Elected officials from throughout Central Virginia probably run into one another frequently. There are social functions to attend, as well as sessions of regional boards. Civic groups sponsor events. These things usually occur in government buildings, community centers, conference rooms on corporate campuses, hotel banquet halls, and colleges and universities.

Last week officials announced that the Connecticut Defenders of the Class AA Eastern League will relocate to Richmond. Next April an ump will yell, “Play ball!“—and local fans will be able once again to root, root, root for the home team. The much anticipated news came as something of a relief. The move resembles a successful stint by a middle reliever. The ultimate outcome relies on a closer. We hope Mariano Rivera is warming up. Pro baseball’s long-term future in Central Virginia depends less on the action on the field than on action regarding the stands. The Defenders (who will take a new name) will open the 2010 season at The Diamond. Although improvements will enhance the venue, a new stadium seems essential. And Richmonders have heard plenty about that for lo these many years.

Leaders in Chesterfield have known for a long time that the county needs to adjust how it grows. To a greater extent than nearby localities, Chesterfield is a bedroom community. It has a higher than optimal ratio of residential-to-commercial development. That might sound like a snooze-inducing issue, but it matters a great deal. For one thing, it increases the demand for services and reduces the revenue to pay for them. In an effort to address that problem, the county has jacked up its proffers to $18,080 per home—the highest level in the region. Another problem, given the county’s size, is sprawl—with its attendant increase in infrastructure costs. The county has been noodling over that, too.

A one-time shot of federal money to stimulate the economy won’t spare Richmond-area localities from tough decisions about how they operate in the future. The leaders of the region’s four biggest localities said yesterday that they welcome federal aid, especially for repairing roads and other public infrastructure. But they remain wary about limits on how the money can be used and cautious about spending it in ways that can be sustained.

Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones extended the olive branch of regional cooperation to Chesterfield County leaders yesterday by making an appearance at the county’s Board of Supervisors meeting. It was the first time in recent history that a city mayor had crossed the county line to speak with elected leaders. “It’s the first time we know of,“ said County Administrator James J.L. Stegmaier, who has been with Chesterfield for 23 years.

Beginning in the early 1990s, area delegations flew to the Twin Cities, Cincinnati, Portland, Ore., and Jacksonville, Fla., as part of an effort to make the Richmond region greater than the sum of its parts.