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Shenandoah council approves warrants, donations, equipment purchase and police promotions
Summary
At its Feb. 10 meeting the Shenandoah Town Council approved two disbursement warrant batches, the treasurer's report, several community donations and appointments, authorized sidewalk snow removal and the purchase of a mini‑excavator using a lead‑and‑copper grant, and approved three police promotions following a closed session.
The Shenandoah Town Council on Feb. 10 approved routine financial items, several community donations and appointments, personnel promotions and a capital equipment purchase.
The council approved minutes of its Jan. 13 meeting and two disbursement warrant batches: Jan. 27 warrants #43555–#43576 for $54,866.92 and Feb. 10 warrants #43577–#43600 for $131,529.05. The Feb. 5 Treasurer’s Report showing $2,372,876.38 was also accepted. Each motion carried with Mayor Clinton O. Lucas Jr. recorded as abstaining and Council Member I. Michael Lowe absent.
On community items, the council approved Patricia Long’s request to hold the annual March for Jesus on May 30, 2026 (the date moved from May 23 because it falls on Memorial Day weekend), and voted to donate $200 to the Page County High School PTA after‑prom fund. The council also concurred with the Shenandoah Volunteer Fire Department’s elected officers for 2026.
Town Manager Charlie Jenkins told the council that Turner's Concrete and Excavating, LLC offered to clear sidewalks along Route 340 at a rate of $200–$275 per hour and estimated the work would take four to five hours. The council authorized up to $1,500 to hire Turner's to clear sidewalks from the stoplight down to the Pioneer Bank intersection.
Following a closed session under Virginia Code §2.2‑3711(A)(1) for personnel matters, the council approved three police department personnel actions. The council promoted Officer Rodney Hensley to police chief, effective March 1, 2026, with a 15% wage increase and an additional week of vacation. The council also promoted Nathan Baugher to police captain with a $1,000 annual salary increase effective March 1, 2026; and converted Officer Samantha Mills from part time to full time with a starting salary of $44,553.60, effective Feb. 24, 2026.
The council approved using a lead‑and‑copper grant disbursement of $32,487 from the Virginia Department of Health toward the purchase of a mini‑excavator. Members authorized buying the machine at a maximum purchase price of $40,000, with any remainder paid from capital improvements.
Council Member Lynn Fox successfully proposed a change in meeting procedure to read only business‑related flyers or correspondence aloud during meetings. The council also received updates on River Road water-connection review by the Phillips Corporation and specifications for mounting Veteran banners provided by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative; banner brackets must be mounted about 18 feet high, the manager said.
All motions recorded in the minutes passed with the same roll‑call pattern: Vice Mayor Kite and the attending council members voting yea, Mayor Clinton O. Lucas Jr. abstaining, and Council Member I. Michael Lowe absent. The meeting adjourned at 8:34 p.m.
The council did not reference any state statute or ordinance in taking these actions. Several items announced at the meeting, including the joint Town/County meeting schedule and a Page County housing study stakeholder session, are scheduled for later this month.
