General Assembly Approves Revisions to Biennium Budget in September 6 Special Session
A lengthy process of revising the 2022-2024 biennium budget advanced one step closer to completion on September 6 with passage of HB 6001. This legislation, which was released on September 2, contains the full text of the agreement among budget conferees that was announced August 25. The procedural resolution setting out parameters for the special […]
Visit Greensville County and the Greensville County Historic Courthouse
PHOTO CREDIT: Virginia is for Lovers Location: 315 South Main Street / Hicksford AvenueBuilt: 1831 – 1834Style: Beaux ArtsArchitect: Daniel LynchContractor: Daniel Lynch Description: The building faces west and is a two story white colored Flemish bond brick structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square consisting of the courthouse […]
Laurel Hill: From Prison to Park
By Benjamin T. BoxerPublic Information Officer | Fairfax County Park Authority For the better part of a century, the grounds of the District of Columbia Correctional Facility in Lorton Virginia, one of the most beautiful parcels of land in Fairfax County, were restricted and, to an extent, hidden from public view. The 2,400-acre site was an oasis […]
JLARC reviewing Go Virginia – Report Due in December
The Virginia Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC) is conducting the first comprehensive review of the GO Virginia program since its establishment. In 2016 the General Assembly adopted the Virginia Growth and Opportunity (GO Virginia) Act to provide state grants to incentivize regional collaboration to address economic challenges. The GO Virginia fund has received approximately […]
Smart Scale Proposed Changes Brief
The Virginia Secretary of Transportation directed the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment (OIPI) to conduct a full review of the SMART SCALE process in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT). VACo was invited and will participate on the Technical Advisory Committee as part of […]
Virginia releases draft proposal to achieve universal broadband access with $1.48 billion in federally allocated funds – Comments due by September 19
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has released the BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 2 for a public comment window that will close on September 19, 2023. Volume 2 of the BEAD Initial Proposal, as required under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program’s Notice of Funding Opportunity and supplemental guidance (BEAD), includes critical […]
VRS Reports 6.1% Return for FY 2023
The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) recently reported a 6.1 percent return on its investment portfolio for the previous fiscal year, ending the year with approximately $105 billion in assets. The rate of return for the three-, five-, and 10-year periods exceeded benchmarks. The health and well-being of VRS is important to local governments as it […]
General Assembly Scheduled to Consider Budget Agreement on September 6
Budget negotiators announced on Friday, August 25, that an agreement on the major components of revisions to the biennium budget had been reached. The full text of the budget bill (HB 6001/SB 6001) was released on Saturday, September 2, with a special session scheduled to convene on Wednesday, September 6. VACo staff have been reviewing […]
The 2023 VACo County Officials’ Summit Considered One of the Best Ever
When the VACo County Officials’ Summit ended on August 17, many of the more than 200 local government officials and staff connected in conversation. One word was overheard often in these huddles. “Entertaining.” Indeed. When planning the event, the VACo team had an idea that the pairings of the following would not only enlighten our […]
Governor Addresses “Money Committees” as Budget Negotiations Continue
Editor’s Note: VACo received notice early Friday afternoon that a budget agreement has been reached between the House and Senate budget conferees. The notice indicates that the major components of budget revisions have been agreed to and that conferees and staff will be finalizing details in the coming days. VACo staff will review the budget […]
Visit Greene County and the Greene County Historic Courthouse
Location: 22 Court Street / Ford AvenueBuilt: 1838 – 1839Style: Roman TempleArchitect: William Donoho and William B PhillipsContractor: William Donoho and William B Phillips Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Stanardsville. The brick was […]
Introducing a New Associate Member – Energy Systems Group
PULASKI COUNTY RFP
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALCHANGE AGENTFIRE/EMS & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Pulaski County is seeking a contractor with high-level management skills in fire, EMS and the emergency management industry to restructure our community service delivery based on the findings and recommendations of the recent Fire/EMS/Emergency Management study. READ THE RFP
County Disaster Designation Process and Information
The office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry has issued a request to Boards of Supervisors across Virginia. The request pertains to a new procedure for declaring localities as impacted by climatic disasters, particularly focusing on droughts. Under this new procedure, if a Board of Supervisors determines that drought conditions have adversely affected the […]
Joint Commission on Health Care Receives Updates on Key Health Indicators, Overview of Brain Injury Services in Virginia
The Joint Commission on Health Care met on August 23 and received a staff briefing on the Commission’s Health Care Dashboard, which tracks a variety of metrics associated with the Commission’s overall objectives of accessibility, affordability, and quality. Staff noted that lags in collecting data mean that the 2023 metrics are generally derived from 2020-2021 […]
Visit Grayson County and the Grayson County Historic 1908 Courthouse
The Historic 1908 Courthouse serves as the Art & Cultural Center of Grayson County. The Foundation is a private non-profit corporation whose mission is to preserve the building and make it available to the people of Grayson county and the surrounding areas. The building served as the county courthouse for Grayson County from 1908, when […]