(Sitrep = situation report)
The Free Lance–Star: Big plans, big projects, big updates page:
Haymount (Caroline)
Haymount, a 4,000-home planned subdivision near Rappahannock Academy in Caroline County, has not been built despite being approved in 1992. Caroline’s planning director said Haymount is being sold to a developer who does similar projects. The 1,600-acre project is designed as a traditional town with an elementary school and a mix of retail and commercial.
I would kill for some decent infrastructure (roads and broadband) around here. Hurry up and build!
New YMCAs
[…] The YMCA hopes to break ground in Caroline County late this year.
At the cost of $3,200,000 to the county. At least one Supervisor had the sense to vote against this.
Remember this when the Board wants to raise your real estate taxes to pay for a school, public safety building, or the Sparta Fire House.
STATE FAIR
The plan: State Fair officials bought 348 acres in southern Caroline County in 2003. At the time, they talked about holding the fair at its new home as early as 2006; the event is currently held at the Richmond Raceway Complex.
Status: Now, the earliest it will open at The Meadow, birthplace of Triple Crown winner Secretariat, is 2009.
Hopefully, it’ll be 2019.
This is a project where the current Chairman of the Board of Supervisors has said that if the fair brings in money for the county, the county will end up losing money from the state via the composite index.
And what economic benefit is it going to bring? There are no new businesses on the Caroline County side of The Meadow. The roads have been expanded on the Hanover side of The Meadow (going on Route 30 from I-95 to The Meadow) but the road going to Route 301 has not! I’m sure that intersection (Route 30 and Route 301) is going to look great when the fair opens — hey, just like Richmond!
The county has agreed to be responsible for the bills for utilities from Hanover County if the fair goes bankrupt. Of course, the county is acting as the middle-man to no benefit to the county. Too bad that none of the businesses that might want to set up (none have, however) in Caroline County (besides the fair) have access to said utilities.
Has anyone been to the site of the fair in Richmond? Make sure you have a gun with you if you go…
Hey, at least one Supervisor had the sense to vote against the fair (and two voted against the special permit for ticket sales for the fair).
Hey! The same Supervisor voted against both the YMCA and State Fair!
Don’t be fooled by that “one ” supervisors votes.
That same supervisors wifes family has purchased 2 pieces of property at the 301/30 intersection anticipating the future development. He has a vested interest in making it happen. He along with the rest of the old BOS and the Finance Dir. Seig and Administrator Ashcraft and Economic Director Wilson, formed a not-for -profit private corporation in their “spare” time of course and “off the record” to save Meadow Farm and build a museum to Secretariat and low behold the State Fair has promised to do just that! Of course it ends up costing the taxpayers millions and destroys the property values and quality of life for all around the Meadow…………
The formal corporate title was: “Secretariat Museum in Caroline County,” according to Mr. Wilson
(The non-profit was not a county organization but a stand alone non-profit corporation, no County Board need approve of an organization being entered into voluntarily and not involving county resources for operations, etc. It was supposed to be an entity that would encourage others to take up the opportunity and vision and so it did. No one was paid, reimbursed or in any way made anything on the project.) (Mr. Wilson’s comments on the matter)
Amazing how that works! None of them can be trusted……………………………….
Oh yeah, and the “One” that voted against it, kept it secret from his constituents for 2 years!!!
how timely!
Hanover’s formula for success and Caroline’s weakest links.
Great public works and Schools. And lets not leave out Public Safety!
Amazing how providing folks with their needs and wise use of tax money results in successful government!
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-02-17-0215.html