Social Services Advisory Board

Meetings


  • 3:30 p.m.
  • Beginning with January, the board meets the 4th Tuesday of every other month
  • Hanover Human Services Center
    Large conference room (behind the Hanover Department of Social Services)
    12304 Washington Highway
    Ashland, VA 23005

Minutes


Minutes are available following approval.
View Most Recent Minutes 

Members

  • Ed Gooding, Chair/Beaverdam District   17050 Old Ridge Road                   Montpelier, VA 23192                             Home Phone: 804-883-7172                   Email Ed Gooding
  • Bernadette Cornelius, Vice Chair/Cold Harbor District
     7097 McCauley Lane
     Mechanicsville, VA 23111
     Phone: 804-306-0247
     Email Bernadette Cornelius
  • Vandi Hodges, Ashland District
     106 Howard Street
     Mechanicsville, VA 23005
     Home Phone: 804-798-1256                          
     Email Vandi Hodges
  • Dan Johnson, South Anna District         14225 Clazemont Road                         Montpelier, VA 23192                             Phone: 804-883-7249                             Email Dan Johnson
  • Alice Miller, Mechanicsville District         7424 Kelshire Trace                 Mechanicsville, VA 23111                       Home Phone: 804-730-0639                     Cell Phone: 804-370-7658                       Email Alice Miller
  • The Honorable Faye O. Prichard, Member-at-Large/Board of Supervisors/Ashland District  
     511 Chapman Street
     Ashland, VA 23005
     Home Phone: 804-798-5985
     Work Phone: 804-828-5866
     Email Faye O. Prichard
  • Timothy M. Tillman, Chickahominy District     9245 Deer Run Road                                     Mechanicsville, VA 23116                               Home Phone: 804-730-6389                           Email Timothy M. Tillman
  • Don Ward, Henry District                                 4308 Locust Green Lane                                 Mechanicsville, VA 23116                               Phone: 804-690-6229                                     Email Don Ward
  • Sheila Crossen-Powell, Director Hanover County Social Services
    12304 Washington Highway
    Ashland, VA 23005
    Work Phone: 804-365-4122
    Fax: 804-365-4110
    Email Sheila Crossen-Powell
  • Amy Taylor, Clerk of the Board           County Social Services
    12304 Washington Highway
    Ashland, VA 23005
    Work Phone: 804-365-4104
    Fax: 804-365-4110                                    Email Amy Taylor
Members represent each of the 7 magisterial districts in the county. An 8th member is an at-large member and a member of the Hanover Board of Supervisors. Staff members include the director of Social Services and the clerk of the board, who are non-voting members of the board. Legal counsel from the County Attorney's Office also is present in a non-voting capacity.


Terms of Service


Members serve 4-year terms and may serve no more than 2 consecutive terms, unless they have filled an unexpired term. In that case, the unexpired term does not count toward their appointment time.

Purpose


The Social Services Advisory Board is composed of 8 members: 7 members who represent their magisterial districts and are appointed by their Hanover Board of Supervisor members; and 1 at-large member from the Board of Supervisors. According to the Code of Virginia, §63.2-305, an advisory board has 5 charges:
  • Display interest in all matters pertinent to the public assistance and social services needed by the people of the jurisdiction served by the local department
  • Monitor the formulation and implementation of public assistance and social services programs by the local department
  • Meet with the local government official who constitutes the local board at least four times a year for the purpose of making recommendations on policy matters concerning the local department
  • Making an annual report to the governing body or bodies, concurrent with the budget presentation of the local department, concerning the administration of the public assistance and social services programs
  • Submit to the governing body or bodies other reports that the advisory board deems appropriate (Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Social Services, Local Board Member Handbook, March 2012, page18)
Board members also are expected to function as liaisons with community partners and as public educators (ibid, page 19).

Scope


The Hanover Board of Supervisors approved the move of the Board of Social Services from an administrative board to an advisory board on June 9, 2010. This decision was based on the county's and the department's desire to assist each other during difficult financial times and due to the county's awareness that many other jurisdictions of similar size had moved from administrative to advisory boards. Ordinance 10-13 became effective on July 1, 2010.

Type


Citizen, Board

Further Information


Board members receive $250 per month.

The department's main telephone number is 804-365-4100.