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Warren County board accepts administrator resignation, appoints Jane Meadows as acting administrator
Summary
After a closed session that included litigation and personnel matters, the Warren County Board of Supervisors certified the closed meeting, accepted the resignation of county administrator Brad Gottschall, and voted to appoint Jane Meadows as acting county administrator with a 10% temporary pay increase to $153,612.
Warren County's Board of Supervisors accepted the resignation of county administrator Brad Gottschall and appointed Jane Meadows as acting county administrator on Feb. 3, 2026, voting to raise her temporary salary roughly 10% to $153,612.
The board first convened in closed session under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to discuss litigation and personnel. Supervisor (speaker 3) read a motion saying the closed meeting covered “consultation with legal counsel and briefing by staff … pertaining to actual litigation” (Exalta Coding Systems USA LLC v. Warren County) and “discussion and consideration of the resignation of the county administrator and a discussion of prospective candidates for the position of county administrator and interim county administrator.” After returning to open session the board certified that only matters identified in the motion were discussed and took a roll-call vote.
During the open meeting supervisors moved to formalize an earlier automatic appointment and to name Jane Meadows acting county administrator with a temporary salary of $153,612.73. Supervisor (speaker 3) introduced the motion: “I move that we appoint Jane Meadows as acting administrator and with an increase in salary to $153,612.” The motion was seconded and carried on roll call; recorded votes at the meeting were all in favor.
The resignation of the county administrator drew direct public comment. John Lundberg, a member of the county finance and audit committee, called the resignation “a sham. It was deceitful,” and urged the board to answer six questions from taxpayers, including why a severance payment was made instead of termination for cause and whether the board followed proper procedure.
Board members spoke in response. The chair and several supervisors framed the matter as a personnel issue that requires confidentiality. In open-session remarks the chair said the matter “is a personnel employment matter which has an expectation and should be confidential,” and emphasized the board’s responsibility to weigh diligence, fact-finding and the county’s best interests.
The board also directed that the county move forward with an interim leadership plan; outside interim-recruitment services were presented later in the meeting. Board members said they will begin a formal recruitment/search to fill the county administrator role while Meadows serves in the interim.
The meeting record shows the closed-session motion, the certification vote, and the motion and roll-call approval to appoint Meadows; the board scheduled follow-up budget and work-session meetings and a special meeting on Feb. 24 for additional budget work.
