News
Bath County Hires New County Administrator
Following a nationwide search, Bath County’s Board of Supervisors has named Michael Bender as the County Administrator. A native of Chesterfield, Virginia, Mr. Bender has over 28 years of experience in public service. He most recently served as a Division Commander for the Richmond, Virginia Police Department.
As the County Administrator, Mr. Bender will manage and coordinate the overall day-to-day operations and activities of the County government. He will relieve Janet Bryan who has diligently served as the Interim County Administrator since the departure of Ashton Harrison earlier this year. Ms. Bryan will return to her role as the Executive Assistant/Deputy Clerk to the Board.
Mr. Bender holds a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and a Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Update on PDC Housing Development Grant
The PDC Housing Development Grant, which provides gap funds to affordable housing developers in our region, is well underway with seven partners across the region working toward the development of 60 new housing units.
Several projects, including Valley Supportive Housing’s Pump Street Apartments, Friendly City Development, LLC’s Suter Street Neighborhood Development, and Foley 11 LLC’s Foley Road Efficiencies Project, are in the process of completing engineering & design work and are awaiting permitting before breaking ground.
The Fairfax Hall Rehabilitation Project in Waynesboro received a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) award in early Fall which will finance a significant portion of the project, and is completing final project financing, planning, and design specifications. They plan to begin work in 2023.
Our Community Place’s Block House Apartments project has begun initial demolition and building rehabilitation work, and initial interior construction activities are underway.
Rockbridge Habitat for Humanity’s Greenhouse Village Project has completed water and sewer connections and has begun initial site work on two of the eight home sites. On October 4th, CSPDC staff made a site visit to check out the future home sites for the final phase of the Greenhouse Village project, and had a chance to walk through a recently completed Habitat home.
All projects are expected to be completed by June 30, 2024.
IRF Grant Applications Due on Nov. 4
Applications are now being accepted for the FY2023 Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) Planning Grant, which is available to help bolster early-stage projects, enabling feasibility studies and other planning-related activities for potential IRF applicants in Spring 2023.
Applications must be received no later than 11:59 PM on November 04, 2022. Please review the FY2023 IRF Planning Grant Guidelines and the How-to-Apply webinar recording for additional details before submitting an application. If you have any questions, please email realestate@dhcd.virginia.gov
Region 8 Council Welcomes New Executive Director
At its October meeting, the GO Virginia Region 8 Council will welcome its new Executive Director, Deborah Flippo of MDM Flippo Consulting, LLC. Ms. Flippo brings 31 years of marketing and business experience to the position, working regularly with local, regional, and state economic development organizations. She has served on the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Board of Directors; the Virginia Economic Developers Association, serving as President in 2016; two regional economic development organization’s Boards; and the Shenandoah Valley Partnership’s Lead Generation Committee. In her role as Executive Director, Ms. Flippo will help the Region 8 Council lead and fund successful projects that contribute to the economic growth of the region.
Celebrations Ensue for the Maury River’s Scenic River Designation
Rockbridge Outdoors along with Rockbridge County, The City of Lexington, and The City of Buena Vista will commemorate the Maury River’s designation as a Virginia Scenic River this October. The local jurisdictions are throwing a community ceremony and reception at Jordan’s Point Park on October 16th at 2:00 pm. In early April, legislation passed to designate the remaining portion of the Maury River as a Virginia Scenic River. Now the entirety of the Maury, which flows through Rockbridge, Lexington, Buena Vista, and Glasgow, is part of the statewide program. Virginia’s Scenic Rivers Program intends to help protect rivers that possess outstanding scenic, recreational, and natural characteristics. To be awarded this designation, the local governing body asks DCR to conduct an eligibility study and then requests their state legislator to sponsor a bill.