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Vol. 35, No. 33 | Richmond Suburban News | December 19, 2018
Sale of Cold Harbor park OK’d By Jim Ridolphi for The Mechanicsville Local HANOVER – The Hanover County Board of Supervisors approved the sale of about 50 acres of land originally scheduled to become the Elton J. Wade Park in Cold Harbor. Action was taken during last Wednesday’s regular meeting. The county will receive a reported $1 million for two tracts of land from the American Battlefield Trust, an organization that preserves the nation’s historical venues and battlefields. “It’s a win-win situation,” Scott Wyatt, who represents the Cold Harbor District, said before the vote. The county announced its intention to build WYATT an athletic complex on the site nearly a year ago on the land the county acquired
GILMORE
from the Hanover County School Board. There were immediate objections to the plan from neighbors in the area who couldn’t imagine the hallowed ground being disturbed by thousands of soccer
and lacrosse fans. Several months ago, Thomas Gilmore of the American Battlefield Trust approached the supervisors and expressed his organization’s interest in acquiring the property and preserving it as a Civil War battle site. The property was home to two famous Civil War battles, Gaines Mill and Cold Harbor, both integral battles in the defense of Richmond. There were significant casualties in each battle and Gilmore said the site is unique in the fact that two major battles took place on a single tract of land. “The property was the site of two
momentous Civil War battlefields … and it is one of the only places in the United States that was the site of two major battles of the war,” Gilmore said. “We want to thank the board and county officials for the chance to work together to save this important history. The county realized the importance of saving this land and acted accordingly.” Gilmore also acknowledged the work of many adjacent neighbors who assisted in the effort to preserve the historical sites. He said many of those residents had lived on land surrounding the battlefields for generations. “In some cases, the ancestors actually witnessed these battles,” Gilmore said. A number of those residents spoke during a public hearing regarding the sale held last week. Long-time resident David Adams described himself as a “proud resident of Cold Harbor.” “We stand tonight at the brink of an incredible vision at the heart of the Cold Harbor community and Hanover County,” see PARK, pg. 16
Budget proposals will include school counselors, safety
Nick Liberante for The Local
Gov. Ralph Northam announced budget proposals to add school counselors and improve school safety during a visit on Thursday, Dec. 13, at Oak Knoll Middle School. Complete details may be found on page 4.
Hanover County personal property taxes paid before Dec. 31 can be deducted from tax returns HANOVER -- Hanover County’s 2018 personal property taxes are not due until Feb. 5, 2019. However, payments made before this calendar year ends may be deductible on your Federal and State tax returns if you itemize your deductions. If you are mailing in your payment, the postmark must be no later than Dec. 31. Barring inclement weather, the Hanover County Treasurer’s Office will be open daily from 8:30 a.m.to
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Prsrt. Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
5 p.m. Monday through Friday in December except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. If you have not received your 2018
personal property tax bill by Dec. 17, you may view and/or pay your taxes online by visiting the Treasurer’s Online Tax Services website at https://www.hanovercounty.org/. For more information, call the Treasurer’s Office at 804-365-6050. Information submitted by Tom Harris, Hanover County public information officer.
PAGE 9 HANOVER -- The Hanover County Board of Supervisors approved two amendments to the Comprehensive Plan during the Dec. 12 regular meeting. Planning director David Maloney addressed the board.