November 18, 2022

A publication by Gloucester's Department of Community Engagement and Public Information

Gloucester Receives Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for Seventh Consecutive Year

The Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that Gloucester County has received GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the County’s most recent budget. This is the seventh consecutive year the County’s Financial Services Department has received the award.

The award represents a significant achievement by the County and its staff. It reflects the commitment of the governing body to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. 

Click here to learn more.

Dominion Energy Shares Five Telltale Signs of Utility Scams

This Utility Scam Awareness Day, Dominion Energy is urging customers to watch out for utility scammers by sharing the most common red flags.

"Even if the caller ID says Dominion Energy, our customers should be on alert about demands for immediate payment and threats of service disconnection," said Utibe Bassey, Dominion Energy's vice president of Customer Experience. "That is not how we do business. When any warning sign is present, hang up. Never share personal information."

Know the warning signs of a utility scam:

1. Dominion Energy does not call and threaten service disconnection if a customer does not make a payment immediately.
2. Dominion Energy will never demand payment with a credit or debit card by phone, or ask a customer to wire a transfer, send a money order or buy a prepaid or gift card to pay a utility bill.
3. Not all scammers are aggressive and threatening. Some scammers try to earn a customer's trust by being personable and sympathetic.
4. Utility scammers will often target small businesses, such as restaurants, and threaten service disconnection during peak business hours to instill fear and a sense of urgency.
5. Customers should be suspicious of and not allow individuals claiming to be Dominion Energy employees to enter their homes without proper identification, an appointment or a reported emergency. Additionally, employees do not ask for payment in person.

What to do if customers receive a suspicious call:

• Hang up. Do not provide account, payment or any other personal information.
• Fact check. Scammers do not typically know the customer's account balance. Customers can verify their account balance and payment due date online or on the Dominion Energy app.
• Seek help. Dominion Energy can help customers facing financial hardship. Connect with the company with any payment concerns.

For more scam prevention tips, visit dominionenergy.com/our-stories/scammers-and-personal-safety.

Public Input Being Sought on Potential Zoning Ordinance Changes That Would Remove Some Burdensome Regulations

County staff, in partnership with the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, have completed a comprehensive rewrite of Articles 1-9 of the County’s Zoning Ordinance. Articles 1-9 include regulations for all the zoning districts, permitted uses, supplemental regulations for those uses, and general development standards related to other items such as screening and buffering, common open space, etc. 

After a four-year long in-depth review, staff is excited to present the draft to citizens in the form of public open houses to occur in November. Open houses are planned for the northern, central, and southern sections of the County. The purpose of these meetings is to help citizens understand the zoning changes so that they can express their concerns or appreciation for the changes to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors when they hold formal public hearings on the changes. Meetings will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

THERE IS ONE OPEN HOUSE LEFT TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS!



November 29 at Rappahannock Community College’s Glenns Lecture Hall

To learn more, click here.

Rappahannock Community College Enrolling for Spring 2023 Term

Rappahannock Community College is now enrolling for the spring 2023 semester. With campuses and sites in Glenns, Warsaw, King George, New Kent, and Montross offering in-person and online options, RCC meets students wherever they are.

RCC offers a rolling admissions process allowing students to begin and continue their educational journey when the timing is right for them. From workforce credentialing to college credits toward an associate degree or transfer degree; skills training to high school dual enrollment; RCC is a stepping stone to a brighter future.

In addition to the traditional sources of financial aid and tuition assistance available, RCC students can apply for scholarships, and state sources like G3 and FastForward. Virginia’s G3—Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead—provides tuition help for those studying certain programs in IT, public safety, healthcare, skilled trades, and early childhood education. FastForward helps students pursuing short-term workforce training for the most in-demand jobs across the Commonwealth.

RCC Navigators and Financial Aid Specialists are ready to help anyone take the next step. Enrollment is on-going and classes begin January 17.

Visit www.rappahannock.edu, call 804-333-6730, or email [email protected] for assistance. 

Could Someone Please Pass the Plunger? How to Safely Dispose of Holiday Leftovers this Thanksgiving

What’s on your menu this Thanksgiving? A roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, a visit from the plumber? You can keep that last item off your holiday menu by keeping standing cooking oil, greasy leftovers and food scraps out of the kitchen drain and disposal.

“When grease goes down the drain in a liquid form, it will cool and adhere to the sides of the pipes, restricting the flow of water,” said Mike Martin, chief of pretreatment and pollution prevention with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD). “This can prevent other household waste from moving through the pipe, causing sewage backups in your home or a sanitary sewer overflow in the street.”

No one wants to deal with that situation on a family holiday, not even plumbers.

Martin says the local plumbing community refers to the day after Thanksgiving as Brown Friday—one of the busiest times for sewage backups. It can be pricey, too. If a backup occurs on a holiday, residents can expect to pay a premium.

“You won’t get as good a plumbing deal on Brown Friday, as you would shopping on Black Friday,” Martin said.

Martin recommends taking a few minutes to dispose of fats, oils and grease (FOG) properly:

·        For standing grease, pour it into an empty can, let it harden in the freezer and then toss the can in the trash.

·        For grease leftover from foods such as hamburger, allow it to cool in the pan, then use a paper towel to swipe and toss it in the trash.

·        For dishes, scrape any leftovers into the trash or compost bin before washing.

To dispose of leftover turkey frying oil, Martin advised contacting your community for proper disposal locations.

Restaurant owners should adhere to the same guidelines. In addition, they should maintain and inspect grease control devices, dispose of fryer grease correctly and keep oil storage containers securely covered. Not only are sewer overflows and backups an inconvenience for Hampton Roads residents, but they also impact the environment by contaminating local waterways and harming wildlife and aquatic species.

That is a key concern for askHRgreen.org, a public awareness and education initiative backed by 17 Hampton Roads municipalities and HRSD.

“Keeping your drains FOG-free goes beyond the holiday season,” said Rebekah Eastep, an askHRgreen.org team leader. “These are practices we should be following year-round. It’s really everybody’s responsibility to do the right thing.” 

Drivers: Slow Down for Deer! 

Autumn is here and along with colorful leaves, crisp air and shorter days, deer are on the move. Fall is the breeding season for deer, so deer will be more active over the next couple of months than at any other time of the year. 

Motorists will also be driving more often in the dark, increasing the likelihood of encountering a deer on the road. Colliding with a deer can cause considerable damage to the animal, people and property. 



The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) recommends the following tips to avoid hitting a deer: 

1. Slow down and be attentive, particularly at night (from dusk to dawn). If you see one deer, watch out for others. 
2. Deer habitually travel the same areas. Use caution when you see deer crossing signs installed in these areas by the Virginia Department of Transportation. 
3. Apply brakes, even stop if necessary, to avoid hitting a deer, but never swerve out of the lane to miss a deer. A collision with another vehicle, tree or other object is likely to be more serious than hitting a deer. 
4. Always wear a seat belt! Even if a collision is unavoidable, you are more likely to avoid injury or death if you are wearing a seat belt. 
5. If you hit or kill a deer or bear while driving, immediately report the accident to a Conservation Police Officer or other law enforcement officer in the county or city where the accident occurred. 
6. If you kill a deer or bear while driving, you may keep it for your own use if you report the accident to a law enforcement officer where the accident occurred and the officer views the animal and gives you a possession certificate. 

For more information, see this page and video on deer/vehicle safety: dwr.virginia.gov/blog/drivers-stay-alert-deer-are-on-the-move/ 

LIBRARY NEWS

PARKS & RECREATION NEWS

Holiday Photos in The Park- Registration For Residents NOW OPEN! ( Non-residents Nov 16th)

Join us at Beaverdam Park for a Holiday Photo Op! Wear the ugly sweaters, the holiday finery or “our favorite” park attire! We will email photos for you to use as Christmas Cards, presents and for scrapbooks. Goody bags too!

Register for a 10 minute appointment between Noon and 1:30pm on Saturday, December 10. Amphitheater. $10/ family, deadline December 3.

Head to gloucesterva.info/civicrec to grab your time slot!

Stay ahead of the game and mark your calendars!

Winter/Spring Parks, Recreation & Tourism program registration will be available for residents of Gloucester on Nov 14th and non-residents on Nov 16th for the following activities:

Basketball 12-18 years of age

Adult League Basketball

Spring Soccer

STAR

Gymnastics

Karate

Bingo

Yoga

Zumba

Christmas Holiday Parade

Park Programs – Including Pictures In The Park being held on Dec 10th!

Please note that there are still programs open right now that you can register for as well. Visit gloucesterva.info/civicrec to see what all is being offered!

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Replayed Post on Money, Health, and Other Things!

Looking to cut back on spending and save some more money ahead of the holidays? Over the next few weeks, the Virginia Cooperative Extension will revisit past posts on reducing spending. This week, they’ll discuss ways to reduce your power bill! To learn more, click here.