Richmond - Around The Cone - December 2022

around
the cone
December 2022
The best way to spread Around the Cone cheer...
...Is reading the entire edition, starting here!
Happy Holidays to everyone in the VDOT Richmond District! Fall is flying
out of the Virginia air faster than the above pictured helicopter at Highway
Heroes (more on that event later), but keep in mind that we're already in
meteorological winter.
As always, the district and its fantastic employees are full of accomplishments
and are always doing work that is worth celebrating. You'll find as much of that
as we can fit into this latest edition, including preps for snow season and a new
interview feature.
Happy reading!
In this issue
Message From Dale, Shane Farewell 2
Highway Heroes 3-4
Employee Spotlight: Jerry Baisey 6
Employee Benefits Association 7
Completed Projects 9
Prompt Pay Performance Metric 10
Safety Corner 11
Snow Prep 11-12
Compliments on a Job Well Done 13
Employee Update 14-15

Message from Dale Totten, P.E. - Richmond District Engineer
Change is all around us here in the Richmond District.
When you look out the office window, or your work vehicle's windshield, you can’t help but
notice the leaves are slowly, but surely changing colors and starting to drop.
The number of active construction projects are starting to drop as well, as we shift from the
end of a well-executed construction season and focus on maintenance and, of course, the
threat of winter weather.
The last few days of 2022 and the start of 2023 give the Richmond District a great opportunity to show that, even though some
things change, our district remains a constant leader in snow response. Our leadership team and snow command structure has
been preparing for this opportunity for months now; from biweekly snow program meetings, to mock events both at Central
Office and at the JSOC with the residencies. Training has also been provided for our all-hands staff, making sure everyone
knows and understands their role.
It’s important to remember that everyone at VDOT has a role when it comes to winter storm response. As a team, I am
confident that we will give the snow season nothing short of our very best effort. When the weather changes, our commitment
to the traveling public remains constant; this is when we are at our best and I’d expect our responsiveness this season to be no
different than previous years.
Another change you have more than likely noticed in our district is the change in leadership. I am honored and humbled to now
serve as your District Engineer. During my just under 20 years with VDOT, I have always felt that the work we do is very noble,
meaningful work - and I look forward to continuing to work with all of you in this new position. I would also like to thank
Shane Mann (who you’ll hear from one more time in this newsletter below) for his leadership and stellar work in this role.
Shane and I have a long history of working together and I am grateful that we were able to continue that partnership over the
last 3 years.
Be sure to take some time to recharge over this holiday season. It can be a stressful time of year, both professionally and
personally. Spend some time with those people that are most important to you doing something you love to do. I wish you and
your families Happy Holidays, safe travels and many happy returns in 2023. -Dale
Message from Shane Mann, P.E. - Former Richmond District Engineer
I want to thank each of you for the support you have given me over the last three years in
the District Engineer role. Back on October 6, 2019 at my first staff meeting, I shared my
three focus points for the district: Customer service, integrity/fairness, and acknowledging
employees. I believe that we have made strides forward in each of those areas. Customer
service has improved both internally and externally as we continued the mantra of urgency
and purpose. Integrity and Fairness have always been high in Richmond District - our people
do the right thing even when no one is watching. We have acknowledged employees by
tangible (IBAs/Market adjustments/work anniversary celebrations) and intangible means
(saying thank you for a good job/listening to employee opinions and ideas).
As I move into my new role as Deputy Chief Engineer, I am well aware that my ability to compete for this position is based
on the assistance and knowledge each of you shared with me. I hope that I can represent you well and bring some of the
Richmond District culture to the Central Office.
Richmond District is where I started my VDOT career back in 2005 and I have interacted with most of you in one way
or another. I have developed friendships with many of you that I value tremendously. This may be the end of my time in
Richmond District, but it's definitely not the end of those friendships. My cell phone number and email remain the same, so
please reach out if I can be of any assistance or stop by and say hello if you are in the Central Office.
Thank you again and please stay safe! -Shane
Around the Cone 2

Governor Glenn Youngkin visits the JSOC building, tours TOC, SSP
The Richmond District complex received a special visitor shortly after Labor Day. Governor Glenn Youngkin visited the JSOC
campus and surveyed VDOT-related operations during a scheduled visit to the Virginia State Police Division I Headquarters on
September 8.
While he was on campus, the governor viewed equipment and received information about VDOT’s Safety Service Patrol (SSP) and
Traffic Operations Center (TOC). Staff members from VDOT and AECOM, the SSP and TOC contractors, were on hand to answer
questions from the governor and his team.
Youngkin was joined by Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller III and Commissioner of Highways Stephen Brich.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin gets an overview of the SSP program from
SSP operator Roscoe Parker, while visiting the JSOC.
Highway Heroes educates, enterains the whole family at Chesterfield Fairgrounds
The VDOT Richmond District, its partner agencies and several first responder groups gathered at the Chesterfield County
Fairgrounds Saturday, November 5 for the second ever Highway Heroes event.
More than 1,000 attendees viewed, touched and climbed inside fire trucks, police cruisers and helicopters, while watching
firefighters rappel from a rope and troopers navigate an obstacle course by motorcycle. Guests also tried on “impaired” vision
goggles and navigated a set of cones on a tricycle at a tent hosted by DRIVE SMART Virginia.
Highway Heroes led up to Crash Responder Safety Week (Nov.
14-18), which means those in attendance also learned about
the crucial role that first responders and highway workers play
on Virginia’s highways. That message was eloquently shared
by Melanie Clark (a highway safety advocate who lost her
husband, a Hanover County firefighter, in a 2018 crash on
I-295) and Deputy Brad Hughes (a Powhatan County deputy
who lost his legs responding to a crash while working with
Chesterfield County). Melanie and Brad shared their stories
before two live extrication demos, organized by Chesterfield
County Fire & EMS.
“Highway Heroes has been a huge success in both its years,”
said Christopher Rusk, a Highway Heroes organizer and
Petersburg Residency incident management coordinator (IMC).
“I’m proud of the important advocacy and education the
event allows us to do, while also delivering a family-friendly
atmosphere.”
Other tour attendees include Secretary of Transportation W. Shep
Miller III, Commissioner of Highways Stephen Brich and former
Richmond District Engineer (now Deputy Chief Engineer) Shane
Mann.
Melanie Clark and Deputy Brad Hughes appear at Highway Heroes.
Thanks to all VDOT staff members and partners who helped organize this year’s Highway Heroes! More photos from this year’s
event can be seen on the next page.
Around the Cone 3

Highway Heroes (continued)
Around the Cone 4

Petersburg Residency Employee of the Quarter
Morris Prince, Prince George Area Headquarters maintenance supervisor, is
the Petersburg Residency’s Employee of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of
2022.
Morris was hired at VDOT in February 2018 as a TOII at Prince George and
shortly thereafter promoted to the TOIII position at Prince George AHQ. Morris
left Prince George for a position in Emporia, but returned just a few weeks
later for a promotion as the TOMI Supervisor in Prince George.
Morris has been a great asset to the Prince George AHQ and the residency
hopes to keep him, now that he is back! Morris is well-rounded in his
knowledge and has trained many other employees on equipment and how to
perform detailed operations. He is very dependable and willing to help in any
way he can. He takes pride in his work and will always get the job done.
Kenny Hawthorne, Morris Prince and Aaron French
As a supervisor, Morris is a mentor and has high expectations of his crew
members and expects them to push themselves to grow and improve. Morris holds his staff accountable, but also appreciates the
hard work they do and compliments them when they do a great job.
Morris puts the safety of his crew and himself as his first priority. He goes above and beyond to promote a safe work environment
and sets an example to his staff. Morris is willing to sit down, draw diagrams, pull manuals and explain to the crew the what,
why, where, and how to's of jobs that may be difficult or new to some of the crew members. Morris is approachable and always
willing to listen to his staff.
Kenny Hawthorne, Prince George AHQ superintendent, said “Morris is always willing to take the reins when I am on vacation and
I am comforted to know that he is very capable and will steer the ship in the right direction until I am able to return. We are all
happy to have him as the Prince George area headquarters supervisor.”
The Petersburg Residency and VDOT Richmond District is thankful for your hard work and leadership, Morris!
TOC handles action-packed day with excellence
The VDOT Central Region Traffic Operations Center (TOC) demonstrated its excellence in communications skills and incident management
during two separate calls on the same day in August.
On the night of Wednesday, August 17, a tractor-trailer crashed into a paving work zone on I-95 in Chesterfield County and did
not stop.
TOC operators and Virginia State Police (VSP) dispatchers and troopers worked together to locate and apprehend the suspect
using traffic cameras.
On the same day, TOC operators and SSP dispatchers jumped into action again, this time to aid a VDOT Safety Service Patrol (SSP)
operator suffering a medical emergency. The SSP operator activated an emergency button on their radio, which alerted VSP dispatchers,
who worked with the TOC to locate the operator and send first responders to help. Thankfully, the SSP operator was able
to recover quickly and return to work.
TOC operators and state police Division 1 dispatchers work side-by-side in the JSOC building, which helps to boost collaboration
between agencies.
“This is a great example of partnership between the agencies and the benefit of having VSP and the TOC in the same room,” said
Chris Corcoran, regional operations manager for the program’s contractor, AECOM.
Thank you to the TOC operators, SSP operators and the VSP dispatchers and troopers for all they do to keep Virginia safe and
moving!
Around the Cone 5

Employee Spotlight: Jerry Baisey
On Christmas Eve, Jerry Baisey will make the one mile drive from his home to the Burnt Store AHQ for the last time as an employee
of VDOT. Forty-six years ago Jerry was hired as an hourly Equipment Operator
at the Burnt Store AHQ and moved through the ranks before becoming the
Superintendent at the same location, where he has been for 34 years. “I don’t
know that I would have done anything differently, I might have stayed as an
Operator because I really enjoyed operating equipment, but I got the opportunity
to be a Timekeeper and that was a good experience, too. Two of us applied for this
job and I am the one that got lucky.”
Jerry and his wife, Sandra, raised their kids in the Burnt Store community, so the
work he did had special meaning because he was giving back to the citizens that
were also his neighbors, friends, and family. The team he works with is so close
they became family, they shared life's trials and tribulations with one another Jerry
said, “They’ve been good to me and I’ve tried to be good to them.” Jerry’s rule of
thumb for his team has always been, “Never get out on a limb where I can’t come
get you. If you think you’d read about it in the paper, don’t do it!”
Retirement is a well earned gift; a gift Jerry will use to spend time with his wife,
his children, and his granddaughter. Jerry is looking forward to getting out into
the woods to hunt as often as he’d like, without racing against the snowflakes to
get back to attend to the roads, and to taking trips with Sandra.
Jerry is about to embark on an adventure he’s worked his entire career for, but
one thing is for sure, he will always be family.
Jerry at his desk, where a photo of his wife and
granddaughter are the background on his computer
monitor.
5 Questions with....
Chris Feggins, Chester AHQ Maintenance Crew
Leader
1. How many years have you worked at VDOT? 8
2. Favorite food? Sweet potato pie
3. What show are you currently watching? Hard Knocks: Detroit Lions
and Yellowstone
4. What is the first thing you are buying after winning the lottery?
A house with 10 acres
5. What do you like to do outside of work? Lift weights and
participate in car shows benefitting homeless veterans
Chris Feggins
Krina Patel, Richmond Distric Traffic Engineering
1.How many years have you worked for VDOT? Just hit 2
(December 10)
2. What is your favorite food? Tex-Mex (Chuy’s in particular)
3. If you could compare yourself to any animal, which would it
be? Zebra
4. Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible? Fly (To avoid
traffic!)
5.What do you like to do outside of work? Gardening and Baking
Krina Patel
Around the Cone 6

Employee Benefits Association is here for you
As employees transition back to offices, remember that the Richmond Employee Benefits Association
(EBA) is here for your benefit needs. And it costs just $1 per paycheck to join!
The EBA is unique to VDOT. "There is a board that meets twice a year that oversees the District EBAs,
and the board is made up of the presidents of each active, local EBA," explained Lisa Lynch, Richmond District EBA president.
Lisa shared that the Richmond District EBA currently has 280 members.
Donald Logan has been a member of the Richmond District EBA since he first joined VDOT."At just $24 a year, it just seemed like
a simple way to help others at times when they may need a little help. As it turned out, I have been one of those people a few
times since then. Having had surgeries at four different times that required short term disability for recovery, I received disability
benefits. That little extra cash to help cover additional expenses sure did help a lot! Also, as we recently lost our father, the
memorial contribution benefit was also a nice added touch."
Below are benefits available to EBA members in good standing (current with dues and a member for six consecutive
months)
• Floral tribute or memorial contribution, up to $75, upon the death of a member or immediate family member.
• Flowers, fruit, gift or gift certificate (not to exceed $25) to a member who has been absent from work for more than 10
consecutive days due to illness or injury.
• Members out of work for 10 consecutive days after childbirth, sickness or personal injury are eligible to receive $4 per day
beginning on day 11 for a maximum of 60 days in any 12-month period.
• A death benefit of $100 paid upon the death of the member to the designated beneficiary.
• Engraved plaque, tray or other gift, up to a $40 value, upon member's retirement.
• Discounted Regal movie tickets (Paying by cash - $9 for EBA members and $10 for non-members; Paying by credit/debit
- $9.50 for EBA members and $10.50 for non-members), discounted offers on raffles and various other EBA-sponsored
activities.
*Please note that it is the EBA member's responsibility to promptly notify their EBA Trustee when an event occurs that results in a
member benefit, such as extended sickness/injury, death of a family member or pending retirement.
Have questions or ready to join? Reach out to a trustee or officer for more information:
EBA Trustees: Lydia Edwards, Marty Little, Debby Kinton, John Gouyer, Jerry Chavis, Tommy Johnson, Sharon Jones, Kim Ampy,
Cathy Berry, Nequea Jordan
EBA Officers: Lisa Lynch (President), Sharon Jones (Vice President), Debbie Bell (Treasurer) and Lydia Edwards (Secretary)
Traffic engineering's Ambrose honored by professional society
Congratulations to Niko Ambrose, EIT, a member of the Richmond District’s
traffic engineering team, who was named the Centennial Engineer of the Month of
November by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Virginia chapter.
ASCE presents the honor to “outstanding volunteers and prominent engineers
throughout the Commonwealth” who demonstrate excellence in their careers, are
leaders in the profession and are active in their communities.
Niko, who started at VDOT as a civil scholar, also serves as the chair of the ASCE’s
Region 4 Younger member advisory council and on the Government Relations
committee for the organization’s Richmond branch.
“I have been so fortunate to be a part of a diverse and welcoming professional
organization and I am thankful for the friends and mentors I have met along the way,”
Niko said.
Congratulations, Niko – and thanks for all you do to help Keep Virginia Moving!
Niko Ambrose
Around the Cone 7

Richmond District, Research Council complete more recycled plastic asphalt field trials
More recycled plastic is being paved onto more roads around Central Virginia.
The district materials section and the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) completed four
recycled plastic additive trials in asphalt paving projects across the district in 2022.
VDOT contractor Colony Construction mixed and laid two types of asphalt containing recycled plastic
(MR6 and High RAP MR8 from supplier MacRebur) onto River Road (Route 645) and Lamore Drive
(Route 630) in Prince George.
For the other two trials, VDOT contractor Allan
Myers (whose asphalt plant is pictured) paved
two types
of the asphalt (NVI Advanced Materials Group
NewRoad (pictured) and GreenMantra) on
Dorset Road
(Route 622) in Powhatan.
In 2021, the district completed the first
recycled plastic additive project trial in Virginia
– which made
headlines across the state. That trial was
completed on Old Stage Road (Route 732) in
Chesterfield.
The district will monitor these four trials for
pavement wear and possible “leeching,” to verify no environmental concerns are created from its usage.
“VDOT continues to be at the forefront of finding innovative ways to implement recycled waste into paving and other projects,” said
Tommy Schinkel, Richmond District materials engineer. “I am proud of this work and want to thank Doug Chappell (the district
asphalt quality assurance program manager, pictured above), Jhony Habbouche (a VTRC senior research scientist who has been
working on recycled plastic additives to asphalt for the last two years, pictured above), VDOT’s environmental division and of course
our contractors forworking with the department as we try something new.”
Thanks to everyone at VDOT who works to produce innovative solutions for paving and material sourcing.
Peer-to-Peer Compliments
Don't forget! See a coworker performing a job well done? Then consider recognizing
them by filling out a Richmond District High Five Form. Your recognition may be included in
the next newsletter issue. Here is the latest High Five!
“Wallace Boyter is a hard worker and our "Go To Guy" for minor mechanical issues at Chase City Area Headquarters. He takes
care of many issues with our equipment and corrects it, which saves the shop time and keeps us moving. Thanks Wallace for your
hard work!” – John Griles
“Thank you, Todd Shank for all your help during snow season and year-round! Todd is always so patient and understanding with
any questions or concerns anyone might have. He is always there to help out when he can and I appreciate all his help!”
– Shanley Heilman
“I just want to give a huge thank you to Connie Perkins. Since I have started my new role with the Petersburg Residency, Connie
has been a blessing. She is always so kind and patient. I could never thank her enough for all the knowledge and help she has
given me. Thank you so much Connie!” – Shanley Heilman
Around the Cone 8

Bridge over Nottoway River reopens to traffic following replacement
A new bridge now spans the Nottoway River at the Brunswick/Dinwiddie county line,
replacing an 85-year-old structure and improving safety in the process.
The bridge on Cut Bank Road (Route 609) was completed in September 2022. Work on
the $2.6 million project started in August 2021.
VDOT widened the one-lane bridge from 13 to 16 feet, providing a 12-foot travel lane
for both north and southbound traffic.
“The new bridge provides additional space for traffic traveling in both directions, thereby
improving safety,” said Robert Poutier, P.E., Richmond District Construction Engineer. “VDOT would like to thank the citizens for
their patience with the detour during construction, the contractor Clearwater Construction, and the construction team for their
hard work on this project."
Intersection improvement project at Parham Road and Patterson Avenue is complete
A $14 million project to add turn lanes, sidewalks and crosswalks at the intersection of Parham Road and Patterson Avenue in the
western area of Henrico County is complete.
The VDOT Richmond District started the project in May 2021.
Specifically, two additional left turn lanes were added on Patterson Avenue
in each direction as drivers approach Parham Road from both the east and
west. Additionally, two left turn lanes were installed for drivers traveling north
on Parham Road, as well as a “right turn only” lane. Finally, the left turn lane
capacity was extended for drivers traveling south on Parham Road heading
eastbound on Patterson Avenue.
The newly-completed project includes crosswalks along Parham Road on the
east side, south of Patterson Avenue and on the west side, north of the intersection. Crosswalks have also been installed at the
intersection to cross both Patterson Avenue and Parham Road.
PD/PIM Hosts Annual Meeting in Hawthorne
The annual PD/PIM meeting was held Sept. 21 in the Hawthorne
Room at the JSOC building.
Each section reviewed the fiscal year 2022 metrics. Assistant
Richmond District Engineer Mark Riblett said the results are
impressive and PD/PIM had a successful year. "Our outcomes are
well documented and include many examples of very positive and
productive working relationships - both within and outside of our
group."
Breast Cancer Awareness
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, several employees from the Traffic Operations Center (TOC)
wore pink and decorated a tree with pink ornaments.
Anna Coghill,
Christina Shipley,
Fred Nausbaum,
Amanda Boykin,
Tiara Williams and
April Dabney
Cedric Walker,
Sharod Taylor, and
April Dabney
Around the Cone 9

District accounting tops VDOT for Prompt Pay Performance Metric
The Richmond District accounting office is number one for prompt pay compared to all other VDOT districts – we paid more
of our invoices and vouchers on time than any other district for fiscal year 2022. The icing? The team accomplished this
milestone while simultaneously implementing a brand new accounting system.
“Between August 2021 and 2022 we learned a new system and piloted it. We worked through bugs and issues and still
were number one,” said Shavon Matias, former Richmond District accounting manager. “And to be first when approving
a new system is incredible. As long as I can remember, we’ve never been first for prompt pay before; we’ve always been
number two or three.”
The Prompt Payment Act law states that all payments to non-governmental and privately owned businesses for the purchase
of goods and services must be due dated. Agencies should assign a payment due date of 30 calendar days after the receipt
of the goods, services, or invoice, whichever is later, or the due date specified in the vendor's contract. “Of course, we
strive to pay all of our vendors on time,” Shavon said. “We are working with
budgets, procurement, distribution of projects, and more … there are so many
factors to take into consideration. So when all of our invoices are paid on time
in one fiscal year, it’s kind of a big deal. It means everyone in the process did a
great job.”
For fiscal year 2022, the Richmond District processed 8,546 vouchers including
5,893 “due date” vouchers, ending with a prompt payment percentage
of 99.576%. The district processed the fourth largest volume of due date
vouchers, and processed zero vouchers late four months out of the twelve (July,
November, March and June).
Shavon Matias explained that vouchers are one of many tasks under
Accounting, also known as financial services. They manage accounts payable
and receivable; payroll; the general ledger; they approve invoices from
vendors, and recoup money for damaged state property. There are currently
seven people in Accounting with two vacancies including Shavon.
Terri Green is the Accounts Payable Accountant who approves all invoices,
and makes sure they are on paid time. Crissandra Coleman is the Accounts
Payable/Receivable Supervisor. Both were instrumental in achieving the
number one status, according to Shavon.
During the year of being first in the district for prompt pay, the Accounting
Office implemented the Financial Document Management System (FDMS), a
new system to monitor and track invoices. “We worked hard together to learn
it,” Shavon said. They created job aids, performed one-on-one training, and
answered a lot of questions.
Crissandra Coleman, Terri Green, and Shavon Matias
Crissandra and Terri (and Shavon, before she left) are now training other districts on FDMS. Hampton Roads and Lynchburg
have been trained so far. Shavon said FDMS allows users to track invoices throughout the entire accounts payable process,
making it easier to see if there are any issues. She called the system a central repository for document retrieval with
automated workflow.
Fiscal year 22 brought changes to the accounts payable process with the implementation FDMS. “During the pilot we
learned the new system, worked through issues, glitches, and updates. Through all of this, we still ended the fiscal year in
first place for prompt payment statewide,” Shavon said. “This is a true testament to the employees of the Richmond District
and their dedication to paying our suppliers on time.”
Around the Cone 10

10 Ways to Stay Safe as You Deck the Halls this Holiday Season
The holiday season is here, and the American Red Cross wants everyone to stay safe from home fires as they decorate their
homes for the upcoming festivities.
Decorations like trees, lights and candles increase the risk of home fires during the holidays—with Christmas, New Year’s Eve
and New Year’s Day being the top three days for home candle fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
The Red Cross wants people to stay safe from home fires—the nation’s most frequent disaster—by testing their smoke alarms
and practicing their home fire escape plan with free resources at redcross.org/homefires. In addition, you can follow these 10
simple safety tips as you put up lights and ornaments:
1. Check all holiday light cords to make sure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together—no
more than three per extension cord.
2. If are buying an artificial tree, look for the fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and
other sources of heat.
3. If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and water it to keep it fresh. Bend the needles up and down to make sure no nee
dles fall off.
4. If using older decorations, check their labels. Some older tinsel is lead-based. If using angel hair, wear gloves to avoid irrita
tion. Avoid breathing in artificialsnow.
5. When decorating outside, make sure decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If
using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.
6. If using a ladder, be extra careful. Make sure to have good, stable placement
and wear shoes that allow for good traction.
7. Don’t use electric lights on metallic trees.
8. Don’t forget to turn off all holiday lights when going to bed or leaving the house.
9. Keep children, pets and decorations away from candles.
10. If hanging stockings on the fireplace mantel, don’t light the fireplace.
Richmond District Hosts Winter Preparedness Mock Event
Snow is out of most of the public’s mind in mid-October, but that’s when the Richmond District met to prepare for the return of
the white stuff.
District staff met Thursday, October 14 at the JSOC for a winter weather
preparedness mock event. The tabletop exercise included weather briefings that
residencies and sections used to create mobilization reports in real time. Staff
members then relayed their mobilization reports to district leadership on a
conference call, just like they would during real storm preparations.
The mock event also helped the district discuss best practices and the snow
command structure. “This exercise helped new members learn about the snow
response process a few months ahead of time,” said Tanveer Chowdhury,
P.E., Richmond district maintenance engineer. “It also helped snow-fighting
vets to shake off the cobwebs before winter starts.”
Richmond District team members review the
results of the mock event.
Tanveer said he wanted to thank the maintenance team, including Gary Jennings, Phillip Frazer and Todd Shank, along with
Traffic Operations Engineer Robb Alexander, for their help organizing the event.
Around the Cone 11

Snow Dry Runs Now Complete at District Area Headquarters
In mid-October, area headquarters across each of the Richmond District’s four residencies held snow dry runs. During
the dry runs, the AHQs cleaned and checked snow response equipment, reviewed routes and competed to see which
headquarters was most ready for winter.
The winners by residency are listed as follows:
•Ashland: New Kent AHQ •Chesterfield: Amelia AHQ •Petersburg: Prince George AHQ
•South Hill: Clarksville AHQ
Around the Cone 12

To Whom It May Concern –
Compliments on a job well done!
I am a school bus driver on bus 29 with the New Kent County Public Schools.
Recently, I had cause to ask our transportation department to see about clearing
my line of sight at the corner of Cooks Mill Road and Elysium Dr. I was astonished
when within two days the site was completely cleared.
Our Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Brian Nichols, passed these cards out at a
meeting before the start of the year and asked us to use them to acknowledge an
act of kindness. I could not send this to anyone more deserving. My thanks to your
hard working crews for their remarkable response. My students and I have a much
safer ride.
Many thanks, Ms. B. – Bus 29
IMO
I wanted to thank Janice Smith for the assistance offered
during the overturned tractor trailer on the ramp from
SB Powhite to SB Chippenham earlier this week. I really
appreciate your willingness to help the RMTA when you
are able to. Thank you so much! - Richmond Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
Ashland Residency
Thank you for clearing the drainage ditch of the debris
and dirt from along the roadway!
-Luke D., Mechanicsville
Thanks so much to Phillip in the local residency. I greatly
appreciate his phone call today and his professionalism.
Thanks to him, I now understand all of the unique aspects
and background of this project that I was completely
unaware of as a local citizen who just happened upon the
new roundabout. I am thankful and appreciative of him
taking the time to call me with the information.
-Jeff L., New Kent
Danny has done a tremendous job. She very grateful as
she feels so much safer going to her mailbox, she can see
the cars and they can see her. Super Super Job!
- Carroll V., Hanover
Thank you to Jimmy Morris for the return call and for
getting the lines painted after paving on New Ashcake
Rd between Sliding Hill Rd and Cool Spring Dr. so quickly.
-Rhonda C., Ashland
Mechanicsville Citizen called to say Thank You for cleaning
the ditches, cutting the grass and grading the road.
Caller wanted to let you know they greatly appreciate all
you do. Thanks!
-Gladys B., Gum Spring
Chesterfield Residency
Citizen states that he is grateful that the work was done
so quickly and efficiently. Great job!
-Steve S., Richmond
The supervisor of the crew working my street today
and the entire crew are very professional, very helpful
and very knowledgeable. They went out of their way to
explain everything to me, told me how to call in an SR for
her issue - I didn't didn't even know she could call vdot!
They did everything with a smile. Kudos to them!!
- Crystal M., Chester
Caller states that on Sherman Rd, that VDOT did a great
job cutting the road and thank you.
-Adrienne W., Richmond
Thank you for cutting the grass along Judes Ferry Road.
Visibility around the curves is so much better.
-Lindsay T., Powhatan
Tony Branch came out to follow up on my complaint and
he was awesome! So helpful and informative about the
work that was done, how it originated, and what was left
to do. He patiently answered my questions. Thanks Tony!
- Midlothian
The Amelia County Board of Supervisors shared compliments
at a meeting about the crew that worked on the
Dykeland Road (Route 632) bridge repairs. Supervisor
Dexter Jones expressed that the quality of work was top
notch. Great work, team!
South Hill Residency
I would like to thank you for a job well done. The quality
of the work and materials were both excellent.
-Robert P., Ebony
Thank you for a great job on the North and South Farmington
Roads. The neighborhood really appreciates the
work done.
Around the Cone 13

Thank you, Veterans!
On Monday, November 14 the Richmond District celebrated our Veterans in honor of Veterans Day. The Veterans were treated
to lunch from Deep Run Roadhouse at Buster's Pond Pavilion. Guest speaker VDOT ACE-Traffic Operations Major Doug McAvoy
was introduced by Dale Totten and Doug shared his personal story of transitioning from full-time military service to being a VDOT
employee. In closing, a raffle was held and several guests were able to go home with new VDOT cooler totes and tumblers.
Everyone at VDOT would like to thank all of our Veteran employees for their service to our country.
Veterans
Jeffrey Augustine
George Burwell
Tyrone Butts
Blair Childs
Edward Correa
Jonah Cox
Jamie Craig
Bernard Dagner
Benjamin Dalton
Matthew Dickerson
George Drew
Ellis Dunivan
Richard Easter
Vincent Fogg
Robert Fortune, Jr
Jay Fread
Rebecca Greene
Derric Grimes
Adam Hairston
Aaron Hall
Marshall Hartless
Stephen Haskell
Anthony Haverly
Chad Hawthorne
Kenneth Hawthorne
Carlton Hill
Bryan Ives
Gary Jennings
Timothy Johnson
James Kitchen
Marcos Kocolis
Lewis Lafoon
Steven Lightfoot
Jesse Ling
Little Marty
Donald Logan
James Maiden
Daniel Matsey
Michael Mills
Jonathan Mobley
Marvin Moore, Jr
Brian Murphy
Dwayne Nikolaisen
Christopher Oglevee
Scott Ohrum, Sr
Reginald Patterson, Jr
Justin Piccin
William Powell, III
Ryan Rapp
James Rose
Oliver Rose
Cody Rumsey
John Russell
Louie Sabourin
Anthony Sanchez
Sharon Sanchez
Jerome Saunder, Jr
Kenneth Seward
Jonathan Shores
Gerald Stanley
Clayton Thomas, IV
Michael Thomas
Marco Verdone
Sherwood Washington, Jr
Nicholas Wenneberg
Theodore Wingfield
Jason Yallery
National Guard
Jimmy Barksdale
Albert Hutson
Active Reserve
Douglas McAvoy, Jr
Clayton Thomas
A fond farewell to our retirees September - December 2022
September
Larry Maitland, 10 years
October
Vincent Friend, 11 years
Charlene Reiser, 33 years
Rosalyn Richardson, 30 years
November
Carrol Roberts, 30 years
Douglas Kisamore, 15 years
Neil Ferrell, 39 years
James Woodfin, 14 years
Around the Cone 14

Richmond District Employee Update
Welcome to our new Richmond District employees August- November 2022
Andrew Adams, Operator Maintenance, Beach Area Headquarters
Cade Adenauer, Operator Maintenance, Bon Air Area Headquarters
Allen Adkins, Operator Maintenance, New Kent Area Headquarters
Austin Anderson, Infrastructure Manager, Richmond District Maintenance
Jeffrey Augustine, Operator Maintenance, Bon Air Area Headquarters
LaVar Briggs, Operator Maintenance, Pocahontas Area Headquarters
Matthew Dickerson, Operator Maintenance, Nottoway Area Headquarters
Clinton Browder, Operator Maintenance, Church Road Area Headquarters
Samuel Brown Operator Maintenance, Pocahontas Area Headquarters
Jeffrey Dilly, Inspector Apprentice, Central Region Construction
Rosalyn Frederick, Accounting Specialist, Richmond District Fiscal
Casey Green, Operator Maintenance, Richmond District Customer Service Crew
Joseph Gwaltney, Construction Manager, CRO Administration
Preston Hale, Operator Maintenance, New Kent Area Headquarters
Barbara Hatch, Fiscal Tech, Petersburg Residency
Quaman Hawkes, Operator Maintenance, Bethia Area Headquarters
Glenn Hinton, Operator Maintenance, Amelia Area Headquarters
Jonathan Humphries, Equipment Repair Tech, Richmond District Shop
Albert Hutson, ITS Maintenance Specialist, CRO Traffic Operations Management
Terry Johnson, Operator Maintenance, Charles City Area Headquarters
Evan Jones, Operator Maintenance, Sandy Hook Area Headquarters
Thomas Kendrick, Engineer Project Management, Richmond District Location & Design
David Lamm, Sign Fabricator, CRO Central VDOT Sign Shop
Kristen Luchynsky, CSC Representative, Ashland Residency
Bernard Lucy, Operator Maintenance, Sturgeonville Area Headquarters
Tyrell Luter, Operator Maintenance, Bon Air Area Headquarters
Victoria Marks, Senior Communications Specialist, Richmond District Communications
Angel Miller, Senior Benefits Supervisor, Richmond District Human Resources
Darryl Morris, Operator Maintenance, Baise Road Area Headquarters
Maureen Paciello, Senior HR Consultant, Richmond District Human Resources
Craig Ponte, District Engineer SB, Richmond Bridge
Angela Poole, Fiscal Tech, Petersburg Residency
Danny Purdie, Operator Maintenance, Richmond District Customer Service Crew
Robert Robertson, Operator Maintenance, Lawrenceville Area Headquarters
Cecilia Rosales, CSC Representative, Chesterfield Maintenance
Cody Rumsey, Operator Lead Fuel Truck Trailer, Richmond District Shop
Joshua Sanchez, Sign Fabricator, CRO Central VDOT Sign Shop
Todd Scheid, Planning Specialist, Program & Investment Planning
Michael Shepherd SR, Operator Maintenance, Baise Road Headquarters
Matthew Simmons, Operator Maintenance, Burnt Store Area Headquarters
Kevin Stotesberry, Maintenance Supervisor, Sturgeonville Area Headquarters
Danny Vance, Equipment Repair Tech, Richmond District Shop
Austin Wells, Operator Maintenance, McKenny Area Headquarters
Leonard Williams III, Engineer Tech Sr. Permits, Chesterfield Land Use
Philip Williams, Operator Maintenance, Burnt Store
Around the Cone is a newsletter written for, by and about the employees of the VDOT Richmond District.
Amelia • Brunswick • Charles City • Chesterfield • Dinwiddie •Goochland • Hanover • Henrico •
Lunenburg • Mecklenburg • New Kent • Nottoway • Powhatan • Prince George
We want to hear good news from you! Send your story ideas for the next issue of Around the Cone, the
electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) or DOTi News to VDOTRVA@VDOT.Virginia.gov.
Around the Cone 15