eNews October 21, 2022
Friday, October 21, 2022 - 04:34pm
This edition of eNews is sponsored by:
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In this issue:
- Post-conference reminders: Presentations posted; Event site still available; Don’t delete the VML app!
- Take note – Opioid Authority email change
- Juvenile detention consolidation proposal deferred
- VML submits comments regarding auxiliary grant study
- JLARC topics subcommittee looks at possible studies for 2023
- Forest Sustainability Fund applications due Nov. 15
- Free training opportunity: VAPDC offering cybersecurity training
- DHCD opportunities: Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) planning grants and upcoming webinar series
- SCC seeks public comments on application of Appalachian Power Company to increase its fuel factor
VML News
Post-conference reminders: Presentations posted; Event site still available; Don’t delete the VML app!
Thanks again to our members and the speakers and exhibitors who made the 2022 VML Annual Conference a success! Now that the dust has settled, here a few things to keep in mind.
Presentations posted
You can access resources and materials made available by presenters on the VML website here >. Please keep in mind that not every presenter provided materials to be posted. However, if you are looking for a particular presentation that is not posted to the VML site, you can review that session on the VML event site (see below) for the speaker’s contact information or contact VML Director of Communications Rob Bullington at rbullington@vml.org.
Event site still available
All the information regarding sessions, speakers, exhibitors, and more that you accessed using the VML app during the event is still available online at the VML event site here >.
And speaking of the app…
Don’t delete the VML app!
If you downloaded the VML app to your mobile device before or during the conference, don’t delete it! Now that the conference is over, the VML app is your best way to access the most important content on VML’s website. If you haven’t opened the app since the conference, check it out! You’ll see what we mean. Best of all, when we gather in Norfolk next October for the 2023 conference, the same app you already have will magically (well, it’s not exactly magic, but it’s close) become the 2023 conference app.
The VML app is your year-round mobile resource for all things VML.
Links to download the VML app are available here >.
VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org
Take note – Opioid Authority email change
Many VML members got to visit with Tony McDowell, executive director of the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, during the roundtable sessions at the VML Annual Conference.
McDowell has notified VML that his email address has changed. His new email address is tmcdowell@voaa.us
His phone number remains the same: (804) 572-8718.
VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org
Health & Human Services
Juvenile detention consolidation proposal deferred
Proposal to defund and consolidate local and regional juvenile detention facilities will not move forward for now.
On Oct. 19, the Virginia Commission on Youth (VCOY) set aside the proposed recommendation and instead endorsed a motion by Delegate Carrie Coyner to write a letter to the Secretaries of Public Safety/Homeland Security; Health and Human Resources; and Education asking them to look at what is needed for the juvenile detention system. Senator Barbara Favola successfully added an amendment to Coyner’s motion to include VML and VACo at the table for this discussion.
While the juvenile detention population has been steadily decreasing, the proposal to recommend defunding/consolidation of local and regional facilities was met with expressions of opposition or concern from several groups (not just VML and VACo), including juvenile judges and the Sheriffs’ Association. Concerns included the increased distances from home/community/family for youth in these facilities, increased costs and complexity for youth to meet with legal counsel and to get to court, and increased distances and costs for families to visit or attend programs at a center.
VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org
VML submits comments regarding auxiliary grant study
VML submitted comments this week on the Joint Commission on Health Care’s study and policy options regarding affordability of assisted living and auxiliary grants. VML cited its long-held position that the state should assume responsibility for funding auxiliary grants and said that any proposed increase in the grant rate should be assumed by the state. VML also said that any lump sum incentive payment to a facility to accept an auxiliary grant should be assumed by the state. Finally, VML noted that the JCHC staff report on this issue provided good insights into how some other states are addressing needs of vulnerable adults, including the use of Medicaid or Medicaid waivers, and that the Commission could promote further work to look at the options available to meet the needs of Virginians.
The Commission will meet early next month to review the public comment received on the proposal and discuss policy options it may want to endorse.
VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org
JLARC topics subcommittee looks at possible studies for 2023
There is no lack of possible topics for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study at any time. On Oct. 17, a topics subcommittee of the Commission met to discuss possible topics for study in the coming year. The subcommittee heard about approximately 15 possible topics that were forwarded from House Rules, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, and from individual members of JLARC.
These topics included enhanced benefits for a number of employee classes, including 911 dispatchers, juvenile detention specialists, and animal control officers; the GO Virginia Program; individual self-sufficiency (i.e., do people reach self-sufficiency with help from programs like TANF, energy assistance, etc.); child care access and issues; workforce development and access to training; constitutional officer compensation; compensation for court-appointed counsel and supplementing of public defenders; the K-12 teacher pipeline; state psychiatric facilities; and election governance.
No final decisions were made on topics to recommend to the full Commission; while the topics that seem to rise to the top included GO Virginia; self-sufficiency and childcare issues; workforce; enhanced benefits for particular employee classes; and the teacher pipeline, staff will draft resolutions addressing a number of topics and bring them forward for further discussion at the next JLARC meeting.
VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org
Federal Funding
Act now for federal funding for Low Income Household Water/Wastewater Assistance Program
Federal Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) requires interested localities to act as soon as possible. The Virginia Department of Social Services has selected the Promise Network, Inc. to handle Virginia’s distribution of LIHWAP funding for localities, authorities, and other water/wastewater providers for eligible customers.
LIHWAP provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills with an emphasis on assisting households that pay a high proportion of household income to drinking water and wastewater service. Payments are made directly to the utilities on behalf of these households.
The first step for interested localities is to submit a non-binding Intake Form to express interest in the program.
The Promise’s interactive online Intake Form is available here >.
Act now – funds are limited
Even if your decision on whether to sign a Participation Agreement is delayed a bit such as for board approval – you should submit an intake form as soon as possible to help Promise/VDSS understand the universe of potential participating utilities. The resources for this program are limited and likely to be fully distributed to utilities for eligible customer accounts and exhausted by December 2022 or potentially sooner.
Submitting the Intake Form will make the State’s team aware of your utility’s interest and enable them to factor your interest into the process in case there are shortfall or other allocation issues to address.
VML Contact: Mitchell Smiley, msmiley@vml.org
Education
Virginia Board of Education meets; reviews school construction grant guidelines
On October 20 the Virginia Board of Education met to discuss several items including chronic absenteeism, the James Blair Middle School accreditation indicator, the advisory board on teacher education and licensures, and the first review of guidelines for implementing the School Construction Assistance Program.
As a reminder, the School Construction Assistance Program was created by the 2022 General Assembly to help localities fund school construction project needs with the money allotted for the 2022-2024 biennium. Part of the proposed guidelines is a series of eleven criteria localities must meet to receive funding. These criteria specify the different thresholds localities must meet to receive various amounts of funding. For more details, you can read the full guidelines here.
VML Contact: Josette Bulova, jbulova@vml.org
Opportunities & Reminders
Forest Sustainability Fund applications due Nov. 15
Forestland provides many benefits to landowners, but also to communities. Landowners directly realize timber, wildlife, and recreational values, while the benefits of watershed protection, clean air, and scenic beauty are enjoyed by society at large. Realizing this, the Code of Virginia enables localities to provide use-value taxation that can assist owners in keeping their land as forests. Under use-value taxation, properties are taxed based on the productive value of the land rather than the current market value, which results in lower property taxes.
For county and city governments, maintaining forestland is beneficial, as land devoted to forest land use generally requires less cost in providing services than more intensive uses. However, property used for forestland does result in less revenue to local governments. Because of this, the 2022 General Assembly established the Forest Sustainability Fund administered by the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF)
Localities with forest use-value assessment may apply for an allocation from the Fund to help to offset lower, or forgone tax revenue. VDOF has developed guidelines for localities to apply for and receive funds. VDOF has received guidance from a steering committee made up of local commissioners of revenue, finance staff and interested associations.
Application process for 2022
- Receive email with instructions: VDOF will send an email to commissioners of revenue in localities with Forest Use Value in mid-October with application instructions.
- Applications are due on Nov. 15: Facilitated through an online web grants portal, applicants will need to provide basic contact information, a copy of the ordinance that established forestland use taxation, and the amount of forgone revenue due to forest land use taxation (the fair market value of forest land minus the forest use value of forest land times the locality tax rate).
- Review and Distribute: VDOF will review the applications and make distributions to the localities from the Fund, based upon their proportional share of the total applications received. In 2022, there is $1,000,000 in the Fund.
VDOF Contact: forestmgt@DOF.Virginia.gov
Free training opportunity: VAPDC offering cybersecurity training
“See Yourself in Cyber” is this year’s theme for the annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month (in October). The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) is pleased to offer a free, one-hour virtual training on basic steps to help protect online information and privacy for organizations and individuals alike.
- Date:Wednesday, October 26
- Time:2:00 PM EST
- Register:Zoom link here >
With bad actors constantly looking to exploit flaws in government, business and personal systems, the goal of this session is to educate and help you be more vigilant and prepared to protect yourself and others from these online threats…educating yourself is critical.
There is no cost to attend this online meeting, but you must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
VAPDC Contact: Executive Director David Blount, DBlount@tjpdc.org
DHCD opportunities: Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) planning grants and upcoming webinar series
IRF planning grants
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) reminds all interested parties that applications are open for the current round of IRF planning grants and the deadline is just one month away – midnight on November 4th.
Information is available here >.
“Development Ready” webinar series
What does it mean to be a “Development Ready Community” or “Open for Business”? Often, there is a disconnect between messaging and reality. While a locality may say that they want to encourage new developments, their zoning code, incentives, and access to capital say differently. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development is partnering with experts in the field to guide local governments, elected officials, community development organizations, housing providers, developers and entrepreneurs through the steps needed to ensure that their community’s vision can become a reality. This webinar series is a must for any community struggling to meet housing demands, rehabilitate derelict structures and fill vacant storefronts.
Starting with a review of zoning code and policies, the Incremental Development Alliance will speak directly to localities and officials to analyze whether or not their ordinances meet their needs and intent. Place and Main Advisors will continue this conversation by showing localities how to find and market to experienced developers who will help the community meet their vision. Afterwards, our partners at Virginia Community Capital will take these concepts to the next level through resources to help further build local economies with small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Webinar Series Schedule:
- 10/05| Small-Scale Incremental Development
- 10/12| Marketing & Promo. for Attracting Developers
- 10/19| Supporting Small-Business Development
Register here >.
CVO Newsletter here >.
If you’re not already subscribed to this newsletter, you can be added by emailing zachary.whitlow@dhcd.virginia.gov
DHCD Contact: Community Revitalization Specialist Annie Arnest, annie.arnest@dhcd.virginia.gov.
SCC seeks public comments on application of Appalachian Power Company to increase its fuel factor
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is offering time for members of the public to give oral comments by telephone on an application by Appalachian Power Company to increase its fuel factor for usage on and after November 1, 2022.
Appalachian Power’s application requests approval to recover the company’s estimated Virginia jurisdictional fuel expenses of approximately $416,140,161 for the November 1, 2022, through October 31, 2023, fuel year, and its projected October 31, 2022, fuel deferral balance of $361,411,867, subject to its mitigation proposal.
The company’s mitigation proposal would spread recovery of the projected fuel deferral balance over two years.
For a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, the average weighted monthly bill would increase by $20.17, from $127.81 to $147.98 under the Company’s proposal. The Commission has permitted the Company to place the proposal into effect on an interim basis, subject to further modification, effective November 1, 2022.
The SCC has scheduled a public witness session to begin at 10 a.m. on December 13, 2022. Public witnesses intending to provide oral testimony must pre-register with the SCC by 5 p.m. on December 7, 2022. The hearing will be webcast at: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Webcasting.
Public witnesses wishing to provide oral testimony may pre-register in one of three ways:
- Completing a public witness form for case number PUR-2022-00139 on the SCC’s website at: gov/pages/Webcasting
- E-mailing the same form (PDF version on the same website as above) toSCCInfo@scc.virginia.gov
- Calling the SCC at 804-371-9141 during normal business hours (8:15 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and providing your name and the phone number you wish the Commission to call to reach you during the hearing.
A public evidentiary hearing will follow the public witness hearing at 10 a.m. on December 14, 2022, in the SCC’s second floor courtroom at 1300 East Main Street in Richmond to receive testimony and evidence from the company, any respondents and the SCC staff.
For those who prefer, there is also an opportunity to provide comments in writing on the Appalachian Power application. Written comments may be submitted through the SCC’s website by December 6, 2022, at scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/Submit-Public-Comments. Simply go to the SCC website, select “Cases” and then “Submit Public Comments,” and scroll down to case number PUR-2022-00139. Then click SUBMIT COMMENTS.
SCC Contact: Ford Carson, Ford.Carson@scc.virginia.gov
