October 1997

DATE: October 30, 1997

CONTACT: Patrick J. Brady, Director of Public Utilities

PHONE: 672-4280

Henrico County's Director of Public Utilities Patrick J. Brady received the Honorary Member Award from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) at their annual conference. The award is among the highest honors given by AWWA; each year, the association awards honorary memberships to no more than 10 individuals nationwide.

Brady has led the Virginia section of the AWWA as its chairman in 1976, its director from 1991-94, and has participated on both state and national level committees. He recently accepted the position of Virginia Retiree Committee Chair.

Brady won the AWWA's Virginia Section Fuller Award in 1980, and the Distinguished Service Award in 1984.

Before joining Henrico County as the Director of Public Utilities in 1976, Brady was the Director of Public Utilities for the City of Portsmouth. He served in the United States Navy from 1962-67.

DATE: October 27, 1997

CONTACT: Mikki Knight, Deputy Clerk, Board of Supervisors

PHONE: 672-4208

"Becoming an Organ Donor . . . the answers to your questions, fears and concerns" is the topic for Fairfield District Supervisor Frank Thornton's next constituent meeting on Monday, November 17, at 7 p.m., at the Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road.

"We all know that organ donation saves lives," Thornton said, "but some of us are hesitant to make a commitment one way or the other because we don't have all of our facts. That is the focus of this constituent meeting - to address the concerns and fears, and answer questions about the process of organ donation. We want our residents to be able to make informed decisions about whether to become an organ donor."

Thornton encourages public participation at all of his constituent meetings, and asks that each participant invite three other people to join the meeting.

DATE: October 22, 1997

CONTACT: Barry Lawrence, Assistant to the County Manager for Board Affairs

PHONE: 672-4318

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has appointed twelve county officials to serve on the association's steering committees.

Henrico Board of Supervisors Chairman and Varina district supervisor James B. Donati, Jr. will serve on the Community and Economic Development Committee; Vice Chairman and Three Chopt District Supervisor David A. Kaechele will serve on the Taxation and Finance Committee; Brookland District Supervisor Richard W. Glover will serve on the Intergovernmental Relations Committee; Tuckahoe District Supervisor Patricia S. O'Bannon will serve on the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee; Fairfield District Supervisor Frank J. Thornton will serve on the Human Services and Education Committee; County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E. will serve on the Justice and Public Safety Committee; Deputy County Manager George T. Drumwright, Jr. will serve on the Health Committee; Deputy County Manager Harvey L. Hinson will serve on the Environment, Energy, and Land Use Committee; Deputy County Manager Leon T. Johnson and Director of Personnel George H. Cauble, Jr., will both serve on the Labor and Employee Benefits Committee; Deputy County Manager Robert K. Pinkerton will serve on the Public Lands Committee; and Director of the Capital Area Training Consortium Rosalyn D. Key has been named Vice Chairwoman of the Dislocated Workers Subcommittee.

NACo is the only national organization representing county governments in the United States. Its goals are to improve county government, act as liaison with other levels of government, serve as the national spokesperson for counties, and to advance public understanding.

NACo's steering committees are the policy makers of the association. Fifty to 60 county officials comprise each steering committee, which meet throughout the year to examine issues that are critical to local government. Their county legislative recommendations, if approved, become part of the American County Platform, which helps in representing counties to the United States Congress and White House.

DATE: October 14, 1997

CONTACT: Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E., County Manager

PHONE: 672-4386

County Manager Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E., announced today that W. Forrest Matthews, Jr., is Henrico County's new Director of Finance. Matthews succeeds Dennis W. Kerns who resigned the position in May.

Matthews joined the Department of Finance's Accounting Division in 1980, and has since served as the Revenue Division Director, the Treasury Division Director, and the Acting Director of Finance. Prior to joining the county, he was the Accountant and Payroll Manager with the City of Richmond. Matthews has more than 23 years experience in local government financial management, and is the only government employee in the Commonwealth of Virginia to hold dual certifications as a Deputy Commissioner of Revenue, and a Deputy Treasurer, from the University of Virginia.

Matthews will be responsible for the county's Department of Finance including five divisions -- Accounting, Management and Budget, Real Estate Assessment, Revenue, and Treasury -- and 163 employees.

A panel comprised of executive-level county administration, and a Senior Vice President from a major financial institution, interviewed the top candidates and made their recommendation to the County Manager.

DATE: October 14, 1997

CONTACT: Paul Proto, Director of General Services

PHONE: 672-4957

The Henrico County Department of General Services will host a Business Fair for minority, female and small businesses on Friday, October 31, at Belmont Recreation Center, 1600 Hilliard Road, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Representatives from Hanover and Chesterfield counties will also be present at the Business Fair, which is designed to provide minority businesses with information on how to conduct business with the counties. Director of General Services Paul Proto said they created the minority business fair "because the procurement process in the public sector is becoming increasingly complex, and we want to give small and minority businesses the information they need to contract with local governments in the future."

Other fair participants include the Small Business Administration, the Department of Minority Business Enterprise, the State Contractors Board, and several construction information services such as Builders Exchange and Dodge Reports.

Proto said they expect the fair to be an annual event, alternately hosted by Hanover, Chesterfield, and Henrico counties.

DATE: October 13, 1997

CONTACT: Mark Bittner, County Planner

PHONE: 672-4488

The Henrico Planning Office's public meeting originally scheduled for October 23 has been postponed until Thursday, October 30. The meeting will still be held at John Rolfe Middle School, 6901 Messer Road, at 7 p.m. Planning staff will discuss the proposed development standards and guidelines for the property along Route 5 in the county's Varina district.

For more information, call the Planning Office at 672-4602.

DATE: October 9, 1997

CONTACT: Bev Donati

PHONE: 795-7822

"Fire Safety and Prevention" will be the topic for Board Chairman and Varina Supervisor Jim Donati's next town meeting on Monday, October 20, at 7 p.m., at the Eastern Government Center, 3820 Nine Mile Road.

Henrico Fire Chief Mark Light will discuss general home, holiday, and kitchen safety, as well as offer fire prevention tips to help residents maintain a hazard-free household.

"This time of year, particularly with the holidays approaching, hazardous home situations tend to increase," said Donati. "Simple things that we all do, like burning a fire in the fireplace or trimming a tree with holiday lights, can increase the risk of a house fire. We want to educate our residents on how to prevent these situations, and how to handle them if they do arise, so that everyone makes it through a safe and happy winter," he said.

Donati holds Varina town meetings the third Monday of each month. The meetings are open to the public.

DATE: October 8, 1997

CONTACT: Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E., County Manager

PHONE: (804) 672-4386

or

Kyra Scarton Newman or Bill Byrd (VCU), (804) 828-1231

HENRICO COUNTY COMMITS TO VCU ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIPS AT EACH HIGH SCHOOL

Henrico County today (Oct. 8) announced creation of a scholarship program to help seven county students each year attend Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Engineering.

One of the first of its kind in the region, the scholarship program will begin with Henrico County Schools' class of 1998. Recipients will receive half-tuition scholarships for their four-year undergraduate programs at VCU. The 1998 scholarship winners will be among the first VCU class that moves into the university's inaugural School of Engineering facilities, which will be open for next fall's semester.

When fully implemented, Henrico's scholarship program is expected to provide $64,400 in student assistance annually, based on full tuition and mandatory fees of about $4,600. VCU will match Henrico County's commitment dollar-for-dollar.

"We have witnessed the extraordinary opportunities that VCU's School of Engineering has provided for our region, and we believe this commitment represents an unbeatable investment in the future of many top Henrico County graduates," said Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E., Henrico County manager. "This school is providing the next generation of engineers, and we want Henrico County students to have a stake in this innovative educational program."

By the year 2001, the program is expected to support 28 students attending VCU. The county has pledged support for the program initially for the next four years, but hopes to continue it after 2001. The scholarship will be awarded competitively based on applicants' academic profiles and will support one qualified student each from Freeman, Godwin, Henrico, Hermitage, Highland Springs, Tucker and Varina high schools.

"With each step in the formulation and implementation of this school, we have acknowledged that its success will come only with the support of a wide cross-section of the Greater Richmond community," VCU President Eugene P. Trani said. "Henrico County's commitment for its students signals what a vital role this school already is playing in the future of this region, particularly by preparing a workforce that will thrive in an increasingly technological world. This initiative by Henrico County is an honor for the university."

The scholarship program is an extension of Henrico County's earlier support of VCU's School of Engineering. In 1995, government leaders committed $500,000 to a drive dedicated to raising $32 million for the school's start-up costs, including construction, equipment, land, faculty support and student scholarships. The campaign currently stands at $27 million.

With support from the VCU Engineering Foundation, area government, industry and business, VCU is focusing its school on the medical and manufacturing applications of engineering, with undergraduate degrees in the electrical, mechanical and chemical disciplines. Next year, the School of Engineering will add the state's first bachelor's degree program in biomedical engineering. Graduate degrees already are offered in conjunction with programs on the university's Medical College of Virginia campus. The Engineering School's efforts to provide business, oral and written communication, and team skills from the students' first day on campus have generated national attention.

At the school's unveiling in February 1994, VCU officials and Engineering Foundation leaders pledged that the new program would aid economic development in the region, particularly by luring new industry and manufacturing operations. Since then, Motorola Inc. and Siemens Corp. have broken ground on their joint White Oak semiconductor facility in eastern Henrico County, and Motorola also plans a manufacturing complex in Goochland County just across the Henrico border.

Phase I construction of the VCU engineering complex is now underway at Main and Belvidere streets, under the leadership of the Engineering Foundation. The first facilities - a four-story, 113,000-square-foot classroom building and a 27,000-square-foot building for the Virginia Microelectronics Research and Education Center - will open next year. Funding for the center, whose centerpiece is a 7,500-square-foot, Class 1000 "clean room," is supported by an $11 million General Assembly appropriation that was part of an incentive package prepared by Gov. George Allen to attract Motorola in 1995 to the region.

"There is a dramatic need on the horizon for trained, professional engineers who can move quickly from their college preparation to the workforce," said Henry A. McGee Jr., founding dean of the VCU School of Engineering. "We're pleased that Henrico County responded to this need by unveiling a project that will give students an unparalleled and lasting opportunity in their own community."

DATE: October 6, 1997

CONTACT: Tim Foster, Traffic Engineer

PHONE: 672-4397

Henrico County Department of Public Works advises motorists that on Sunday, October 19, between 12 noon and 5 p.m., Huguenot Road northbound, including the northbound lane of Huguenot Bridge, will close between Chippenham Parkway and Three Chopt Road due to a marathon in the vicinity.

Northbound motorists will be diverted from the Huguenot Bridge to the Edward Willey Bridge. Southbound motorists will not be affected. Traffic on other bridge crossings and roadways within the City of Richmond may also experience temporary road closures or delays during the marathon.

DATE: October 3, 1997

CONTACT: Sgt. D.V. Campbell, Animal Protection Supervisor

PHONE: 652-3360

The Henrico County Division of Police will hold a rabies clinic on Saturday, October 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Gate 4, the 4-H Club Building, at the State Fairgrounds at Strawberry Hill.

Rabies shots are required for dogs and cats four months old and older. Shots costs $6 each and come with a certificate of inoculation. Dog tags can also be purchased for $10.

DATE: October 3, 1997

CONTACT: Mark Bittner, County Planner

PHONE: 672-4488

The Henrico Planning Office will hold a public meeting on Thursday, October 23, at 7 p.m., at John Rolfe Middle School, 6901 Messer Road, to discuss the Route 5 overlay district and design guidelines.

Planning staff will be available to answer questions concerning the proposed development standards and guidelines for the property along Route 5 in the county's Varina district. The public is invited to attend and express their opinions on the topic. Those people who wish to view files on this topic may access them at the Government Center Planning Office, Administration Building, Parham and Hungary Spring roads, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information, call the Planning Office at 672-4602.

DATE: October 3, 1997

CONTACT: James B. Donati, Jr., 795-5757
Richard W. Glover, 218-1200
David A. Kaechele, 360-4591
Patricia S. O'Bannon, 285-4728

FOUR MEMBERS OF HENRICO'S BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ENDORSE GILMORE TAX PLAN

Henrico County Board of Supervisors members Jim Donati, Dick Glover, Pat O'Bannon and David Kaechele announce their endorsement of Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Gilmore's proposal to eliminate the personal property tax on cars and trucks valued at $20,000 or less.

"By eliminating the personal property on cars and trucks, the people of Henrico County will be able to keep more of their hard earned money and spend it the way they want," the four supervisors said in a joint statement. "This extra income will help buy groceries, medical care, furniture, clothes and even help buy a new vehicle," they said.

The supervisors agreed that the Gilmore proposal would also help the overall economy in Henrico County and throughout Virginia.

"This is a common-sense proposal, and it's the only true tax relief plan that has been offered in this year's race for governor," the supervisors said, "it's a win-win situation for all of us."

The four board members continued by expressing that the plan "would let Henrico County residents keep about $35 million a year which they could spend right here in the county. That's comparable to having several major new industries locate in Henrico."

The supervisors said they discussed the tax plan with Gilmore and were confident of its merit and manner of implementation.

"We have an obligation to the citizens of Henrico County to provide tax relief and a better quality of life whenever we can do it and that's exactly what we're endorsing in this case," the supervisors said.

DATE: October 2, 1997

CONTACT: Tim Foster, Traffic Engineer

PHONE: 672-4397

Henrico County Department of Public Works will temporarily modify traffic patterns in the vicinity of Richmond International Airport on Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., due to the air show. Motorists can expect traffic delays, and should avoid the area if not attending the event.

County Traffic Engineer Tim Foster suggests that motorists who are not attending the show, but need to be at the airport during this time, should turn on their vehicle's headlights. This will alert police officers who are directing traffic in the area, and will help them maintain the steady flow of vehicles.