York Notebook: S&P Boosts York's Bond Rating

By Amber Lester Kennedy Thursday, April 28, 2011

Standard & Poor’s has upgraded York County’s general obligation debt from AA to AA+, based on its ability to maintain a strong financial position through economic cycles.

“The AA+ rating further reflects our view of the county’s: stable local economy, very strong income levels, stable financial position, and low overall debt burden,” Standard & Poor’s wrote in the announcement.

“The county’s financial position remains strong,” continues the announcement, “bolstered by very strong reserves and conservative management practices. Despite revenues coming in under budget, the county was able to offset much of these losses with expenditure reductions (in fiscal year 2010).

“The stable outlook reflects Standard & Poor’s view of the county’s healthy local economy and participation in the greater Hampton Roads employment base. The county’s strong overall economic indicators, stable financial position with very strong reserves, and low debt burden all provide additional rating stability.”

“The county was very pleased to learn of this upgrade in our bond rating,” said County Administrator James O. McReynolds. “This potentially means lower interest rates and better financial terms for future borrowings.”

Shagging on the Riverwalk Announces Line-up

York County has announced the line-up for its seven-week concert series, Shagging on the Riverwalk, to be held this spring and summer.

The concerts are offered on the performance stage at Riverwalk Landing, overlooking the York River. The acts will play beach favorites, oldies, Motown and more. The concerts will be every Thursday night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. June 16 through June 30, and again from July 21 through Aug. 11.

The event also features one of the area’s largest outdoor dance floors, where the Colonial Shag Club will provide shag lessons, demonstrations, club information and answer questions. The line-up is:

• June 16: The Main Event Band

• June 23: Mark Roberts and Breeze

• June 30: The Catalinas

• July 21: Band of OZ

• July 28: The Holiday Band

• Aug. 4: L.P. and Company

• Aug. 11: The Original Rhondels

The series is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and/or lawn chairs. Food will be available for purchase. Free parking is available at the Riverwalk Landing parking terrace, York Hall, York-Poquoson Courthouse, the County Administration Building and other designated parking lots in Yorktown.

Design Committee Seeks Members

Property owners or residents of the Yorktown Historic District are invited to submit Board Bank Applications for appointment to the Historic Yorktown Design Committee.

The Design Committee is a three-person committee appointed by the Board of Supervisors and responsible for determining the consistency of proposed architectural changes in the Historic District with the Yorktown Design Guidelines. The Committee currently meets, as needed, on the third Wednesday of each month.

For more information, contact the County Administration Office at 890-3320.

Safety Town Seeks Volunteers

York County’s popular “Safety Town” program, a summer activity for pre-kindergarten children, has a number of volunteer opportunities for middle school and high school students, and adults. The program seeks to reduce childhood injury by teaching five-year-olds basic safety concepts through hands-on, interactive learning experiences.

Youth and adult volunteers are needed to serve as “Leader Assistants,” responsible for helping staff group leaders monitor and supervise an assigned group of 10 children. Volunteer hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., Monday through Friday, according to the following “Safety Town” schedules for 2011:

• July 11 - July 15: Mt. Vernon Elementary School

• July 18- July 22: Mt. Vernon Elementary School

• July 25 - July 29: Mt. Vernon Elementary School

• August 1 – August 5: Magruder Elementary School

All “Safety Town” volunteers receive a “Safety Town” t-shirt, recognition at the weekly completion ceremony, and an invitation to a post-program Volunteer Appreciation Picnic. Interested volunteers must be available to attend the volunteer training on June 22 at the Public Safety Conference Room (301 Goodwin Neck Rd.) from10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

For the purposes of scheduling and consistency, Safety Town coordinators are requiring all selected volunteers to commit to one entire week of the program this summer.

Interested youth and adults should contact York County Parks and Recreation, at 890-3500 to receive a “Safety Town” volunteer application or get them online here. Applications will be accepted starting May 2, and will continue to be accepted until all spots are filled or until the deadline of Friday, June 3.

Walk and Talk to be held at New Quarter Park

Come to New Quarter Park on Friday, May 7, for a Walk and Talk to be led by Denise Greene of Sassafras Farm in Gloucester, Jeanne Millin of the Virginia Master Gardeners, Tree Stewards, and Virginia Master Naturalists.

These native plant and gardening experts will lead visitors on the Teaching Garden Trail, which has been developed by local chapters of the Virginia Native Plant Society, Virginia Master Naturalists, and Virginia Master Gardeners with a variety of native plants that grow well in the dappled shade of the woodlands and tolerate local summer heat and drought conditions.

The Walk and Talk will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. At 1 p.m., Millin will lead an Invasive Plant Removal Day event. The local event is one of many Invasive Plant Removal events that are part of a statewide event organized by the state offices of Virginia Master Naturalist and Virginia Native Plant Society to remove invasive plants from public lands.

New Quarter Park is located at 1000 Lakeshead Drive. From the Colonial Parkway about two miles northeast of Williamsburg, take the Queen’s Lake exit. Turn right and then turn on Lakeshead Drive. Follow the signs to New Quarter Park. For more information call York County Parks and Recreation at 890-3513 or New Quarter Park at 890-5840.