CHESTERFIELD

Paying the bills: Proffer policy spurs debate
The Dale magisterial district’s representative on the Planning Commission last week became the first local government official to publicly criticize recent changes to the county’s cash proffer policy. Taking an opportunity to comment during the commission’s monthly meeting, Michael Jackson expressed frustration with a nearly 50 percent reduction of the maximum cash proffer and the “strong influence” the real estate development industry maintains in Chesterfield. He also challenged the county administrator and budget director to certify that the proffer changes won’t eventually force the county to “increase taxes, fees or other charges it collects, increase borrowing or reduce services to offset the millions of dollars we’ve given back to the development community.”

HENRICO

School renovations, new firehouses among projects that would be funded by Henrico bond referendum
In a building where Henrico County trains fire recruits, classes are conducted from a 1½-car garage. There are no showers and one toilet. The space, Fire Chief Tony McDowell said, is “completely inadequate for our needs.” Renovations to the training facility on Woodman Road are being called for as part of a $419.8 million bond referendum in Henrico that residents will vote on Nov. 8. The county is seeking voters’ permission to issue the bonds for 26 capital projects that would be funded throughout the next six years.

POWHATAN

All Powhatan schools fully accredited
Powhatan County Public Schools recently learned that all of its schools had earned full accreditation, a feat achieved by only 39 of 132 school divisions in the state. As a result of earning full accreditation for three consecutive years, all six Powhatan public schools, including the now closed Powhatan Junior High School, have been automatically fully accredited through 2019, the Powhatan County School Board heard during its meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Dr. Tracie Omohundro, assistant superintendent for instruction, gave a presentation to the school board on the district’s success at being accredited for the 2015-2016 school year based on Standards of Learning (SOL) results and graduation rates.

REGIONAL

Eight more local schools denied accreditation, seven of them in Richmond
Eight more local schools were denied state accreditation on Thursday, seven of which are in Richmond. The Virginia State Board of Education voted on the accreditation statuses for the remaining 97 schools across the state whose ratings had yet to be determined. Those schools submitted applications to the state, asking to be partially accredited as a reconstituted school instead of having their accreditation denied outright. Locally, the state panel approved applications from five Richmond schools and six Henrico County schools that submitted applications to become partially accredited as a reconstituted school, which is one of the state’s varying levels of partial accreditation.

ELECTIONS

More than 27,000 Virginians register to vote after extension
The Virginia Department of Elections says more than 27,000 people registered to vote during a brief extension of the state’s voter-registration deadline. A federal judge granted the deadline’s extension Thursday after heavy demand prevented some voters from registering online. U.S. Senior Judge Claude Hilton had ordered officials to reopen voter registration in the commonwealth and keep it open until 11:59 p.m. Friday. Election officials said in a statement Saturday that as of the 11:59 p.m. deadline for online registration, 27,952 voter registration applications had been submitted since the court order. Officials said the final number of applications submitted during the window will be higher when in-person and mailed voter registration applications are processed in the coming days.

Editorial: Jack Berry for mayor
Richmond faces many of the intractable problems that plague other American cities: underperforming schools, concentrated poverty, too much crime, not enough economic opportunities — especially in minority neighborhoods. These are complex, enduring, hard-to-solve challenges that have proved resistant to good intentions, committed communities and even capable leaders. The failures have endured, quite literally, for generations. We don’t want to sound too bleak. The city has made much progress in recent years, with a growing population, a reviving downtown, pockets of educational success, a long decline in crime rates, and significant improvements in race relations — especially when compared with the first two centuries of our history.

Former Councilman Chuck Richardson endorses Berry for mayor
Richmond mayoral candidate Jack Berry said Monday that he hopes an endorsement from former Councilman Chuck Richardson will give him a boost in the city’s 5th District, which Richardson represented. Richardson, who served on the Richmond City Council from 1977 to 1995, announced his endorsement of Berry in front of his home and surrounded by a large crowd of supporters. He said he decided to support Berry because he has a background in government administration and has shown a willingness to listen to all of the city’s residents.

3^rd District City Council candidates on the issues
There are four candidates for City Council in the city’s 3rd District: Milondra Coleman, a 45-year-old instructional coordinator and history teacher at Richmond Public Schools; Dorian Daniels, a 34-year-old self employed convenience store operator; Hassan J. Fountain, a 40-year-old operator for Coca-Cola Bottling Co.; and Chris Hilbert, who currently represents the district and is a loan officer at the Virginia Housing Development Authority. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

Meet the five candidates running for City Council in the 4^th District
There are five candidates for City Council in the city’s 4th District: Tim Grimes, 61, liaison to Councilwoman Kathy C. Graziano; Kristen Nye Larson, a 42-year-old School Board member and freelance writer; Larry A. Olanrewaju, a 63-year-old professor of economics; Jeff Thomas, a 32-year-old author; and Johnny S. Walker, a 62-year-old retired director of telecommunications. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

5^th District Richmond City Council candidates on trash collection, water rates, and jobs
There are three candidates for City Council in the city’s 5th voter district: Parker C. Agelasto, 40, who currently represents the 5th District and is executive director of the Capital Region Land Conservancy; Montigue T. Magruder, a 29-year-old caretaker at Kathy’s Home of Care; and Garrett L. Sawyer, a 30-year-old senior recruiter at True Health Diagnostics. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

6^th District Richmond City Council candidates on the Redskins training camp, paving and development
There are two candidates for City Council in the city’s 6th District: Donald Moss, a 32-year-old nonprofit and political consultant, and Ellen F. Robertson, who currently represents the district on City Council. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

7^th District City Council candidates on development in the East End, school funding and poverty
There are two candidates for City Council in the city’s 7th District: Cynthia I. Newbille, the current 7th District council representative, who declined to give her age and works as a program officer and medical home coordinator at Richmond Memorial Health Foundation; and Josh Williams, a 29-year-old business owner and member of the National Guard. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

8^th District Richmond City Council candidates on expanding public transit, sidewalks and scrutinizing economic development proposals
There are two candidates for City Council in the city’s 8th District: Amelia E. Lightner, a retired resident of the Brookbury subdivision who has served as president of two neighborhood civic associations; and Reva M. Trammell, a real estate investor who has represented the district on City Council for a total of 14 years. Here’s where they stand on the election and the issues facing the city.

Candidates for School Board’s 3^rd district seat sharply disagree on Dana Bedden
Three candidates are running for the District 3 seat currently held by Jeff M. Bourne on the city’s School Board: Bourne, 40, the incumbent and an attorney with the Office of the Attorney General; Jessee Perry, 27, areas sales manager for Farmers Insurance; and Kevin Starlings, 30, who’s in executive management with The J2 Service Corp. Here’s where they stand on issues facing the city’s school district.

Candidates for School Board’s 4^th District agree district must close some schools
Four candidates are running for the 4th District seat to replace Kristen Larson on the city’s School Board: Barrett Hardiman, 37, director of external and government affairs for the Luck Companies; Sean M. Smith, 28, a victim services advocate and consultant; Irvine Lee Reaves Jr., 31, an attorney; and Jonathan Young, 39, a teacher at Virginia State University. Here’s where they stand on issues facing the city’s school district.