Chesterfield Government

Airport expansion moving forward: Supervisors narrowly approve lease for second FBO

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 20, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government

It looks like some competition is coming to the Chesterfield airport. By a 3-2 vote, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved a land lease and fixed-based operation agreement with Richmond Executive Aviation and 5G Air LLC on Nov. 14. The agreement calls for the construction of two 10,000-square-foot hangars within 12 months. Some $66,000 in fees are estimated to be generated by REA in the first year of operation. The fees will include personal property taxes and fuel flowage fees. The county plans to build a new fuel farm at the airport in the near future at a cost…

Miles wins CA’s race as Dems show strength in Chesterfield

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 13, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Politics, State News

ABOVE: Scott Miles, on right, will be Chesterfield County’s next commonwealth’s attorney. A 60-percent turnout of Chesterfield County’s registered voters yielded an upset last week as Democrat Scott Miles defeated Republican John Childrey by 2,527 votes, or 1.75 percentage points. The men were vying to fill the remaining year left on the term of former commonwealth’s attorney Billy Davenport, who resigned July 1. The seat will be up for election for a full four-year term next November. “I want to thank the people of Chesterfield County for voting to bring real change to our community’s criminal justice system,” Miles said…

County to honor WWI soldiers and all veterans Sunday

By Caleb M Soptelean on November 6, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Community, Events

A commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I and a Veterans Day event will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, on the courtyard outside the old Chesterfield County courthouse. The event will include the unveiling of a World War I interpretive sign by the Chesterfield History Society and the board of supervisors. The Thomas Dale High School Band will perform along with the choir from St. Augustine Catholic Church. Retired Marine Corps Major Don Kappel will be master of ceremonies. Supervisor Dorothy Jaeckle will be speaking at the annual event. She lauded the county’s 1917-1918 Centennial…

County proceeds with new audit and finance committee, for now

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 30, 2018 Chesterfield Government

By a unanimous vote last week, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors decided to restructure the audit and finance committee following the school board’s recent decision to withdraw from the committee. The replacement was needed for a quorum as the committee was made up of four members, two from each board, and three were needed to conduct business. Now the committee will only have two members. The supervisors’ action took place during the Oct. 24 meeting. Board chair Dorothy Jaeckle said she was opposed to splitting the committee, but agreed to the change so that the committee can vote to…

Airport expansion placed on hold

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 30, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

After much discussion during its Oct. 24 meeting, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors postponed a decision on whether to approve a 40-year lease agreement with Richmond Executive Aviation. The pending agreement would bring a second fixed-base operator to the airport. Mark Hackett, chief executive officer of REA and a former JetBlue pilot, plans to offer flight training, aircraft tie-down parking and storage, maintenance, and sales of aircraft parts and fuel. REA plans to build two 10,000-square-foot hangars at sites 1 and 2 near the airport’s north ramp. The agreement calls for construction to begin within 12 months and completion…

Chester wedding venue recommended for approval

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 23, 2018 Planning & Zoning

ABOVE: The Rev. Cecelia LePage A small-venue wedding chapel received a unanimous approval recommendation from the Chesterfield County Planning Commission last week. The Rev. Cecelia LePage and Stephen Louderback requested a conditional use permit for their residential property at 9903 Hustings Court, which is located east of Iron Bridge Road between Krause and Centralia roads in the Courthouse Green South subdivision. Someone filed a complaint about the home-based business in March. Planning staff said that The Little Wedding Garden has been operating since January 2017. During the Oct. 16 meeting, LePage said she came home after marrying a friend in…

Childrey, Miles vie for commonwealth’s attorney

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 23, 2018 Politics

ABOVE: John Childrey makes a point. Chesterfield County voters will choose a new commonwealth’s attorney on Nov. 6. Republican John Childrey and Democrat Scott Miles squared off in a debate Oct. 17 at First Baptist Church, 6201 Iron Bridge Road. Childrey touted his 20 years of experience with the Chesterfield commonwealth attorney’s office. In his closing statement, he criticized Miles for wanting to lead a department for which he had never previously even applied for a job. “I applaud his compassion, but he sounds more like a defense attorney arguing for a client,” Childrey said. Miles, who lives in the…

Additional funding for new middle school?

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 16, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Schools

By a 3-0-2 vote with Carrie Coyner and Dianne Smith abstaining, the Chesterfield school board on Oct. 9 voted to ask the board of supervisors to transfer $3.37 million from construction projects at Enon and Beulah elementary schools to one at Manchester Middle School. According to a memo from interim school superintendent Donald R. Fairheart, a revised bid of $39.9 million from Kenbridge Construction Co. for the Manchester Middle project was $4.4 million over the projected bid of $35.5 million. Kenbridge was the only company to bid on the project. School district staff cited savings of $1.1 million and $2.5…

Back to court: Shoosmith Bros. files another lawsuit against county over rock quarry

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 9, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government, Courts

Land near the top of the photo includes a rock quarry that Shoosmith Bros. Inc. wants to use for its landfill. After being unanimously turned down July 25 by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors on its request for a permit to use a rock quarry as a landfill, the owner of the landfill, Shoosmith Bros. Inc., recently filed another lawsuit against the county in Chesterfield Circuit Court. Shoosmith’s attorney, Andrea Wortzel, filed the suit Aug. 21. This and a lawsuit the company filed June 19, 2017, are the next steps in a battle between the county and Shoosmith over…

County considering bus route along Jefferson Davis Hwy

By Caleb M Soptelean on October 2, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Transportation

Adding bus service on a 7-mile stretch of Jefferson Davis Highway is being considered by Chesterfield County officials. County transportation director Jesse Smith spoke about the idea at last week’s board of supervisors meeting. Detailing what he called a “Route 1 Corridor Transit Study,” Smith said staff considered six options, but he highlighted two options for supervisors at the Sept. 26 meeting. One would use 40-passenger Greater Richmond Transit Co. buses that would run from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a $1.50 fare. Another would use 19-passenger Virginia Regional Transit buses that would run from 6:25 a.m. to 6:25…

Browsing: Chesterfield Government