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Resident asks Buckingham supervisors to pause spending on proposed animal control facility
Summary
A resident who reviewed FOIA records told the board the county has already spent nearly $8,000 on outside services for a proposed animal control facility and urged officials to pause further spending until renovation estimates and side‑by‑side options are produced.
Amy Lawhorn, a Buckingham County resident from District 2 and the Town of Dillwyn, told the board she filed a Freedom of Information Act request after the January meeting to understand plans for a possible new animal control facility. She said staff provided 96 documents and that the records show the county has already spent nearly $8,000 in outside professional services related to the project, including a $4,000 invoice to Dominion Seven Architects and a $3,800 appraisal fee.
Lawhorn said the records she reviewed did not include a cost estimate to renovate or expand the existing Andersonville Road facility, nor a side‑by‑side comparison showing that a new facility is the most cost‑effective option. She told the board there is no state deadline forcing immediate action and asked supervisors to: pause any additional spending on land acquisition or construction; obtain a renovation estimate for the Andersonville Road facility; and publish a clear comparison of options for residents before more taxpayer funds are spent.
Board members acknowledged the FOIA request and the information Lawhorn presented. No new appropriations were made at the meeting specifically for the animal control project; Lawhorn said she will continue using FOIA to track spending and asked the board to ensure the county compares renovation versus new construction before committing additional funds.
