Board approves Roanoke Valley Resource Authority $19.8M budget, raises tipping fees

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on April 7 to adopt the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA) fiscal year 2027 budget, totaling $19,824,759, and approved modest increases in tipping fees intended to sustain operations and capital investments.

John Lanford, RVRA chief executive officer, presented the budget and recognized RVRA board members and staff. Lanford told the board the authority plans a $1.75 per‑ton increase in municipal tipping fees and a $2.00 per‑ton increase in commercial tipping fees, presented in the packet as bringing the rates to $59.75 per ton (municipal) and $71.50 per ton (commercial). He estimated the change would increase Roanoke County’s contribution to RVRA by about $64,750.

The budget also includes engineering and planning funds to advance two future landfill cells at the Smith Gap site. Lanford said engineering for cells eight and nine would total about $1.1 million if completed together and that constructing both cells at once could save an estimated $4–5 million over doing them separately. He said the authority is funding equipment replacement and capital improvements this year after a period of deferred spending.

Lanford noted a recent, contained fire at the Smith Gap facility, which staff believe began with a discarded lithium battery; crews extinguished the blaze before it caused major damage. He urged residents to take care when discarding batteries and other combustible items.

Board members pressed staff on operational details, including hauling and wastewater handling. Lanford said RVRA currently hauls leachate to the Western Virginia Water Authority for treatment and that discussions continue with nearby jurisdictions about potential force‑main connections that could reduce hauling costs. He reported approximately $826,000 in revenue from a renewable natural gas (RNG) project at Smith Gap, a public‑private arrangement in which a private partner financed plant construction and is returning revenue to the authority.

Supervisors asked about the landfill’s remaining life; Lanford gave a planning range, saying detailed permitting work would support approximately 20 years in the permitted part A area but that long‑term estimates vary and could extend beyond that depending on engineering and future technologies.

After discussion the board moved to adopt the RVRA resolution; clerk roll call showed Radford, Hooker, North, Mahoney and Shepard voting in favor. The motion carried and the budget was adopted.

The authority’s packet includes further line‑item detail, reserve‑fund analysis and the hauling contract changes that staff said yielded operating savings. Lanford said staff will return with longer‑range forecasting work to show multi‑year needs for reserves and equipment replacement.