Scott County Board Elects 2026 Leadership, Approves Grants, Appointments and Contingency Gift for Firewood Ministry
Summary
The board set 2026 leadership (Chair Chris Maness, Vice Chair Michelle Glover), approved routine procedural items, accepted multiple grants for public safety and school resource officers, confirmed appointments, authorized purchase of a sheriff vehicle using regional jail refund monies, and appropriated $5,800 from contingency to the Scott County Ministers Association for a dump trailer to support a community firewood ministry.
The Scott County Board of Supervisors conducted its organizational business on Jan. 7, electing Chris Maness as chair and Michelle Glover as vice chair for one-year terms, and setting its regular meeting schedule for the first Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m.
The board adopted its rules of procedure and approved the meeting agenda (amended to remove one department report), and approved minutes from the previous meeting.
On budget and appropriations the county administrator reported a general fund balance of $18,512,375.20 and asked the board to approve claims; the board voted to pay bills as presented. Finance staff asked the board to accept and appropriate multiple grants received for volunteer fire department and sheriff's office school resource officer (SRO) programs; the board approved acceptance and appropriations for the grant awards discussed.
The board accepted several routine appointments by acclamation, including April Hutchinson to the CPMT private-provider seat, Jeff Keighley to the building code appeals board, and Wendell Burke to the Southwest Virginia EMS council.
A motion to purchase a replacement vehicle for county enforcement operations (a county vehicle buyback/repair left residual insurance funds) was moved and approved; staff indicated the purchase would come from regional jail refund monies as discussed by the board.
Following public comment from Kevin Barnett about a volunteer firewood ministry serving dozens of local households, the board discussed procurement rules and decided to give the Scott County Ministers Association a $5,800 appropriation from board contingency to buy a dump trailer to increase the ministry's capacity. The motion passed by voice vote.
The board also moved into closed session under Virginia Code §2.2-3711(A)(7) to consult with counsel about two pending personnel-related cases; after reconvening the board certified compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and adjourned to Feb. 4, 2026 at 9 a.m.
Why it matters: The leadership election defines board operations for 2026; grant acceptances and appropriations provide funding for public safety, education and community assistance. The trailer appropriation is a direct, immediate support to a volunteer effort assisting vulnerable households.
Next steps: County staff to finalize grant paperwork and appropriations, proceed with vehicle purchase as authorized, issue the contingency check to the ministers association, and follow up on closed-session actions as appropriate.
