At its regular meeting, the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners approved multiple routine but consequential administrative items including a budget amendment for EMS funding, the acceptance of a $40,000 state grant for the county's 250th celebration, and an amended calendar of regular meetings for 2026.

The board approved BA 26‑12, the county's first‑quarter state allocation to support advanced life‑support (ALS) engines and related EMS functions. The board also accepted grant agreement VA 26‑14: state funding of $40,000 for bicentennial/250th activities, with staff outlining proposed uses including $4,000 for school curriculum, $500 for a time capsule, $8,000 for a stage, $5,500 for flags, $15,000 for music, and $7,000 for a mural. Staff noted the grant prohibited spending on fireworks or lasers.

On the calendar, the board adopted Resolution 2025R53 as amended: it canceled the Jan.1, 2026 meeting, kept the March 5, 2026 meeting as scheduled, retained the July meeting timing, and moved the Dec. 3, 2026 meeting to the following Thursday. The board also directed administrative handling to preserve holiday recognition for 24/7 personnel (dispatchers and firefighters) and voted to add the Wednesday (Christmas Eve) to the holiday observance decision for nonessential Monday–Friday staff.

Why it matters: The EMS allocation supports ambulance and ALS capabilities for county residents; the 250th grant funds public‑facing cultural and educational programming; and calendar changes affect when the board will meet and how staff schedules and service continuity are handled during major holidays.

What’s next: Departments will implement the approved budget and grant line items, and staff will work out operational details for holiday scheduling and the logistics of celebration events and murals.