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Volume 66 Number 39 • October 7, 2021
Increase in building has kept county inspectors on the move
Fire-Rescue truck from Goochland donated to Charles City
Sept. 30, 1927 - Sept. 30, 2021
Col. Floyd B. Callihan
By Roslyn Ryan Editor
By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Amid an ongoing building boom in Goochland, the County’s Building Inspection department has been completing up to 17 inspections a day, crisscrossing the county ensuring all new construction projects meet code requirements. “Across the board, we are seeing almost double the number of permits,” Deputy County Administrator Jo Ann Hunter told County supervisors during last month’s board meeting. But while the department has managed to keep up with the tidal wave of new permits — including a 45% increase in residential building permits and a 51% increase in commercial permits — all of the extra leg work inspectors are putting in each day may actually be putting the county at a disadvantage. According to Hunter, the Insurances Services Office (ISO) sets the optimum number of inspections completed per day at 10 in order to insure that those inspections are done thoroughly. Any more than that, Hunter explained to County supervisors last month, and the risk of something being missed increases. Currently county inspectors are averaging around 17 inspections a day, which could negatively impact the county’s ISO
Thanks to a donation from the Goochland County Fire-Rescue Department, a locality about 70 miles south of Goochland has gained a needed piece of equipment at a critical time. Early last month, the Goochland County Board of Supervisors authorized the donation of a surplus fire tanker and accessories to Charles City County Fire Department. According to Charles City Fire and EMS Chief Jimmy Johnson, the donation of the 20-year-old truck will allow Charles City to maintain operations after the recent breakdown of one of its trucks. “It could not have come at a more perfect time,” said Johnson. Charles City’s fire department is composed of volunteer companies and a small group of career personnel. The county is one of several in the region that enjoys a cooperative relationship with Goochland Fire-Rescue. As Goochland County Fire-Rescue Chief Eddie Ferguson told board members, Goochland recently replaced this fire tanker with a new 2021 Pierce Kenworth tanker. According to Ferguson, the older tanker was decommissioned based on maintenance costs and overall condition after serving the department for the last 20 years. The truck was valued at between
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File photo
Goochland’s Col. Floyd B. Callihan, who died last week at the age of 94, is seen here holding a photo of one of the many planes he flew. Callihan will be remembered by many for his tireless service to the community and to Virginia aviation. For more on Callihan’s life, see page 2.
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