Board approves package of resolutions, appropriations and policy changes; bonuses approved for county employees

At its June meeting the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors adopted a series of resolutions, accepted state and local appropriations, approved administrative changes to the county website domain and transfer-station policy, accepted two roads into the state secondary system and authorized a one-time 1.5% bonus for county staff.

The board unanimously adopted resolutions honoring three retiring county employees: Treasurer Sue Jones (retiring June 30, 2025), Belinda Johnson (retiring June 30, 2025) and Evelyn “Kim” Self (retiring June 30, 2025). The board also approved routine business items including minutes for the meeting record, the May 2025 accounts payable list and the May 2025 payroll register.

The board accepted a $36,003.51 appropriation transferred from the closed Montrose Volunteer Rescue Squad to Westmoreland EMS and approved a $7,000 year-end appropriation from the Department of Social Services to cover foster care maintenance costs through fiscal year closeout. The board accepted a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for a county housing assessment to be performed with the Northern Neck Planning District Commission.

On administrative matters, the board selected westmorelandva.gov as the county’s new web domain and approved eliminating the existing $5 transfer-station tickets for resident brush and electronic disposal effective July 1, 2025. The board also adopted the VDOT-required resolution to add Holly Way and Dohru (Dohru) Road to the state secondary system after revenue-sharing-funded construction.

A public rezoning request for Bevins Properties (a parcel on Skipjack Road in Kinsale) received a public hearing and the board approved the rezoning recommended by the Planning Commission.

On personnel compensation, the board approved by a 4–1 vote a county-funded supplement so the one-time 1.5% bonus (the amount authorized by the General Assembly for certain state-funded positions) will be paid to all county full‑time employees. The county administrator reported the additional local cost to extend the bonus to all county employees is roughly $161,000 and can be covered from anticipated year-end carryover funds; the motion to extend the bonus carried with Supervisor Henson recorded as the lone dissent.

Votes at a glance (selected items): - Resolution honoring Sue Jones, Treasurer — Adopted (Roll call: Ingram Aye; Trivette Aye; McCormick Aye; Henson Aye; Chair Aye.) - Resolution honoring Belinda Johnson — Adopted (unanimous roll call.) - Resolution honoring Evelyn (Kim) Self — Adopted (unanimous roll call.) - Minutes (as presented) — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - Accounts payable (May 2025) — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - Payroll register (May 2025) — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - Montrose Volunteer Rescue Squad funds ($36,003.51) to Westmoreland EMS — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - DSS appropriation ($7,000) for foster maintenance — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - Acceptance of VDHCD grant ($100,000) for housing assessment — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - VDOT resolution adding Holly Way and Dohru Road to the secondary system — Adopted (unanimous roll call.) - Transfer-station policy: eliminate resident fees for brush/electronics (effective 2025-07-01) — Adopted (unanimous roll call.) - New county domain name: westmorelandva.gov — Adopted (unanimous roll call.) - Rezoning: Bevins Properties (portion of 1191 Skipjack Road, Kinsale) — Approved after public hearing (motion carried; roll call in the record.) - Appointment: Jimmy Coates to the Planning Commission — Approved (unanimous roll call.) - One-time county bonus (1.5%) extended to all county employees (county to supplement state-funded share) — Approved (4–1; Henson opposed). The county administrator estimated the local supplement at approximately $161,000 and said the funds can be covered with year-end carryover.

Notes and implementation: Several of the accepted appropriations and resolutions require routine ministerial follow-up (signatures, grant agreements, or routing to the treasurer/clerks). The county administrator indicated that eliminating the $5 brush/electronics ticket sales will remove modest annual revenue (historically roughly $6,800 for brush and about $1,700 for electronics) but that payroll savings and other carryover can absorb the loss in the near term. The bonus supplement will be paid as a one-time payment computed from June 30 payroll and distributed in July per the administrator’s plan.

What remains to watch: the housing assessment work with the Northern Neck Planning District Commission and the board’s planned community outreach about transfer-station changes and other resident-facing operational changes.