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Nelson County supervisors dissolve Social Services board, appoint county administrator as local board
Summary
The Nelson County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 on Aug. 19 to dissolve the county's existing Social Services Board and designate County Administrator Candice W. McGarry as the Local Social Services Board, creating a separate advisory board; the change is effective immediately under cited Virginia statutes.
The Nelson County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 on Aug. 19 to dissolve the county's existing Social Services Board and make County Administrator Candice W. McGarry the Local Social Services Board, creating a Nelson County Social Services Advisory Board to advise the administrator.
West District Supervisor J. David Parr moved to adopt Resolution R2025-64, and South District Supervisor Dr. Jessica L. Ligon seconded the motion. The board approved the resolution by roll call vote, with Central District Supervisor Ernie Q. Reed voting no and North District Supervisor Thomas D. Harvey absent.
The resolution cites Code of Virginia §63.2-300 (requiring a local social services board), §63.2-302 (permitting the local board to be a local government official or an appointed administrative board), and §63.2-305 (requiring an advisory board when a local government official serves as the local board). It states that, effective immediately, the County Administrator shall constitute the Local Social Services Board for the Nelson County Department of Social Services and that an advisory board is created to serve in an advisory capacity.
The action restructures oversight of the department: rather than continuing with an administrative board comprised primarily of appointed residents, the board adopted a governance model in which the County Administrator serves as the formal local board and an advisory board provides community input. The resolution text, as approved by the supervisors, directs the immediate dissolution of the prior Local Social Services Board and the establishment of the advisory board consistent with the cited Virginia statutes.
The matter was taken up after the board met in a closed session earlier in the meeting. East District Supervisor Jesse N. Rutherford moved that the board convene in closed session under Virginia Code §2.2-3711(A)(1) (personnel matters) and §2.2-3711(A)(8) (consultation with legal counsel); West District Supervisor J. David Parr seconded, and that motion passed 4-0. After the closed session the board reconvened in public session and unanimously certified, by roll call vote, that only the permitted topics in the motion had been discussed.
The supervisors also postponed further discussion of county space needs to a work session scheduled for Aug. 26, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 5:28 p.m.
Vote at a glance - Resolution R2025-64 (dissolve existing Local Social Services Board; appoint County Administrator as Local Social Services Board; create advisory board): motion by J. David Parr; second by Dr. Jessica L. Ligon; yes: J. David Parr, Jesse N. Rutherford, Dr. Jessica L. Ligon; no: Ernie Q. Reed; absent: Thomas D. Harvey; outcome: approved (3-1).
What happens next The resolution makes the County Administrator the Local Social Services Board and establishes an advisory board; the resolution text says the change is effective immediately. The board scheduled a work session on space needs for Aug. 26, 2025.
