Westmoreland supervisors approve financial review, personnel leave changes and several local land and road actions; residents press road, trash and EMS concerns

Westmoreland County supervisors on Tuesday approved a roughly $30,000 contract for a comprehensive financial review, adopted multiple revisions to employee leave policies, approved a special-exception permit for a community water system in the Burnhouse Cove subdivision and initiated two road-name corrections and a hunting ordinance text amendment for consideration by the planning commission.

The actions were taken amid extended public comment pressing the board to address long-standing problems with unpaved subdivision roads, illegal roadside dumping and emergency-service staffing. County staff also announced operational updates including delivery of two new ambulances, a pause on buying a tire-cutter while staff explores contracting disposal, and scheduling of auditors for the March 24 meeting.

The board approved the key items by roll call or voice vote. County Administrator Taylor and outside consultants from Davenport & Company told supervisors the financial review will produce a public report and policy recommendations; Taylor called the new ambulances “brand new shiny” and said a second unit arrives the next day. The personnel-policy package front-loads first-year paid time off for new hires, establishes a leave-donation pool with an 8-hour opt-in, and creates a four-week compassionate-care leave for qualifying employees.

Votes at a glance - Davenport & Company: Board approved a contract for a comprehensive financial review (amount discussed ~ $30,000 plus a reported 4% allowance). Outcome: approved (voice/roll-call vote). Motion and second recorded; roll call recorded ayes and motion carried. - Personnel policy Chapter 5 (leave): Board approved front-loading first-year paid time off, a leave-donation policy and a compassionate-care leave policy (details below). Outcome: approved by roll call. - Burnhouse Cove: Special-exception approval for a community water system to serve 12 lots (conditions include compliance with health and other applicable state/federal requirements). Outcome: approved (one supervisor abstained). - DSS appropriation: Approved an appropriation of $13,349.10 for auxiliary grants from the Department of Social Services; no new local funds required. Outcome: approved. - Hunting ordinance: Board voted to initiate a text-amendment request to the planning commission to allow deer hunting from an elevated stand and to direct the county attorney to frame language (board discussion directed removal of handguns/pistols from allowed firearms and to use an 8-foot elevated-stand rule consistent with most neighboring counties). Outcome: initiation to planning commission approved. - Road-name corrections: The board approved correcting Rosa Brand Drive to Rosa Brand Road (two-n) and authorized initiation of the Broadfield/Broadfield spelling correction process; both actions proceed to required public-notice steps. Outcome: Rosa Brand correction approved; Broadfield spelling change initiated.

What the financial review will do Davenport & Company told the board the review will be completed in roughly 60 days in coordination with county staff, and will include: a written public report, analysis of reserves and fund balances, comparisons to similar localities, and recommendations for financial policies to guide multi-year planning and the treasurer’s office. The board discussed using the report to inform upcoming budget work sessions scheduled to start March 24.

Personnel policy changes County Administrator Taylor explained the personnel changes are organized under Chapter 5 (leave policy). Highlights adopted by the board: - First-year front-loading: New hires currently accrue 12 hours of paid leave per month; the board approved an option to front-load an employee’s first year of paid time off (the county will require repayment if an employee separates before the equivalent leave is earned under the monthly accrual). - Leave donation: Employees may opt in (at hire or during open enrollment) by donating eight hours to a shared pool; donors must retain a minimum 40-hour balance after donation. Donated leave can be used for serious personal or family health conditions, childbirth/adoption, or recovery from major medical procedures and recipients must have exhausted other paid leave. Recipients may receive up to four weeks of donated leave in a calendar year. - Compassionate-care leave: A new, paid leave of up to four weeks per calendar year to care for a terminally ill close family member; eligibility requires six months’ employment and exhaustion of other paid leave. The county expects to absorb any modest additional cost from vacancy savings.

Burnhouse Cove community water system The board approved a special-exception permit to operate a community water system to serve 12 existing lots in the Burnhouse Cove subdivision off Marilou (Mary Lou) Lane and abutting Maddox Creek. Staff and the planning commission noted the county defines a community water system as any well serving more than three connections (the state Department of Health allows different thresholds). The board amended the planning commission’s recommended condition to require that the system be installed and operated “in accordance with all applicable county, state, and federal requirements.” One supervisor abstained on the final vote; the rest voted to approve.

Roads, subdivisions and public comments Several residents told the board that many subdivision roads are not built or maintained to VDOT standards, that voluntary homeowner associations lack the funds to sustain road maintenance, and that the county needs a more consistent policy for new subdivisions. Supervisors discussed exempt-subdivision rules, VDOT maintenance thresholds and the practical difficulty of retrofitting older exempt subdivisions. The board directed staff to examine options for stronger road standards on future subdivisions.

Public-safety and operations notes - County Administrator Taylor announced a new ambulance placed in service and a second unit due to arrive the following day; she thanked EMS and neighboring counties for support at a recent large event. - The county will pause purchase of a tire-cutting machine and explore contracting for tire disposal services. - The county scheduled its external auditors for March 24 and intends an earlier work session that day to begin budget presentations.

Other community items Supervisors also heard routine town reports from Colonial Beach and Montross, an update on Westmoreland County Park improvements (new maintenance staffing, batting cages, additional parking, a golf cart to assist elderly/disabled visitors, and partnerships with Little League, the high school and the YMCA), and notices about upcoming events such as the Virginia Osprey Festival.

What happens next Several initiated items will move to the planning commission (hunting ordinance text amendment, Broadfield road-name change) for advertised public hearings and formal recommendations back to the board. The financial review will proceed under contract and county staff will bring the resultant written report and presentation to the board and public when complete.

Ending Board members urged staff to prioritize follow-up on community concerns raised during public comment, particularly road maintenance, litter enforcement and emergency-service staffing, and to return to the board with proposals where changes to policy or ordinance language are required.