Meet the New County Administrator - Vic Carpenter

Mr. Carpenter began his duties as County Administrator effective June 20, 2022. He most recently served as the County Administrator for Kershaw County, South Carolina with more than 25 years of local government experience.

Mr. Carpenter has served as President of the South Carolina Managers, Administrators and Supervisors Association and has been actively involved in his community through Rotary International, Kiwanis and as President of the Boys and Girls Club. He previously led his former county to receive the All-America City Award, oversaw the construction of numerous buildings and managed record fund balances as well as effectively used excess fund balances to provide needed capital upgrades for the county.

In coming to Virginia, Carpenter returns to his family’s roots which trace back several centuries. He has noted that Kershaw County is very similar to Goochland in that it is a growing county with a rural agricultural history striving to retain its rural character. Interested in meeting with Mr. Carpenter to discuss your experience doing business in Goochland County? Please contact us at GoochlandForBusiness@goochlandva.us.

Congratulations to Hill Top Distillery as a finalist for VRLTA's Distillery of the Year Ordinary Award!

Virginia Restaurant Lodging Travel Association (VRLTA) Ordinary Awards celebrate and honor all of Virginia’s restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and lodging establishments. Hill Top Distillery was named a finalist in the Distillery of the Year award and will compete with two other distilleries in Virginia. Learn more about Hill Top Distillery in Business Spotlight section below!

Goochland County set to launch new Permitting Software

Goochland County's Community Development Department is set to launch it's new permitting software on November 15th. The new software will allow for online applications, credit card payments, and a portal where citizens and applicants can check on status of permits, plan review, and request inspections.
Contractor training will be held on various dates between October 18th-October 28th. For more information, including training dates and how to access the new system, please visit the website dedicated to the new system at www.goochlandva.us/1226/Energov.

Virginia Values Veterans Program: A Stable Workforce Pipeline

On September 13th, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program has surpassed 100,000 Virginia veterans hired throughout the Commonwealth. The V3 Program helps active duty service members who are transitioning to civilian life to find new jobs in the state. V3 Partner Employers receive training from the Department of Veteran Services on best practices of recruiting, hiring and training military veterans.

As a V3 Partner Employer, your company may be eligible for up to $10,000 in grants, with $1,000 awarded per eligible veteran hired. If you're interested in becoming a V3 Partner Employer, please visit www.dvsV3.com or contact Jasmine Gore, Jasmine.Gore@dvs.virginia.gov.

Business Spotlight!

Each month we will spotlight a Goochland business!
Hill Top Distillery

Hill Top took its name from its location nestled on the hilltop in Maidens, with mighty trees, and mysterious woodland that overlook Tucker Park and the James River. Hill Top was founded on the principal that handcrafting fine Virginia spirits, requires patience, dedication, and respect for the spirit making process. Hill Top currently offers a variety of whiskeys, gin, vodka, and the infamous moonshine, Gooch Hooch, in a variety of flavors. Hill Top has won numerous awards including being named in the U.S. Open top 5 Whiskey Distilleries in June 2021 among Craft Distilleries in the U.S. and Canada. In 2022 their Single Barrel Proof Bourbon won Silver in the American Distillery Institute International competition, where they competed with over 800 entries from Craft and National Distilleries.

Stop by to purchase a bottle or visit the tasting Room for unique cocktails:
Thursday | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday | 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Saturday | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sunday | 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Check out their event schedule on their website www.thehilltopdistillery.com or find them on FaceBook or instagram @hilltopdistillery.

Looking to Grow in Goochland?

Check out available building and sites in Goochland to grow your business and give us a call to chat!

Building Spotlight!

Photo and information for 2356 Lanier Road

Photo by Ricardo Costa, MSU Extension

Preserving our Roots:
Agri-Businesses in Goochland

Article submitted by Nicole Shuman, Goochland's Agriculture Extension Agent.

Cover crops are a well-known best management practice among farmers. They build soil organic matter, exclude winter annual weeds, aid in nutrient cycling, and—critically—help keep soil and nutrients in place on fields that are fallowed over the winter.

Eligible producers have long been able to apply for cost share through local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, but there are a couple of changes to the practice this year. First, per-acre cost-share rates have increased, as well as the annual per-entity cap on cost share. Second, planting deadlines have been extended. In the Piedmont region, producers can plant cover crops until October 25. Warmer falls mean later plantings are possible, and the additional flexibility is helpful when contending with harvests and fall rains. Producers now have two more weeks than they had previously to get up late-planted corn and double-cropped soybeans and get cover crops planted in their place.

The Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District Board will meet again on Monday, October 17—a full week before the October 25 planting deadline. This means that interested producers still have a chance to apply for cover crop cost-share this year. They should reach out to Monacan staff at 804-556-4936 with any questions.