01/20/2011 by Goochland Gazette

INSIDE Goochland Cotillion holds dance > page 2

Volume 57, Number 3 • January 20, 2011

Audit shows new financial procedures being implemented By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com

Some new procedures to improve Goochland’s financial records are in place and others are still being implemented, said Deputy County Administrator John Wack when he and KPMG representative Rob Churchman addressed the Board of Supervisors at the Jan. 4 meeting. Wack and Churchman presented the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the year ended June 30, 2010. It was on June 1 of last year that Churchman presented a report that revealed a history of flaws in accounting practices that went undetected for years under the county’s previous auditors, Robinson, Farmer and Cox Associates. Those flaws required a series of restatements of fund balances and assets for fiscal year 2008 in order to produce an accurate audit of the 2009 fiscal year. Goochland’s financial troubles came to light in

INDEX

Calendar Classifieds Education Letters

2008, when almost $200,000 in undeposited checks in the county’s utility department were discovered. The discovery triggered a chain of events that led to the firing of the utility director and the resignation of former County Administrator Greg Wolfrey. Accounting firm KPMG was then hired to perform a countywide audit after the discovery of the irregularities in the utility department. In a January 3, 2011 letter to the board, KPMG noted that errors were identified by KPMG and county management and adjusted. KPMG cited a lack of county personnel with “adequate knowledge of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and CAFR reporting.” A lack of sufficient finance personnel for an entity of the size and complexity of Goochland County was also noted, as was not enough ongoing training. The KPMG letter did note that improvements had been see Audit > page 4

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Photo by Ken Odor

Nancy Morrison was honored at the January Board of Supervisors meeting for her many years with Social Services. Above, board chairmen William Quarles presents her with a gift at the beginning of the meeting.

Social Services employee retires after 35 years By Jim Ridolphi news@goochlandgazette.com

Last week the Goochland Board of Supervisors recognized Nancy Morrison for her long and dedicated service at the

SPORTS Taylor’s double-double leads Bulldogs > page 9

county’s Social Services Department. Morrison retired after working at the department since 1975 and was administrative office manager for the agency. The Goochland native said she’s seen many changes in the department in her 35

T H E

years of service. “The size of the department has increased significantly and the demands on the agency have greatly expanded and are see Morrison > page 5

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EDUCATION: School Board and Academic News

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Goochland Cotillion teaches dance, etiquette 2011-2012 classes to resume in the fall Contributed Report news@goochlandgazette.com

More than 30 local girls and boys danced the night away last Saturday at the big barn at the Adams International School as part of Goochland’s very own cotillion program. The dance studio was aglow with happy, young ballroom dancers who were not only learning the intricacies of Rumba, a Latin dance, but also discussed proper cell phone etiquette, enjoyed refreshments, and socialized. “Both our Holly Balls at Christmas were so wonderful, seeing all the parents and children dressed in their finest dancing together under the holiday lights and decorations, and snow was even falling! Goochland’s Christmas Mother, Mrs. Jane Allen Bowles, addressed both classes and accepted donations from the students and their parents,” explained Goochland Cotillion co-

founder, Margaret Reynolds. Students also attended a sit-down dinner in November with their parents at Hickory Notch Grill in Maidens. “The children and parents dined at separate tables, which gave each group a chance to socialize and, of course, practice good manners,” said Reynolds. “Last year, we all met for dinner at Brothers Italian Restaurant in Oilville. Staying true to the community business model of “Buy Local” is important to my partners and me, and we encourage our students’ families to patronize other local businesses too, from buying white gloves at local pharmacies to flowers from Goochland florists.” Goochland Cotillion, now in its second year of operation, is well on its way to becoming an established part of the community. “We just didn’t want drive to Richmond – again – to find activities for our children,” explained Reynolds. “For years, Goochland residents have been taking their kids to other cotillions in the Richmond area on the week-

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Contributed Photo

Left, fifth and sixth grade local students dance in Goochland Cotillion’s December Holly Ball with parents in attendance. Right, Goochland Cotillion young gentlemen escort their young lady dance partners onto the dance floor. Boys pictured on left from front to back: Cary Pillow, Brennan Adams, Chris Eubank, and J.T. Massey. Girls pictured on right from front to back: Alyssa Laudato, Sara Jane Anderson, Dakota Wells, and Melissa Ward.

end -- we wanted to see if there was enough interest to make a go of it here.” Reynolds and her husband, Ron, partnered with two other couples -- Tamra and Doug Adams and Lynn and Bill Irwin – and set up shop in the big barn at the Adams International School on Broad Street Road. “Margaret was off and running,” Adams said. “She found the dance instructors, Lynn and Bill, through Jan Kenney at the Goochland

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of instruction. Level 1 is for beginning students (10 to 12 year olds) and level 2 is geared to students with previous experience or who fall in the 12 to 14- year-old age group. Dance lessons focus on the steps to popular line dances, as well as more traditional fare like the Foxtrot, Swing, Waltz and Cha Cha. The 75-minute classes, which began in September and have been held on Friday or Saturday nights, will conclude with a semi-formal Valentine’s Dance on February 5.

Classes for the 2011-2012 season will resume in the fall and will meet eight times between September and February. Cost is $200 ($25 per session). Parents who register their children before May 1 will receive a $20 discount. To register your child, please visit or call www. adamsinternationalschool. org/enrichment/cotillion, Margaret Reynolds 804-5566911, goochlandcotillion@ gmail.com.

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YMCA, where they had been teaching.” Last year, 17 students enrolled and the response was favorable. “The students told us that cotillion wasn’t what they expected, it was fun,” Adams said. “They liked being with friends and they loved the refreshments offered during the break. The parents all thought it was a great idea and were so supportive.” This year the Goochland Cotillion offered two levels

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Working out at the Goochland YMCA Southern States local annual meeting set Contributed Report news@goochlandgazette.com

Southern States Cooperative will review its operations at a series of local annual meetings, including the upcoming meeting for members of Southern States Cooperative, Inc. – Goochland Service. “The challenges of 2009 and 2010 have made for tough but positive years,” said President and CEO Thomas R. Scribner. Diversity in product lines and a strong strategic plan allow the company to grow, even with this challenging economy. We also need to credit our employee base for serving our farmer members. Our employees are

well trained, and dedicated to helping every customer. Sales in fiscal year ending June 30, 2010 were just under $1.7 billion. The corporate direction is “Customer Focused – Sales Driven”, with even greater emphasis placed on sales and customer satisfaction. Southern States Cooperative, Inc. – Goochland Service will hold their annual membership meeting on Monday, January 31 at 1961 Sandy Hook Road, Goochland, Virginia from 9 a.m. - noon. The Cooperative’s management will use the meeting to report on both local and company-wide operations, see Southern > page 8

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Audit continued from > page 1 made in developing policies and procedures but made further suggestions for improvement. KPMG also noted problems with “lack of segregation of duties and functional controls in the Utility Department and the Treasurer’s Office. “We certainly have a long way to go in terms of improvement but I think we are getting there,” said County Administrator Rebecca Dickson after the presentation. Board chairman William Quarles asked, “Are we working through all those policies and procedures for those areas of improvement and ensuring that those things are being developed and implemented?” Wack acknowledged that many of the new policies were not in place for 2010. “We do agree that during the primary portion of 2010 the policies and procedures were not put into place. We put a number into place in July and August of

this year, which technically didn’t apply to this audit,” he said. Wack said a dozen new policies were now in place with another dozen being reviewed by KPMG. Vice chairman James Eads wanted to know whether the constitutional officers of the county received the same information and was assured that they did. Eads also asked whether a written report would be expected from the Treasurer’s Office, to which Dickson replied that would not be her first option, saying working with the treasurer or agencies to improve the reporting and compliance would be the first order of business. Some highlights of the audit revealed that the General Fund Balance as of June 30 last year was $20.38 million, with $12.52 million unreserved at the time, down about $5.3 million from 2009 due to transfers out to capital projects. Despite the decline, the $12.52 million figure still meets the Board of Supervisors’ financial policy guidelines for reserve policies, which stipulates that

undesignated fund balances at the close of each year be at least 20 percent of the adopted annual fund budget. Net assets of the Tuckahoe Creek Service District fell from $7.96 million to $5.41 million, due to depreciation and accreted interest on capital appreciation bonds. Increases in the TCSD ad valorem tax rate are anticipated to deal with the decline in TCSD assets. Wack said last week that county administration plans on asking the Board of Supervisors to ask KPMG to perform the fiscal year 2011 audit. “Given the time it takes for an auditor to become familiar with a county’s operations, it makes sense to stay with the same one for a few years,” wrote Wack in an email to the Gazette in response to audit questions. But a change in auditors after a certain period, perhaps every five years, is a good idea, said Wack. Goochland’s previous accounting firm, Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates, audited the county’s records for more than 10 years, before the switch to KPMG.

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Weather cuts budget hearing short

Photo by Ken Odor

John Wright addresses the school board last week during the budget public hearing.

By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com

Last week’s frosty mix of snow and freezing rain led the School Board to hold an abbreviated meeting, with the agenda continued until January 18. But because a public hearing on the proposed school budget had been advertised, the board was obliged to convene. Several speakers did take advantage of the short session to make their views known. The public hearing on the budget will continue at the January 18 meeting, scheduled for 6:30 at Goochland High School studio B. During the public comment period, John Wright said he was concerned at putting things off for an entire week, saying he had emailed the Board of Supervisors to ask them to give the School Board an extra week to work on its budget. The current schedule calls for the school budget to be

presented to the supervisors at their February 1 meeting. JoD Hoskins asked that the School Board ask for 7 p.m. time slot at the February meeting for the budget presentation. Superintendent Linda Underwood confirmed that that time has already been allotted for the school budget presentation. Wright also spoke to the board during the public hearing, encouraging the board members to plan to speak individually before the supervisors in support of the budget, rather than leaving that task just to the chairman. “If each of the School Board members were also to stand and express their desires it would be a more effective expression of the needs of the schools,” said Wright. Penny Palen, current chair of the Goochland Education Parents Association (GEPA), asked that the School Board produce a budget without reductions in force.

“We want our taxpayers funds directed to our children’s education,” said Palen, who promised GEPA support for a fully funded budget. Palen elaborated on her comments later in the week. “We can fill every seat in the Board of Supervisors meeting room to support the schools,” she said. Palen said the proposed $693,000 reduction in transfer of funds from the county was unacceptable. She also cast doubt on the viability of some of he ideas floated to produce savings, such as “pay to play” for athletics. “What if you have an athlete whose family is living below the poverty line?” she asked. Dual bus routes would also bring opposition from working parents, said Palen. On another matter, Palen told the board that GEPA has set up a program to assist in providing certain school supplies to Goochland see Weather > page 8

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Morrison continued from > page 1 more extensive than they were 35 years ago,” Morrison said. In addition to supervising the administrative support staff, Morrison also managed computer security and served as the agency’s financial officer. She attributes her dedication and loyalty to the agency to an inherent belief in its mission. “It’s a great agency that performs important and meaningful work,” she said. “Many people don’t realize just how much we do until they need us, but we don’t only serve the very poor. We help people from all walks of life,” Morrison added.

She said the recent downturn in the economy has resulted in increased demands for agency services. “It’s been very busy with the bad economy,” she said. “The population of the county has also increased so demands have increased also.” Morrison said the agency’s success is directly correlated to a cooperative and supportive local government and sound management of the agency. “The Board of Supervisors have been very supportive throughout the years and provided the tools for us to help the community,” she said. She also noted the leadership of agency director Kimberly Jefferson and the support of the county’s Social

Services Board. “They’ve all been great to work with,” she said. For Morrison, serving the public is somewhat of a family tradition. Her father worked for the Highway Department for more than 40 years, while her mother put in 40 years too, driving a school bus for the county. “I guess I was just carrying on a family tradition. I’ve enjoyed working with the public and serving the county for the last 35 years,” Morrison said. The longtime employee said her belief in the agency is heartfelt and was present from day one on the job. “I fully support the service this agency provides for the

community. I’ve always promoted its services and believed in the effect they have on people’s lives. I’ve seen the difference it can make,” she said. Beginning retirement represents a new phase in Morrison’s life, and she said the recognition by the board is appreciated. “They didn’t have to do that and I thought it was really nice of them,” she said. Morrison said she would miss her interaction with the public and her fellow employees, but moves forward after 35 years of dedicated service. “I’m looking forward to whatever is ahead for me,” she said. “It will be a new chapter in my life and I look forward to it.”

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Contributed Photo

Members of the “Junkyard Dogs” robotics team from Goochland High School are gearing up for the 2011 FIRST Robotics Competition. The national competition gives them just six weeks to design and build a robot to compete in a game called “LOGO MOTION.” In the challenge, robots will try to fetch and hang inflatable rings on a wall rack. Teams can earn bonus points by building a mini-bot that can climb a pole. Team members pictured here picked up their robot building kit Saturday, Jan. 8 at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Back Row: John Julock, mentor, Drew Spivey, Bobby Cox, Stuart Long, Zachary Lewis, Katie Shedden, Matt Wilson, coach/mentor. Front: Scott Spivey, Ben Toole, Aaron Early. The FIRST Robotics Virginia Regional contest will be held at VCU’s Stewart C. Siegel Center April 7-9.

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OPINION: Editorial, Letters to the Editor

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Bill would block names on databases State Senator Steve Martin (11th District/Chesterfield) has introduced Senate Bill No. 812 in this session of the General Assembly which would prohibit posting of names of employees along with salaries obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Is this a good idea? Is it appropriate for newspapers to post a database of public employees’ salaries along with the names of those holding the jobs? Or is it an unnecessary invasion of privacy? The Goochland Gazette’s salary database of county employees caused some concern when posted last year. A few county employees contacted then editor Amy Condra and complained. The Gazette did not budge. Nor should it have. For years the salaries of highranking officials at all levels of government have been made public. We can find out how much the President earns and Senators and Congressmen. What’s the difference for any other public employee? None, as far as this writer can see. Going to work for the taxpayer is NOT the same as going to work for a private employer. Taxpayers pay the freight for public employees and they should be able to find out how much they are paying and who is getting it. In fact, one might compare the taxpayer to the CEO of a corpora-

tion. The CEO knows how much his or her employees earn. Likewise the taxpayers as a group are really the CEO of each governmental entity. But, one might argue, all public employees have supervisors who check their performance and of course we have elected bodies that pass ordinances setting pay scales, right? Won’t they make sure everything stays ship shape? Won’t they make sure the taxpayers’ money is spent wisely? Of course we expect that public executives and managers will act responsibly when structuring the salaries of the public work force. But guess what? They too work for the taxpayer, merely acting as agents of the taxpayer CEO. It as simple as that. At every level government employees should remember that, in one form or another, they work for the taxpayer. And although they may have a supervisor who reports to a higher supervisor who reports to the highest authority in whatever public entity is involved, they all serve at the pleasure of the taxpayer CEO. That makes it altogether right and proper for the pay of public employees to be public knowledge. Drop us a line and let us know what you think of the Senator’s proposed change to the Freedom of Information Act.

www.goochlandgazette.com news@goochlandgazette.com sales@goochlandgazette.com For Classifieds: cgrant@mechlocal.com © 2010 by Richmond Suburban Newspapers. All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the permission of the publisher. CAC Audited Circulation: 8,500

Joy Monopoli Publisher Ken Odor Interim Editor Charles Leffler Sports Editor Pam Sanders Sales Manager Brian French Production Manager Stephanie Childrey Advertising Sales

Reader laments lack of rotation of supervisors’ leadership Last year at about this time I wrote a letter to the Gazette that I could have resubmitted this year in its entirety. It was about the Board of Supervisors’ decision to stop rotating board chairmanship. The board once again voted to have Mr. Quarles continue as chairman and Mr. Eads as vice chairman.

The difference between this year and last was that last year’s action came as a surprise, but I don’t think it was a surprise to anyone this year. It’s become quite clear that the 3-2 split on the board is here to stay, if we let them. Misters Quarles, Eads and Pryor have banded together as a triumvirate that does not bode well for the county. I could almost understand if this unseemly relationship was based along party lines, but it isn’t, so what gives? Is it the fact that Mr. Creasey and Mr. Butler were the ones

who called for investigations that uncovered so many issues with county government? Is this just a childish vendetta against them for that rebellious action or is this trio hiding something else? I encouraged them last year to come clean and explain their action, but we didn’t hear a word. One must then assume that their reasons are too impure to be aired in public. I believe the citizens of Goochland expect the board of see Letters > page 7

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Letters to the Editor

Thursday

OPINION: Letters to the Editor

January 20, 2011

Letters continued from > page 6 supervisors to work together, agreeing and disagreeing on how to run the county. It is not our expectation to have them pairing up and making backroom deals to drive their own secretive agenda. In November we’ll have an opportunity to change the Board of Supervisors. Let’s hope a few good people challenge these three incumbents and enable us to vote them out. Otherwise we’ll be in for a long four years. Manuel Alvarez Jr. Sandy Hook

cal expenses (prescriptions), toys, debit cards, household items and special gifts were provided to 305 low income families, the elderly and adults with disabilities. “An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves” Lydia M. Chile. I am sincerely grateful to everyone for helping spread the spirit of the Christmas season to Goochland County residents who would otherwise not have a meaningful Christmas. It was truly a rewarding experience. With love, best wishes and sincere gratitude,

Richard Carchman Columbia

Unprotected programs targeted for spending Jane Allen-Bowles Goochland 2010 Christmas cuts

Thanks from the Christmas Mother “Each of us have strengths and skills we share” - (author unknown). On behalf of the Goochland Christmas Mother Association, I would like to thank everyone (individuals, families, friends, churches, civic groups, corporations, local businesses and volunteers) for their generosity, assistance/participation and inspiring dedication to our Christmas Mother project for 2010. Your generosity and assistance was especially significant to the success of our project. It enabled us to create an atmosphere of great pleasure and happiness for our recipients. Food, new clothing, medi-

Myself and others regularly pick up roadside trash, though it provides for some outdoor exercise there are other outdoor activities that would be more enjoyable .I would hope that folks moving trash would be more attentive in making sure that it all ends up in the right place. I wonder how widespread this problem is and what else we might try to do to correct it?

Mother

Roadside trash increasing over the years In the 30 plus years that we have lived in Goochland there has been a noticeable increase in trash on the roads. I have observed this from Tabscott Road by Shannon Hill Rd through Hickory Hill with a trajectory toward the west end convenience center. Sometimes it is plastic bags of home trash , lumber , beer cans etc. whether this is due to private trash carriers in open trucks , citizens in pickups, it is something that requires people to be responsible.

The Superintendent claims that her goal when making budget cuts is to comply with mandates, protect the core curriculum and affect the minimum number of students. This is the justification given for targeting programs unprotected by legal mandate for massive funding cuts. For example, the music budget was cut from $7,300 to $1,000 this year, with a proposed budget of just $500 for 2011/12. Art funding has been cut from $15,500 to $7,500, with a proposed budget of $5,000 next year. Funding for textbooks and supplies has been reduced by over $100,000 and gifted education has been cut to the bone. However, the current “war chest” of legal fees, to defend the schools against

parents trying to obtain necessary Special Education services for their children, is poised to increase by $15,000 to $45,000 next year. In the light of these changes, how can GCPS justify spending $60,000 in administrative consulting fees for medical insurance, strategic planning and organization chart design? And how can the Superintendent justify budgeting $22,300 in travel for conventions and association memberships for administrative personnel, plus a $3,000 “refreshments” budget for her office? The Administration budget just keeps on increasing – by 14% to over $1 million this year. This doesn’t include over $500,000 for the Assistant Superintendent and three Supervisors of Education, whose salaries are paid out of the Instruction funds available for classroom teachers. Next year, while cutting even more classroom teaching positions, the Superintendent proposes adding a Director of Education position, earning over $100,000 with benefits, plus a full-time “vision” specialist. How can we possibly afford all these high-level administrative overheads, when we cannot afford to fund music, art, teachers, textbooks or supplies for the benefit of the 2500 students in our schools?

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During last year’s budget cycle deliberations and hearings, I suggested that more could be done to conserve energy in County and school buildings, thus, reducing the operating cost of heating, cooling and lighting. I was pleasantly surprised that school officials took this to heart, at least in part, when I saw that lighting fixtures at Randolph Elementary School media center were being operated at reduced capacity, with one fluorescent light bulb instead of the maximum three. It is important to note that the quality of lighting in the room did not suffer at all. This is roughly 66 percent savings in electricity consumption in this location alone. It is equally comforting to note that Superintendent Linda Underwood anticipates that $10,000 can be saved despite a projected increase in electric rates, as she stated in her proposed 2011–2012 school budget. I was at Randolph Elementary School at the invitation of Mrs. JamieEllen Spessard, to talk to the students in K-5, as part of the school’s enrichment program. Coincidentally, I chose energy and conservation as my topic of discussion with the students. It worked as if we had planned it. I was able Jane Christie to demonstrate that conservManakin ing energy is not only nec-

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without sacrificing public safety. The kids seemed to understand this very well. What they need is consistent and persistent encouragement from adults, parents included, that to conserve energy is the right thing to do. We all know that our natural resources are scarce and we need to act responsibly doing more with less, and I see a great value in teaching the younger generation about conserving energy for the greater good. So, my challenge to our Goochland County school system is to increase awareness of energy and the conservation of energy in the class rooms, so that our children will grow up more apt to practice this value in their adult life and instill it in future generations. I bet there are even more savings that can be realized. We just have to be serious and creative in managing our resources. Conserving energy is environmentally sound, lowers emissions, improves quality of life for everybody, and does not have to be costly. The Internet is a great resource, and you are welcome to read following the links below for starters. http://www.eia.doe.gov/ emeu/steo/pub/contents. html#Electricity_Markets http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/energy.pdf Adeeb Hamzey Goochland

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January 20, 2011

NEWS: What’s Going on in Goochland County

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Goochland Christmas Mother wraps up record year Contributed Report news@goochlandgazette.com

Providing for those in need who may not be able to enjoy the Christmas season is the goal of the Goochland Christmas Mother Association. The need was especially acute this past December, and through the generosity of so many, the association was able to help a record number of recipients. The 2010 Christmas Mother Program supported 379 families in Goochland County, representing 813 adults and children. Of those, 304 families were supported directly by the Christmas Mother, while 75 families were “adopted.” The program received the support of 47 area businesses, churches, organizations and families who adopted one or more applicant families, providing Christmas for their adoptees on behalf of the Christmas Mother. As an example, the staff of the Goochland Library adopted a family of 10. The 14-member staff purchased many of the gifts

on the families’ wish list. Every gift was wrapped and tagged for each recipient. One of the staff knitted Christmas tree hats for the family’s 2 year-old twins. The family also received eight bags of groceries and a large gift certificate to Food Lion. The library staff has adopted a family for the last several years instead of a doing an office gift exchange. Adoptions are an important part of the overall ability to support the needs of the community. Other examples include the Goochland Lion’s Club, whose members adopted five families, St. Matthews Church congregation, who adopted eight families, Dominion Auto Group, Goochland Fire & Rescue, the Sophomore Class of Goochland High School and many more. In addition, many local families also enjoyed providing for an adopted family in need. Goochland’s Christmas Mother Program provides food, clothing, and other special gifts and support to meet the needs of each qualified family. The

Contributed Photo

A teddy bear waiting to be delivered to the large family adopted by the staff of the Goochland Library in support of the 2010 Goochland Christmas Mother program.

Goochland Sheriff’s Office support the effort along with many businesses, schools, families, and individuals. Volunteers are key to meeting the need, and it is a community effort that many enjoy participating in each year. A county resident is asked to serve as the Goochland

Christmas Mother during the season, and 2010’s Christmas Mother was Jane Allen Bowles. Mrs. Bowles worked hard to raise funds and contributions in support of the program. As of mid January, her fund raising efforts had reached just under $58,000. The budget for this

year’s countywide support was $55,000. Contributions are accepted throughout the year. To read more about the Goochland Christmas Mother and learn about volunteer opportunities, visit their web site at goochlandchristmasmother. org

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forum and list supply needs that donors can then drop off continued from > page 4 at the schools or at the YMCA. Palen said she hoped that fire teachers. Under this brand stations would be added as new program, teachers can additional drop off locations. register with GEPA’s web site

Underwood said later in the week that she welcomed any support from GEPA in providing school supplies. “Anytime someone wants to donate supplies we are

happy and grateful,” said Underwood. To read teachers’ lists of needed supplies, go to GEPA’s web site at http://goochlandparents.blogspot.com.

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Kirby, George Long, III and Alvin Terry McNeely. “The annual meeting is the best single opportunity to outline our plans for the future to our membership and discuss our progress in meeting our financial goals,” noted Jason Lipinski, manager of Southern States Cooperative, Inc.

– Goochland Service. The Board of Directors, management and employees of Southern States continue to be thankful for your business and dedication. Founded in 1923, Southern States now has more than 300,000 farmermembers. As one of the nation’s largest agricultural

cooperatives, the Richmond, Va. based firm provides a wide range of farm inputs, including fertilizer, seed, livestock feed and pet food, animal health supplies and petroleum products, as well as other items for the farm and home. The Cooperative serves its members and nonmember customers through some 1,200 retail outlets.

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work of hundreds of volunteers is required to organize the donated and purchased food and supplies, shop for and wrap gifts, and deliver the items to each family. Volunteers from other county organizations, like the Rotary, the Goochland Woman’s Club, and the

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continued from > page 3 as well as projected budget results for next year. Local board members will be elected and retiring board members will be recognized. Board nominees include Raymond L. Hawk, A. K.

Thursday

January 20, 2011

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Taylor leads Bulldogs to second win over Fluvanna Good shooting and rebounding secure victory BY JIM RIDOLPHI Special Correspondent

Goochland sophomore Tammara Taylor led the Lady Bulldogs to a 41-34 victory over Fluvanna last Friday night, giving the team their third win of the season and the second against the Flucos. The talented forward was dominant on the boards and from the floor, recording a double-double by scoring 24 points and pulling down 17 rebounds. “She had a good game the first time we played, but she was unstoppable tonight,” said Fluco coach Chad White. “We tried doing some things to stop her, but nothing worked against her. She had a great game.” Goochland head coach Sarah Voyack agreed. “Tammara had a great game tonight and she really played well on both ends of the court,” she said. The Flucos led a nip and tuck battle throughout the first

Photo by Jim Ridolphi

Goochland sophomore Tammara Taylor (14) goes up for a layup in second half action against Fluvanna. Taylor dominated with a double-double performance scoring 24 points and pulling down 17 rebounds.

quarter, but the Bulldogs finally caught up and tied the game at 17 with five minutes remaining before the half. Goochland never relinquished that advantage, although Fluvanna made a

serious run in the third quarter, cutting the Bulldog lead to four. That was as close as they could get as Goochland closed the game by hitting some key free throws, and didn’t collapse

under the Flucos pressure defense. “For the most part, I thought we played a good game tonight,” Voyack said. “We boxed out well and took the ball to the basket. We defi-

nitely hit the boards and that really helped tonight.” Voyack indicated that there were a few lapses in the otherwise solid performance. “We had a lot of turnovers in the first quarter and again in the fourth quarter.” The team also had difficulty slowing down the pace when they held a substantial lead late in the game; an area the team needs to work on. “Trying to get them to pull it back is difficult sometimes because we are a young team, but we definitely took some ill advised shots at the end of the game,” Voyack said. White felt his Flucos could not afford to make mistakes against a well-coached team like Goochland. “We missed a lot of shots and didn’t make our free throws,” he said. “They did. We couldn’t hit anything and that’s a recipe for disaster for us.” The Fluco coach also hoped a strong defensive effort would compensate for the poor shooting performance, but it didn’t materialize. “You have to get defensive stops when you are not shooting well. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long night.” He’s also looking for more consistency from his young

Flucos. “We make a good play and then follow that with a mistake,” White said. “That’s been our pattern all this season. We get a steal and then we miss the lay-up. It was that kind of night.” For the Lady Bulldogs, they are playing their best basketball of the season when it counts. The meat of the Jefferson District schedule lies ahead, and Voyack said she’d take it one game at a time. “We have some tough games coming up and I hope we can play like we did tonight.” White gathered his troops and headed back to Fluvanna, realizing his girls put up a good struggle in a game that is quickly becoming a rivalry for the teams. “Anytime, you come in here, you know it’s going to be a dogfight, no pun intended.” GOOCHLAND 41, FLUVANNA 34 GOOCHLAND (3-6, 2-4 Jefferson) — B. Jackson 0, Am. Robinson 0, Epps 0, Rodriguez 6, Taylor 24, Mills 10, C. Jackson 1, Ab. Robinson 0. Totals 15 11-19 41. FLUVANNA (2-10, 1-5) — L. Key 0, Burress 9, Streeter 0, Harris 1, Mauyon 4, Payne 8, Williams 10, Foster 2, Patterson 0, E. Key 0. Totals 11 9-19 34. Goochland........... 11 12 1 17 — 41 Fluvanna........... 13 9 8 4 — 34

Local athletes honored as All Metro selections FOOTBALL First Team Defense THOMAS MEADOWS Goochland, Jr. D-back The skinny: Meadows, a firstteam all-Jefferson District pick, is being actively recruited by Division I schools. He averaged 37 yards on 17 punts. Opponents had only 6 yards worth of punt returns for the season because of the height and hang time of his punts. What you didn’t know: “My work ethic. People really only get to see what goes on during the season, but I make it my job to further my skills

in the offseason when no one is watching. I owe a lot to what I’ve accomplished to my constant practice.” Second team Down linemen: Nigel Williams, Benedictine, 6-3, 250, Jr. Honorable mention Defensive backs: Ben McSweeney, Benedictine, Sr. First team offense COLBY COOKE Goochland, Jr. kicker The skinny: The Jefferson District first-team kicker two consecutive years, Cooke connected on 10 of 12 field goals with a long of 47 yards. His

misses were from 45 and 52 yards. In 52 kickoffs, he had 27 touchbacks. He was secondteam All-Metro (and all-state) last year and is on numerous college recruiters’ lists. What you didn’t know: “I sing in the shower.” Second team Tackles: Trevor Jenkins, Goochland, 6-5, 285, Sr. Wide receivers: Rutherford Moore, Collegiate, 6-0, 170, Sr. Honorable mention Wide receivers: Charley Meyer, Benedictine, Jr.; Quarterbacks: David Geary, Benedictine, Jr.; Wilton Speight, Collegiate, So.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY SCOTT NEWTON Collegiate, Jr. The skinny: Newton started the season slowly while working his way back from a foot injury, but turned it up in the big races at the end. He follows former teammate Cabell Willis as a first-team All-Metro pick. Newton ran 16:10 to win the Prep League crown and covered the 5K at Woodberrry in 16:29 to win the VIS title. He was No. 18 on the Cream of the Crop list. What you didn’t know: “I’ve designed a 168-square foot

house that I want to build and live in someday.” FIELD HOCKEY ANN WALLACE TAZEWELL Collegiate, Sr. Back The skinny: The Cougars lost some key players from the 2009 state championship team, and Tazewell was one of the returnees who stepped into a leadership role. She was the backbone of the defense with her positioning and takeaway skills. She was an all-LIS and all-VIS selection. What you didn’t know: “I want to be a wedding planner when I grow up.”

EMILY WRIGHT Collegiate, Sr. Midfield The skinny: Scored three goals and had five assists and set up scoring opportunities on the attack with strong crosses and passing. Selected to the All-LIS and all-VIS teams, she can change the momentum of a game on either end of the field with her speed and athleticism. What you didn’t know: “I sleep walk.” Second team Midfielders: Becca Martin, Collegiate, Sr.; Backs: Ellen Geho, Collegiate, Sr.

Thursday

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January 20, 2011

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