Augusta County supervisors defer final vote on Churchville hub station, send issue to work session

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors agreed during its meeting to postpone a final decision on siting a proposed western "hub" fire station in Churchville and to place the item on an upcoming work session for full-board review.

The motion to place the Churchville hub discussion on the work-session calendar was made by Supervisor Pam Carter and seconded by Dr. Seaton; the board approved the scheduling and asked staff to present plans and cost estimates at the work session.

Board members said recent meetings with Churchville volunteers and staff produced useful information but that not all supervisors had seen the same material. "We all need to be in a space. We all need to have a conversation. We all need to hear the same things that Pam and I heard Monday," one supervisor said during the meeting, urging a full briefing before a vote. Pam Carter, who attended the meeting with Churchill representatives, said the local group had already done grading and installed a septic system and that the site would require fewer initial changes than alternatives. "They've already graded all of that, so there wouldn't be any bulldozing that would have to go on," Carter said.

Several supervisors said the project involves "millions of dollars" and ownership, operational control and detailed cost questions remain unresolved. Board members asked that the county fire chief be present at the staff briefing; county staff agreed to route the project to the work session and gather the outstanding materials, including Churchville's plan set and revised designs to meet county requirements.

For now, the board directed staff to collect and distribute the information to all supervisors and return with a consolidated presentation at the scheduled work session so the full board can hear the same information and consider next steps.

The board’s action preserves time for more questions about ownership models and funding before any capital commitment. Staff said the county would need to review design changes and provide costs before a construction request reached the board.

Votes at the meeting included approving the motion to place the Churchville hub item on a work session; no formal dollar appropriation was made at this meeting.