Stafford Appoints New Deputy County Administrator
Stafford County government announces the appointment of Donna S. Krauss to the position of deputy county administrator. Donna Krauss has been serving as director of community engagement and human services in Stafford since her appointment in 2017. She took over as deputy county administrator replacing rising county administrator Frederick J. Presley on July 1, 2020. […]
Felicia Hart Hired to Lead Economic Development and Tourism Efforts for Clarke County and Town of Berryville
BERRYVILLE, VA — Felicia Hart, who has served as Clarke County’s part-time interim Director of Economic Development & Tourism since March, was on June 19 hired as full-time Director of Economic Development & Tourism for both the county and its seat, the Town of Berryville. Eight individuals applied for the position and four interviewed with […]
Fauquier County Hires Shel Bolyard-Douglas as Next Director of Social Services
County Administrator and Social Services Board Chair Paul McCulla announced today that Shel Bolyard-Douglas has been hired as the next Director of the Department of Social Services. Ms. Douglas will replace current Director Jack Ledden who previously announced his retirement effective August 1, 2020. Jack Ledden served as the County’s Director of Social Services for […]
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Adopts FY21 Budget by Unanimous Consent
New programs include Real Estate Tax Relief and local Small Business Assistance grant On June 23, the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted an innovative FY21 budget that included a $2.7M reduction in spending, a one-time Real Estate Tax Relief Program equal to 5 cents on the Real Estate Tax rate and a local […]
“Solar Ready” Technical Assistance Program Recruiting in Virginia
The Virginia Solar Initiative of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and the state’s Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) are actively recruiting Virginia localities to participate in this summer and fall’s SolSmart Advisor cohort. SolSmart is a national program that has helped more than […]
U.S. Treasury Releases Updated FAQs on Coronavirus Relief Fund
On June 24, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released an updated list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding use of the Coronavirus Relief Fund. This document may be found here. The new questions and answers are in the “Eligible Expenditures” section and begin with “May funds be used to satisfy non-federal matching requirements under the […]
Broadband Access a Key Issue at Regions 10 & 11 Virtual Meeting
On June 25, counties from VACo’s Regions 10 and 11 held a lively discussion of issues of shared concern at VACo’s third virtual regional meeting of the year. The importance of improving access to broadband was a common thread of conversation among county representatives, and also the subject of remarks by guest speaker Evan Feinman, […]
Guidance Issued for the Phased Reopening of K-12 Schools in Virginia
On June 9, Governor Ralph Northam announced a phased approach to allow for the reopening of in-person instruction for Virginia’s K-12 schools for the 2020-2021 academic year. Under the guidelines released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), local school divisions are able to develop plans on how best to resume student instruction and the […]
Visit Page County and the LOVE Sign
Aptly named “Logs of Love,” the LOVEwork at Luray Caverns is constructed from wooden logs to accentuate the fact that Luray-Page County is designated as the Cabin Capital of Virginia. The sculpture is located on the grounds of Luray Caverns. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Shenandoah Valley, the artwork encourages visitors to feel the […]
Supreme Court Removes Barrier to Atlantic Coast Pipeline
The Supreme Court of the United States has removed a major barrier to construction of the controversial Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP). In a 7-2 ruling published Monday, June 15, the Supreme Court ruled that the ACP could pass under the Appalachian Trail. The case took up the question of whether or not the United States […]
Supervisors’ Certification Program students meet virtually
More than 20 students are participating virtually in the “Managing While Leading: Understanding Your Powers, Duties & Responsibilities” course that VACo has adapted to fit with the times. Besides meeting virtually for the opening and closing sessions, students will convene virtually for five interactive homework sessions. These five homework sessions are organized to foster discussions […]
VACo-VML Task Force Discusses Pandemic Recovery, Rebuilding
The Local Government Recovery Task Force held its first virtual meeting on June 8 to discuss issues related to the near-term reopening of the state’s economy, as well as local government priorities for the upcoming special session this summer and long-term issues for consideration in the Governor’s December 2020 budget and the 2021 legislative session. […]
June 22 Deadline for Counties to Comment on Proposed Workplace Regulations for COVID-19
The Northam administration (per E.O. 63) has directed the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) to “… promulgate emergency regulations and standards to control, prevent, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.” The draft regulations are available for review with a public comment period that expires on Monday, June 22. On Wednesday, […]
FY 2021 Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) Program Guidelines and Criteria Finalized and other Broadband Updates
On June 8, the Commonwealth Connect Coalition distributed copies of the FY 2021 Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) Program Guidelines and Criteria detailing the process by which $19 million in state general funds will be awarded to eligible applicants seeking to expand broadband access in communities throughout the Commonwealth. VATI grants are available to local governments […]
Commission on Youth Begins Work for 2020
The Virginia Commission on Youth adopted its work plan for 2020 at its June 17 meeting, agreeing to examine the delivery of education in juvenile detention centers and the development of an additional legal arrangement to avert placement of children in foster care. The Commission will also be revising and updating its biennial publication, the […]
Virginia Employment Commission Resources for Unemployed Virginians and the Impact to County Governments
Since March 15, 822,300 unemployment claims have been filed in Virginia as a result of the impacts of COVID-19 and other economic factors. As the nation struggles to recover from unemployment rates not seen since the Great Depression, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) provided VACo with additional information and resources that counties are encouraged to […]