DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
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PRSRT. STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Mechanicsville, VA Permit No.141
Vol. 29, No. 35 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | January 2, 2013
County bond rating affirmed financial planning,” Fitch Ratings has affirmed Hanover Fitch reported. County’s AAA bond rating. Fitch also noted Hanover has had a AAA bond rating that the county’s from Fitch since 2006, when it became the unemployment rate smallest county in the U.S. to achieve such (5.3 percent as of a rating. September) is “well Fitch cited the county’s sound financial below” that of the performance, low debt burden and affordstate and nation able retirement costs as some of the key facand that the countors in affirming the AAA bond rating. HARRIS ty’s residents enjoy “The county demonstrates sound finan“high wealth levels, cial management by maintaining ample reserves, controlling expenditure growth as measured by per capita money income and performing conservative out-year and median household income.”
Hanover also is rated AAA by the other two major bond rating agency firms, Moody’s Financial Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s. “This is great news,” said County Administrator Cecil R. “Rhu” Harris Jr. “One of the things we take pride in is managing tax dollars in the most responsible way.” “This AAA bond rating will continue to produce significant benefits for Hanover County for years to come,” he added. Information submitted by Tom Harris, Hanover County public information officer.
Student nursing program revamped By Jim Ridolphi for The Mechanicsville Local Assistant superintendent Daryl Chesley outlined a plan that would realign the county’s student nursing program with a stated goal of achieving better results for students who complete the course. Dr. Cathy Seal said the county’s program no longer paralleled the course of study at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, and fewer and fewer students were taking and passing the LPN entrance test. The readjusted curricula means courses now taught in the 11th grade will be offered in the 12th grade, and students will proceed to JSRCC to complete LPN training and certification prep. “With the proposed changes,
students will still be in a position to complete the LPN licensure,” superintendent Jamelle Wilson said. “The attraction for the school division is that it allows students to mature one more year before that licensure happens. It provides students who are juniors a certification that they can have under their belt for employability.” Students will receive a Certified Nursing Assistant that provides graduates with employable credentials upon graduation. Chesley said nursing jobs are some of the most abundant opportunities in the region, and CNAs also are in demand. “We see this as a win-win,” Wilson said. “When we introduced the program in 2003, we see NURSING, pg. 5
Photo submitted by Linda M. Scarborough
Christopher A. Sorensen, left, director of Budget Development and Risk Management, is presented with the award by Dr. Jamelle S. Wilson, superintendent of Hanover County Public Schools.
School district gets budget work honor
Jim Ridolphi for The Local
Winners of this year’s R.E.B. teacher awards were Greenlee Naughton, left, and Cynthia McCreary. They were recognized during the Dec. 11 meeting of the Hanover County School Board. Each received grants to enhance their fields of study. Complete details of the recipients and their plans can be found on page 5.
For the third consecutive year, Hanover County Public Schools has been selected to receive the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, the only national awards program devoted to governmental budgeting. Chris Sorensen, director of Budget Development and Risk Management, received a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation (20122013) from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and
Canada (GFOA), a nonprofit association serving more than 17,600 government finance professionals throughout the continent. The award submission met the highest principles of governmental budgeting and received a “proficient” rating for serving as a model in the following four categories: a policy document; a financial plan; an operations guide; and a communications device. see BUDGET, pg. 4