The Henry County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 28 approved a package of appropriations and contracts covering sheriff’s office equipment and uniforms, emergency vehicle outfitting, engineering for the Commonwealth Crossing Business Center and the replacement of an ambulance chassis, and also approved two rezoning requests and two recognition resolutions.

The board voted unanimously, 6-0, to allow Supervisor Travis Pruitt to participate electronically from Myrtle Beach, S.C., citing Code of Virginia provisions that permit electronic participation under specified conditions. The board’s routine consent agenda was approved by voice vote before the detailed items were taken up.

Key funding and contract votes

- Traffic-enforcement grant: The board approved an additional appropriation of $33,222 received from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (pass-through funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to pay overtime, purchase a speed-detection unit and cover travel and insurance related to the grant. Vote: approved 6-0.

- State asset-forfeiture funds / uniforms: The board approved an appropriation of $31,200 from state asset forfeiture funds to purchase Class A dress shirts and awarded a $53,700 contract to Reed’s Uniforms for the uniform purchase. Funding for the remainder ($22,000) was to come from the sheriff’s existing budget. Vote: approved 6-0.

- Emergency vehicle equipment: The board awarded a $64,187 contract to East Coast Emergency Vehicles LLC to outfit nine new sheriff’s vehicles. The purchasing department authorized East Coast as a sole-source provider for the specified equipment. Vote: approved 6-0.

- Commonwealth Crossing Business Center (CCBC) Lot 3 engineering: The board approved an additional appropriation of $750,000 received from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Business Ready Sites Program for engineering related to development of Lot 3 at CCBC, and awarded a $995,000 contract to Timmons Group for design services. Funding was a combination of the VEDP grant and local funds included in the FY2026 CCBC pledge. Vote: approved 6-0.

- Ambulance re-chassis: The board awarded a $214,616 contract to VEST Sales and Service Inc. to re-chassis a 2018 ambulance onto a 2025 Ford 4x4 chassis and approved VEST as a sole-source vendor because of an existing lifetime warranty on the modular box. Funding is included in the FY2026 budget. Vote: approved 6-0.

- Voting supply cabinets: The board approved using contingency funds to appropriate $36,650 to purchase seven secure voting-supply cabinets for the registrar’s office; staff said the purchase price was available at roughly 40% below an originally planned future capital request. Vote: approved 6-0 (evening session recorded as 5 present with one absent for some later votes; the motions recorded passed as noted by the clerk).

Rezoning and other formal matters

- Rezoning R-25-14 (Robert Amos): The board approved rezoning approximately 1 acre on Philpot Highway (tax map referenced in the packet) from Commercial B-1 and Agricultural A-1 to Suburban Residential to allow subdivision into two single-family lots. Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval. Vote: approved (recorded as 5 present, 1 absent at the evening vote).

- Rezoning R-25-16 (Percy H. Gibson Jr.): The board approved rezoning three lots on Broken Oak Drive from Suburban Residential to Rural Residential so a manufactured home destroyed by fire in 2020 can be replaced. Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval. Vote: approved (recorded as 5 present, 1 absent).

Resolutions and appointments

- Bridge naming: At the request of Ridgeway Mayor Craig O’Dare, the board approved a resolution supporting the town’s petition to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to name the Main Street bridge in Ridgeway the Mayor Edward M. Page Sr. Memorial Bridge; the town will cover associated costs and maintenance. Vote: approved 6-0.

- Election Worker Appreciation Day: The board adopted a resolution recognizing Nov. 11, 2025, as Election Worker Appreciation Day in Henry County, citing House Joint Resolution 500 of the Virginia General Assembly; the board presented the resolution to local election workers during the meeting. Vote: adopted (recorded as 5 present, 1 absent for the evening session).

- Appointments and closed-session actions: In closed session the board authorized county administration to negotiate a lease between Meeks LLC and Henry County for property on Kaufman Drive in Collinsville and reappointed Deputy County Administrator J.R. Powell to the Community Criminal Justice Board for a two-year term. Motions were made and passed as recorded during the closed session and confirmed on the meeting record.

Why it matters

The actions allocate grant funds and county budget dollars to public safety (traffic enforcement overtime, new vehicle equipment, an ambulance), economic development (engineering for a developable CCBC lot), and election infrastructure (secure supply cabinets). The rezoning approvals remove zoning obstacles for two property owners and were recommended by staff and the planning commission. The bridge-resolution and election-worker resolution are formal endorsements the county will forward to the Commonwealth Transportation Board and to local election officials, respectively.

Votes at a glance (selected items)

- Allow electronic participation by Supervisor Travis Pruitt: approved (motion and voice vote recorded as 6-0).
- Consent agenda: approved (voice vote reported as 6-0).
- Traffic-enforcement appropriation: $33,222 — approved 6-0.
- Seward/Uniform appropriation & Reed’s contract: $31,200 appropriation; $53,700 contract — approved 6-0.
- Emergency vehicle equipment: $64,187 contract — approved 6-0.
- CCBC Lot 3 engineering: $750,000 appropriation; $995,000 contract to Timmons Group — approved 6-0.
- Ambulance re-chassis: $214,616 contract — approved 6-0.
- Registrar voting-supply cabinets: $36,650 appropriation from contingency — approved (evening vote recorded as 5 in favor, 1 absent).

The board adjourned following routine closing business. No substantive items were presented during the public-comment period.