Chesterfield Government

Local attorney is new leader of state GOP: Wilson was recently elected to Republican Party’s top post

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 25, 2018 Politics, State News

ABOVE: Jack Wilson III is pictured in his office in Chester. A well-traveled Chester resident is the new chairman of the state Republican Party. Jack Wilson III, who was born in West Virginia but grew up in various locales across the globe as his father served in the Army, has had a land use law practice in Chester since 2008. Wilson was elected Sept. 8 to replace Loudoun County resident John Whitbeck as state GOP chair. Wilson plans to finish Whitbeck’s four-year term, which ends in 2020. He is unsure if he will run again. When asked why he ran for…

County department prepares for natural disasters

By Caleb M Soptelean on September 25, 2018 Chesterfield Government

ABOVE: From left, Jess Robison, Sherri Lafoon and Emily Ashley Dillon make up Chesterfield’s Emergency Management Department. Emily Ashley Dillon is into disaster preparation. The Kansas City, Mo., native has been Chesterfield County’s emergency management coordinator for seven years. The three-person emergency management department, which is housed with the county fire department’s administrative office, helps the county’s 50 departments prepare for any large-scale emergency or disaster. The department is also responsible for response, recovery and mitigation, the latter which involves reducing danger before and after an event. “It’s our job to create a community of resiliency,” she said. This includes helping…

County to host meeting about new Harrowgate Park

By Press release on September 11, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Planning & Zoning

The public is invited to attend an informational meeting about a revamped Harrowgate Park from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Carver Middle School, 3800 Cougar Trail, in Chester. This meeting is to present the conceptual development plan for the new Harrowgate Park. The new park was briefly discussed at the previous community meetings held this past spring. Those meetings addressed the proposed zoning of a nearby site by the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority which included the east-west freeway and school board-related project for the Harrowgate Elementary School relocation. Because of the relocation of the new elementary school…

Chesterfield native loves helping others, keeping the county clean

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 28, 2018 Chesterfield Government

Pam Cooper is recruiting others to help her “pass the love.” Cooper, who has been a Chesterfield County employee for 20 years, recently became a community coordinator within the one-year-old Department of Community Enhancement. The woman who created and managed the county’s anti-littering program in 2004 is still in charge of it, but she is now branching out to other areas. Specifically, she is looking for skilled professionals or retirees to help senior citizens and disabled veterans. She has some 400 volunteers – 150 who are constantly active – who help in various capacities, such as performing residential repairs, removing…

County approves land purchase in Ettrick

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 28, 2018 Board of Supervisors, Chesterfield Government

By a 4-0 vote with James Holland absent, the county board of supervisors last week approved the purchase of a 1.75-acre parcel in Ettrick to support a new elementary school and fire station. The purchase price of $20,000 represented the assessed value of the land, according to the county’s real property manager, John Harmon. The land will be purchased from Stallings Oil Co. There was some confusion about how the agenda item was listed, but the county’s deputy administrator for community development, Bill Dupler, said that no buildings are planned for the property, which is located south of Chesterfield Avenue,…

EDA approves bond sale resolution, looks to sell land

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 21, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Economic Development

Last week, the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority unanimously approved a resolution of support for raising some $5.1 million for the Chesterfield Center for the Arts through a bond sale. EDA board chair John O’Neill said the Virginia Resources Authority wanted the EDA to approve the resolution by Sept. 21 so that bonds can be sold in mid-November. The county supervisors approved the $5.1 million allocation on June 27 by a 3-2 vote. The EDA previously issued $6.89 million in bonds and the county $2.67 million in bonds for the 22,000-square-foot arts center in Chester, which would include a 350-seat theater.…

Community enhancer: Cohen wants to work with land trust, improve access to trails

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 21, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Features

Dan Cohen has plenty of ideas on how to enhance the community. Cohen, the director of the county’s year-old Community Enhancement Department, comes to Chesterfield with a wide range of experience from Orange County, Calif., Atlanta, Hampton Roads and Richmond. He noted that the county has a contract pending with the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, an organization that plans to buy properties and build, rehabilitate and sell housing while keeping title to the land. Such a concept has unique opportunities for low-to-moderate income families, Cohen said, noting that the buyer would only have to pay for the home, which…

Childrey wins GOP nod

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 14, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Politics

John Childrey won the Republican nomination for Chesterfield County’s commonwealth’s attorney Saturday with 80 percent of the vote in a canvass at six locations. Childrey, chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney in Chesterfield, defeated Stacey Davenport, a Henrico County domestic violence prosecutor. The two were vying for the Grand Old Party’s nod to replace longtime former commonwealth’s attorney Billy Davenport, who resigned July 1. Childrey will square off with Democrat Scott Miles, a Chesterfield defense attorney, in the Nov. 6 general election. Independent candidates have until Aug. 17 to file, according to county registrar Constance L. Tyler. Childrey garnered 935 votes to…

Two vie for GOP nomination: Canvass for top attorney slot to be held Aug. 11 at six county locations

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 7, 2018 Chesterfield Government, Politics

Chesterfield County voters can choose the Republican nominee for commonwealth’s attorney in a canvass election Aug. 11. The contest is between John Childrey, chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney in Chesterfield, and Stacey Davenport, a domestic violence prosecutor in Henrico County. The candidate elected to the position Nov. 6 will serve the remaining year or so of Billy Davenport’s term, with another election to follow in November 2019 for a four-year term. The Republican Party canvass is open to all voters registered in the county, but the party asks those who participate to support all of the Republican candidates in…

Central Library opens after long renovation

By Caleb M Soptelean on August 7, 2018 Chesterfield Government

ABOVE: Jackson Taylor reads a book in ‘The Shell.’ A $3.8-million renovation of the Central Library caused one local resident to gush when she saw it. “I’m really impressed with how they spent my tax dollars,” Chester resident Janet Bishop said last week. “It’s beautiful. I’m getting goose bumps just talking about it. Nobody should complain.” The RRMM-designed building – which now has an address on Lucy Corr Boulevard – opened July 30 after an 18-month renovation. Jennifer Hayek, library branch manager, was also excited. She has worked in that capacity for four years and has been with the Chesterfield…

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