Residents urge Patrick County supervisors to keep Dogwood Road open

Several residents told the Patrick County Board of Supervisors during public comment that a proposal to close the stretch of Dogwood Road in front of Hart Reynolds Memorial School would do lasting harm to the community.

Tara Burgess, the first speaker during the public-comment period, told the board, "I feel that Dogwood Road should remain open, serving all the public as an open thoroughfare." She argued the school board should not "steal public property" used daily by voters, shoppers and residents and warned that once closed the road would not meet current VDOT standards for reopening. Burgess urged the board to pursue alternate safety measures rather than permanent closure.

Other commenters echoed those concerns. Rhonda Pruitt, who said she serves as the pole chief for the Kreitz Stella precinct, noted the precinct serves more than 1,700 registered voters and asked where residents would vote if the gym at Hart Reynolds Memorial School is no longer accessible. She suggested physical alternatives — crossing gates, crossing guards or temporary traffic control — to preserve access while addressing student safety.

An organized speaker recounted a Sept. 8, 2025 board vote and a 466-signature petition opposing the closure and said the process failed to meet public-notice requirements in county code. The commenter warned that even if the board later reversed course, reopening the road would require costly VDOT upgrades and might never be feasible.

Board members and commenters repeatedly framed the issue as a choice between immediate safety measures and a long-term loss of access: residents requested additional studies and alternatives before any permanent discontinuance of public right-of-way.