Henry County supervisors approve sheriff grants, award contracts and schedule zoning hearing; livestock tax exemption adopted

The Henry County Board of Supervisors on June 23 approved several grant appropriations and contract awards for the sheriff’s office, voted to remove livestock from the county business personal‑property tax, and set a July 28 public hearing on proposed zoning‑ordinance amendments.

Tiffany C. Harrison, introduced by the board as county treasurer, told supervisors the county had collected 88.99% of delinquent personal‑property taxes and 95.5% of 2026 real‑estate taxes as of May 31, 2026. “For delinquent taxes, personal property as of 05/31/2026, we collected 88.99%,” Harrison said, also reporting month and year‑to‑date collection dollar figures.

On budget actions, staff presented two grants from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services that the sheriff asked the county to appropriate: $24,166 from the Byrne/Justice Assistance grants and $45,000 through the school resource officers program, intended for investigative equipment and continued funding for a school resource officer and a career academy. County staff said the grants require local matches, which the sheriff expects to cover from his FY27 departmental budget. The board approved the appropriation by a 6–0 vote.

The board also approved an $18,574 award from the U.S. Department of Justice Bulletproof Vest Partnership to replace ballistic vests; staff said the grant requires a 50% local match from the FY27 sheriff’s budget and the motion passed unanimously.

On contracts, supervisors awarded the food‑service contract for the Henry County adult detention center to JL Culpepper & Company (Ashland, Va.). The board noted no fixed contract price was listed because costs vary with inmate population; the FY27 budget includes $730,000 for inmate food. The board also approved a contract with LabCorp Holdings, Inc. for inmate laboratory services and blood draws, with a FY27 budget allocation of $90,000 and pricing based on an existing state contract. Both contract awards passed 6–0.

The board approved a one‑year extension of the industrial park turf‑management contract with ProLine Landscape Dimensions, Inc. through Dec. 31, 2026, at the current price so staff can re‑bid outside peak mowing season.

Separately, staff requested and the board approved an additional appropriation of $67,000 from unspent board contingency funds to provide a vehicle for a newly budgeted ordinance‑enforcement position and to place remaining contingency dollars into the board’s unsafe‑structure fund.

On veterans’ recognition, Patrick Rogers, president of the nonprofit AllVets, asked the board to submit a resolution to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) asking that Kings Mountain Road (Route 174), a 4.2‑mile corridor through the county, be designated the Henry County Veterans Highway. Rogers noted the county’s veteran population and said the signs would be a daily, visible tribute. County staff told the board VDOT would approve sign locations and language and that the county could cover installation costs; the board voted 6–0 to support submitting a resolution to the CTB.

Planning staff summarized proposed amendments to the county zoning ordinance that would, among other changes, clarify group‑home definitions, allow certain container homes in A‑1 agricultural zoning, revise accessory‑structure sizes, add limited retail‑stand rules, allow certain apartment uses on some commercial parcels, revise industrial use groupings, set solar‑farm acreage consistent with previous approvals and require water‑supply and impact studies and screening setbacks for data centers. The board voted to schedule a required public hearing on July 28 at 6 p.m. to receive public comment on the draft ordinance additions.

During the public hearings portion of the meeting, the board adopted an amendment to the Henry County Code (sec. 8‑700.01) to exempt livestock from taxation after staff opened and closed the hearing with no public speakers. Daryl Holland, speaking later during matters presented by the public, urged the board to consider rescinding taxes on farm equipment as well; Holland presented county figures showing modest total revenue from the repealed livestock tax ($858.33 in 2025) and larger revenue from farm‑equipment taxation ($44,002 in 2025) and urged further consideration of policy changes for small farms.

The board approved two rezoning requests after brief hearings: RTW‑26‑11 (approx. 5.6 acres for proposed RV/boat storage and potential apartment units) and ART‑26‑12 (approx. 1.7 acres for commercial use). Both were approved 6–0.

The board also made an appointment to the Martinsville‑Henry Social Services Board (Crystal Dixon through 05/31/2027), approved several small district‑impact fund transfers (including $500 for a Gerard Foster basketball camp and $8,000 to support the Ridgeway July 4 event), recognized community honorees and adjourned after routine announcements.

Votes at a glance • Remote participation by Supervisor Chris Lawless (electronic participation): approved (6–0). • Minutes/consent items: approved (6–0). • DCJS grants appropriation (total $69,166): approved (6–0). • DOJ Bulletproof Vest grant appropriation ($18,574): approved (6–0). • Contract award — JL Culpepper & Co. for inmate food (FY27 budgeted $730,000): approved (6–0). • Contract award — LabCorp Holdings for inmate lab services (FY27 allocation $90,000): approved (6–0). • Contract extension — ProLine Landscape Dimensions for turf management through 12/31/2026: approved (6–0). • Additional appropriation from contingency ($67,000) to provide enforcement vehicle and unsafe‑structure funds: approved (6–0). • Resolution to CTB to request designation of Kings Mountain Road as Henry County Veterans Highway: approved (6–0). • Schedule public hearing on zoning amendments (July 28, 6 p.m.): approved (6–0). • Ordinance amendment exempting livestock from taxation (Henry County Code sec. 8‑700.01): approved (6–0). • Waiver of residential building permit fees (projects ≥ $100,000) through 07/01/2028: approved (6–0). • Rezoning RTW‑26‑11 and ART‑26‑12: both approved (6–0).

Why it matters The appropriations and contract awards affect the sheriff’s operations and the county jail’s services for the coming fiscal year; the zoning amendments and scheduled public hearing could change where housing, data centers, container homes and certain commercial uses are allowed countywide; the livestock‑tax repeal removes a small tax burden for a limited number of producers and prompted public comment about the broader burden of farm‑equipment taxation on small family farms.

What’s next The board will hold the public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance amendments on July 28 at 6 p.m.; if the board adopts those amendments after hearing public comment, they will alter where and how certain housing and industrial uses are permitted. The county will submit the veterans‑highway resolution to VDOT/CTB for consideration; VDOT will approve sign language and placement if the CTB approves the request.

Sources and attributions Quotes and figures in this report are drawn from in‑meeting remarks by Tiffany C. Harrison (county treasurer), staff presentations by Mr. Wagner and Lee Clark (planning and zoning), a presentation by the Henry County Economic Development Corporation representative Mark, public comments by Patrick Rogers (AllVets) and Daryl Holland (Horse Pasture District). All votes and motions are recorded in the meeting transcript.