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Commissioners approve consent items, budget amendments and appointments including $15 million grant fund setup
Summary
Alleghany County commissioners approved minutes and a consent agenda, set up a $15 million grant fund for the Town of Sparta water and sewer project, budgeted for a high-school project and approved several other budget amendments and appointments.
Alleghany County commissioners approved routine minutes and a consent agenda and adopted several budget amendments and appointments during the meeting.
Minutes and consent: The board approved minutes for October and January and accepted the consent agenda by unanimous vote.
Grant fund for Sparta: Finance staff told the board the county is handling a $15,000,000 grant the town received for water and sewer upgrades. The board set up a separate public-savings account for the grant and approved a motion to budget the funds; the motion passed unanimously.
School project budgeting: Staff said the county needs to budget roughly one-third of a high-school project in the current fiscal year and estimated about $20,000,000 for work to be paid this fiscal year. The board approved the recommended budget action.
Other budget amendments: The board approved smaller amendments including disaster-recovery restricted revenues for DSS, dispatch overtime and part-time pay lines, and six months of salary and related costs for a community-paramedic program to be funded with opioid-settlement revenue. Each of those amendments was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.
Appointments and other actions: The board removed the county manager from one external position on the Virginia Carolina Water Authority and appointed David Spicer to that seat so he can serve as a voting member; the board also appointed Spicer as the county's representative on related matters. The board approved surplusing three campers for transfer to Ashe County (see separate article).
Why it matters: The $15 million grant fund and school-project budgeting are major fiscal items that will shape capital projects and require oversight. The community-paramedic funding and DSS restricted funds route disaster-recovery money back into community services.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes (10/21/24, 01/07/25): approved by voice vote. - Consent agenda: approved by voice vote. - Grant fund setup for Town of Sparta: motion approved, vote 5-0. - School project allocation (budgeting ~$20,000,000 for current fiscal year): motion approved, vote 5-0. - DSS Helene recovery restricted revenues budgeted: motion approved, vote 5-0. - Dispatch overtime/part-time budget amendment: motion approved, vote 5-0. - Community paramedic program funding (6 months salary and vehicle): motion approved, vote 5-0. - Appointment: Remove county manager from Virginia Carolina Water Authority seat and appoint David Spicer: motion approved, vote 5-0.
Staff contacts: Finance director April Ham presented the financial reports and led the budget items; County Manager Bill Shepley and Clerk handled appointments and surplus property procedures.
