For its annual State of the County address, Henrico traded its usual, formal setting in a hotel ballroom for the county’s shiny, new sports arena.
It enlisted the talents of the Henrico High School marching band and handed out thundersticks and other noisemakers to give the gathering a hint of a major sporting event.
“I don’t know how else to say it, but this is a community celebration,” County Manager John A. Vithoulkas said in welcoming the estimated 400 guests at the Henrico Sports & Events Center. “Today is a celebration of the work efforts of our staff, of exceptional public service and all of this is … is driven by the policies and the goals and the aspirations of our Board of Supervisors.”
In addition to a new venue, the 2023 Henrico State of the County featured a new format. Instead of the county manager serving as the lone presenter, seven department and other county leaders highlighted accomplishments in key service areas: education, finance, economic development, tourism, infrastructure, housing, sustainability and public safety.
Before stepping aside for the first speaker, Vithoulkas apologized for the detail but said Henrico’s accomplishments have been extensive.
“You cannot do the State of the County in 15 minutes, not in this county,” he said.
Watch the State of the County address.
