COURT KKK leader sentenced for driving into protesters.
OPINION Vaccine set-up very impressive in county PAGE
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Vol. 6 No. 25 | Richmond Suburban News | February 17, 2021
Town, EDA partner to redevelop South Carter site EDA plans to manage demolition of site to attract future restaurant or hotel Contributed Report news@mechlocal.com ASHLAND – The Town of Ashland is partnering with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) of the Town of Ashland to purchase the property formerly known as the Apple Garden Inn at 99 S. Carter Rd. Building on the town’s successful efforts last year to bring the Tru Hotel to the site of a previously abandoned restaurant, the town and EDA’s purchase of the South Carter Road site represents a positive hands-on approach to solve a longstanding problem: a vacant long-term stay motel in the heart of Ashland’s bustling commercial corridor.
The town and EDA are partnering to purchase the property, demolish the structure, and prepare the site for redevelopment by either a hotel or restaurant that will generate at least $100,000/year in meals or lodging taxes. “This is a win for all Ashlanders”, said Ashland Mayor Steve Trivett. “It ensures no one will ever have to live in that unfit building again, and it provides a beautiful opportunity for the redevelopment of a highly visible property at the gateway to our town. This will not only improve the image of Ashland to our thousands of daily visitors, but it is also another piece that helps us secure our community’s financial future in the decades ahead.” “Ever since the completion of Interstate 95 in the mid-1960s, England Street has been home to various travel-related lodging and dining establishments,” said Tim Shelton, chairman of the town’s Economic Development Authority. “As meals and lodging taxes account for over 30% of see EDA, pg. 4
Photo courtesy of Ashland EDA
The Town of Ashland is partnering with the Economic Development Authority to purchase this property at 99 S. Carter St. The goal is to attract a motel or hotel or a restaurant. It is a prime location near Interstate 95.
HCSB approves budget;
Budget: priorities, changing conditions noted IB program questioned By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local
HANOVER -- Hanover County Administrator John Budesky unveiled a $510 million FY2022 proposed budget that continues the county’s commitment to basic priorities: namely education, public safety, employee retention and capital and future planning. The proposal represents a 6.8 percent increase from the FY2021 budget, or approximately $32 million higher than the current plan. Funding for the 2022 General Fund is $289.8 million, about 9 percent higher than last year. Budesky presented his first budget recommendation since taking the job
last year at a Hanover County Board of Supervisors meeting last Wednesday, and said, despite some unique challenges presented by COVID-19, the proposal addresses community needs and maintains current levels of service while BUDESKY maintaining the county’s longstanding real estate tax rate of 81 cents per $100 of assessed value. “It is extremely important that this
budget reflects the interests and needs of our community,” Budesky said. “The budget is one of the key efforts we undertake each year to set the priorities of the county. We want to make sure that the recommended budget that we are bringing to you is our very best effort to address those concerns, aligns with priorities, and meets the needs of our community,” the county administrator said. Budesky said. “I always tell folks, ‘If you want to see the priorities of a jurisdiction, look at the budget that’s on file’.” While other communities have struggled to gain financial footing during the pandemic, Hanover County appears see BUDGET, pg. 2
By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND -- The Hanover County School Board unanimously approved Dr. Michael Gill’s FY2022 school budget that includes salary increases for all Hanover County Public Schools employees and expanded counseling and behavioral resources at last Wednesday’s regular meeting at the Central Office. The FY2022 approved school board budget provides a 2.5 percent across-the-board
increase for employees, but other enhancements could increase those pay raises. Adding more monetary buffers in the county’s pay scale continues to address the longstanding problem of salary compression, and those increases and others could equate to up to a 6 percent increase. The average increase is 3.7 percent. Teacher assistants and bus drivers also received salary increases. The budget also outlines see HCSB, pg. 5