[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6259520,"mediaKeyId","3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec","parentId",3140994,"title","Board adopts Business Appreciation Month, approves custodial contract and summer balloon festival","audioSeconds",557,"startMs",151000,"endMs",708000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec&start=151&end=708","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec/thumbnail_151000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6259520/Rockbridge-County/Virginia/Board-adopts-Business-Appreciation-Month-approves-custodial-contract-and-summer-balloon-festival","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259520-0deb478333d449dc546a59c72d1cf96a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111078&Signature=GZV8s1yKXHg6EKnRxh8CDW0Pdln2Qyt-~eIAr4AtFPl95O0EuOax1Ro8flQTRTp8IMowEzuMQhFxYsjFuEdyYl7N0PDh0IzD5pdBoXlHfeNQdOM3ubx21Lw4bSxvZG9GwtR7f-yV9jk5m7-ili2YWFENEyPXasl66BERXAcA4aKsoBheBSZu-hpJEfEcDagXr6XbYETFSU8vx3zKoYM7gbrb602d-rFUcbGNATlV9uAu~AYm4YHf7Nb5RwP3QeGjHElBEszVzDBvfmLxmzSh1Ol78AXT9tuG3r1oH4NS55lrRG0nq4~qr-ls5wQNcBxzvvYu4CX9cOAyUYm7L1qwrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rockbridge County, VA","date","2025-04-29T00:28:34.257Z","article","The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors on April 28 adopted a resolution recognizing May as Business Appreciation Month, approved administrative contract changes and appropriations, and authorized the annual Balloons Over Rockbridge event.

The board unanimously adopted the Business Appreciation Month resolution acknowledging local businesses’ contributions; staff noted Rockbridge County has roughly 1,300 business-license holders and more than 30 manufacturing operations. The board also approved several financial appropriations reported by staff, including a bills list of $575,473.28 and line items for software, property repairs and economic-development grants.

The board considered a competitive procurement for custodial services at the administration building. Staff reported seven bids were received and recommended awarding the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Clean Care Services, the incumbent contractor. The board authorized the county administrator to execute the contract after county-attorney review.

Finally, the board approved the annual Balloons Over Rockbridge event, a two-day hot-air-balloon and music festival scheduled for July 4–5 to be held in part on county-leased land at the Virginia Horse Center. Staff said plans for parking, crowd and traffic control were reviewed and approved by the sheriff and that fire protection and insurance requirements were met. Event representatives, including Beth Armstrong and Leroy Troxell, attended the meeting; Troxell was identified by staff as the group’s spokesman.

Votes and administrative actions taken at the meeting included adoption of the resolution and approvals of the custodial contract and event license; all were recorded as affirmative voice or roll-call votes in the minutes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 28 meeting the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution recognizing May as Business Appreciation Month, approved a custodial-services contract with the low bidder, Clean Care Services, and authorized the Balloons Over Rockbridge event scheduled for July at the Virginia Horse Center lease area.","taxTitle","Rockbridge County, Virginia","taxId",38117,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6259526,"Board agrees to restore preschool funding in FY26 budget; staff to present funding options",520,2424000,2944000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec&start=2424&end=2944","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec/thumbnail_2424000.jpg","/articles/6259526/Rockbridge-County/Virginia/Board-agrees-to-restore-preschool-funding-in-FY26-budget-staff-to-present-funding-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259526-020c14adf59160dd0cdc98356fadd2de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111078&Signature=MC1bm3GvXQEeAofn80CmL73jrAJM6RKt5rXNFQUfa4bruIcCL8OcM8RSd06Rk~t37psC54aIznhc4zpo-gmJvjKOlp3bNhI1jN6vYrjIXTBoq5Bcg2~CIz1mrz8akZBS3L05HQPQ~-nYSRBbZLA79Cn23lXLgDZ2YOq6uiZWrpw5BYY4p0SL67b70PXWVNhEpxrVWkjrOJqydxcYyEg4cPDEKIbK-Mg7ZFE0tnEgby8rEYWq0tpw1ZuEpXSiv6FOdDWPQeHSDeuwOlSzKHK7uxOGgPlKoZ~XBnnXwMs~7xs8VVpgWyKUjZrf2vNEijLDkoK-7559UfioNBHQCsCPSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rockbridge County supervisors said April 28 they will restore funding for the county’s preschool off-the-bus program in the FY26 budget and asked staff to present funding-source options ahead of budget adoption.

County staff said the advertised budget proposed eliminating the preschool program, which serves about 26 children in three locations — Effinger, Fairfield and Goshen — operating three days a week during the school year from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After the budget advertisement, staff received 24 public comments; 23 urged restoring funding for the program. Staff outlined three funding options to restore the program for FY26: use reserves, dedicate $162,293 of the proposed real-estate tax increase to the program, or find other budget reductions.

Multiple program staff and caregivers addressed the board during the public hearing. “Our children… are not ready for them to go all day long every day,” said Edwenna Schafer, who identified herself as “Miss Dwenny” and a representative of the program. Mercy Smith, lead teacher for the Effinger and Goshen locations, described student improvements tied to the program’s services, including speech gains supported by the school-district speech therapist.

Board members discussed longer-term program governance and agreed to engage the school division about possibly moving the program under the schools in FY27. Several supervisors expressed support for using reserves to restore one year of funding while the county and schools develop a longer-term plan; one supervisor said dedicating part of the proposed tax increase is an alternate option.

No formal budget adoption occurred at the meeting; state law requires at least one week between the public hearing and formal adoption. Staff was directed by the board to include the restored preschool funding and the two funding-source options in the budget materials prepared for the board’s next meeting, when the board will consider final adoption of the FY26 budget.

Key facts and context

• Program served about 26 children across three sites and operates three days per week, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

• Since advertisement, staff received 24 public comments, 23 of which supported restoring funding.

• Staff presented two primary funding options to restore the program for FY26: (1) draw from county reserves, or (2) dedicate $162,293 of the proposed real-estate tax increase to the program.

• The board requested staff include the chosen funding-source option in the packet for the May 5 meeting, when the board will consider final budget adoption.","After public testimony and staff recommendations, Rockbridge County supervisors agreed to restore one year of funding for the county’s preschool off-the-bus program in the advertised FY26 budget and asked staff to return with options — using reserves or allocating part of a proposed tax increase — for final adoption next week.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6259530,"Rockbridge supervisors deny Virginia Institute of Autism tax-exemption requests for vans and school building",389,1727000,2116000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec&start=1727&end=2116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3140994-ff45829bbe910e5c00c73505dd650aec/thumbnail_1727000.jpg","/articles/6259530/Rockbridge-County/Virginia/Rockbridge-supervisors-deny-Virginia-Institute-of-Autism-tax-exemption-requests-for-vans-and-school-building","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259530-ccad39bb100322129b3ef739b64183ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111078&Signature=bdQRU-SdhtYOc4lOIrNASPfJjq4H4bIBewTTzwmepWI7lSWQk1-KU3Kfujt89K8BifI9ctL8AXV-AT5aLrWm4NS67KGMZzgUqii6HE5njAaoXpmV~RY6fGEikQYEBoZVSdbV20zgxZ1qsifE01ojv364puHNwFg8pYJqKsuO8vt8Wez9~buPtTQ5sJJPSDQfR5bEq4J2D4fSrfW9glWYEDGE4AgAVIkgoj2eYD7fdyLVnd02l9exdklQgLyqljMbXFACYxadtTlFmGBT61Fy8ZimZTVjN5qPjvd~3KSjZ3VF71cnjxYOZwFMdEbdWVT5mOugrQROw0jplQxnbjxzVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors on April 28 voted to deny two ordinances that would have exempted property owned by the Virginia Institute of Autism from county taxation.

County staff opened the public hearing and described the legal standard for exemption under the Code of Virginia. The first ordinance would have exempted two Kia Sedona minivans used by the nonprofit school from local personal-property tax; staff said the vehicles were purchased used last September. The second ordinance would have exempted the school property the organization purchased in January.

Megan Harding, director of VIA’s Lexington Day School, told the board the nonprofit now serves 11 students and expects to expand to 24–30 students. “We are a nonprofit, and we would like to be able to focus our funds on our client services and our staff,” Harding said. She asked the board to consider the exemption so the school could direct more resources to services and keep costs low for families.

County staff referenced Code of Virginia §58.1-3651 as the statutory framework the board must apply when evaluating exemption requests, including 501(c)(3) status, public benefit, and potential fiscal impact on the locality.

After the public comment period closed, a motion to deny the personal-property exemption passed on a roll call; the board then voted to deny the real-property exemption. The votes were recorded in the meeting minutes as unanimous in favor of denial.

Votes at a glance

Personal-property exemption (two Kia Sedona minivans): motion to deny passed 5–0. Staff said the vans were purchased used in September; staff provided vehicle valuations and estimated annual tax figures during the hearing.

Real-property exemption (school building): motion to deny passed 5–0. Staff said the organization purchased the property in January for $1,000,000; staff provided the assessed value and an annual tax estimate during the presentation.

The board did not adopt either exemption ordinance at the meeting. Staff advised that a negative vote on an ordinance is treated as an affirmative denial under the county’s procedures; no further action was taken.","The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously April 28 to deny two ordinances that would have exempted personal and real property owned by the Virginia Institute of Autism from local taxation. The board heard staff legal guidance and brief remarks from the school director before voting to deny both requests.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board adopts Business Appreciation Month, approves custodial contract and summer balloon festival

Board agrees to restore preschool funding in FY26 budget; staff to present funding options

Rockbridge supervisors deny Virginia Institute of Autism tax-exemption requests for vans and school building