On April 23, VACo traveled to York County, which graciously served as the host for the Region 2 Meeting. County officials gathered at the beautiful Freight Shed building in the heart of historic Yorktown, and were greeted with warm breezes, a glorious view of the waterfront, and the company of their colleagues from around the region.
The meeting kicked off with a group discussion of the challenges facing the counties within Region 2. Folks shared their concerns about issues like the funding of local schools, regional cooperation, taxing authority, and transportation funding, just to name a few. These discussions will serve as a jumping off point for VACo’s steering committees as they develop legislative priorities for the next General Assembly session.
Attendees were also treated to a presentation on the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) segment of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, by legal analyst and water quality expert, Chris Pomeroy, President of AquaLaw. Chris shared a history of Bay restoration efforts and his perspective of the Phase III WIP, while also flagging issues of concern for local government. Our sincere thanks to Chris for taking time to share his expertise with us.
VACo legislative staff then provided an overview of the General Assembly’s latest session, and shared updates on hot topics such as teacher shortages, fairness in tax policy, and school safety. Representatives for Senator Thomas Norment and Delegate Brenda Pogge also shared updates on those members’ efforts to address issues of concern to local government.
The 2019 Region 2 Meeting boasted about 40 folks in attendance, ranging from Planning District Commissions to state legislative offices, and from VACo sponsors and partners to, of course, county officials. VACo extends a big thank you to everyone who took the time to join us for an informative discussion at this beautiful venue. We especially thank the folks of York County for hosting this meeting.
VACo Contact: Angela Inglett