Southampton County supervisors approve $1.01 million appropriation, appoint library and planning commissioners and form Virginia 250 committee

The Southampton County Board of Supervisors on July 22 approved an appropriation resolution providing approximately $1,008,970.12 in revenue for various funds, filled multiple appointments to regional boards, waived permit and business license fees for the annual county fair, and adopted a resolution establishing a local Virginia 250 committee to coordinate bicentennial-style commemorations.

The appropriation resolution was presented as the financial item of the evening; the board moved to appropriate the listed revenues and approved the measure by voice vote. Earlier in the meeting the county’s finance officer, Ms. Lowe, summarized preliminary year-end figures: the county had collected about 105% of budgeted revenues for the period ending June 30 and had processed roughly 91.32% of budgeted expenditures to date. Auditors were on-site July 10 and the books remain open through Aug. 15 for final entries.

Votes at a glance: - Appropriation resolution: motion carried by voice vote; amount reported in the meeting record as approximately $1,008,970.12 in revenues appropriated for various funds. - Blackwater Regional Library appointments: two vacancies filled (one to complete an unexpired term and one full four‑year term); motion approved by voice vote. - Planning Commission appointment: Jack Claude was nominated and approved to fill the vacancy left by Bill Day; motion approved by voice vote. Swearing-in and FOIA/COIA materials will be coordinated through the county office. - Franklin–Southampton County Fair fees: board voted to waive permit and business license fees for the fair; motion carried by voice vote. - Virginia 250 committee resolution: the board adopted a resolution creating a Franklin–Southampton Virginia 250 committee and recorded a unanimous vote to appoint named local and regional representatives to the committee. - Certification resolution (closed session): after a closed session, the board adopted the statutory certification required under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; each member recorded an affirmative roll‑call vote on the certification.

Public comment and context: resident Walt Brown used the public comment period to invite the county to co‑sponsor a Virginia 250 Revolutionary War Mobile Museum visit and related events planned for Oct. 31–Nov. 2, 2026. The board later adopted a Virginia 250 committee resolution and named local representatives and agency liaisons to help plan commemorative programming.

Closed session and certification: the board recessed into closed session under the statutory provisions cited in the meeting packet for personnel matters (the county attorney’s legal services agreement), discussions with Franklin–Southampton Economic Development Inc. about a prospective business or expansion, and consultation with legal counsel regarding an investigation of the Southampton County public school system. On return to open session the board voted individually to certify, by the required statutory language, that only matters exempted by law were discussed.

The meeting concluded after the certification vote and a motion to adjourn.