Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Sets FY 2023-2024 Employer Contribution Rates for Teacher Plans
On October 14, the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Board of Trustees met to review actuarial results for five statewide Retirement Plans (State Employees, Teachers, JRS, SPORS, and VaLORS) and the associated other post-employment benefits (OPEBs). Most relevant for county governments, employer contribution rates for the Teacher plan are expected to be reduced during the coming […]
Clarke County is home to oldest Virginian
Clarke County resident Viola Brown, who celebrated her 110th birthday on October 4, is now the oldest person in the Commonwealth, according to a website that tracks supercentenarians (individuals who are 110 or older). The Clarke County Board of Supervisors proclaimed October 4, 2021, “Viola Roberts Lampkin Brown Day,” and Board Chair David Weiss presented a […]
Visit York County and Yorktown Beach
Located in Historic Yorktown, this 2-acre public beachfront caters to family fun and is one of the only beaches in Hampton Roads to feature a Mobi-Mat and Mobi Chair for visitors in wheelchairs. The beach is perfect for sunbathing, boating, swimming, and fishing. An ADA-accessible fishing pier and grassy picnic area are also available to […]
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Considers Legislation to Simplify Administration of the Hybrid Plan for both VRS and the Employer Community
On October 14, the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Board of Trustees received a presentation from VRS staff on potential legislation to streamline administration of the systems Hybrid plan. The proposal would separate the defined contribution (DC) employer contributions from the defined benefit (DB) employer contribution rate. The employer contributions are currently combined during employer rate […]
Join us for a Qualtrics/VACo Webinar
Qualtrics has partnered with government agencies and organizations to help combat the opioid epidemic. The Qualtrics platform allows organizations to collect, analyze, and report on human data to track opioid usage and treatment, improve treatment programs and services, and maintain data security and personal privacy. State and local agencies are utilizing Qualtrics for opioid and […]
ARP Funds: Allowable Uses Part 1
With the infusion of ARP money into your entity’s finances, it is vital that the rules, and more importantly, the allowable uses of those funds are made clear so that you and your public entity can maximize the value of every single dollar. View Part 1 of our resource video on those allowable uses today, […]
State General Fund Revenues Continue Strong Growth as Budget Development Moves Forward
State General Fund revenues demonstrated continued strength in September, a significant month for revenue collections and a key data point in the development of revenue forecasts for the upcoming biennium budget. In presentations to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees this week, Secretary of Finance K. Joseph Flores characterized the economy as […]
Commonwealth Connect Coalition Updates and Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) Updates
The Commonwealth Connect Coalition recently announced that VATI awards are expected to be announced in December. As previously reported, The FY22 grant round closed on September 14 and in total, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) received: 57 applications representing 84 localities $943,300,424 in requested funding $1,159,125,288 in matching funds Approximately 292,000 proposed locations […]
Commission on School Construction and Modernizations Continues Examination of K-12 Infrastructure and Financing
On September 29, the Commission on School Construction and Modernization met again and reviewed various means of financing K-12 infrastructure in the Commonwealth. Members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Virginia), the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), and the Virginia Department of the Treasury provided perspective on this longstanding issue of importance to local […]
Senator Kaine Discusses American Rescue Plan Act Implementation with VACo Members
Senator Tim Kaine held an online conversation with VACo and VML members on September 27 to share updates from Congress and to hear from local governments about implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act, including decisions about use of Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and outstanding questions regarding eligible uses and reporting. Senator Kaine noted that […]
Visit Prince William County and the Henry House
Spring Hill Farm – now simply known as Henry Hill – lay fallow and overgrown in the summer of 1861. A small vegetable garden and orchard surrounded the frame house. Inside the home, 84-year old Judith Henry remained bedridden, too old to work the land that had been in her family for more than a […]
Build a customized American Rescue Plan funding report with ARP ACTion
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) offers public sector organizations a momentous opportunity to recover and grow post-pandemic. State and local governments, tribal governments, school districts and municipal utilities all have a responsibility to strategically align ARP spending with the needs of your community. At the same time, public officials are tasked with […]
Virginia Commission on Youth Seeks Public Comment on Draft Recommendations for “Crossover Youth” Information Sharing
The Commission on Youth is currently conducting a study on best practices for sharing of data and records regarding “crossover youth,” broadly defined as youth who have experienced maltreatment and also engaged in delinquency. This study was directed by legislation approved during the 2021 session that allows access to certain juvenile justice records by staff […]
Upcoming FOIA Training!
The FOIA Council will be hosting the following live webinar FOIA trainings this month. The webinars are free to attend and are approved for DCJS and CLE credit. Links to register can be found below and on our website. If you are interested in receiving DCJS or CLE credit, you will need to individually register and […]
The Immediate First Step to Effective Cybersecurity is a Positive Mindset
As a cybersecurity leader, your success is determined by your ability to improve the security of company assets and stakeholders. No doubt this is a challenging endeavor. The landscape is constantly changing, variables are increasingly complex, and threat actors need only to win one attack while you need to successfully defend against every single one. […]