A new form of county government?

I want to make it abundantly clear that I am not speaking of any personalities when I raise the question as to whether or not it is time for Goochland to change its form of government.

I also want to make it quite clear that I am not speaking for the Board of Supervisors.

On Aug. 1, 1995, the Goochland County “Commission on the Future,” composed of Goochland County citizens, unanimously delivered its report to the Board of Supervisors.

In this report, under the section titled “Government Organization” this task force recommended that the County change its form of government to that of a county manager or county executive.

They saw fifteen years ago, that Goochland needed to change its form of government to be more efficient and responsive to the challenge of projects like the Tuckahoe Creek Service District.

This utility project is a 30 year endeavor financed by $63,000,000 in bonds and these bonds must and will be repaid.

What is the problem with how we operate now? Currently we have our county finances administered by three autonomous departments. Each department is totally independent of the other, and yet each is totally dependent on the other. There is no central control. How logical is that?

The treasurer and the commissioner of revenue are independent constitutional officers. Historically, there is very little or no competition for these jobs. Generally, there is competition only if some one retires. These jobs tend to be for a lifetime.

In the treasurer’s office, since 1971, there has been one contested election in November of 1971 and one contested election in 2003, when the incumbent retired.

In the commissioner of revenue’s office, since 1971, there has been one contested election which was in 1991, when the incumbent retired. These positions are rarely contested and then generally only by someone working in that office. This is probably a state wide practice.

Today, these positions have taken on greater importance, but yet they are rarely contested. If you don’t have frequent contested elections, you lose the vitality of competition.

There is an old saying that goes like this – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Recent events have proven the system is broken and needs fixing, just like the task force predicted, fifteen years ago. Seventeenth century organizational charts do not fit twenty-first century needs.

If Goochland changes to a county executive or county manager form of government we could have a director of finance who has the direct responsibility of our entire accounting process and who would be held directly responsible for its operations.

Our next step is quite simple. The citizens of Goochland must hear both sides of this question and then vote in a referendum to express their wishes.

There is no doubt in my mind that given an explanation, and a chance to vote, the citizens will reach the right conclusion.

I hope the Board of Supervisors will give the citizens of Goochland a chance to express their opinion. We want to see Goochland acknowledged as the best managed county in the Commonwealth. We can do that.

James W. Eads
Supervisor, District Five