In case you missed the July 26 Board of Supervisors meeting, here is a brief recap of items from the board’s work session and business meeting:
OPIOID ABATEMENT GRANTS
The board authorized staff to accept and appropriate two grants totaling $1.7 million from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA).
The OAA created a grant opportunity for localities to work cooperatively to abate and remediate the opioid epidemic in the commonwealth by treating, preventing, and reducing opioid use-disorder and the misuse of opioids. Chesterfield is partnering with the cities of Colonial Heights and Petersburg and Powhatan County.
Funding will provide wraparound services to individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder/mental health conditions -- including housing, transportation, education, funding for media campaigns to prevent opioid use, funding for community drug disposal programs, support mobile intervention, treatment, and recovery services offered by qualified professionals and service providers to abate the opioid crisis.
BROADBAND EXPANSION GRANT
The board approved and appropriated more than $755,000 in grant funding from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) for the purpose of providing broadband coverage to unserved and underserved locations in Chesterfield.
The grant, along with $1.3 million in county funding and a combined $11.2 million from project partners All Points Broadband and Dominion Energy, will be used to build out broadband infrastructure in the county.
The project will ultimately bring broadband capability to 494 parcels, homes and businesses countywide. It is expected to take anywhere from 24 to 36 months to complete before new subscribers can be served.
FIRE AND EMS UPDATE
Chesterfield Fire and EMS Chief Loy Senter presented his department’s annual report to the Board of Supervisors during its afternoon work session. You can watch it in its entirety by clicking on the image below.
NORTH-SOUTH COLLECTOR ROAD
The board authorized staff to proceed with the North-South Collector Road, a project that will connect Westerleigh Parkway and Duval Road and accommodate construction of a new middle school in the western Route 360 corridor.
Last month, the board appropriated $10 million for the North-South Collector Road, the construction of which is one of the proffered conditions under the zoning for the Upper Magnolia Green East property.
Wednesday’s action allows staff to begin work on design and right-of-way acquisition, execute agreements for utility relocation and advertise for a construction contract for the project.
PARKS AND RECREATION UPDATE
Neil Luther, director of Chesterfield Parks and Recreation, gave a presentation to the board at its work session. Watch the full presentation below.
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FUNDS
At the request of the Community Services Board (CSB), the supervisors appropriated more than $307,000 in state funding to support Chesterfield’s Permanent Supportive Housing program for individuals with serious mental illness.
The funding from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services will be used to cover costs for individuals in the program, which aims to positively impact individuals in the community who are either experiencing homelessness or in transition from state hospital or community correctional facilities and are able to live more independently with the support of multiple wraparound services.