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 There are moments in the life of a community that will endure forever, even before they are a part of the past. Dr. Kevin Catlin was sworn in as Chesterfield’s new county administrator Monday, Aug. 24, and it was one of those moments.
“Today, I take this oath with humility, gratitude, and a deep sense of responsibility. I’m honored by the trust placed in me and am committed to serving with respect, integrity, and curiosity,” said Catlin.
The ceremony at the Historic 1917 Courthouse marked the official start of Catlin's service as Chesterfield’s chief administrative officer and the beginning of a new chapter for the county. He was selected by the Board of Supervisors following a nationwide search and a competitive field of finalists.
Catlin succeeds Dr. Joe Casey, who led the county for a decade before retiring July 1.
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 Proposed Ordinance Would Allocate All Local Data Center Revenue to Cutting 'Car Tax' Rate
Chesterfield’s success in attracting commercial investment has created an unprecedented opportunity for the local government to take tax dollars generated by a specific sector of businesses and inject them directly into household budgets.
Following a public hearing at its Wednesday, Aug. 26 meeting, the Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on an ordinance that would, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, allocate all real estate and business tangible personal property tax revenue collected annually from data centers in the county to cut the personal property tax rate on cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Should the ordinance be adopted, full build-out of Google’s approved data center campuses in Chesterfield has the potential to yield an estimated tax rate on vehicles of $1.79 – or less than half of what it was just two years ago. That would easily be the lowest “car tax” rate among Virginia’s large localities.
In addition to the public hearing, county staff will present a data center update and answer resident questions during a work session at the Aug. 26 board meeting.
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In the News
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Learn About '1 For Schools' at Meetings in September
The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors and School Board will host a series of joint meetings throughout the county next month to discuss the “1 For Schools” 1% sales tax referendum that will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Staff from both the county and CCPS will provide an overview of the referendum and break down the proposed school projects.
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Board of Supervisors Chair to Host Community Meeting
Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chair and Midlothian District Supervisor Mark Miller will host a community meeting with Chesterfield residents Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Midlothian Middle School, providing attendees the opportunity to ask questions, share input, and hear updates on several county projects.
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Fire and EMS Achieves Prestigious Accreditation
Chesterfield Fire and EMS is now an Accredited Agency with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. (CPSE). The department received accredited status last week following a public hearing outside Chicago. Less than 2% of fire departments nationwide achieve this distinction.
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Review and Comment on Draft of Comp Plan Update
The initial draft of a proposed update to Chesterfield's comprehensive plan, known as PlanMod, is now available for public review and comments. The comprehensive plan is a long-range policy document that shapes how land in our community develops over time. Find a schedule of upcoming community meetings and other public engagement opportunities on the project webpage.
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Chesterfield County Fair Kicks Off Friday, Aug. 28
The Chesterfield County Fair Association invites you to once again take part in its beloved family tradition starting this Friday, Aug. 28. You can unwind at the Grandstand, enjoy performances from musical acts, sample tasty food options and enjoy a variety of fun activities. The Midway also offers exciting rides that visitors eagerly await each year.
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Signups Now Open for Fall 2026 Govt. Citizens Academy
Registration is open through Aug. 31 for the Fall 2026 Government Citizens Academy. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning Sept. 17 and concluding Nov. 12. The program helps Chesterfield residents learn about their local government's operations, programs and services and provides opportunities to offer feedback to county leaders.
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Upcoming Events
Westchester Concert Series: Funhouse
Thursday, Sept. 3, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Main Street Stage
Season 11 continues with Funhouse playing everything you know, but only they perform! Bring your chairs, blankets and of course, your dancing shoes, but please remember to not bring any kind of drink containers, including thermos or Tervis-type containers. They will not be allowed inside the venue.
Parks and Recreation Movie Night: Zootopia 2
Friday, Sept. 11, 6-9:30 p.m. at Chesterfield County Fairgrounds
Calling all pet lovers! Help Parks and Recreation support Chesterfield Animal Services with a free movie night on the big screen, featuring Zootopia 2. Bring your chairs and blankets but for the safety of the guest animals, please leave pets at home. There will be food vendors, balloon animals, bounce houses, glitter tattoos, a photo booth, The RVA Express, and more during this fun-filled event.
Signature Event Series at the Perk: Trademark
Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30p.m. at the Perkinson Center's Jimmy Dean Theater
Known for delivering "sophisticated fun," Trademark is an elite party band featuring powerhouse vocals, exceptional musicianship, and an electric stage presence. From the smooth sounds of Motown and the infectious beats of disco to pop, R&B, rock and swing, they'll have you singing along, dancing in your seat and reminiscing over decades of unforgettable hits.
Pocahontas Premieres: The Richmond Symphony
Saturday, Sept. 12, 7-8:30p.m. at Pocahontas State Park Heritage Amphitheater
Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The orchestra includes more than 70 professional musicians and each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs.
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Six inches of snow fell on Chesterfield last December, a few days before Shamin Hotels held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new Hilton Richmond The Mondelle hotel and conference center on the frozen tundra of Springline at District 60.
January 2026 brought multiple ice storms. The average temperature in the Richmond area was 21 degrees, its coldest month on record since 1897.
“Even through that, 91,000 man-hours later, you delivered this phenomenal structure,” said Neil Amin, CEO of Shamin Hotels, to construction and trades workers gathered Wednesday, Aug. 19 for a topping-out ceremony at The Mondelle.
The $160 million project, which will include 270 guest rooms across 11 floors, is the first full-service hotel and conference center to be constructed in the Richmond region since 2009.
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Chesterfield Behind the Mic
On the latest episode of Chesterfield Behind the Mic, we get you ready for another high school football season around the county by touching base on all 10 schools and discuss the different storylines that are facing the various teams this fall.
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Every Monday, This Week in Chesterfield points residents to fun, exciting and interesting things going on around their community.
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Chesterfield Behind the Mic is an audio and video podcast focusing on the people, stories and happenings of #Cfield.
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Subscribe to our Chesterfield on Point blog to stay informed about a variety of topics and events important to the community.
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Adoptable Pet Spotlight
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Introducing Cruise!
Cruise here is ready to cruise on into your heart! He's already a staff favorite here since he is just the happiest friendliest boy. He wants to be in your lap, or he wants to flop on his back for belly rubs. When he gets excited, he gets super wiggly and bouncy too.
He really is just so happy to be a dog and to spend time with people. He also was a complete gentleman meeting a dog here at the shelter, so he'd probably do really well with another dog in the home. Cruise is a 3-year-old neutered male pitbull mix weighing about 50lbs.
If you are interested in meeting this pet, please contact Chesterfield County Animal Services at 804-748-1683, option "2," to schedule an appointment. Office staff are available by phone 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. Our shelter is located at 9300 Public Works Road.
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Resources and Useful Information
'1 For Schools' Referendum Will Be on Nov. 3 Election Ballot
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Chesterfield County voters will be asked whether the county should be authorized to levy an additional local retail sales tax of up to 1 percentage point.
If voters approve the referendum, the Board of Supervisors could then adopt an ordinance to levy the tax. Revenue from the tax could be used only for qualifying capital projects involving the construction or major renovation of public schools serving Chesterfield County. The tax would expire July 22, 2046.
If the additional sales tax is implemented, it will be offset with a reduction of 2 cents in the real estate tax rate and 10 cents in the personal property tax rate.
Have questions about the referendum, proposed projects or how the funding could be used? Email the 1 for Schools team.
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Farmers Market Open Wednesdays Through Sept. 30
Farmers markets, which support local businesses, are an important resource for communities to provide access to local fresh produce, food, horticultural goods and hygiene products.
The Chesterfield County Farmers Market is open Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Sept. 30 at 6701 Mimms Loop. During season, view the county calendar and visit the market's Facebook page for weekly updates and vendor lists.
You can also visit C-Fit Community for weekly updates about food trucks scheduled to be at the farmers market.
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Chesterfield Residents, Help is a Click Away
The Chesterfield Health District is one of 35 health districts, made up of 119 local health departments under the Virginia Department of Health. It serves the counties of Chesterfield, Powhatan and the city of Colonial Heights to include more than 430,000 residents.
Simply enter your ZIP code at FindHelpVA to search for free or low-cost programs near you and get help with healthcare, housing, food, and more.
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Request a Speaker Today!
Did you know your group or organization can request a speaker from the #Cfield Speakers Bureau? The Speakers Bureau features a variety of topics on current and timely subjects from county leaders who are eager to talk to your group or organization.
Our subject-matter experts want to be your best resource for getting answers to important questions about Chesterfield. Topics include:
✅ District update – Request your board member to speak
✅ Preparing for an emergency - Emergency Management
✅ Senior resources in Chesterfield - Office of Aging and Disability Resources
✅ So much more
Request a speaker online.
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Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Get your weekly dose of Chesterfield news by signing up for Happening in Chesterfield.
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 Chesterfield Schools Are Now in Session for 2026-27
Chesterfield County Public Schools opened Aug. 24 for a new school year, welcoming students to 41 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, 11 high schools, one virtual school and one prekindergarten school. Students were greeted warmly as they arrived by bus, car, bike or on foot, with teachers delighted to have young energy and voices fill their classrooms once again. Changes made since the previous school year include a new elementary school (Deep Creek Elementary); a new building for Bensley Elementary; expanded instructional space at the Career and Technical Center @ Hull; and new principals at five schools.
 Renovated CTC@Hull Offers Opportunities for More Students
Leaders from Chesterfield County Public Schools and Chesterfield County government cut a ribbon last Friday, Aug. 21 to celebrate the $9.5 million renovation of Career and Technical Center @ Hull. The project transformed 42,000 square feet formerly used for central office operations into additional classrooms, specialized labs and support spaces which will be used by students this week.
The expansion supports programs in business; energy; health science; hospitality, tourism and lodging management; information technology; and television and media production. With the improvements, CTC@Hull can accommodate up to 1,150 students, doubling its previous classroom capacity. The additional space allows CCPS to better meet growing demand for career and technical education and connect more Chesterfield students with hands-on learning and pathways to college, careers and the workforce.
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Explore career opportunities in Chesterfield and join our team of dedicated professionals in Government and Public Schools—apply today to shape our community’s future.
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Discover who represents you in Chesterfield and learn more about your magisterial district to stay connected and informed.
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