During the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Dec. 15 meeting, Deputy County Administrator for Finance and Administration Matt Harris said the county plans to set the maximum real estate tax rate at 93 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, a reduction from 95 cents. Harris said the supervisors could still decide to lower the final rate lower than 93 cents. As part of the consent agenda, the supervisors voted to advertise that tax rate. The ad also includes increasing the tax threshold for the business, professional and occupational license (BPOL) tax from $300,000 to $400,000 and the personal property tax…
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Legislators are trying to figure out their next steps following a map proposed by two special masters to the state Supreme Court following the 2020 Census. State Sen. Amanda Chase (R) has a Senate district laid out for her to run in again in 2023 if she so desires. SD73 would cover the western half of Chesterfield, similar to her current district. That district also includes freshman Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D), but has a 54.3 to 38.7 percent Republican tilt based on the 2016 presidential election. However, Chase recently threw her hat into the ring as one of eight Republicans…
On Nov. 17, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve Plan B of the redistricting map process related to the 2020 Census. County Attorney Jeff Mincks noted that the map smooths out some lines. It also moves all of the Woodlake subdivision from Matoaca to Clover Hill. Some have claimed that the county was intentionally moving Democratic voters to the Dale District, thereby bolstering Republican supervisors in Clover Hill and Midlothian. “It is a numerically-driven exercise,” Mincks said. “We don’t make changes based on political party affiliation or voting history. This is not a politically-driven exercise.” Mincks…
State Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) took time last week to reflect on the Nov. 2 election in which Glenn Youngkin (R) won the governor’s race and his party picked up seven seats to win control of the state House of Delegates, subject to two recounts in Hampton Roads. Earlier, Morrissey said he thought Democrat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe would win, based largely on the coronavirus. However, that issue faded a bit over the last several weeks heading up to the election and trailed the economy, education and taxes in issues on voters’ minds, according to MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki. Morrissey said…
On Oct. 27, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors heard about a two-year agreement regarding the Riverside Regional Jail and also approved $3,000 bonuses for sheriff’s deputies. The two-year consent agreement between the state and the jail, which had 414 Chesterfield inmates as of Oct. 27, effectively ended a probationary period due to three inmate deaths from 2019-2020, according to attorney Jeff Gore. However, supervisors Jim Ingle (R-Bermuda) and Chris Winslow (R-Clover Hill) disagreed with that assertion. The 20-page agreement established three internal audit procedures, Gore said. “They’re still on probation with me,” Winslow said. “Only time will tell if…
Several local residents continued criticism of the Chesterfield County Public Schools Board during their Oct. 12 meeting. In addition to general criticism about a mask mandate for teachers and students, Anne Taydus called the board to task for the firing of Monacan High School government teacher Stephen Roszel. “You squashed him,” she said. In addition, Taydus said that three school board members are “up for removal,” but she didn’t elaborate other than to say it’s not being covered in the media. Another media outlet reported that she was circulating a recall petition. Roszel also addressed the board during public comment. …
The Chesterfield County supervisors heard updates about broadband expansion and a redistricting proposal during their Sept. 22 meeting and also recognized several longtime county employees. In regard to broadband, Barry Condrey, the information systems technology department’s chief information officer, said that only 726 residences out of 116,085 lack broadband internet access. Some may be able to access Elon Musk’s Starlink dishes next year, Condrey said. But in the meantime, the county has applied for $7.8 million in grants from the state to provide these locations with service. It would involve 150 miles of line, he said. Over 80 percent of…
The Chesterfield County Planning Commission on Sept. 21 recommended approval of a methane gas processing facility on the Shoosmith Bros., Inc. property and a commercial and residential development nearby on Ironbridge Road. The proposals were on the commission’s consent agenda and had no public opposition. The gas processing facility would be built on 10.3 acres south of Ironbridge Road and would process methane from Phase 1 of the landfill but not Phase 2. Two people spoke during public comment in favor of the proposal, but Renee Eldred said she preferred that the company — which is joining with Swift Creek…
An effort to hire more bus drivers has begun to pay off, according to Chesterfield County Public School officials. As a result of recently increasing the hourly pay for drivers to $20.21 an hour, the school system has over 350 new applicants. During the board’s Sept. 14 afternoon work session, transportation director James C. Frye said the pay rate was increased to $14.84 in September 2019 and then raised to $15.59 in December 2019. This year, it was increased to $17.21 in August and again in September. “We’re very excited about the increase in driver pay,” Frye said. “Chesterfield County…
Chesterfield County grew 15.3 percent from 2010 to 2020 according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Chesterfield’s growth rate topped Richmond (11) and Henrico (6), but trailed some fast-growing Northern Virginia counties such as Loudoun (34.8), Stafford (21) and Prince William (20). In fact, Loudoun grew so fast it overtook Chesterfield as the state’s fourth-largest locality, behind Fairfax, Prince William and Virginia Beach. The population growth in Northern and Central Virginia will result in a shift of state representation from Southwestern and Southern Virginia. The 16-person independent redistricting commission is working on redrawing boundaries that will go into…