Goochland District 5 Town Hall Focuses on Schools, Neighborhood Concerns

Residents in Goochland County's District 5 gathered Wednesday evening at St. Gertrude's Great Hall at Benedictine on River Road for a joint town hall focused on schools and local neighborhood concerns, the second in a two-night series of public meetings between the county's elected leadership and the community it serves.

The session ran from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the venue located at 12829 River Road in Richmond. The District 5 Board of Supervisor and School Board member organized the gathering specifically for District 5 constituents.

The night before, the full Goochland County Board of Supervisors and School Board members held a Countywide Joint Town Hall on Tuesday, March 24, beginning at 6 PM at the County Administration Building. The two-meeting format gave District 5 residents a dedicated forum separate from the broader countywide session, allowing for more localized discussion on schools and neighborhood issues specific to their corner of the county.

The District 5 town hall fell within a broader FY27 budget calendar that included a March 17 School Board and Board of Supervisors Work Session, with a budget public hearing scheduled for April 7, the tax rate set April 14, and final budget adoption slated for May 5. The joint town hall format reflects an established practice in Goochland of pairing supervisors with their corresponding School Board members to address community concerns before major budget decisions are finalized.

Ken Peterson serves the people of Goochland County as Supervisor from District 5. The name of the District 5 School Board member who co-hosted the March 25 session was not confirmed by county materials available at publication.

Residents unable to attend in person could view the meeting via livestream, and citizens had the option to submit questions in advance by emailing townhall@goochlandva.us. The public is invited to attend any and all meetings in person or view via livestream.

County Administrator Dr. Jeremy Raley presented his proposed FY27 budget to the Board of Supervisors at a February 17 meeting, with resources from that session, including presentation slides, an executive summary, and a recording, available on the county's website. Public engagement opportunities through May give District 5 residents additional avenues to weigh in before the board votes on final appropriations.

More information on Goochland County public meetings and the FY27 budget process is available at goochlandva.us.