Bland County board hears $43.5 million FY26 budget, approves fairgrounds lease and community funding

The Bland County Board of Supervisors met May 27, 2025, at the Bland County Courthouse and heard a presentation of the proposed FY26 County and School Board budget, which County Administrator Cameron Burton said is a balanced budget totaling $43,506,518.00. The board opened and closed the public hearing with no public comment; the transcript records the presentation only and no formal adoption vote for the FY26 budget in these minutes.

At the meeting the board approved a 10-year lease of the Bland County fairgrounds to Bland County Fair, Inc. and authorized the County Administrator to sign the lease on the county’s behalf. The lease had been described by Burton as a longstanding arrangement that the board was being asked to extend to a 10-year term.

The board also approved a slate of FY25 appropriations and transfers. On a motion by Keith Costello seconded by Patrick Groseclose, the board approved the FY25 Blue Line revenue allocations to local organizations, including Bland Fire Department ($4,000), Rocky Gap Fire Department ($4,000), Hollybrook Fire Department ($4,000), Ceres Fire Department ($4,000), Grapefield Fire Department ($4,000), Shannakai Youth Mentor Program ($4,000), Ceres Alumni Association ($4,000), Bland Rescue Squad ($4,000), Bland Tactical Team Equipment ($5,000), Rocky Gap Ruritan ($1,500), Mechanicsburg Ruritan ($1,500), and Bland American Legion ($1,500). The motion carried on a recorded roll call with all supervisors voting yea.

Separately, the board approved FY25 budget amendments: an $8,000 appropriation to the FY25 library budget and a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation for the FY25 tourism budget; both motions were carried unanimously on roll call. The board also appropriated the FY25 Children’s Services Act supplement funds totaling $399,596.32 (State $331,892.03; Local $67,704.29).

The consent agenda was approved and included minutes from prior meetings, payroll for April 30 and May 16, vendor bills for April and May, departmental reports, appropriation of a March 2025 Social Services local allotment of $14,450.33, and the Bland County School Board’s June 2025 requisition of $1,141,146.10. That motion passed on a roll call with Mr. Costello, Mr. Kelley and Mr. Groseclose recorded as voting yea; Mr. Johnson was absent for that vote.

Chair Randy Johnson recessed the meeting until Friday, June 6, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Why this matters: The FY26 budget figure presented—$43.5 million—frames next year’s county and school spending and the appropriations approved at this meeting distribute one-time and restricted revenues directly to local fire departments, rescue and community organizations, affecting public-safety resources and community programs around Bland County.