Bond motion for recreation center fails on 2-2 tie; staff to keep seeking financing

The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors voted on March 30 on whether to move forward with the Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA) spring bond sale to finance a proposed recreation center. The motion failed on a 2-2 tie, and the board directed staff to continue exploring financing options.

County counsel and staff explained the legal and fiscal context: counsel said an earlier meeting’s vote may not have constituted a valid motion because of a now-identified vacancy in a supervisor seat, and staff presented roughly $229,000 in costs already incurred for the project that would ordinarily be reimbursed from bond proceeds but would become a direct county expense if a bond is not issued.

Supervisor Ayers advocated for proceeding, saying the project meets needs for high-school athletics and community recreation and called the proposal an “affordable option” that “serves our high school.” Other supervisors expressed concern about timing, priority and additional costs if the board delays. Chair moved to proceed with the spring bond sale; the motion was seconded and the roll-call vote was two in favor (Chair and Miss Ayers) and two opposed (Mister Hart and Mister Day), producing a tie and causing the motion to fail.

After the vote, Chair instructed staff to continue looking for other financing alternatives — including bank financing, paying from reserves, or waiting for a later issuance — and to return with options for the board to consider.

The vote means Rockbridge County will not participate in the VPSA spring issuance this cycle; the board can pursue other financing strategies or revisit the question at a later meeting.