Broadband, economic development, recycling and solar energy discussed at Region 4 Meeting
The 2017 round of VACo Regional Meetings kicked off on June 7 in Brunswick County, where more than 40 county officials engaged in a robust dialogue with State Senator Frank Ruff on pressing issues. The main topic centered on the availability of broadband and wireless services, and how that impacts education, economic development and the […]
Penny Gross
Fairfax County Vice Chair Q1. You spent a large part of your career working on Capitol Hill, first in the Senate and later in the House of Representatives. What led you to run for office at the local level? Penny Gross: I had the great good fortune to learn practical politics at the feet of […]
Visit Arlington County and the Netherlands Carillon
A Sign of Lasting Friendship G. L. Verheul, a Dutch government official in The Hague, first advocated for a gift to symbolize Dutch-American friendship. The concept took shape, and a fundraising campaign to cast the bells met with a generous response in the Netherlands. Queen Juliana endorsed the project, and on April 4, 1952, she […]
2017 Annual Conference Update
“Communications | Engagement | Knowledge | Success” is the theme of VACo’s 2017 Annual Conference and will tie into the general and breakout session topics. A preliminary agenda is available to help familiarize attendees with the conference schedule. The Omni Homestead Room Reservation forms were sent by email to VACo Board of Directors, County Administrators […]
VACo Region 7 Meeting
Join us on June 22 | Region 7 | Louisa County VACo Members – We are excited to bring a 2017 Regional Meeting to VACo Region 7. Regional representatives are invited to attend and should have received an informational email. This is an opportunity for county elected officials to share local and regional problems and […]
Meet Our Newest VACo Associate Member – TechOne Partners
TechOne Partners is a Virginia-based boutique information technology staffing firm. We recruit, screen and place highly qualified individuals in employment positions with Client companies satisfying both the position requirements for the Client and the career objectives of the employee. We specialize in filling the ongoing IT staffing openings within County Governments as well as Government […]
Associate Member Business Cards Program
Associate Members – Seize this opportunity to connect with VACo members through the Associate Member Business Cards Program in County Connections. This is a stylish and quick way to connect with local government elected officials and county leadership and staff through VACo’s newsletter. The design allows for you to showcase the following – Logo | […]
President Biggs attends Community Wealth-Building Briefing
President Biggs was invited to participate in a June 9 presentation hosted by Secretary of Health and Human Resources William A. Hazel and featuring Ted Howard, a leader in the field of “community wealth-building” – a strategy that combats generational poverty by assisting individuals in attaining self-sufficiency through building assets. Community wealth-building aims to create […]
2017 Green Government Challenge launched
VACo members may now register online to participate in the 2017 Green Government Challenge, a friendly competition designed to encourage implementation of specific policies and practical actions to protect the environment and promote energy efficiency by local governments and the broader communities they serve. As in years past, those qualifying with at least 100 “green” […]
State General Fund Revenues Up in May
Governor McAuliffe announced on June 12 that state General Fund collections in May increased by 4.6 percent over last year, buoyed by a strong performance in individual income tax withholding and sales tax collections. Total revenue collections increased 3.7 percent on a year-to-date basis, outpacing the forecast of 2.9 percent growth. As noted in April, […]
Joint Subcommittee on Local Government Fiscal Stress meets
The Joint Subcommittee on Local Government Fiscal Stress held its inaugural meeting on June 15. The joint subcommittee, created by language in the 2017 Appropriations Act that was modeled on SJ 278 (Hanger), is tasked with a broad examination of local government fiscal stress, including disparity in taxing authority between cities and counties and local […]
NACo releases analysis of potential county impacts of the President’s FY 2018 Budget Request
On May 23, President Trump released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Budget Request, laying out a $4.1 trillion spending proposal for fiscal year 2018 and the following decade. The budget expands upon the administration’s initial “skinny budget” request for FY 2018 released earlier this year. NACo has released a comprehensive analysis of the president’s FY […]
Wireless companies seek uniform approval process for new towers that would limit local authority
On May 8, the General Assembly’s Committee on Wireless Communications Infrastructure reviewed draft legislation that was proffered by the wireless industry. The legislation would limit what a locality may consider and/or require when reviewing a zoning application for construction of a new wireless support structure (i.e. tower or pole). Additionally, the proposal limits the fee […]
VACo Welcomes Chris McDonald
The Virginia Association of Counties is pleased to announce that Chris McDonald will join the team on July 1 as a Local Government Lobbyist. McDonald comes to VACo after serving in Governor Terry McAuliffe’s Administration as Special Advisor for Energy Policy. “Adding Chris to our strong legislative team enhances our presence at the Capitol,” VACo […]
Visit Pulaski County and the Haven B. Howe House
Haven B. Howe House is a historic home located at Claytor Lake State Park, near Dublin, Pulaski County. It was built between 1876 and 1879, and is a two-story, brick dwelling with Italianate style detailing. It has a rear brick ell and projecting one-story bays on both end walls. It features ornamental wrought iron porch […]
Stability sought for Water Quality Improvement Fund
The budget approved by the 2017 General Assembly authorized the creation of a stakeholder group to find ways of stabilizing the portion of the Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) that is allocated to the Agricultural Cost Share Program. Under this program, financial assistance is provided to farmers in the form of grants to pay for […]