Orange County supervisors elect Mark Johnson chair, set 2025 meeting schedule and table bylaw updates

Mark Johnson was elected chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors at the board's organizational meeting. The board also named a vice chair, approved clerk appointments and the board's regular 2025 meeting schedule, appointed a member to the Board of Building Code Appeals and voted to table proposed changes to the board bylaws until staff can provide additional legal review.

The organizational actions are part of the board's annual reconstitution of leadership and administrative roles. The chair and vice chair will serve 12-month terms. The board also adopted a schedule that places most regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, with special scheduling noted for November and December and one off-site meeting at Lake of the Woods Clubhouse in Locust Grove.

Board members opened nominations for chair; Mark Johnson was nominated and the board conducted a roll-call vote. The chair election was recorded as passing with four votes in favor, zero against and one abstention. Following the chair vote, the board nominated and elected a vice chair by roll call. The board then moved to appoint the clerk and chief deputy clerk as noted in the resolution included with the meeting packet.

During an annual review of the bylaws, staff told the board the draft language was revised to mirror changes made by the Virginia General Assembly governing remote participation. Board members asked for clarification about whether the county's existing bylaws were out of compliance and why particular statutory text (including a provision the board said was not relevant to Orange County) had been copied into the draft. After discussion the board voted to table the bylaw review to the next meeting and asked county counsel and staff to provide a written review identifying any provisions that are not relevant to Orange County and to explain the statutory changes and their effective dates.

The board also confirmed its standing administrative appointments. The clerk was noted as Mr. Voorhees and the chief deputy clerk as Latoya (Betoya) Smith in the resolution included with the agenda packet. The board approved the appointment of William Feldman to the Board of Building Code Appeals by voice vote.

Near the close of the public session the board approved a motion to enter a closed session for a personnel matter related to the county administrator and fiber-link personnel issues, citing Section 2.2-3711(a)(1) of the Code of Virginia. After the closed session the board reconvened in open session and by roll call certified that only the matters identified in the motion to convene the closed session had been discussed.

Board members used the organizational meeting to distribute committee assignments and to invite additional engagement from members who may not be able to attend certain advisory boards because of scheduling conflicts. One board member announced publicly that after decades on the board they will not seek reelection this year; the member said they will continue to serve for the remainder of the term.

Votes at a glance: - Election of Chair: Motion to elect Mark Johnson as chair — outcome: passed (tally recorded as 4 yes, 0 no, 1 abstention). - Election of Vice Chair: Motion to elect Ed Van Hoeven as vice chair — outcome: passed (roll call recorded). - Clerk and Chief Deputy Clerk appointments: Resolution to appoint Mr. Voorhees (clerk) and Betoya Smith (chief deputy clerk) — outcome: approved by roll call. - 2025 Meeting Schedule: Resolution to establish regular meeting schedule in accordance with Section 15.2-146 of the Code of Virginia — outcome: approved by roll call. - Bylaws annual review: Motion to table the annual review of the bylaws until the next meeting to allow the county attorney to review statutory changes and provide recommendations — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Appointment: William Feldman to Board of Building Code Appeals — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Closed session: Motion to enter closed session under Va. Code '1.2-3711(a)(1) for personnel matters concerning the county administrator and fiber link — outcome: approved; board certified post-session by roll call.

The board scheduled the bylaw discussion for follow-up at the next meeting once county counsel and staff provide a memorandum outlining which statutory provisions were added, why some language appears verbatim from the Code of Virginia, and which items, if any, are not relevant to Orange County operations.

Ending: The board adjourned after reconvening from closed session; no additional substantive business was taken in open session before adjournment.