouse
The Historic 1908 Courthouse serves as the Art & Cultural Center of Grayson County. The Foundation is a private non-profit corporation whose mission is to preserve the building and make it available to the people of Grayson county and the surrounding areas. The building served as the county courthouse for Grayson County from 1908, when […]
Loudoun County Chair Selected to Participate in Women in Government Leadership Program
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall has been selected to participate in the Women in Government Leadership Program Class of 2019, which is hosted by Governing magazine. Chair Randall is the only Board member from Virginia to join a cohort of 24 other women from around the country. The 2019 program includes […]
Louise Stokes: A Long Legacy of Helping Others
When Louise Stokes started working for York County in 1975 as a buyer, she was a one woman show. “It was a new position in the Accounting Office,” she said. “I worked closely with the County Administrator and Finance Director to purchase all goods and services for the County. The departments were very small in […]
VACo Regional Meetings Schedule
VACo is excited to start the 2018 Regional Meetings season. We visited Westmoreland County on May 22 and Dinwiddie County on May 30. We traveled to Albemarle County on June 14 for the Region 5 Meeting and then to Grayson County on June 21 for the Region 12 Meeting. Regional Meetings are held annually to […]
Review of Voter Assignments Underway
The Virginia Department of Elections has been working to identify voters who may have been assigned to incorrect voting districts. A review prompted by the discovery that some voters had been improperly assigned in districts in the Fredericksburg area that were involved in a close House of Delegates race in 2017. The Department of Elections […]
U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Online Sales Tax Case
On June 21, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., et al. that states may require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes, even if the retailer has no physical presence in the state. The case centered around South Dakota’s law requiring businesses selling more than $100,000 in goods […]
County Officials Attend White House County Supervisor Conference
More than 200 VACo members attended the White House Virginia County Supervisors Conference on Tuesday, June 26. Many attendees began the day with a briefing at NACo’s offices, where NACo Executive Director Matt Chase and legislative staffers provided an overview of key federal issues of importance to counties. Speakers at the conference included several Cabinet […]
Public Comment Period Now Open for CSA Policy Regarding Uniform Assessment Instrument
On June 21, the State Executive Council approved a notice of intent to develop a consolidated policy regarding the use of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment (CANS). State statute requires use of a uniform assessment instrument in order for a child to be eligible for CSA services, and existing policy requires that […]
U.S. Communities Lunch and Learn | July 25 | Norfolk
U.S. Communities Lunch and Learn event is quickly approaching! The event takes place on July 25 from 11am-2pm at the Nauticus Museum in Norfolk, VA. Some highlights for attending include: Free Lunch, Parking, and Museum Admission Guest Speakers: John Rowe, Mayor of Portsmouth & Sherrin Alsop, VACo President and King & Queen County Commissioner Meet […]
VACo Proposes National Policy to Deploy Rural Broadband
VACo has drafted a resolution to be considered at the National Association of Counties Annual Conference in July. Sponsored by Dinwiddie County Supervisor Harrison Moody, the resolution focuses on jumpstarting rural broadband P3s across the country by making the Rural Utility Service funds more accessible. Specifically, the resolution urges Congress to dedicate funding for broadband, […]