Franklin County commissioners confirm no objection to redirecting Chamberlain estate bequest

Franklin County commissioners confirmed they had no objection to a cy pres petition that would redirect a bequest in the estate of Ronald L. Chamberlain from the Franklin County Nursing Home to the Waynesboro YMCA and Hearthstone retirement home.

Solicitor Solkove told the commissioners the matter is “in re estate of Ronald L. Chamberlain,” identified in court records as Orphans' Court No. 5 of 2026, and described a petition invoking the cy pres doctrine when the original beneficiary cannot receive the gift as written. Solkove said the petition asks that the nursing-home bequest be replaced with donations to the Waynesboro YMCA and Hearthstone retirement home, and that both the estate’s attorney and Judge Myers had requested the county’s official position on the petition.

The board proceeded to a motion to confirm that the commissioners had no objection to the relief sought in the petition. A commissioner moved approval, a colleague seconded, and the motion was approved by voice vote with two ayes recorded.

After the vote, the meeting moved to the next agenda item (new business), where commissioners reported no additional items. With no press present during the scheduled press time, a motion to adjourn was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the meeting was then declared adjourned.

The action recorded at the meeting reflects the county providing no objection to the cy pres relief sought in Orphans' Court No. 5 of 2026; the transcript does not specify the full text of the court order, the precise distribution amounts, or the number of commissioners present beyond the aye responses on the voice vote.