Board of Supervisors ............................................... 2,4Building Construction and Inspections ....................... 5Capital Area Training Consortium (CATC) .............. 11Circuit Court ............................................................... 7Clerk of the Circuit Court ........................................... 7Commonwealth’s Attorney ......................................... 7Community Corrections Program ............................... 8Community Revitalization .......................................... 5County Attorney .......................................................... 6Demographics ............................................................. 8Division of Fire ........................................................... 4Division of Police ....................................................... 4Economic Development ............................................. 5Finance........................................................................ 9Financial Summary ................................................... 10General District Court ................................................ 7General Registrar ........................................................ 6General Services ....................................................... 11Human Resources ..................................................... 12Information Technology.............................................. 9Internal Audit ............................................................ 12James River Juvenile Detention Center ...................... 8Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court ..................... 8Juvenile Detention ...................................................... 8Juvenile Probation ...................................................... 8Libraries ...................................................................... 9Mental Health & Retardation Services ..................... 12Permit Center .............................................................. 5Planning ...................................................................... 4Public Health Department ........................................ 13Public Relations & Media Services .......................... 11Public Utilities ............................................................ 5Public Works ............................................................... 6Real Property ............................................................ 12Recreation and Parks ................................................ 10Schools ..................................................................... 10Sheriff’s Office ........................................................... 7Social Services .......................................................... 12Virginia Cooperative Extension ................................ 13

Above (top to bottom):Frank J. Thornton, Chairman, Fairfield District; Richard W. Glover,Vice Chairman, Brookland District; James B. Donati, Jr., Varina Dis-trict; David A. Kaechele, Three Chopt District; Patricia S. O’Bannon,Tuckahoe District.

CONTENTS

There’s an old adage that says those who don’t embrace change will be swept away by it.That bit of wisdom is certainly appropriate as we move further into the 21st century andwitness the waters of change breaking around the globe. But there’s more to it here in Henrico.

County staff works tirelessly to stay ahead of change’s tidal wave, to anticipate—andprepare for—the demands of the future well before they arrive. This essential effort is part ofHenrico County’s unwavering commitment to preserve and enhance our outstanding quality oflife and to provide top-quality customer service to residents.

With the leadership of our Board of Supervisors, we madesignificant strides in 2004-05 to chart a smooth, sound course forthe years ahead. Recognizing Henrico’s robust growth, shiftingdemographics and expanding infrastructure requirements, staffdeveloped an array of capital projects to address these needs.Residents ultimately partnered in the process, votingoverwhelmingly to fund $349.3 million in new schools, firestations, libraries and parks in a bond referendum last March.

While we looked to the future, the demands of the day were metas well, especially late last August when Tropical Storm Gastonbrought torrential rains and dangerous floodwaters to ourcommunity. Henrico’s emergency-service personnel againresponded heroically, repeatedly placing themselves in harm’s wayto rescue dozens threatened by the storm.

The county’s daily dedication to excellence also was reflected in its cutting-edge schools,award-winning programs, and countless other ways. And our accountability to taxpayers wasagain affirmed, as we reduced our already-low property tax rate even further, to 92 cents.

Whether navigating today’s challenges or charting a course for those yet to come, HenricoCounty remains committed to providing the best government possible to you, our residents.And that’s something that won’t change.

Sincerely,

Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E.County Manager

Virgil R. Hazelett, P.E.County Manager

Board of SupervisorsHenrico County comprises five

magisterial districts: Brookland,Fairfield, Three Chopt, Tuckahoe andVarina. Each district elects one repre-sentative to the county’s Board of Su-pervisors. The board appoints thecounty manager, who is the chief ad-ministrative officer, overseeing 35agencies and the county’s daily opera-tions. In addition, the board appointsmembers to 40 local boards and com-missions to ensure the best possibleadministration of the county.

Division of PoliceIf simultaneous gas attacks at

Richmond International Raceway andShort Pump Town Center caused mul-tiple casualties, how would Henricorespond?

That challenging scenario waspresented to the Division of Police aspart of Operation Determined Prom-ise, a nationwide exercise that simu-lated massive terrorist attacks andtested the response capabilities of lo-cal governments. Police helped planand lead the county’s role in thedaylong event, working with federaland state agencies as well as otherVirginia localities. Henrico activatedits Emergency Operations Center tocoordinate the response, with thecounty manager, department headsand other officials participating. Thecounty learned lessons about agen-cies’ reactions under such traumaticcircumstances, gaining key insightsinto the strengths and weaknesses ofits emergency response measures.

Recognizing Henrico’s growingpopulation and the evolving need forservices, Police redesigned its com-munity beat boundaries during fiscalyear 2005. The result is a significantrestructuring of patrol zones into threelarge geographical districts, withplans to add a fourth district in thenear future. Changes in demographicsand population density as well ascommercial and residential develop-ment have led Police to develop fluid

plans to respond to com-munity-service needs anddemands. This constantreview of service-deliverypractices stems fromHenrico’s steady, quality

growth and thecommunity’s ex-pectation of Po-lice to adapt toits changingneeds.

Meanwhile,the divisionagain receivedhigh marks fromthe Commissionon Accreditationof Law Enforce-ment Agencies(CALEA). Thecommission re-viewed Police forthe fifth time inFY 05, recogniz-ing the divisionfor its compli-ance with na-tional standardsand saluting it asa national “flag-ship” agency andmodel for lawenforcementagencies nationwide. CALEA firstaccredited Henrico Police in 1987;the division has earned reaccreditationin each of the commission’s reviews.

Division of FireTropical Storm Gaston was sup-

posed to be a depleted storm late lastAugust when it arrived over centralVirginia. But the tempest found newfury when it reached Henrico and thesurrounding area, packing damagingwinds and dumping nearly a foot ofrain in just a few hours. Unsuspectingresidents were quickly trapped inflooding homes, vehicles and road-ways.

The Division of Fire spearheadedthe county’s emergency managementefforts, enlisting some 200 personnelto respond to more than 1,000 callsfor service. Firefighters repeatedly putthemselves in harm’s way to rescuestranded motorists and others in sev-eral locations, including WilkinsonRoad; Lakeside Avenue and ValeStreet; Laburnum Avenue andCreighton Road; and Brook andHilliard roads. Firefighters ultimatelypulled more than 90 residents—in-cluding nearly 50 facing imminentdanger—from the floodwaters. Sixty-five personnel were honored for theirextraordinary efforts at an award cer-emony later in the year.

While it proved itself the matchof floodwaters, the Division of Firealso improved its ability to fight fires.Fire Station 22 began operating inNovember, further enhancing thedivision’s response time and emer-

gency-service capabilities. The state-of-the-art facility, which houses en-gine and ladder companies and a staffof 25, received funding as part of the2000 bond referendum.

Fire upgraded its training facili-ties as well, opening a 4,000-square-foot burn building in March. The fa-cility, which enables a variety of live-fire situations and training exercises,features high-temperature tiles, tem-perature-monitoring devices, a seven-floor tower and a three-level structurewith both residential and commerciallayouts. With an 18,000-gallon draft-ing pit, the burn building also pro-vides on-site pump testing and pump-operator training.

Reaching out to other firefightingunits in the region, the division par-ticipated in a series of interagencytraining exercises with several arealocalities. The agencies trained for ajoint response to hazardous materialand technical rescue incidents.

Planning DepartmentWhen Henrico officials chart

growth for coming decades, they lookto the county’s roadmap to the fu-ture—the Comprehensive Plan. Main-tained by the Planning Department,this key document serves as a blue-print to direct development and newgrowth countywide, addressing issuessuch as housing, parks, transportation,industry and zoning.

Working to update the Compre-hensive Plan for the coming two de-cades, Planning held a series of spe-cial sessions for the Board of Supervi-sors to gain feedback and insight on

the board’s vision of Henrico’sgrowth. In these visioning sessions,Planning prepared demographic andgrowth-rate data and brought in a na-tional expert on land-use planning.The sessions provided the board withinformation about where countygrowth is headed and offered sugges-tions to help chart the county’s futurecourse.

Henrico likely gained a glimpseinto the future in fiscal year 2005 withthe review and approval of threeunique developments: Highwoods Vil-lage in Innsbrook, the Village ofRocketts Landing and Wilton. Plan-ning developed a new zoning designa-tion for these projects, the urbanmixed-use district (UMU), which of-fers an alternative residential lifestyleopportunity. Designed to be more pe-destrian-friendly and less automobile-reliant than a traditional suburbanneighborhood, the UMU combines avariety of districts in a single zone,bringing together single- and multi-family residential, business, retail,educational and cultural space.Henrico’s first trio of UMU projectscould be unveiled as early as 2007.

The UMU could also play a roleas Planning creates a vision for devel-opment of the last remaining openacreage on West Broad Street. Thearea, located on more than 400 acreswest of North Gayton Road, offers aspecial opportunity: it boasts soundtransportation infrastructure, isbounded north and south by tradi-tional suburban neighborhoods, con-tains 50,000 people within a three-mile radius, yet remains undeveloped

Henrico Police keep a watchful eye in the sky as well as in the street.

itself. Planning would recommend anurban center in this core area, suggest-ing the UMU to develop the spacevertically with a mixture of qualityresidences and businesses. The areacould become a significant asset forthe county for years to come.

Community RevitalizationThe Department of Community

Revitalization, the county’s newestagency, marked its first full year ofoperation in FY 05 with a keyachievement: the expansion of theHenrico Enterprise Zone (HEZ).

A significant economic develop-ment tool, the HEZ encourages busi-ness and industry investment in oldercommercial corridors through a vari-ety of state and county incentives, in-cluding tax credits, real estate tax ex-emptions, rehabilitation grants andarchitectural assistance. First desig-nated in 2003, the HEZ initially en-compassed portions of West BroadStreet and Nine Mile Road. With theexpansion, which doubled its size, thezone now extends to commercial andindustrial properties along segmentsof Brook Road, Hilliard Road,

Lakeside Avenue and Staples MillRoad. Both new and existing busi-nesses and industries can take advan-tage of the program, and the windowof opportunity will stay open for sometime—the HEZ remains in effect untilthe end of 2014.

Community Revitalization’s focusis not limited to businesses, however.A critical part of the agency’s work is

the maintenance and revitalization ofthe county’s older neighborhoods andresidential areas, a task overseen bythe Community Maintenance pro-gram. The pairing of the dual missionsin a single agency has proven a pow-erful combination for Henrico’s revi-talization efforts.

Economic DevelopmentHenrico began making inroads

into the booming Chinese economy infiscal year 2005, thanks to the effortsof the Economic Development Au-thority (EDA) and its year-old officein Shanghai.

The county’s special economicdevelopment mission to China—thefirst such office established there by aU.S. county—began laying thegroundwork for long-term businessties in what could well become theworld’s largest economy later thiscentury. EDA officials were busy do-ing the difficult legwork of economicdevelopment, meeting with Chinesecompanies and business leaders andholding special seminars to spread theword about Henrico and the benefitsof locating here.

By focusing on the sales anddistribution efforts of Chinese busi-nesses, the Shanghai office was ableto land Star Precision Industries. Thecompany, which develops precisionmolds for automobile manufacturersand other industries, opened its firstU.S. sales office in Innsbrook.

A little closer to home, the EDAturned to a popular local pastime to

find a unique opportu-nity with potentiallylong-lasting impact onthe area. Henrico, thehome of Richmond In-ternational Raceway andtwo NASCAR NextelCup races each year,was one of five finalistsfor the NASCAR Hallof Fame. The $100 mil-lion facility proposed bythe EDA would serve asa year-round attractionfor the ever-growingranks of NASCAR fans,drawing an estimated700,000 annually. Theeconomic impact such afacility would have onHenrico and the region would be hardto overstate: each Nextel Cup racehosted by Richmond InternationalRaceway brings some $200 millioninto the area’s economy.

Building Constructionand Inspections

The steady pace of residentialand commercial development in Hen-

rico translated into another busyyear for the Department ofBuilding Construction and In-spections. Staff conducted89,470 site inspections—justoff the record number of inspec-tions done the previous year—and granted 21,928 permits and2,697 certificates of occupancy.

Inspectors gained a high-techpartner to help with their highvolume of work, as the agencyimplemented a mobile comput-ing system to assist in the field.The system, comprised of a rug-ged laptop computer equippedwith state-of-the-art inspectionssoftware and a mobile printer,allows staff to conduct an in-spection, enter the results im-mediately into a database andprint a ticket on-site for the con-tractor or homeowner. The sys-tem also transmits inspectionresults to the agency’s Web site,allowing customers to accessthe status and history of theirpermit projects online. Auto-mating what had been a hand-

written process, the mobile computingsystem offers a more efficient processfor contractors, homeowners and in-spectors alike.

And, considering that customerscan schedule inspections via theInternet, the agency’s entire service-delivery system—except for the filingof permits—is now available throughits Web site.

Building Inspections continuedits outreach and education efforts inFY 05 by holding public awarenesstraining on deck construction. Led bynationally recognized experts in thefield, the training sessions examinedthe critical structural aspects of deckconstruction and key steps contractorsand homeowners can take to avoiddeck failure and collapse.

The Permit CenterThe Permit Center continued its

customer-oriented, groundbreakingwork in FY 05, providing Henrico’sgeneral contractors and homeowners astreamlined, simplified process for thereview, approval and issuance of resi-dential building permits.

The center combines the func-tions of Building Inspections, Plan-ning, Public Works and Public Utili-ties, bringing together staff from thedifferent agencies into a single loca-tion. Cutting-edge technology such asGeographic Information System,Tidemark System and the consolida-tion of all county maps further en-hances the customer service providedto the public. Customers can oftenobtain a permit for a home addition,electrical or plumbing work in lessthan an hour.

The Permit Center served morethan 11,560 walk-in customers lastyear.

Public UtilitiesTropical Storm Gaston pounded

parts of Henrico with more than a footof rain in a matter of hours last Au-gust, washing out roads, strandingmotorists and requiring heroic actionsby the county’s emer-gency services. Floodwa-ters threatened homes aswell, spilling into livingrooms and filling base-ments as overtaxed sump

The state-of-the-art Fire Station 22 opened in fiscal year 2005, enhancingresponse time and emergency services in western Henrico.

Rocketts Landing, which combines residential,retail and business space, will revitalize thehistoric port area on the James River.

pumps failed and stopgap measuresproved ineffective. When the watersreceded, hundreds of homeownersconfronted the muck left behind—sodden carpets and rugs, waterloggedsofas and chairs, mounds of rottingleaves and grass.

Public Utilities respondedquickly, spearheading a countywidecleanup effort by providing free col-lection of yard and home debris. Inthe month following Gaston, staff re-moved a variety of debris—rangingfrom brush and branches to soakedinsulation and building materials, ru-ined refrigerators and other appli-ances—from more than 500 homes.Fifty-six staff worked a total of 1,476hours and used 44 pieces of equip-ment in the effort, which ultimately

collected 270 tons of Gaston-mademess.

Public Utilities worked withfriendlier waters as well in FY 05,marking a successful first full year ofoperation for the water treatment fa-cility. It produced an average of 16

million gallons of freshwater per day during itsfirst year.

The water reclama-tion facility enjoyed near-perfect permit compli-

ance, with only one construction-re-lated violation of the Virginia Pollu-tion Discharge Elimination System.The wastewater facility treated an av-erage of 18.6 million gallons per daylast year.

Public WorksGaston’s fast-moving waters also

took a toll on Henrico’s infrastructure,damaging roadways, bridges and im-peding travel on major thoroughfaresas well as secondary roads and neigh-borhoods. Public Works movedswiftly to meet Gaston’s challengeand restore the county’s travel routes.

Crews worked around the clockin the days immediately following thestorm, successfully tackling dozens ofrepair needs countywide. Majorprojects included Mountain Road,which saw a 60-inch pipe washedaway; Laburnum Avenue, where wa-terlogged slopes gave way and closedlanes near Richmond InternationalRaceway; and Hungary Road bridge,where the approaches washed out andsupport columns were severely dam-aged. Public Works also confrontedclogged ditches and drop inlets, resi-

dential driveways that had washedaway and broken trees splayed acrossstreets. The final repair list provedsubstantial: 53 road washouts; dropinlets cleaned and pipes flushed atanother 53 sites; 59 cave-ins; 79ditches repaired and cleaned; andtrees removed from 55 sites. Coststotaled some $375,850.

Public Works played a key role inthe restoration of another county roadin FY 05, though this one had notbeen affected by natural disaster.

Britton Road had closed abruptly in2001, when construction of thePocahontas Parkway by the VirginiaDepartment of Transportation(VDOT) severed the eastern Henricoartery and a community it serviced.Area residents sought the aid of theBoard of Supervisors and PublicWorks, arguing that a resulting four-mile detour was a hardship and alter-nate roads were insufficient to handlethe area’s traffic. County officialsagreed and began negotiations withVDOT to build a bypass over the af-fected area. Construction began inJune 2003 and was completed lastAugust, when a special ceremony washeld to celebrate the road’s restora-tion. Henrico provided $500,000 forthe project.

Additional roadwork last fiscalyear addressed a need on a portion ofMayland Drive, which serves a busyresidential area. Public Works con-structed a new section of Maylandnear Pemberton Road, providing analternate access for the large numberof residents living in the apartmentsand other multi-family complexesnearby. The opening of the new sec-

tion of Mayland marked thecompletion of the first roadproject funded by the county’s2000 bond referendum.

County AttorneyA zoning dispute over one of

the last undeveloped tracts of landalong West Broad Street gener-ated litigation that resulted in animportant victory for the CountyAttorney’s Office. Springfield Land Develop-ment and Edward Rose Propertiessought the rezoning of the prop-erty, located west of North GaytonRoad near Henrico’s border withGoochland County, to constructan automobile dealership andapartment complex. After the re-zoning request was denied, thecompanies filed suit, claiming thecounty had granted a rezoningrequest for a similar commercialdevelopment on a site to the east.Defending the case in Henrico

Circuit Court, County Attorney’s staffnoted the sites were not so similar—the property to the east had been sur-rounded by extensive business use,unlike the western property, whichhad no commercial activity around it.Staff also argued the Board of Super-visors possessed legislative discretionover zoning matters, to guide devel-opment according to the county’splanning process and the board’s vi-sion. The court agreed with CountyAttorney’s argument, affirming the

key principle of board legislative dis-cretion over zoning.

Meanwhile, staff successfully re-solved contract disputes involving theimplementation of the Oracle Finan-cial Management System, enablingthe launch of the system in time forthe 2005-06 fiscal year.

General RegistrarFor the General Registrar’s Of-

fice, the 2005 fiscal year could wellbe remembered as the Year of theElection. The office staged threecountywide elections over an eight-month period as Henrico voters castballots for president, Congress, stateoffices, amendments to the Virginiaconstitution and local capital im-provement projects, among others.Each election posed a different chal-lenge.

November’s presidential electionset several county records for partici-pation. The months leading up to theelection witnessed a significant in-crease in voter registration; in Sep-tember, more eligible residents signedup to vote than any month on record.By the time Election Day arrived,some 178,000 Henrico residents wereregistered—more than ever before.Sixty percent of them, or more than105,500, cast a ballot—also a record.Although voters in some parts of thecountry waited in hours-long lines,Henrico’s unprecedented turnoutmoved relatively smoothly throughthe county’s polling places, withcheck-in lines taking 30 minutes atmost and only minimal delays experi-enced at the individual voting booths.

March brought a special countyelection: a bond and meals tax refer-endum for $349.3 million in key capi-tal improvement projects and a 4 per-cent meals tax to help pay for them.As voters made their way to the polls,Mother Nature greeted them withthunderstorms, a driving snowstormand 40 mph wind gusts that knockedout power to some precincts. But vot-ing proceeded smoothly, even in pre-cincts that lost electricity. The 13 per-cent of voters who braved the ele-ments to cast a ballot overwhelminglyapproved new construction forschools, parks, libraries and otherprojects, while narrowly decidingagainst the meals tax.

In June, with Virginia gearing upfor the fall gubernatorial election, thecounty staged its first dual primaryelection since 1988. For the Reg-istrar’s Office, this meant holding twoelections simultaneously—one Demo-cratic, one Republican. The officeprepared two sets of ballots, one foreach party; voters selected the ballot

Water taken from the James River is thoroughly treated and tested beforemaking its way from the water treatment facility to Henrico homes.

of their choice when arriving at thepolls.

The dual primary was significantfor another reason: it representedHenrico’s final election using thepunch card voting system. At year’send, the county’s conversion to touch-screen voting technology was underway.

General District CourtGeneral District Court welcomed

two new judges to the bench in fiscalyear 2005 while mourning the loss ofa colleague. Judge John A. Garrettpassed away in December after serv-ing more than two years on the Dis-trict Court bench; he had previouslyworked as a prosecutor in the HenricoCommonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.The popular judge was rememberedby friends and coworkers for his tal-ents as both a prosecutor and judge,and for the unfailing respect and fair-ness he demonstrated in his court-room.

Joining the bench was JudgeJames S. Yoffy, who previously servedas a prosecutor in the RichmondCommonwealth’s Attorney’s Officeand worked extensively in privatepractice, most recently as a partnerwith Brenner, Evans and Yoffy. He isa graduate of the College of Williamand Mary and the T.C. WilliamsSchool of Law at the University ofRichmond. Also new to District Courtlast year was Judge John Marshall, a

graduate of Henrico Public Schools,the University of Richmond and theT.C. Williams School of Law. Heworked in private practice at Marshalland Marshall before ascending to thebench.

Leaving General District Courtafter more than 16 years of servicewas Judge Burnett Miller, III, whowas appointed to Henrico’s CircuitCourt.

While undergoing the leadershipchanges, District Court also made re-visions to its traffic and criminaldockets. The court now groups all ar-raignments together, holding them in asingle session each day and separatingthem from trials. The change has sig-nificantly reduced the amount of timejudges and court personnel share ahallway with prisoners being movedto the courtrooms—a security con-cern—and is facilitating a more effi-cient arraignment and trial process.

Circuit CourtThe bench got bigger in Henrico

Circuit Court during fiscal year 2005as the court expanded to include afifth judgeship. Consistently ranked asone of Virginia’s busiest circuits forcriminal cases, the Henrico court willnow have additional help to manageits caseload. The new judgeshipshould also benefit case-delay reduc-tion, an ongoing effort of the courtand Clerk’s Office to develop a morestreamlined docket and provide ear-lier trial dates.

Circuit Court welcomed two newjudges to the bench last year to fill thenew seat as well as a vacancy createdby a retirement. Joining the courtwere Judge Daniel T. Balfour and

Judge Burnett Miller, III, who as-cended to the bench following a 16-year tenure in General District Court.Leaving the bench was Judge GeorgeF. Tidey, who retired from his lengthycareer with the court.

Clerk of the Circuit CourtThe Clerk of the Circuit Court, an

elected constitutional officer, assiststhe judges by preparing, recordingand maintaining court orders, subpoe-nas and pleadings. The clerk providesdocuments and case-related informa-tion to various government agencies,attorneys, litigants, the media andgeneral public. Non-judicial duties ofthe clerk include admitting wills toprobate; appointing guardians for mi-nors’ estates; recording all deeds,powers of attorney and real estateliens; and processing judgements,partnerships, adoptions, marriage li-censes and permits for concealedhandguns.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Technology and interagency

cooperation assisted the Common-wealth’s Attorney’s Office as itsuccessfully prosecuted many high-profile cases in FY 05.

Prosecutors used DNA andfingerprint analysis, cellular-phonetower records and other technologiesto prove criminal cases. They workedclosely with Henrico Police andVirginia State Police whenever amajor crime occurred, becominginvolved early in the development ofeach case. This close coordination hasproduced extremely high convictionrates in Henrico. Commonwealth’sAttorney tried more than 3,000 felonycases and some 50,000 traffic caseslast year.

Prosecutors lent a helping hand toa number of jurisdictions last year,representing the commonwealth andfilling in when local prosecutors couldnot serve due to conflicts of interest.The office also provided instructors

for state and local law enforcementagencies and training academies.

The Commonwealth’s Attorneyagain aggressively enforced theVirginia Exile Program, whichcontinues to serve as a valuable toolin the ongoing effort to reduce gunviolence and homicide. The officeworks closely with the Division ofPolice to enforce Exile program laws,which provide mandatory sentencesfor certain offenses involving guns.

Sheriff’s OfficeIt’s hard to keep good news quiet,

and word continued to spread aroundVirginia and the nation about Recov-ery In a Secure Environment (RISE),the Sheriff’s Office’s unique sub-stance abuse treatment program forinmates. Groups of inmates and jailstaff from Virginia Beach and Rich-mond traveled to Henrico’s Jail Eastto observe and participate in the six-week program. They will serve asseed groups to begin RISE efforts intheir jurisdictions.

The popularity of the programcontinued to rise in Henrico as well.Since its inception in August 2000with 20 beds, RISE has expanded toinclude some 200 slots, with a sizablelist of inmates waiting to join.

While the RISE program has con-tinued on an upward trend, so has theoverall inmate population. For the lasthalf of FY 05, the Sheriff’s Officemanaged an average of 1,031 inmatesper day at Jail West, up from 877 in2000. The Sheriff added 104 beds toalleviate the overcrowd-ing and the resultingstrain on the jail’s re-sources.

Thousands of race fans flock to Henrico’s Richmond InternationalRaceway each year. They may soon have another reason to visit:a county site could be the future home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Tropical Storm Gaston kept Public Works and Utilities crews busy forweeks after hitting Henrico last August.

Community CorrectionsThe staff of the Community Cor-

rections Program again handled adaunting workload in fiscal year2005, setting or approaching recordsfor cases and restitution collections.

Probation officers managed anaverage daily caseload of 721, arecord amount, and saw a near-record1,504 new probation cases. The highvolume of cases continues the trend ofan increasing number of adult offend-ers sentenced to probation to com-plete court-ordered requirements,such as programs for domestic vio-lence, anger management and sub-stance abuse.

Community Corrections con-ducted 2,277 pretrial investigationslast year, also a record and a 16 per-cent increase over the previous fiscalyear. Staff managed the workload withthe aid of a computerized risk assess-ment tool, which speeds and standard-izes the pretrial investigation, aiding

pretrial officers as theyhelp the court make deci-sions regarding an adultoffender’s bond and flightrisk.

Community Correc-

tions collected $213,992 in restitutionin FY 05, another near-record amountpaid to victims of crime in Henrico.

Juvenile and DomesticRelations Court

Changes to its docketing systemare helping Henrico Juvenile and Do-mestic Relations Court better manage

its caseload and betterserve the children andfamilies that come beforeit.

The court has createdtwo specialty dockets, onefor truancy cases and an-other for Social Services’abuse, neglect and fostercare cases, and assigned asingle judge for eachdocket. The change allowsthe judge to hear all of thecases for each docket andfollow them more closely,gaining greater familiaritywith the children andfamilies involved. Thischange helps speed thejudge’s review of cases,while the increased famil-iarity with children andfamilies also allows formore consistency in thehandling and treatment ofcases. Previously, the caseof a truant or family might

have been heard by several differentjudges, receiving several differentplans to address it as a result.

Juvenile and Domestic RelationsCourt underwent a weeklong reviewby the Technical Assistance Depart-ment of the Virginia Supreme Courtduring fiscal year 2005. The reviewteam recommended changes to en-hance the court’s “paper flow” and tomake better use of its personnel. Sinceimplementing the recommenda-tions, the court has streamlinedits work processes and in-creased office efficiency.

Juvenile ProbationIn fiscal year 2005 Juve-

nile Probation’s intake officersprocessed 8,579 complaints,including juvenile charges anddomestic relations issues. Thatnumber represented an increaseof more than 17 percent overthe previous year. Some 709juveniles were supervised onprobation and 92 were super-vised on parole. Also, 614 ju-veniles performed communityservice, while 286 participatedin the Shoplifters Program and277 more were referred to theCourt Alternative Program.

Funding from the Virginia Juve-nile Community Crime Control Actprovided services for more than 855Henrico juveniles and their families;services included anger management,parenting groups, drug and alcoholprevention and detention outreach.Title IV-E funded services for an ad-ditional 68 juveniles and families. TheTruancy Committee staffed 200 casesin FY 05, providing recommendationsto the court on truant and runawayyouths prior to case disposition.

Juvenile Probation also cel-ebrated some success stories at thesecond annual Stepping Stones pro-gram in May. Juvenile court judges,probation officers, foster care workersand other county officials gathered torecognize the achievements of sixonce-troubled youth. The programhonored the young people for success-fully completing their probation orparole supervision plans or their fos-ter care placements. The six honoreesreceived more than $2,500 in savingsbonds for their education and career-development plans. Juvenile Proba-tion held the Stepping Stones programin conjunction with several countyagencies and community groups, in-cluding Social Services, James RiverJuvenile Detention, County Attorney’sOffice and Henrico County Commu-nity Partners, Inc.

Juvenile DetentionSubstituting keyboards and soft-

ware for pen and paper, Juvenile De-tention dramatically upgraded the wayit processes juvenile offenders into itssystem.

The implementation of the Juve-nile Case Management System hasfully automated a process that previ-ously had been completely handwrit-ten. Intake workers can now enter per-

sonal data, photographs and other in-formation directly into a database,allowing for a speedier intake process.The result is increased efficiency—akey step, since Juvenile Detention isresponsible for processing all juve-niles entering the Henrico system, in-cluding those bound for the JamesRiver Juvenile Detention Center.

When a nonviolent youthful of-fender is ordered by the court to par-ticipate in the Detention OutreachProgram (DOP), he or she is a merestep away from serving time in a de-tention facility. To prevent a youngperson from taking that final step, theDOP has added a special enhance-ment program for its participants andtheir parents. Once a month, guestspeakers from community organiza-tions meet with the group to discuss avariety of topics, including angermanagement, employment skills,pregnancy prevention and interactionwith law enforcement. The educa-tional sessions give the juveniles prac-tical information to help them betterunderstand how to interact with theircommunity. More than 20 youngpeople and their parents participate inthe enhancement program eachmonth.

Continuing its established recordof maintaining a safe, secure facilityfor staff and detainees, Juvenile De-tention again operated without seriousinjury or escape during the past fiscalyear.

James River Juvenile DetentionThe staff and residents of James

River Juvenile Detention Center(JRJDC) will likely remember thepast year as one of triumph and trag-edy.

The center’s third annual Christ-mas luncheon and program featured

Demographics

Population .......................................................................... 287,085**Land area (square miles) ...................................................... 244.12**Total housing units ............................................................. 120,982**Assessed value of taxable land and improvements ..................................... $25,170,718,300**Public schools ............................................................................. 66**Public school enrollment ..................................................... 46,109**Roads (linear miles) .......................................................... 1,271.59**Roads (lane miles) ............................................................ 3,201.24**Voting precincts .......................................................................... 91**Total registered voters ........................................................ 178,347*** Figures are preliminary and not certified**As of 1/1/05

The Field Interview Reports system, pio-neered by Information Technology andPolice, allows officers to file real-time reportsdirectly from their vehicles.

an original play, “The UnexpectedChristmas Play,” completely writtenand staged by approximately 20 of theyoung people serving sentences.Drawing on many of the juveniles’personal experiences, the play told thestory of a teenager who preferredseeking fame as a rapper rather thanfacing the responsibilities of his im-pending fatherhood; he ultimately un-dergoes a change of heart and con-fronts his duties as father and hus-band. The play’s characters were boththe victims and perpetrators of vio-lence and crime, but they also evincedan attitude of stubborn optimism andhope.

A big hit with the JRJDC staffand county officials in attendance,“The Unexpected Christmas Play”received some unexpected attentionfrom the media. Lots of attention, infact. A news story about the play ranin newspapers from Philadelphia toSeattle and many points between; italso aired on CNN and other nationalnews broadcasts. The recognition pro-vided a great morale lift for thecenter’s residents, showing they canachieve positive outcomes in theirlives. The play’s success comple-mented neatly the services JRJDCprovides, many of which focus onboosting the self-esteem and socialskills of the juvenile residents.

JRJDC staff and residents alsomourned the loss of a special staffmember. Charles Walker, who hadretired from the military and workedas a custodian at the center, passedaway unexpectedly in February. Hehad become a popular mentor to thecenter’s young people, generouslysharing his time and experiences withthem, providing guidance, counseland a variety of life lessons. Everyresident attended his memorial, withseveral speaking and contributingoriginal poetry to the service. JRJDCplans to honor his memory with theCharles Walker Greenhouse, set toopen later this year.

FinanceCounty officials trained their eyes

on the future in FY 05 and recognizedthe need for an array of capitalprojects to address Henrico’s growingpopulation, augment its infrastructureand further enhance its quality of life.Officials created a list of capital needsthat included new schools, libraries,parks and fire stations; developed aprice tag of $349.3 million for theprojects; and asked residents to ap-prove funding of the projects througha general obligation bond referendum,which was set for March.

The Department of Finance was

involved from the outset. The agencyplayed an important role in a series ofgrowth retreats for the Board of Su-pervisors, preparing information onprospective projects and helping theboard determine priorities while alsoproviding a means to finance the mas-sive undertaking. Finance participatedin the public information campaign aswell, with staff serving on speakers’bureaus that explained the capitalprojects and bond referendum to resi-dents. The agency also responded tonumerous calls from the public andmedia. Voters ultimately approved thelist of projects and the issuance ofbonds to fund them by an overwhelm-ing margin.

Meanwhile, sharp eyes in Financenoticed a subtle change in Virginia’sPersonal Property Tax Relief Act, orcar-tax rollback, that would have costthe county millions in state funding. Achange to language in the legislationwould have affected Henrico andother localities with “spring billing”—to the tune of $20 million in lost reim-bursements. Finance proved instru-mental in bringing this error to theattention of the General Assembly andspearheaded the successful effort tofix the problem.

The past fiscal year also markedthe culmination of a significantproject, the implementation of theOracle Financial Management Sys-tem. The new integrated accounting,budgeting and purchasing system,which features dramatically enhancedtechnology and Web-based reportingcapabilities, replaces a system thatwas a quarter-century old. In additionto automating what largely had been amanual system, Oracle gives agenciesmore tools to manage their budgetsand projects, boosting efficiencycountywide. The department devel-oped manuals and held numerous ses-sions to train county personnel in thenew system.

Finance maintained a long-run-ning record of excellence in FY 05.The Government Finance OfficersAssociation presented the departmentcertificates of achievement for out-standing financial reporting and bud-get presentation, the 24th and 16th con-secutive years, respectively, that Fi-nance has received the awards.

Information TechnologyThe odious task of filing reports

and managing paperwork—the baneof many a police officer in countlesscrime shows over the years—has be-come much less of a burden for Hen-rico Police, thanks to an innovativeprogram introduced in fiscal year2005 by Information Technology (IT).

The new Field Interview Reports(FIR) system allows officers to pre-pare and file real-time reports in thefield using mobile data terminals intheir vehicles. FIR, which was com-pletely rewritten and significantly en-hanced by Information Technology,uses Web-based, wireless technologyand replaces an outdated paper cardsystem. Officers can record more dataon their subjects—including photo-graphs—with the new system, produc-ing more comprehensive reports. Thereports are posted immediately to adata warehouse, where they becomeintegrated with other information thatofficers and investigators elsewhere inthe field can access. Improving theefficiency of Police’s work, the newsystem enables officers to better trackand prevent criminal activity in Hen-rico.

Meanwhile, IT continued its on-going project to replace the county’sproprietary, mainframe-based or“green-screen” applications withopen, modern database systems. Sev-

eral systems enjoyed an upgrade inFY 05, perhaps none more notablethan the Department of Finance’simplementation of the Oracle Finan-cial Management System. IT staffspent countless hours on the project,preparing the Web browser-basedintranet system to come online in timefor the 2006 fiscal year.

In addition, IT further strength-ened Henrico’s “e-government” capa-bilities with enhancements to severalsystems, including online schedulingand status updates for building per-mits; automatic payment features andlinks to third-party credit card pay-ment services for personal property,real estate and utility bills; and ex-panded document management sys-tems for Fire, business license andvehicle-related documents.

LibrariesWhile all Henrico

residents will reap thebenefits of March’s suc-cessful bond referendum,

Construction of the new Tuckahoe Area Library was well under way in2005. Residents voted to enhance library facilities countywide duringMarch’s bond referendum.

the thousands who regularly patronizeHenrico libraries may feel especiallyexcited. Voters approved some $56.4million to fund new construction andenhancements for the library system,including a new Varina Area Library;a replacement for the agingDumbarton Area Library; a renovationfor Gayton Branch Library; and arenovation and addition for GlenAllen Branch Library.

The popularity of the county’slibraries sometimes means that abook, compact disc or DVD alreadyhas been checked out when a patronseeks to borrow it. Now, library usersare learning more quickly when theitems they have placed on hold areavailable, thanks to SIRSI Voice Acti-vation (SVA). An automated notifica-tion system, SVA contacts library cus-tomers via computerizedphone message or e-mailwhen that prized volumeof Harry Potter orwidescreen version of“Doctor Zhivago” hasbecome available. Thenew system is a boon forstaff as well as patrons:since its implementationlast summer, SVA hasmade more than 60,000phone calls and sentmore than 54,000 e-mails. That means moretime for staff to returnmaterials to libraryshelves and assist userswith research, comput-ing and other needs.

Appealing to cus-tomers, especially theteenage demographic,poses significant chal-lenges for many busi-nesses. The task is noless daunting for a li-brary. In an effort to stayattuned to its teenagepatrons, Libraries estab-lished three Teen Advi-

sory Boardsin FY 05.Theseboards—representing

different regions of the county andcomposed of 10 to 25 memberseach—share opinions and suggestionsabout library programs and resources.The teenagers planned and promotedseveral events over the past year, in-cluding hip-hop dance classes, a“Meet the DJ” night, a ChristmasMother book drive, and book andmovie discussion groups.

SchoolsHenrico County Public Schools’

groundbreaking laptop initiative re-mained in the forefront for officials inFY 05. The initiative, which provideslaptop computers for all middle andhigh school students, underwent anintensive, seven-month review pro-cess involving more than 100 highschool teachers as well as key admin-istrators. Review committees exam-ined the successes, challenges andmaintenance needs of the initiative.The painstaking process helped theHenrico School Board decide tochange laptop technology platformsfrom Apple to Dell for the 2005-06school year. Elementary and middleschool students and staff will continueto use Apple computers.

In addition to the new computers,

Schools wel-comed new lead-ership during thepast fiscal yearas Fred Morton,IV took thesuperintendent’sreins from Dr.Mark Edwards inSeptember.Morton, whoearnedbachelor’s andmaster’s degreesfrom the Univer-sity of Virginiaand will soonreceive a doc-toral degree fromVirginia Tech,has spent muchof his profes-sional career inthe Old Domin-ion. He comes toHenrico fromMontgomeryCounty PublicSchools, where he served as superin-tendent for seven years.

One of Morton’s challenges willbe the continuing growth of Henrico

Schools. The class of 2005 totaled719 more graduates than the class of2004. The system, renowned for itsquality and innovation, served more

than 46,100 studentsduring the past year; thatnumber is projected toincrease to 47,215 in theupcoming school year.

Recreation andParks

Recreation andParks mined the richdepths of county historyagain in fiscal year 2005for the much-anticipatedpublication of “HenricoCounty – Field ofHonor.” A two-volumeexamination ofHenrico’s experience inthe Civil War, the booktells the story of everyengagement—majorbattles as well as minorskirmishes—that oc-curred on county soil inspring 1862 and fromSeptember 1864 to April1865. It also examinesthe impact of war onindividual soldiers andHenrico residents.

Written by leadingVirginia historian Dr.Louis H. Manarin,“Field of Honor” actu-ally began in 1995 as astudy of two local battle-fields before evolving

Henrico received more than 31,500 job applica-tions online—a record amount—during FY 05.

General Resources: (A) 2004-05 (B) 2003-04 Difference

Current Property Taxes $288,155,643 $259,060,763 $29,094,880Local Sales Tax 4350,422,346 6347,445,939 802,976,407Business and Professional Licenses 4325,532,081 6324,042,471 801,489,610

Total Local Revenue $435,137,709 $404,856,094 $30,281,615State and Federal Sources 0271,012,403 0253,272,524 017,739,879

Total Revenue $706,150,112 $658,128,618 $48,021,494

Total Resources $616,594,355 $613,030,155 4$3,564,200

General Requirements: (A) 2004-05 (B) 2003-04 Difference

School Operating 4320,572,245 4294,685,096 425,887,149Public Safety 4117,182,742 4114,341,728 442,841,014Debt Service (E) 4437,212,784 4436,946,960 ,014265,824

Total Requirements $616,594,355 $613,030,155 4$3,564,200

Notes:

(A) Includes both General and Debt Service Funds.(B) Figures are preclosing and unaudited for FY 2004-05.(C) Includes $33,458,434 to Capital Projects Fund in FY2004-05.(D) Includes emergency storm damage expenditures of $16,226,994 in FY

2003-04 arising from Hurricane Isabel and Tropical Storm Gaston.(E) Amounts include both General Government and School Debt Service Requirements.

Other Local Revenue 4371,027,639 6374,306,921 (3,279,282)

Net Transfers (C) (89,555,757) (45,098,463) (44,457,294)

General Government (D) $141,626,584 $167,056,371 $(25,429,787)

Financial Resources & Requirements for Fiscal Year 2004-05 (A)

into a comprehensive history. With itsuse of cutting-edge computer mappingtechnology, the book offers new in-sights into the understanding ofHenrico’s battlefields that will helpbenefit their future preservation. Ac-cessible for Civil War enthusiasts aswell as professional historians, thebook sold close to 500 copies in itsfirst few months on the shelves. ForRecreation and Parks, “Field ofHonor” represents the second publica-tion in as many years of a significantstudy of Henrico history.

The department made history inanother way last year when it hostedthe U.S. Capitol Holiday Tree in No-vember. The tree’s overnight visit atMeadow Farm marked the first timethe nation’s official holiday tree hadstopped in Henrico; more than 6,000residents dropped by to see it.

The department also added afeather to its recreation cap in Maywith the opening of the Twin HickoryRecreation Center. The 2,100-square-foot facility, the first such center toopen in western Henrico, will providea variety of arts, exercise and otherclasses and activities for residentsranging in age from preschool to se-nior citizen. The center is located onthe site of the future Twin HickoryPark.

Public Relations& Media Services

Fiscal year 2005 saw Public Re-lations & Media Services (PR&MS)working to add another arm to itsbroadcast operation and furtherstrengthening its key role as the com-munications link between residentsand their county government.

Recent natural disasters—Tropi-cal Storm Gaston in 2004 and particu-larly Hurricane Isabel in 2003—chal-lenged county officials as they workedto get timely news about shelters, roadclosings and emergency services toresidents. With prolonged power out-ages in large portions of the countypreventing many residents from re-ceiving information from HCTV, thedepartment’s television station, offi-cials could not communicate directlywith residents, instead relying on localmedia to update residents on fast-changing situations. PR&MS hopes toremove the middleman next year withthe expansion of the Henrico Schools-owned radio station, WHCE 91.1 FM.The station will allow officials tocommunicate countywide alerts andupdates directly to residents duringemergency situations. PR&MS willoperate the station in cooperation withHighland Springs High School Tech-nical Center, which will cede broad-

cast control during emergencies.Funded in part by a federal grant,WHCE should reach residentscountywide sometime in 2006.

HCTV staff shifted into high gearin FY 05, producing 30 original pro-grams about topics ranging from thehistory of dairy farming in Henrico tothe role played by the county’s Plan-ning Department. The quality feature-length programs began reaching abroader audience, as one show, “At-tack Transport: Remembering theUSS Henrico,” aired statewide onPBS affiliates on Veterans Day.HCTV’s award-winning shows willbroadcast from a different channel inthe next fiscal year, as steps were un-der way to move the station to chan-nel 17. The move is part of a channelrealignment by Comcast Cable.

Public Relations personnel againbuoyed the county’s emergency re-sponse efforts, staffing the EmergencyOperations Center and disseminatingtimely, accurate information to resi-dents during Gaston. Staff played animportant role in March’s successfulbond referendum, conducting a mas-sive public information campaign thatfeatured informational brochures,news releases and other printed mate-rials; a speakers bureau and phonehotline for resident questions; andstory coordination with area print andbroadcast media. Henrico voters over-whelmingly approved nearly $350million in capital projects in the refer-endum.

External groups recognized thequality of the department’s work inFY 05. PR&MS staff received an un-precedented 43 awards from local,national and international organiza-tions for exceptional writing, videoproduction, art design, informationcampaigns and other work.

General ServicesThe consumption and cost of en-

ergy have been chief concerns for in-dividuals and governments alike inrecent years. Count Henrico amongthat group. With dozens of buildingsto maintain, hundreds of vehicles tooperate and thousands of employeesto heat and cool, the county has beenseeking ways to reduce cost and usewhile increasing efficiency.

Addressing these concerns, Gen-eral Services created and imple-mented an Energy Management Pro-gram (EMP) in 2004. In fiscal year2005, that plan was recognized for itsinnovation and effectiveness by theNational Association of CountiesAchievement Award Program. TheEMP advocates common-sense mea-sures—turn off the lights when leav-

ing an office, for one—while also ap-plying more complex steps, such asincorporating energy efficiency in thedesign of new buildings. Through theEMP, Henrico participates in localand regional energy fairs and confer-ences and has partnered with the Re-build America program. With the aidof initial changes brought about by theEMP, General Services is providingthe county—and its taxpayers—sig-nificant savings in energy costs.

Another area of the department’soperation garnered national recogni-tion as well in FY 05. The PurchasingOffice received the OutstandingAgency Accreditation AchievementAward from the National Institute ofGovernmental Purchasing, recogniz-ing Henrico’s excellence in its man-agement of tax dollars in the procure-ment process.

General Services also oversawthe completion of two key facilitiesfor the Division of Fire: Fire Station22 and a new burn building. A state-of-the-art facility, the $3.8 millionFire Station 22 houses engine and lad-der companies and a staff of 25. The10,625-square-foot structure incorpo-rates new designs that separate workand living space, affording greaterprivacy for personnel. The burn build-ing, a $1.3 million project, features aseven-floor tower and three-level

structure with residential and com-mercial layouts. Designed to last 20years, it significantly enhances live-fire training for Henrico’s firefighters.

Capital Area TrainingConsortium

As a new generation of workersprepares to face globalization andother challenges of the 21st-centuryeconomy, the Capital Area YouthCouncil focused attention on thisemerging workforce—young peopleages 14 to 21—during fiscal year2005. The council published a reporton the state of this important demo-graphic group, providing a frameworkfor addressing its workforce develop-ment needs. The report will guide theYouth Council as it develops regionalstrategies to help young people culti-vate their work skills, enhance their

academic abilities and prepare forlifelong learning.

A planning retreat by the CapitalArea Workforce Investment Boardand Capital Area Policy Board pro-duced a three-year strategic plan thatemphasizes support to small businessas the top priority of theworkforce system. Theboards created a specialbusiness services unit togather information aboutthe needs of small busi-

Technology is an eye-opener for thousands of Henrico students,who benefit daily from the cutting-edge programs implemented byHenrico Schools.

nesses and offer advice on how to bestmeet these needs.

Meanwhile, with more area resi-dents seeking its help, the CapitalArea Workforce Center expanded oneof its locations to better provide itsjob-search and employment-prepara-tion services. The center now featuresenhanced services for disabled clients,more space for computer users andmore opportunities for external agen-cies to provide workforce services.

Real PropertyAs Henrico strives to enhance

services for its ever-growing popula-tion, the county requires additionalland for new infrastructure. RealProperty again addressed these needsin fiscal year 2005.

Staff completed a contract for amiddle school site located on ElkoRoad and a portion of the property fora high school on Williamsburg Road.The department played a key role inthe extension of the county’s emer-gency services, acquiring property atWashington Street and Airport Roadfor the relocation of Fire Station 3, a$4.5 million facility approved by vot-ers in March’s bond referendum. Inaddition, staff leased property alongLakeside Avenue that will provide atemporary home for Fire Station 5,which is being renovated at its currentlocation.

Real Property also assisted keyprojects for Public Works and PublicUtilities. Staff obtained rights-of-wayto widen and improve several roads,including the approaches for the re-placement of Hungary Road bridge, awell-traveled span that had aged andreceived significant structural damageduring Tropical Storm Gaston.

The department acquired ease-ments for several utility and drainageprojects, principal among them theemergency replacement of the Straw-berry Hill sewer force main. Locatedsouth of Creighton Road near CedarFork, the 60-inch force main, whichcarries sewage from the Strawberry

Hill pump station to thetreatment plant, had be-come corroded and ir-reparably damaged. RealProperty staff quickly ob-tained easements that al-

lowed Utilities to construct a bypassline without interrupting service forarea residents.

Internal AuditProper use of the taxpayer’s dol-

lar is paramount for Henrico County,and the Office of Internal Audit main-tained its mission to ensure govern-ment accountability during fiscal year2005.

Auditors sampled from $63 mil-lion in general government expendi-tures, examining them for compliancewith procedures and purchasing pro-visions. They found generally appro-priate controls over expenditurescountywide, recommending enhance-ments in certain circumstances for theuse of purchase orders and existingsupply contracts when possible.

General government’s massivefleet of vehicles consumes a lot offuel—approximately 1.6 million gal-lons last year—so auditors wanted toensure that county agencies had suffi-cient information about the fuel theywere using. Vehicles from the variouscounty agencies are refueled througha largely automated process at thecounty’s Central Automotive Mainte-nance (CAM) facility. Auditors sug-gested that agencies need improvedaccess to the transaction data stored atCAM for their vehicles; the changeallows agencies to better track theirfuel use and expenditures. Auditorsalso recommended that agencies re-view their control of fuel cards to en-sure proper usage.

Internal Audit also reviewed com-pliance with the cellular telephone

policy, encouraging better adherenceto all aspects of the policy includingappropriating funds and obtaining re-imbursements.

Human ResourcesHenrico County further strength-

ened its position as one of the nation’stop employers in fiscal year 2005, duein no small part to the award-winningprograms and efforts of the HumanResources Department (HR). Thecounty’s reputation as a stable em-ployer—key to attraction and reten-tion efforts—was borne out by an em-ployee turnover rate of 8.5 percent.FY 05 marked the 18th consecutiveyear Henrico maintained a single-digitturnover rate.

Human Resources’ popular jobsWeb site, www.henricojobs.com, set arecord last year as the county receivedmore than 31,500 applications online.HR selected only the top 1 percent ofapplicants for full-time employment.

Innovative programs again bol-stered Human Resources’ reputationas an industry leader. Noteworthyamong these were the customer ser-vice training program, a key compo-nent of the county’s mission and askill for which each employee isevaluated; and the Succession Man-agement program, which preparessubordinate managers for promotionwhile working to mitigate the “braindrain” suffered when experienced per-sonnel retire.

HR’s integrated professional de-velopment efforts earned honors fromthe National Association of CountiesAchievement Award Program in FY

05. The agency has now won an un-precedented 37 NACo awards overthe past 19 years.

Mental Health andRetardation Services

The staff of Henrico Area MentalHealth and Retardation Services (MH/MR) strive each day to provide top-quality services to their clients. In fis-cal year 2005, an international organi-zation again recognized the extent oftheir efforts.

The Commission on Accredita-tion of Rehabilitation Facilities(CARF) awarded three-year accredita-tion—its highest measure of qualityassurance—to 10 programs and ser-vices provided by MH/MR. To earnCARF accreditation, the agency’s pro-grams had to meet 300 criteria andconsumer-focused standards in sev-eral areas, including leadership andmanagement, business practices andcommunity-service delivery.

Programs earning CARF’s tophonor were Assertive CommunityTreatment; Case Management/Ser-vices Coordination; CommunityHousing; Community Integration:Psychosocial Rehabilitation; Sup-ported Living; Prevention; Commu-nity Employment Services; Organiza-tional Employment Services; Childand Youth Services; and CommunityIntegration. The programs first earnedCARF accreditation in 2001.

MH/MR also launched a Web sitethat makes it easier for residents toaccess behavioral health information,resources and services. Unveiled inMarch, “Network of Care” helps indi-viduals and families navigate the ar-ray of services related to behavioralhealth. It offers current information onmental health, retardation and sub-stance abuse, and features a directoryof area service providers; in addition,the information is available in severallanguages. In its first three monthsonline, Network of Care receivedmore than 4,700 visits.

Social ServicesThe continuing growth of

Henrico’s population impacted manycounty agencies during the past year,perhaps none more so than Social Ser-vices, which saw an increasing num-ber of residents seeking assistance.Fiscal year 2005 brought especiallysignificant growth to the food stampsand foster care programs.

The food stamp caseload toppedout at 5,917, an increase of nearly 14percent over the previous year and thehighest amount in agency history. Byyear’s end, Social Services was issu-ing $1.3 million worth of food stamps

Henrico’s television station, HCTV-17, produced 30 original programsabout the local community last year. The diverse range of topicsincluded dairy farming, aviation, the USS Henrico and gardening.

each month. Partly driven by policychanges that lengthen the time be-tween case reviews, the increase wasalso a function of growth and theeconomy. Many families, though em-ployed, struggled to keep sufficient

food on their tables; in fact, the ma-jority of county residents receivingfood stamps are employed.

With 189 children in its care—anincrease of 8 percent—the foster carecaseload reached record levels in FY05. The increase challenged SocialServices staff in terms of case com-plexity as well as volume. With thecounty’s population growing, morechildren needed the help of the fostercare program, and more of these chil-dren had been exposed to substanceabuse, domestic violence and othersignificant problems.

Eligibility staff got a new partnerto help manage the ever-increasingcaseloads—the EZ-Filer ComputerSystem. A key part of Social Services’ongoing effort to eliminate paper files

Some nine years in the making,“Henrico County – Field ofHonor,” a groundbreaking, two-volume history of Henrico’sexperience in the Civil War,was published last year.

and the processing times and othercosts associated with them, the newcutting-edge system provides elec-tronic case records, digital scanningand input of documents, electronicsignatures and automated templatesfor forms. EZ-Filer makes it easier forstaff to track cases and, since it is ac-cessible from Social Services’ officesat both government centers, enhancesefficiency and communication as well.

Social Services again helped low-income families receive free assis-tance with income-tax preparation andgain greater access to the earned in-come tax credit through its role withthe Greater Richmond Earned IncomeTax Credit Coalition. Volunteershelped Henrico families prepare andfile 114 returns, generating some$125,000 in earned income tax creditsand saving more than $17,000 in tax-filing fees. Eleven Social Servicesstaff volunteered for the program.

Public Health DepartmentPreparations for the 2004-05 in-

fluenza season were well under way inHenrico last October when a key com-ponent of any community’s flu-fight-ing program—the vaccine—suddenlybecame unavailable. One of the twomanufacturers that make flu vaccinefor the U.S. market experienced pro-duction problems and could not pro-vide any, thereby cutting the nation’ssupply in half. The Henrico PublicHealth Department quickly assumed aleadership role to help guide the com-munity through the potential crisis.

At the direction of the nationalCenter for Disease Control and Pre-vention, the existing supply of vaccinewas designated for residents at highrisk of severe complications from theflu, primarily infants, senior citizensand those with chronic medical condi-tions. When some 9,650 doses of vac-cine arrived later in the fall, the PublicHealth Department took on a newrole, serving as middleman and dis-tributing the vaccine to hospitals,nursing homes, assisted living facili-ties and other key medical providersin the community. The successful dis-tribution effort provided the vaccineto many high-risk residents.

Public Health further addressedthe community’s flu concerns by orga-nizing two mass clinics in November.Held at Richmond International Race-way and representing the joint effortsof several county agencies, the clinicsprovided flu shots for approximately1,680 additional high-risk residents.

Meanwhile, the department di-rected its ongoing education efforts ata key part of the public health com-munity—the food service industry.

Thedepartment’sEnvironmentalHealth Teamled six“ServSafe”courses duringFY 05. At-tended by 161restaurant man-agers and foodservice person-nel, the coursesprovided in-struction on theprevention offood-borne ill-ness and simi-lar topics.

In person-nel matters, thedepartmentgained a newdirector in Feb-ruary when Dr.Mark J. Levinetook the reins.A board-certi-fied familyphysician whobegan his ca-reer in privatepractice,Levine re-ceived degreesfrom the Uni-versity ofRochester, the Johns Hopkins Schoolof Hygiene and Public Health and theAlbert Einstein College of Medicineof Yeshiva University. He previouslyserved as director of Virginia’s Pied-mont Health District and succeedslongtime former director Dr. Curtis W.Thorpe.

Virginia Cooperative ExtensionA number of Henrico residents

experienced life as a low-income fam-ily firsthand in FY 05 through the Ex-tension Service’s poverty simulationprogram.

Designed to give a sense of dailylife for a typical low-income family,the program places participants in theroles of different families confrontingpoverty: some were newly unem-ployed, some had been deserted bythe family breadwinner, while otherswere senior citizens trying to raisegrandchildren on Social Security in-come. Fifty-eight members of St.Michael’s Catholic Church assumedthe roles of these families, experienc-ing the challenges of providing food,shelter and basic necessities with littleor no income.

Do-it-yourself green thumbs wereon display in June when Extension

held the first Friendly Garden Tour.Sponsored by the Henrico MasterGardeners’ Association, the tour fea-tured five local gardens designed, cul-tivated and maintained by thehomeowners themselves. Aided bylectures, demonstrations and informa-tional handouts, participants learnedto cope with slopes and other land-scape challenges, garden in shade,recover from hurricane damage, com-post and more. The first tour provedto be as successful as it was friendly,with 238 people participating.

Henrico’s popular 4-H Programgave another strong showing in FY05. The county delegation to the State4-H Congress—the premier event forsenior 4-H members—was recognizedas the largest delegation in atten-dance. The Henrico group demon-strated skills to match its size, as sev-eral members of the delegation werehonored for individual accomplish-ments.

The Operation Paintbrush program connects volun-teers with residents needing help with a home mainte-nance project.

DIRECTORYEffective September 1, 2005

ADMINISTRATION

County ManagerVirgil R. Hazelett, P.E.

Deputy County Manager for AdministrationLeon T. Johnson

Deputy County Manager for CommunityDevelopmentHarvey L. Hinson

Deputy County Manager for CommunityOperationsRobert K. Pinkerton

Deputy County Manager for CommunityServicesGeorge T. Drumwright, Jr.

Deputy County Manager for Special ServicesAngela N. Harper

Assistant to the County Manager for BoardAffairs/Clerk to the Board of SupervisorsBarry R. Lawrence

Building OfficialGregory H. Revels

Chief, Division of FireRonald L. Mastin

Chief, Division of PoliceHenry W. Stanley, Jr.

Coordinator, Community CorrectionsProgramBruce N. Cruser

County AgentKaren F. Carter

County AttorneyJoseph P. Rapisarda, Jr.

Director, Capital Area Training ConsortiumRosalyn D. Key-Tiller

Director, Community DevelopmentFrederick F. Overmann, III

Director, Community RevitalizationJohn R. Marlles

Director, FinanceReta R. Busher

Director, General ServicesPaul N. Proto

Director, Human ResourcesGeorge H. Cauble, Jr.

Director, Information TechnologySteven M. Lewis

Director, Internal AuditGary L. Martin

Director, LibrariesGerald M. McKenna

Director, MH/MR ServicesMichael D. O’Connor

Director, PlanningRandall R. Silber

Director, Public HealthMark J. Levine, M.D.

Director, Public Relations & Media ServicesTamra R. McKinney

Director, Public UtilitiesArthur D. Petrini

Director, Public Works/County EngineerRobert C. Thompson

Director, Real PropertyWillis W. Pope

Director, Recreation and ParksJ. Wesley Malcomb

Director, Social ServicesGordon G. Ragland

Executive Director, Economic DevelopmentFrederick T. Agostino

General RegistrarMark J. Coakley

Probation DirectorKay D. Frye

Superintendent, Juvenile Detention FacilityMichael D. Bingham

Superintendent, James River JuvenileDetentionPatricia F. Carrington

Superintendent, SchoolsFrederick S. Morton, IV

ELECTEDCONSTITUTIONALOFFICERSClerk of the Circuit CourtYvonne G. Smith

Commonwealth’s AttorneyWade A. Kizer

SheriffMichael L. Wade

JUDGESCircuit CourtDaniel T. BalfourCatherine C. HammondL.A. Harris, Jr.Gary A. HicksBurnett Miller, III

General District CourtJohn MarshallL. Neil SteversonArcher L. Yeatts, IIIJames S. YoffyLawrence G. Sprader, Clerk

Association of VolunteerRescue SquadsPatricia S. O’Bannon

Board of Building Code AppealsJoseph J. Hayes, Jr.Mark J. HouriganJoseph M. Kelleher, Jr.Bernard C. Mills, Jr.Robert F. NelsonR. Sydnor Reames, P.E.Robert T. RoysterDonald L. Strange-BostonKurt P. Thompson

Board of Real Estate Reviewand EqualizationSheila C. EppsBobby J. JunesJohn G. Myers, Jr.Gail L. SailesMarilee M. Tretina

Board of Social ServicesJohn A. FicklinRichard W. GloverDavid Goodall, Sr.Judith M. RobertsW. Fred RoseLynne M. Yurchak

Board of the Short Pump TownCenter CommunityDevelopment AuthorityWilson H. Flohr, Jr.H. Preston HarrisonJ. Stephen LindseyRichard D. OcheltreeFelicia M. Perry

Board of Zoning AppealsElizabeth G. DwyerHelen E. HarrisRichard E. KirklandJames W. NunnallyRussell A. Wright

Cable Television AdvisoryCommitteeThomas M. BraninHerbert L. Dunford, Jr.Samuel B. Straus

Capital Region AirportCommissionJohn G. Dankos, Sr.James B. DonatiDavid A. KaecheleThomas E. Pruitt

Capital Region Arts and CulturalFunding Consortium Board ofDirectorsGrant L. MoffettWalter H. Ryland

Central Virginia Solid WasteManagement Plan CitizenAdvisory CommitteeCharles M. Schnurman, Jr.

Central Virginia WasteManagement Authority Board ofDirectorsWilliam S. DewhirstMarcia E. KelleyWilliam I. MawyerArthur D. PetriniRobert C. WhitemanSteven J. Yob

Charles City, Hanover, Henricoand New Kent DisabilityServices BoardJesse R. Evans, Jr.Sheila A. LuellenBeth B. TetraultQuincy R. Umphlette

Community Criminal JusticeBoardMac R. BeatonDonald L. BoswellGeorge T. Drumwright, Jr.J. Douglas FreemanMatthew P. GearyWilliam M. GibsonFrederick D. Goodwin, IIIBrendan T. HayesGary A. HicksWade A. KizerDeborah G. LaVecchiaJohn MarshallJohn E. MehfoudGrant L. MoffettA. Elisabeth OxenhamHenry W. Stanley, Jr.Michael L. Wade

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Juvenile and Domestic Relations CourtA. Elisabeth OxenhamDenis F. SodenSharon B. WillStuart L. WilliamsC. Thomas Elliott, Clerk

MagistratesWilliam J. Conner, Sr.Eugene B. Hughson, Jr.Kathryn L. JonesKaren A. LuzierJohn E. MehfoudSuzanne N. WadeKathleen M. WilkinsonNicholas Zachary

Economic DevelopmentAuthority Board of DirectorsStephanie T. FordRaymond M. GarrettJohn F. HastingsJulian N. Holland, Jr.Sam KornblauS. Floyd Mays, Jr.Benjamin B. MilesMarsha S. ShulerChristopher ShumakerJohn M. Steele

Electoral BoardRonald B. ChaneyAlice F. CreightonBebe W. West

Greater Richmond PartnershipBoard of DirectorsDavid A. Kaechele

Historic Preservation AdvisoryCommitteeBeverley H. DavisVee J. DavisBeverly L. Hale-CockeCourtney S. HuntWarner M. Jones, Sr.J. Wesley MalcombRichard C. McNeilRegina M. MulliganHenry L. Nelson, Jr.G. Norwood Nuckols, Jr.Margaret M. Thistlethwaite

J. Sargeant ReynoldsCommunity College Local BoardDonald N. BlakeBeverley G. DonatiGerald E. KilgoreGeorge D. LongEdward F. Steiner

James River DevelopmentCorporationJames H. Atkinson, Jr.Leonard C. CakeGregory M. ClayJames B. Donati, Jr.William E. LoweOliver L. Way

James River DevelopmentCorporation Board of DirectorsJames B. Donati, Jr.William E. Lowe

James River Juvenile DetentionCommissionGeorge T. Drumwright, Jr.Virgil R. HazelettWade A. Kizer

Keep Henrico BeautifulCommitteeTeresa J. BerkeleyStanley M. Booker, Sr.Megan BrownM. J. ClineDoris B. DavisChristina M. HarrisWilson L. Harrison, Jr.Manus E. Holmes

Janet S. KayA. Carol LaVigneVirginia M. MartinZynora D. MansonS. D. Jack PustilnikCathy J. ReinerVirginia T. RoanePatricia Kelsey SchultzMichaele G. UpshurLynne M. Yurchak

Library Advisory BoardAnn M. KutzJoyce S. PittmanHarmohinder P. Singh-SandhuAnne D. SterlingGayDonna Vandergriff

Local Emergency PlanningCommitteeStephen F. AllowayRobert P. BuckmanDavid B. ColdrenDavid H. ForeWilliam A. GrayC. Lester Jones, Jr.Sue H. KerrBrian E. IversonWilliam G. LeonardBrian McBrideTamra R. McKinneyPatricia S. O’BannonSuzanne T. RobertsDennis A. SladeWilmer N. Stoneman, IIIJohn T. TatumTimothy P. TorrezMichael L. WadeRobert P. WoodsNelson WikstromWarren A. Winner

Maymont Foundation Board ofDirectorsJames B. Donati, Jr.

Mental Health and RetardationServices BoardTessie F. GreeneWanetta J. GrignolKaren W. GrizzardRaymond C. GudumGeorge H. HettrickThomas J. KirkupJudith D. LayneJames A. MartinGregory G. MorrisonMinnie R. Outlaw

Metropolitan PlanningOrganizationRalph J. EmersonE. Todd EurePatricia S. O’BannonRandall R. SilberRobert C. ThompsonFrank J. Thornton

Metropolitan PlanningOrganization CitizensTransportation AdvisoryCommitteeVirginia H. AxtellRobert L. Basham, Jr.

Parks and Recreation AdvisoryCommissionGregory R. BakaSandy J. BashamJoseph L. Coleman, Jr.Elaine EberlyJeffrie L. HedrickJ. Wesley MalcombBarry L. MartinFaye A. OuldHugh C. PalmerCarroll W. RobbAlice L. SchulzFrank J. ThorntonTracy L. Whitley

Planning CommissionChris W. ArcherThomas M. BraninE. Ray JerniganBonnie-Leigh JonesDavid A. KaecheleErnest B. Vanarsdall

Policy and Management Teamfor Youth and FamiliesKay D. FryePatricia I. HarrisLeon T. JohnsonMark J. Levine, M.D.Michael D. O’ConnorRuth Anna LangdonGordon G. Ragland, Jr.Lynn H. Thorpe, Ph.D.

Richmond MetropolitanAuthority Board of DirectorsJames L. JenkinsReginald H. Nelson, IV

Richmond MetropolitanAuthority Stadium OperatingCommitteeDavid A. Kaechele

Richmond MetropolitanConvention & Visitors BureauBoard of DirectorsJohn P. CarioDouglas S. FritzTerone B. GreenDavid A. KaecheleChristopher D. LloydFrancis L. RobinsonBarbara SteversonDavid A. Stosch

Richmond RegionalCompetitiveness CommitteeVirgil R. Hazelett, P.E.David A. Kaechele

Richmond Regional PlanningDistrict CommissionGentry BellJames B. Donati, Jr.Richard W. GloverHarvey L. HinsonDavid A. KaechelePatricia S. O’BannonFrank J. ThorntonErnest B. Vanarsdall

Senior Connections, The CapitalArea Agency on Aging Board ofDirectorsGloria B. Johnson

Technology AdvisoryCommitteeCharles S. BolandCarlos M. BrownLeslie A. CreechBrian B. DeasyJimmy H. EastmanMindy C. FastDaniel C. Galloway, Jr.

Robert J. HayesJanie Y. HudsonLoren M. JohnsonJames E. Quinn, IIIAndrew P. RoseMichael T. ShaughnessyJames E. Washok, Jr.

TransportationSafety CommissionPhillis Ladd BlackwellW. Murray Bullock, Jr.George J. Haudricourt, Jr.Patricia S. O’BannonMarvin R. Tart, Sr.James M. Tyler, IIIMarvin L. Ulmer

Virginia TransitAssociationBoard of DirectorsJames B. Donati, Jr.E. Todd EureDavid A. KaecheleRobert C.Thompson

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden attractsthousands of visitors each year.