Hanover County Quick Facts

Most Recent Recognition – County Departments

In August 2011, the Department of Public Works received a 2011 Virginia Association of Counties' (VACo) Achievement Award for its organic waste diversion program. The program was the statewide winner in the Environmental category.

Each year the Virginia Recycling Association (VRA) recognizes the best waste reduction and recycling programs in the state at an annual conference awards ceremony. This year Hanover County was awarded the Outstanding Anti-Litter Award for Excellence for its comprehensive approach to litter that incorporates education, clean-up and enforcement.

Public Utilities facilities:
Water and wastewater systems operated by Hanover County's Department of Public Utilities have been recognized for outstanding performance by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the National Association Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA).

The Doswell Water Treatment Plant has received a Gold Award for Excellence in Granular Media Filter Water Treatment Plant Performance from the Office of Drinking Water of the VDH. This award is given to those operations which achieve Virginia's goals for clarification and filtration. The VDH regulates water quality standards in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Ashland and Totopotomoy Wastewater Treatment Plants received the National Association of Clean Water Agencies' (NACWA) Platinum Peak Performance Awards. These awards are presented to those systems which achieve five or more consecutive years of 100% NPDES permit compliance.

In Virginia, NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits are administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NPDES permits have limits that facilities should meet.  These limits are set using conservative assumptions, the goal being to treat pollutants to a level that is protective of water quality.

Platinum Awards are given to facilities that have achieved 100% compliance with NPDES permit limits for five or more consecutive years. The Ashland WWTP has had 12 consecutive years of perfect compliance and the Totopotomoy WWTP has had six consecutive years of perfect compliance.

The Courthouse Wastewater Treatment Plant received a Gold Peak Performance Award and Doswell Wastewater Treatment Plant received a Silver Peak Performance Award from NACWA. Gold Awards recognize treatment facilities that have achieved 100% compliance for an entire calendar year and Silver awards are given for less than five permit excursions in an entire calendar year. 

Hanover County's Fire/EMS Department was recognized with a 2011 Employer All-Star Award given by the Richmond Human Resource Management Association and The Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce. This award recognizes and honors “the stellar achievements of businesses that make a practice of building a world-class workforce.” It is the third time in five years that Hanover County Fire/EMS has won an Employer All-Star award.

The Sheriff's Office received an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties for the newly formed Motorists Assistance Program.  NACo recognizes effective and innovative programs which contribute to and enhance county government in the United States.  This is the 42nd year the award has been given by NACo.  The Sheriff's Office trained 17 Hanover residents to participate in a Motorist Assistance Patrol program.  These volunteers work in pairs and drive well-marked Ford Explorers equipped with yellow emergency lights.  Their duties include helping stranded motorists, conducting traffic direction, assisting with traffic hazards, and providing guidance and assistance to travelers.  Those participating in the Motorist Assistance Patrol have graduated from the Sheriff's Office Citizens Police Academy and have completed additional training in basic first aid, traffic direction, radio communications, and safety procedures.

The Department of Economic Development received a 2010 Virginia Association of Counties' (VACo) Achievement Award for its Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator partnership with the Town of Ashland, Dominion Resources, the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park (VBRP) and the Virginia Biosciences Development Center. Opened in January 2010, the GreenTech Incubator program aims to develop (‘incubate') high-technology growth companies that will offer innovative products and services in the alternative energy field and other clean and green technologies.  It also seeks to provide a “soft landing” for international green technology companies. VACo's Achievement Awards program recognizes innovative, model county government programs across the State. Only 14 programs in the Commonwealth won a VACo Achievement Award in 2010.

Public Utilities facilities:

• The Doswell Water Treatment Plant received a Gold Award for Excellence in Granular Media Filter Water Treatment Plant Performance from the Office of Drinking Water of the Virginia Department of Health. This is an annual award and the Doswell Water Treatment Plant has received it for the last six years. This award is given to those operations which achieve Virginia's goals for clarification and filtration. The VDH regulates water quality standards in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• The Ashland and Totopotomoy Wastewater Treatment Plants received NACWAPlatinum Peak Performance Awards for five or more consecutive years of 100% NPDES permit compliance. NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits are issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to systems that meet the agency's requirements for protecting water quality. Platinum Awards are given to member agency facilities that have received Gold Awards for five or more consecutive years. The Ashland WWTP has had 11 consecutive years of perfect compliance and the Totopotomoy WWTP has had 5 consecutive years of perfect compliance.
• The Courthouse Wastewater Treatment Plant received a Gold Peak Performance Award and Doswell Wastewater Treatment Plant received a Silver Peak Performance Awards from the NACWA. Gold Awards honor treatment facilities that have achieved 100% compliance with NPDES permit limits for an entire calendar year and Silver awards are given for less than five permit excursions in an entire calendar year.

The Community Services Board was the only local government agency to be recognized as a 2010 “Industry Leader” by the National Safety Council. The Department's employees worked 250,529 hours without any time lost to injuries in 2009. The Department is one of 81 companies nationwide to be honored with the Award, which recognizes the top 5% of member companies, units and facilities that meet safety criteria. Nineteen (19) other County departments (as well as the County itself) received the Occupational Excellence Award bestowed by the National Safety Council.

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Hanover County for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009. The County has received this prestigious award each fiscal year since 1985 (now 25 consecutive years). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. In order to be awarded a Certificate of Achievement, the County published an easily readable and efficiently organized CAFR that satisfied both GAAP and applicable legal requirements. GFOA also awarded a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to Hanover County for its FY2011 budget. The County has received this prestigious award each fiscal year since 1990 (now 20 consecutive years). This award reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, Hanover County had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. Only 20 localities received this award in 2010.

Fire/EMS won a 2010 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award for a program which has improved response times for EMS calls by more than 8%. The same program also was named “Best in Category” by the national association, which represents more than 3,000 counties. The program enables Hanover's EMS paramedics to reach stricken patients more quickly by using well-deployed Quick Response Vehicles (QRV). Changes in how QRV and other EMS units are deployed have increased efficiency without additional personnel or funding. Development of a Quick Response Program was a Fiscal Year 2010 Initiative of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. NACo is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. 

The Department of Information Technology received a national award for the excellence of its use of technology to improve the delivery of county services. Hanover was ranked first among counties with a population of 150,000-249,999 by The Center for Digital Government in the Center's 2010 Digital Counties Survey Awards.

The Virginia Public Library Directors Association recognized the Mechanicsville Library as the Outstanding Library Facility. This is awarded for renovations or new construction.

The Sheriff's Office received the Virginia Law Enforcement Challenge Award from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. The Law Enforcement Challenge program promotes professionalism in traffic safety enforcement and encourages agencies to share their best practices and programs with other law enforcements agencies throughout the nation. Agencies compete with other jurisdictions that have similar-sized organizations. The Sheriff's Office was evaluated in several categories, including policies, officer training, incentives and recognition, public information and education, enforcement activity, and most importantly, results. In 2009 a combination of effective programs resulted in an 18.5% reduction in crashes at Hanover's top ten most dangerous intersections and a 2.5% decrease in overall vehicle crashes throughout the county. Hanover County also experienced a 14.5% decrease in alcohol-related crashes and related injuries, as well as a 25% decrease in alcohol-related fatalities. The Sheriff's Office also placed second in the National Law Enforcement Challenge for traffic safety initiatives. This is the third year in a row that Hanover County has received an award in both the Virginia and the National Law Enforcement Challenge competitions.