Board notes $1M USDA award for Montvale School, $35,016 DHS grant for EMS and honors long‑time EMS medical director
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Summary
Supervisors announced a $1,000,000 USDA Rural Facilities grant for Montvale School, approved a $35,016 state homeland security grant for Fire & EMS on the consent agenda, and recognized Dr. Leonard Cohen for 40 years as Bedford County's operational medical director; a $1.3M BRWA sewer grant was also reported as pending in Congress.
The Bedford County Board of Supervisors used its Nov. 22 meeting for several announcements and recognitions, including grant awards and community acknowledgments.
On the consent agenda the board approved a resolution to submit, accept and appropriate a $35,016 State Homeland Security Program grant from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to support Bedford County Fire and EMS operations. Mr. Hess presented the single consent item and the board approved it by recorded vote.
In staff updates Mr. Hess reported that the county has been awarded a $1,000,000 USDA Rural Facilities grant to support improvements to the Montvale School. Hess credited staff in Sen. Mark Warner’s office (Isaac Sarver), the Central Virginia Planning District Commission, and numerous local volunteers and partners for helping secure the funding. He said work on the Montvale project cannot begin until the county receives notice from USDA about next steps.
Hess also said Congressman Morgan Griffith has been supportive of a separate project — a $1,300,000 sewer replacement grant through BRWA — and that the project remains under consideration in the U.S. House.
During the meeting a resolution recognizing Dr. Leonard Cohen, the county’s operational medical director, was read aloud and attendees thanked him for 40 years of service. The transcript records the resolution language and participants posing for photographs; no separate roll‑call vote for the recognition appears in the transcript.
Hess also recognized Andy Crawford, the county’s social services director, for receiving the Virginia League of Social Services’ Outstanding Local Leadership award.
Supervisors closed the meeting by thanking volunteers who worked on historic preservation efforts around the Montvale School, citing names of local advocates and an architect who provided pro bono support.
