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Washington County supervisors approve clerks' pay supplement, career raise, a business incubator appointment and a contract for Laurel Gateway
Summary
The Board approved multiple routine and substantive items: a $6,728 transfer for juvenile/domestic clerk salary supplements, a $16.46 transfer to cover a backdated career-development raise in the Commissioner of the Revenue's office, appointed an incubator executive director and awarded a market analysis contract for the Laurel Gateway Project; all motions carried.
The Washington County Board of Supervisors handled several agenda items and votes in a meeting focused on routine approvals and a handful of development and personnel actions.
Salary supplements and career raise: The board approved a transfer of $6,728 from the reserve for contingencies to provide a salary supplement for the juvenile and domestic clerks that equates to a $2,500-per-employee annual supplement (the $6,728 covers six months), reducing the contingency balance from $138,801.66 to $132,073.66 as described by staff. On a separate item, Commissioner of the Revenue staff member April Crabtree requested that a career-development payment for an employee be backdated to Jan. 1 and that the remainder be included in the next fiscal budget; staff later clarified the requested transfer to cover the backpay was $16.46 and the motion to approve carried.
Appointment to incubator: The board moved to fill the unexpired term of Ben Harrell as the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator executive director with Sylvia (transcript shows inconsistent spellings "Robbins" and later "Robinson"); motion carried 4-0. The record contains both spellings; transcript inconsistency is noted in clarifying details.
Contract award for Laurel Gateway Project: Staff reported that the county issued an RFP for a market analysis and feasibility study on an approximately 23-acre parcel along Mountain City Road adjacent to Laurel Creek. An evaluation committee representing Washington County, the Town of Damascus, the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission and the Virginia Tourism Corporation selected RKG Associates, with subconsultants, to perform the study and staff said grant funding from GO Virginia plus matching contributions will cover the cost. The packet materials stated a contract cost of $51,900; the motion text as recorded in the transcript included inconsistent numeric notation (see clarifying details). The board voted to award the contract and authorized signature, motion carried 4-0.
Closed session and DEQ stormwater matter: The board met in closed session under Virginia Code provisions for consultation with counsel and briefings that would adversely affect negotiating posture, citing the subject as DEQ stormwater; the board reconvened and certified the closed meeting in open session.
Board reports and emergency response: Members reported on community and committee matters. Mr. Pennington described organizing a warming shelter in Hiders Gap during outages and thanked volunteers and deputies: "We put together a real quick opening of a warming shelter," he said. The chair thanked utilities and crews for storm response and restoration work.
Votes at a glance: - Item A: Salary supplement transfer for juvenile and domestic clerks — Approved (motion carried 4-0). Packet: $6,728; reserve balance after approval $132,073.66. (Provenance: SEG 137'00 and SEG 158—67) - Item B: Career development backpay for Commissioner's office — Approved (motion carried 4-0). Transfer amount as stated in meeting: $16.46. (Provenance: SEG 168'13) - Appointment: Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator executive director (Ben Harrell unexpired term filled by Sylvia Robbins/Robinson, transcript inconsistent) — Approved (motion carried 4-0). (Provenance: SEG 216'45) - Contract: Market analysis & feasibility study for Laurel Gateway Project to RKG Associates — Approved (motion carried 4-0). Packet shows $51,900; motion text includes inconsistent numeric notation. (Provenance: SEG 246'19) - Emergency procurement: Appropriation of $138,223.25 from disaster relief fund for Green Cove EMS generator rental and emergency procurement — Approved (motion carried 4-0). (Provenance: SEG 320—37)
What remains unclear in the record: The transcript contains inconsistent spellings for the incubator appointee ("Robbins" vs "Robinson") and inconsistent numeric notations for the Laurel Gateway contract (packet: $51,900 vs motion text other numeric forms). The board approved the actions despite these transcription inconsistencies; staff packet materials and formal contract documents should be consulted for definitive spelling and contract amounts.
The board adjourned after brief reports; staff will follow up on the emergency generator procurement and provide details to the board if additional appropriations are needed.
