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Vol. 36, No. 38 | Richmond Suburban News | February 5, 2020
Public comments boost Gill’s budget plan By Jim Ridolphi for The Mechanicsville Local ASHLAND -- A number of speakers endorsed the proposed 2021 budget of Dr. Michael Gill, Hanover County Public Schools superintendent, during a public hearing last week at the Central Office. Aside from one speaker who likened the public comments to a “cheering section” for the proposed budget, most provided positive comments regarding Gill’s $199.4 million operating budget. The superintendent had presented his proposed budget the week before. It included: z A 2 percent raise for all employees. z A scale adjustment to address salary compression. z Salary increases for all bus drivers. z Continuation of five-year technology plan
Jim Ridolphi/The Local
Rick Albee, a Chickahominy Falls resident and president of the Cedar Lane Coalition, addresses the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. His comments may be found on page 9.
that provided devices to all middle and high school students by 2021. z Funding for vestibules at 17 county campuses to enhance security. z Continued funding for increasing healthcare costs. z Six behavioral support positions. z Two new school counselors. z One Behavioral Intervention System Coordinator. z One clinic assistant. Hanover Education Association president Gene Matthews and Hanover Professional Educators president Bill Callahan said they sought input from their members in the week since Gill presented his proposal. “Most (members) realize that Dr. Gill has been tasked with an almost impossible job: in a year when
the Governor [Ralph Northam] has proposed no raises, when state aid is declining due to readjusted Local Composite Index (LCI) and dropping enrollment (which, by the way, is not his fault, he has been asked to develop a budget which incentivizes our excellent experienced teachers to remain in Hanover, maintains instructional quality and expands support from all the key stakeholders,” Matthews told board members. Matthews said his members especially appreciated an effort based largely on local support, and praised officials for enhancing efforts to recruit and retain Hanover bus drivers. Regarding the 2 percent raise outlined in Gill’s proposal, Callahan said any monies that might be forthcoming in the state’s final budget should be applied to salaries, “especially for experienced teachsee BUDGET, pg. 4
Jim Ridolphi/The Local
Dr. Michael Gill, superintendent of Hanover County Public Schools, listens during the public comment period in which his 2021 budget proposal was supported by speakers.
Developer and residents work toward resolution By Jim Ridolphi for The Mechanicsville Local HANOVER -- Thanks to a 90-day deferment issued by the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, stakeholders in a dispute involving an industrial park located off Cedar Lane will have additional time to seek a resolution. The panel unanimously
approved the measure at a recent meeting where a number of Cedar Lane residents packed the board room urging supervisors to grant the deferral. The board was scheduled to hear an appeal to a site plan approval that allowed the developer, Scannell, to open the first phase of a proposed industrial park located at the intersection of
Cedar Lane and Route 1. Residents of Chickahominy Falls and other neighborhoods in the Cedar Lane area organized and formed a community group last year to oppose the site plan approval, citing safety concerns regarding the number of trucks potentially entering and exiting the development from a single Cedar Lane access point.
That access point is adjacent to the entrance of Chickahominy Falls, a 50-plus development that has about 50 residences. At a meeting of the supervisors earlier this month, landowner Linda Allen said all parties involved were participating in ongoing discussions to resolve see RESOLUTION, pg. 5
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