Powhatan supervisors approve tower lease, extend tax deadline and adopt changes to dog license and family‑division rules

At its June 23 meeting the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors approved a series of administrative and financial items, including a lease renewal with T‑Mobile, a formal ratification of an emergency tax‑billing extension, a change to dog‑licensing fees and amendments to family‑division subdivision rules.

Tom Nolan, public safety communications director, presented a rewritten lease proposal with T‑Mobile for the Mitchell Road tower and said the new contract gives the county stronger control over radio‑frequency interference and other site issues while increasing rent over the life of the lease. “This lease is much stronger,” Nolan said, adding the county expects additional carrier interest on other county towers.

On tax administration staff described an emergency extension of the first half tax payment from June 5 to June 30 after tax bills were delayed by issues with the Keystone billing system. Treasurer/staff reported interface errors between DMV, Keystone and vision software removed some Social Security numbers used to populate personal‑property accounts; the county found 16 real‑estate parcels omitted for 2025 and said it will supplementally bill those parcels and work directly with taxpayers to remedy errors. Staff said the county will continue to use Keystone for 2026 but will begin developing a migration to a new system in July.

The board approved Ordinance O2025‑28 to replace Powhatan’s $10 annual dog license with a $20 lifetime license effective Nov. 1, 2025. The treasurer and animal control staff supported the change as a simplification and alignment with neighboring localities.

After public comment and planning commission review, the board approved amendments to family‑division rules that reduce minimum lot sizes for family transfers and shorten pre‑ownership requirements. The approved compromise requires a two‑year pre‑ownership period before creating a family lot; the newly created family lot must be held for eight years with a reduced or modified hold on the residual parcel as negotiated and recorded at the meeting. Planning staff said exceptions for life events (job relocation, bona fide creditor actions, death or legal incompetence) are available under the ordinance.

The board also approved appointments, accepted several grant appropriations on the consent agenda, and convened a closed session to discuss actual or probable litigation including Tri Hope Life Ministries v. Powhatan County before certifying the closed meeting.