Summary of the Board of Supervisors Meeting: December
NELSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DECEMBER 16, 2025
(originally scheduled for 12/09/2025)
Present Supervisors Jesse Rutherford, Ernie Reed, and David Parr
Absent: Supervisors Tommy Harvey, Jessica Ligon
I. The meeting was Called to Order followed by a Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
II. PUBLIC COMMENTS:
1) Joanne Clarkson: Ms. Clarkson thanked Supervisor Parr, the County Administrator, the Finance Administrator, and the County Treasurer for their help in getting the valuations of her real estate. She suggested that in the future that the County Administrator be given copies of the reassessments for individual properties prior to the mailing of the property reassessments to the property owners so that the administrator can give the information to the owner(s) if the mailing goes astray or is delayed. Any delay in the property owner’s receipt for planning purposes of the reassessment effectively shortens their ability to file an appeal of the reassessment.
2) William Pearcy: Mr. Pearcy thanked the Board members, and the staff for all they do. He thanked the Sheriff’s office for assuring that students and school busses safety reach and depart the schools. He thanked the school board and superintendent of schools for being transparent and responsive to the needs of the students. He inquired about the status of the Wild Rose promised scholarships. He expressed disappointment that the local government has so little control of the development of the Larkin property.
3) Woody Greenburg: Mr. Greenburg served as a supervisor during part of Mr. Harvey’s tenure as a supervisor. Per Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Harvey was a master of getting VDOT to act on behalf of the North District and was an ardent supporter of the Fire Department, the Rescue Squad, and the schools. Mr. Greenberg reported that Mr. Harvey’s example showed other supervisors how to do the job.
4) Edith Napier: Ms. Napier reiterated her previous description of last year’s Juneteenth celebration. She reported that the 2026 the program would occur on June 20th at 3:00 pm at the Heritage Center and repeated her request for a donation from the Board of $5,000 for the 2026 program. She also asked that in the future the Juneteenth celebration be a line item in the Board’s annual budget. She reiterated that for planning purposes, the committee needed to know as soon as possible if the requested funds would be a made available.
5) Connie Brennan: Ms. Brennan thanked Tommy Harvey for his service and said that from the time she met him when she was a new member of the school board and during her 16 year tenure as a supervisor, she learned a great deal from him, he was respectful of ideas different than his own, and she greatly respected his dedication and leadership.
III. CONSENT AGENDA: The following resolutions were unanimously approved:
A. Resolution – R2025-80 Minutes for Approval:
RESOLVED, by the Nelson County Board of Supervisors that the minutes of said Board meetings conducted on October 14, 2025 be and hereby are approved and authorized for entry into the official record of the Board of Supervisors meetings.
B. Resolution – R2025-81 FY26 Budget Amendment:
I. Appropriation of Funds (General Fund)
Amount Revenue Account (-) Expenditure Account (+)
$ 7,477.07 3-100-009999-0001 4-100-031020-7045
$ 82,695.00 3-100-002404-0015 4-100-032020-5648
$ 15,700.00 3-100-003303-0008 4-100-031020-3029
$ 19,485.00 3-100-003303-0008 4-100-031020-3028
$ 938.75 3-100-001401-0002 4-100-031020-7017
$ 804.50 3-100-001401-0002 4-100-031020-7017
$ 20,472.65 3-100-001899-0008 4-100-091030-5202
$ 1,594.00 3-100-001899-0017 4-100-031020-5803
$ 149,166.97
C. Proclamation – P2025-06 National Wreaths Across America Day:
“WHEREAS, Wreaths Across America is a national nonprofit organization founded in 2007 to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.
WHEREAS, Wreaths Across America’s mission is to REMEMBER the fallen, HONOR those who serve, and TEACH the next generation about the true cost of freedom.
WHEREAS, Wreaths Across America is made up of more than 5,800 participating locations across the country run by dedicated volunteers looking to share the mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach, through annual wreath-laying ceremonies each December and awareness and education events throughout the year.
WHEREAS, The Rev. E. Clarence Purdue, Sr., American Legion Auxiliary Unit 17 of Lovingston, Virginia will conduct wreath laying and Military Honors Ceremonies at Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery and Adial Baptist Church Cemetery in the County to honor all Nelson County Veterans.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors does hereby proclaim December 13th, 2025 as NATIONAL WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY in the Nelson County, Virginia, and extends thanks and appreciation to our veterans and Gold Star Families for their service and sacrifice and to Wreaths Across America for bringing this honor to our community.”
IV. RECOGNITION OF SERVICE: the Board read and unanimously adopted the proclamations set forth below and provided a framed copy of the proclamation of recognition to Diane Harvey on behalf of Tommy Harvey and to Jacqueline C. Britt. Ms. Harvey on behalf of her husband who could not attend because of his health issues, read an eloquent letter where he described his attitude towards respecting the position of public service. The line that this author thought summarized his feelings was that “governing is not about being comfortable but about responsibility.”
A. North District Supervisor Thomas D. Harvey (R2025-82):
“WHEREAS, Afton resident and lifelong Nelsonian Thomas D. “Tommy” Harvey was elected in a special election in November 1984 at age 30; and was subsequently elected to serve 10 consecutive terms on the Board of Supervisors for the North District, for a total of 41 years of public service; and
WHEREAS, Tommy Harvey has distinguished himself as a dedicated public servant who worked to support policies in the best interest of all local residents and during his tenure, he has worked with 23 Supervisors, 8 County Administrators, and countless staff members along the way; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure on the Board of Supervisors, Mr. Harvey helped the County advance its available utilities through the formation of the Nelson County Service Authority for improvements to public water and sewer in Lovingston, Shipman, Schuyler, Gladstone, Piney River and Wintergreen; and the Nelson County Broadband Authority, which successfully initiated the County’s fiber broadband project and contributed to making high speed internet connectivity available to homes and businesses throughout Nelson County; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Harvey has been a strong supporter of Nelson County Public Schools, and during his tenure, the County built Tye River and Rockfish River Elementary Schools, Nelson Middle School, and completed renovations to Nelson County High School; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, Mr. Harvey has made many important contributions to the community, including efforts to secure adequate funding for local emergency services, the implementation of Enhanced 911, improvements to public safety radio communications, and road safety improvements throughout the County; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Harvey also assisted with the expansion of the Nelson Memorial Library and the Courthouse complex, the completion of the Blue Ridge Railway Trail and the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail, and countless other projects and endeavors over the years;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors do hereby officially recognize Thomas D. “Tommy” Harvey as the longest-serving member of the Board of Supervisors, and respectfully asks all citizens to join in expressing their sincere gratitude and appreciation for the 41 years of outstanding service to our community that he has most generously given.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors does hereby name Former Board of Supervisors Room #420 in Mr. Harvey’s honor to now be known as the Thomas D. Harvey Meeting Room.”
B. Retiring Registrar Jacqueline C. Britt (R2025-83):
“WHEREAS, Jacqueline Clark “Jackie” Britt has been a lifelong active member of the Nelson County community, and
WHEREAS, since January 1, 2009, Jacqueline Britt has served as the duly appointed General Registrar and Director of Elections for Nelson County, and
WHEREAS, during her tenure as General Registrar, Jacqueline Britt has diligently overseen more than thirty General and Primary Elections, trained hundreds of Officers of Election, and monitored the filings of dozens of local candidates, and
WHEREAS, in addition to her core responsibilities, Jacqueline Britt has served in several
statewide and regional leadership roles in the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia, and
WHEREAS, to further her education in the elections field, Jacqueline Britt has received
professional certification at both the state and national levels, and
WHEREAS, in recognition of her extensive knowledge base and dedication to fairness, security, and transparency, Jacqueline Britt was selected to serve as a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Elections Task Force,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors, jointly with the Nelson County Electoral Board, do hereby officially recognize Jacqueline Clark “Jackie” Britt, and respectfully ask all citizens alike to join in expressing their sincere gratitude and appreciation for the many years of outstanding service to our community she has most generously given.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Jacqueline Clark “Jackie” Britt will be missed both personally and professionally, and the Board wishes her continued health, happiness, and prosperity upon her well-deserved retirement.”
V. PRESENTATIONS:
A. VDOT Report:
Mr. Robert Brown reported to the Board that trash clean up in the county was almost completed. The worn out pipes on Davis Creek Road are almost replaced. VDOT received a grant for secondary road pipe replacement and a sizeable portion of that grant is dedicated to Nelson County. The snow plowing and removal went well during the recent snowstorms.
Supervisor Rutherford reported that there are culvert pipes collapsing on Rt. 615 and that there is a sink hole developing on Whippoorwill. He then reported having observed from his office another accident at the intersection of Rt. 6 and Rt. 29 where someone tried to turn into the north bound lanes. He remarked on the frequency of accidents at that intersection. Mr. Brown indicated that a VDOT vehicle had been in involved in one of those accidents. Supervisor Rutherford suggested routing northbound traffic up Tidbit Trail, an idea with which Mr. Brown concurred. All of the Board members present and Mr. Bown agreed that the intersection is very dangerous. Mr. Brown agreed to request a traffic study so that one or more solutions to the situation could be considered.
Supervisor Reed thanked VDOT for the kayak /canoe “put in” (launching site) and inquired if another “put in” could be installed across from Janet Hunter’s property. The area is already fenced by a neighbor and would make a very attractive launching site. Ms. McGarry in conjunction with Jerry West of “Parks and Recreation” were requested to draft to a specific “ask” for VDOT’s consideration which would describe in some detail the concept of what was envisioned.
B. Central Virginia Land Conservancy:
Charles Lacy presented an overview of what a conservation easement entails and how the Central Virginia Land Conservancy can aid smaller landowners in creating one. The attached is a summary of the power point presentation that was given at the meeting and is not intended by this author or the Nelson County Democratic Committee to offer legal or tax advice. Anyone reading this summary should contact legal counsel regarding the representations contained herein.
A “Conservation Easement” is a voluntary agreement designed to limit land use in perpetuity. It must be held by a public entity or qualified non-profit organization with whom the agreement is made. Central Virginia Land Conservancy is a qualifying 501(c)(3) non-profit which currently holds 35 easements in Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Buckingham, Campbell, Lynchburg, and Nelson Counties. Three are in Nelson County and consist of 456 acres total.
Nelson County has 303,360 acres of land in the county and 14,812 residents. Sixty eight thousand acres are farmland and made up of 400 farms. There are over 25,000 acres of public land, and 500 acres of continuous forest. In the year 2000, satellite imagery showed 7,500 acres of continuous forest coverage. That area has been subdivided in 328 separate parcels averaging 22 acres a piece. The lot sizes range from .07 acres to 518 acres.
Conservation Easements depending on their terms limit the number of times a property can be subdivided, limit the number and size of structures that can be built but do NOT affect the ownership of the land nor do they require that the affected land be accessible to the public. Conservation Easements can be used to protect land that has been in a family for multiple generations, protect sweat equity, and prevent future land development that the owner does not want to occur. It allows owners to act as responsible land stewards, ensuring places for farming, hunting, and fishing as well as enjoyment of the outdoors for future generations, thus preserving the rural character of the property.
Conservation Easements come with tax benefits for the owner(s) of the property. The IRS considers a conservation easement to be a charitable donation and there may be a state tax credit and a federal tax deduction incentive.
After the easement is recorded, Land Trust staff monitors the conserved property every year to ensure the terms are being upheld. The land trust staff serve as a resource for any questions or additional conservations projects. CVALC recommends itself as it is a local, regionally focused organization that is more flexible and able to make conservation easements available to landowners with smaller tracts of land. It provides reliable stewardship for landowners after they are gone. For information or to get started, contact Charles Lacy, program manager, clacy@cvalc.org (434-942-4320) or Emily Bender, ebender@brlcva.org (540) 985-000.
C. Wild Rose Solar Project Update – Jeannine Johnson and Lauren Deviner
Jeannine Johnson gave the update. Phase III results were issued in September of 2025. The Final Interconnection Agreement is to be issued on December 20, 2025 and must be executed no later than January 9, 2026. Construction is currently scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2028 and commercial operation is anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2029. The project design was updated in December of 2025, in part because of an historic ore mine from 1890 with a mine shaft and a wast dump. This slowed up permitting as the affect of the mine on water quality was assessed. The scholarships do not have a delivery date. They are waiting for the construction to start. In response to Supervisor Parr’s question, Jeannine Johnson assured the Board that the buffer areas should still keep the panels invisible from outside the site. The summary of where the project is appears below. The full power point presentation appears on pages 80-91 of the December 2026 Board of Supervisor’s packet.
VI. NEW & UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
A. VTC Application to Request Recognition of GO Virginia Region 9 (R2025-84): The Board unanimously approved the following:
“WHEREAS, the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) currently recognizes the Central Virginia Tourism Region as encompassing an extensive collection of counties, including Madison, Greene, Albemarle, Louisa, Fluvanna, Nelson, Charlottesville, Amherst, Campbell, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Nottoway, Buckingham, Cumberland, Goochland, Hanover, Powhatan, Amelia, Dinwiddie, Chesterfield, Henrico, Prince George, and Sussex; and
WHEREAS, VTC currently recognizes the Northern Virginia Tourism Region as encompassing the eclectic counties of Culpeper, Rappahannock, Fauquier, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Caroline; and
WHEREAS, these two VTC regions do not align with tourists’ travel tendencies, nor support any cohesive tourism identity or unified marketing strategy, and
WHEREAS, the counties/cities of Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, Albemarle, Charlottesville, and Nelson currently work collaboratively through GO Virginia Region 9 (hereafter “The Region”) to advance shared goals in economic
development, workforce, and entrepreneurship; and
WHEREAS, these same counties share distinct tourism commonalities, including rich agricultural landscapes, vibrant main streets, historic sites, wineries and breweries, and proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park, creating a natural and unified visitor experience where visitors travel organically within The Region’s lodging, dining and recreating — reinforcing a shared tourism ecosystem that functions as a single destination market; and
WHEREAS, The Region’s steep history, serves as home to two of America’s most significant presidential estates — Monticello and James Madison’s Montpelier — as well as historic properties such as Airlie Resort, Barboursville Ruins, and countless Civil War and early American sites; and
WHEREAS, The Region offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities, including the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah National Park, a national treasure drawing over 1.2 million visitors annually, complemented by regional attractions such as the James River Water Trail, Rapidan Wildlife Management Area, and numerous cycling, hiking, and agritourism routes; and
WHEREAS, The Region is home to the Virginia’s most award winning wine and internationally acclaimed Monticello American Viticultural Area (AVA), recognized as the birthplace of Virginia wine and consistently awarded among the nation’s best, attracting both domestic and international visitors; and
WHEREAS, The Region’s towns and rural communities — from Lovingston to Stanardsville, Orange, Culpeper, Madison, Sperryville, Washington, and Warrenton — embody the Virginia Main Street small-town charm, authenticity, and countryside beauty that define Virginia’s tourism brand; and
WHEREAS, a collaborative tourism initiative within The Region would amplify these shared assets through joint marketing, coordinated visitor itineraries, and enhanced visibility of local businesses and attractions; and
WHEREAS, The Region has demonstrated strong collaboration through a number of GO Virginia Region 9 initiatives, including The Region’s Wine Coalition, which supports coordinated marketing, workforce development, and infrastructure efforts for the wine industry; and further, several of The Region’s localities participate in the “River Region” tourism initiative, illustrating an existing framework of inter-county cooperation, shared marketing, and collective visitor engagement; and
WHEREAS, the creation of a distinct tourism region under the VTC structure would allow more targeted investment, improved data collection, and a unified brand message aligned with the economic and cultural identity of The Region; and
WHEREAS, a redefined tourism region would not only improve coordination among local destination marketing organizations (DMOs) but also strengthen VTC’s ability to market Virginia’s tourism diversity more effectively across the Commonwealth;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the localities of Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, Albemarle, Charlottesville, and Nelson hereby respectfully request that the Virginia Tourism Corporation formally recognize GO Virginia Region 9 as an independent and distinct tourism region known as Virginia’s Piedmont within the Commonwealth;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this newly recognized region be empowered to collaboratively promote its unique historical, cultural, and natural assets under a shared identity that reflects the spirit, landscape, and hospitality of Virginia’s Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains.”
B. Piney River Vol. Fire Dept. 80/20 Program Truck Order Request (R2025-85):
The Board unanimously approved the Resolution R2025-85 based on the request set out below. The specifications of the equipped Kenworth Tanker (hereinafter “fire engine”) to be purchased are set out in great detail on pages 103-145 of the December 2026 Board of Supervisor’s packet. Daniel Johnson pointed out to the Board that the price of the fire engine had increased multiple times during the period for designing /specifying the fire engine’s features and would increase substantially again if the contract was not signed before December 31, 2025. The letter summarizing “the ask” is set forth below:
The language of Piney River Vol. Fire Dept. 80/20 Program Truck Order Request (R2025-85) adopted by the Board is as follows:
“BE IT RESOLVED, that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors hereby authorizes Piney River Volunteer Fire Department to place an order for an equipped Kenworth Tanker with Anchor-Richey Emergency Vehicle Services, Inc.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that staff is hereby directed to include a funding request of $645,795.20 (80% of the truck cost) in the FY27 proposed budget; with the understanding that final funding approval is pending adoption of the FY27 budget including these funds.”
C. Sheriff’s Request to Consolidate 2 Part-Time Positions to 1 Full-Time (R2025-86):
Sheriff Embrey appeared and explained that the Sheriff’s office was unable to find part time people willing to take the position although there were candidates if the job was full time. Sheriff Embrey has previously provided the Board with this written explanation of his request.
“The following correspondence is a request for a change to be made to the Department's current Payroll Budget, based on the following circumstances:
On November 7, 2025, Deputy Steve Davis announced his retirement from the Department. Deputy Davis was employed as a Deputy Sheriff in a 'Part-Time' capacity, whose primary job duty was the Civil Process Server for the Sheriff's Office. Deputy Davis had been working in this capacity beginning in January 2024, as he performed his duties exceptionally well. Deputy Davis's retirement has left a significant void to fulfilling our Department's Civil Process Duties, which our Patrol Division Deputies are currently filling.
The Department's Payroll and Personnel Budget is currently allotted (2) Part-Time positions, which are both compensated at an hourly wage. With the exception of Deputy Davis, keeping the second part-time position filled has been extremely challenging. It has been my experience that most viable Part-Time candidates are non-existent and those that are, are unable to provide the Department with the weekly working hours (29) that the agency needs to justify the position.
Due to the afore-mentioned circumstances, I have met with Ms. Grace Mawyer to discuss the financial aspects of consolidating both Part-Time positions into a single, Full-Time position for the Department. Ms. Mawyer has graciously provided me with a data chart which compares Full-Time numbers versus Part-time numbers for analysis. I have attached this comparison chart for your review.
Based upon Ms. Mawyer’s calculations, if these positions are consolidated it would require $7,000.00 to fully fund the newly created position for the remainder of the fiscal year.”
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the following:
“RESOLVED, by the Nelson County Board of Supervisors that the two (2) Nelson County Sheriff’s Office part-time deputy positions at an hourly wage be consolidated into one (1) full-time, locally funded Deputy Sheriff position at an annual salary of $50,917.00, in accordance with the County of Nelson’s pay scale, to become effective January 1, 2026.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board does hereby allocate $7,000.00 to compensate the remaining six months of this position for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.”
D. Real Estate Tax Exemption Applications (R2025-87):
The Board continued the following Resolution for consideration at the January 2026 meeting. Supervisor Parr expressed concern that the Monroe Institute (which is not now up for reconsideration) and Synchronicity do not in their entirety benefit the county in a way warranting their tax exempt status and wanted further study of the matter with consideration by all of the 2026 Board members. The proposed Resolution that is continued is the following:
“RESOLVED, pursuant to and in accordance with the applicable provisions of §58.1-3605 and §58.1-3651 of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended, and Sec. 11-185 of the Code of the County of Nelson Virginia, the Nelson County Board of Supervisors hereby approves the triennial real estate tax exemption applications submitted by Wintergreen Nature Foundation, the Synchronicity Foundation and the Piedmont Habitat for Humanity, Inc. as presented.”
E. Piney River Water and Sewer Rates (O2025-09):
The Board without further discussion unanimously adopted the following ordinance:
VII. REPORTS, APPOINTMENTS, DIRECTIVES AND CORRESPONDENCE:
A. Reports
1. County Administrator’s Report: for December 16, 2025 Board Meeting
A. DSS Building Project: The site has been cleared, graded, and other sitework is underway as weather permits. The wet weather has impacted this progress for the time being.
B. Department of Social Services CPS Data:
Agency CPS Referral Data for November is shown below. Total referrals received were elevated due to a case that received multiple duplicate referrals; which necessitated that the duplicates be screened out, causing that percentage to be high. Another referral was screened out due to it being in Albemarle’s jurisdiction. Other Departmental data is provided with the monthly report submitted to the Board.
Total Referrals Received = 24 Results of Referrals Validated:
Validated = 9 Investigations = 2
Screened out = 15 Family Assessments = 7 Percentage Validated = 38% Percentage Investigations = 22%
Percentage Screened Out = 62% Percentage Family Assessments = 78%
Applications for the Local DSS Advisory Board are still being taken with potential appointment being in January.
C. Christmas Lights: Thank you to CVEC and County Maintenance staff for the Christmas lights installation. Maintenance staff installed lights where they were able to safely assess existing pole brackets and connections for safe installation. After this holiday season, we can circle back to determine how many poles may need electrical work done for next year. County staff will plan for taking down the Lovingston/Shipman lights by January 9th, weather permitting, and will coordinate with CVEC to do the same as their schedule permits.
D. 2026 Reassessment: 2026 Reassessment notices have been mailed out and Assessors are conducting appeal reviews through December 18th. Procedures for appealing to the Assessors and Board of Equalization are provided on the notices and we have posted the attached FAQs regarding the re-assessment. It is important to note that the reassessment determines your property's fair market value, but your actual tax bill depends on the tax rate set annually by your local Board of Supervisors. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors will evaluate its budgetary needs and 2026 real estate tax rates will be set sometime in mid-April of 2026. Proposed changes in tax rates require a public hearing prior to them being set by the governing body.
E. FY25 Region Ten Cooperative Projects fund with Opioid Abatement Authority Funding: Nelson participates with other Region Ten CSB localities in Opioid Abatement Authority grants initiated in FY25 to provide (1) Community Outreach Services and (2) expansion of the Crisis Response & CITAC services at the Region Ten Crisis Receiving Center (CRC). In FY25 183 Nelson County residents were served in program (1) and 9 residents served by program (2). While a local match IS NOT required for these grants, Region Ten staff has asked if Nelson would like to contribute some of our Direct Opioid Settlement distribution funds in order to strengthen the FY27 renewal application that will be submitted in March 2026.We have received $21,099 in additional unexpected payments from the Deficiency Fund (funds remaining after payments to counsel) and staff recommends contributing $5,000 - $10,000 of these funds to the FY27 renewal application. The Board’s advisement on this contribution is requested. (see attached Region Ten report and email)
F. NCCDF Family Assistance Program Report: As of November 18th, requests for assistance from 48 families have been received totaling just over $24,000. Of those, 26 families have been assisted for a total of $11,423.68 or an average of $423.10 per family.
Assistance has been distributed as follows:
Tax Payment 1 $500.00
Rent 9 $3,716.57 (avg. $412.95)
Utility 16 $7,194.16 (avg. $449.64)
Fees (AEP) $12.95
Family characteristics are:
Average age of HOH - 57
Elderly 41.4%
White 68.9%
Black 31%
Avg. Gross Income $15,027
AMI 17.7%
Disability - 24%
Under 18 (in family) 41%
Including the admin fee of $2,500, $13,923.68 of the $25,000 allocation has been expended with the balance estimated to be spent by early February.
G. Meals and Lodging Tax Collection & Lodging Entity Tracking: See Attached Charts - # of Lodging Units went from 820 to 826. Rental Scape is the selected STR monitoring and tracking software platform and staff is in process with its procurement.
H. Staff Reports: Department and office reports for November have been provided.
REASSESMENT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs):
The Virginia reassessment process for localities involves a systematic review of all real property to ensure values align with fair market conditions as required by state law.
• What is a general reassessment and why is it conducted? A reassessment is the process of revising the assessed value of real estate property to keep the value consistent with what the property is worth on the open market (fair market value). It ensures that the real estate tax burden is distributed fairly and equitably among property owners based on current market conditions, as mandated by the Code of Virginia § 58.1-3201.
• How often are reassessments conducted in Virginia? The Code of Virginia requires a general reassessment at least every six years for counties and every four years for cities. Local governing bodies can opt for more frequent intervals, such as annual or biennial assessments. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors has set its reassessment cycle at every 4 years.
• Will a new reassessment necessarily mean my taxes go up? Not necessarily. The reassessment determines your property's fair market value, but your actual tax bill depends on the tax rate set annually by your local Board of Supervisors. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors will evaluate its budgetary needs and 2026 real estate tax rates will be set sometime in mid-April of 2026. Proposed changes in tax rates require a public hearing prior to them being set by the governing body.
• How is the new assessment value determined? Assessors use mass appraisal techniques, including comprehensive sales studies of comparable properties in similar neighborhoods, income and expense information for commercial properties, and the cost approach. Appraisers consider location, condition, economic factors, and highest and best use of the property. An appraiser may visit your property to verify exterior data and take pictures. *See Nelson County 2026 Reassessment Methodology here: https://www.nelsoncounty-va.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Methodology.pdf
• How is an assessment different from a private appraisal or sales price? A sales price is the actual amount a buyer pays. A private appraisal is a detailed, single-property valuation often used for mortgages or sales. An assessment is a mass appraisal for tax purposes that emphasizes equity and uniformity across similar properties within a jurisdiction, based on the market conditions at the time of the general reassessment.
• How can I find out my new assessed value? Official reassessment notices detailing the new property values are mailed to the owner of record after all field work is complete. These notices are typically sent several months before the new value goes into effect.
* Nelson County notices were mailed out in late November 2025. The values on these notices DO NOT reflect “Land Use” assessments. New values are effective January 1, 2026.
*You may also review your values by looking at the Reassessment Book that is available in the Nelson County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office at 84 Courthouse Square, Lovingston VA. 22949
• How can I appeal my reassessment value? If you believe your assessment is incorrect, you have several steps for appeal: 1. Informal Hearing: You can first schedule an informal hearing with the local reassessment office during a specified window of time noted on your notice as follows:
You can file your appeal immediately and it must be received no later than Thursday, December 18, 2025.
The assessors will be reviewing all appeals from December 8, 2025 through December 19, 2025.
Appeals will only be accepted by email or mail. Submit your appeal by mail to: Nelson County Reassessment Office, P. O. Box 336, Lovingston, VA 22949 OR by email to NelsonCounty2026@vgsi.com.
Please make sure to include your “Map Number” as shown above on all written appeals. In case the assessor needs to contact you, also please include a daytime phone number where you can be reached on all appeals. In your appeal, you may include a letter, an appraisal, pictures, or any other information that you would like the assessor to review. A tear off block has been provided at the bottom of your assessment notice for your convenience in filing an appeal.
2. Board of Equalization (BOE): If you still disagree, you can file a formal appeal with the local Board of Equalization, an independent group appointed by the Circuit Court.
Nelson County’s Board of Equalization (BOE), whose members are appointed by the Nelson County Circuit Court, will review any appeals that are not resolved by appealing to the Reassessment Office. Dates for these hearings will be advertised in the local newspaper, on the Nelson County website at www.nelsoncounty-va.gov , and posted in the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office.
The deadline to file applications for equalization with the BOE is April 15, 2026, and the BOE will be scheduling hearings in early 2026.
In any appeal to the BOE of an assessment of residential property, Section 58.1-3331 of the Code of Virginia requires that owners with less than four residential units be given a 45-day notice prior to their hearing date. These owners will have the option to request a hearing date earlier than 45 days from the date the appeal is made by signing a waiver agreeing to waive the required 45-day notice in advance of their hearing date.
3. Circuit Court: The final step in the appeals process is petitioning the local Circuit Court for judicial review.
Appeals must be supported by evidence, such as sales of comparable properties, rather than complaints about the tax rate or an inability to pay.
Values may be raised, lowered, or remain unchanged as a result of appeals.
For specific information regarding your property's assessment, tax rates, or local deadlines, contact the Commissioner of the Revenue or Tax Assessor office directly.
Nelson County Reassessment Office
Phone: (434) 260-9020
Email: NelsonCounty2026@vgsi.com
2. Board Reports:
a. Supervisor Rutherford met with Mr. Reed and the Virginia State Fire Marshal to discuss the resolution of the issue of the appointment of a fire marshal for Wintergreen. The consensus was that Nelson County doesn’t have a fire code and would be forced to adopt one if a fire marshal were appointed. Given the age of many of the structures and their condition, it is not feasible to adopt a fire code at this time. There were also liability issues for the County as the resolution was drafted. There was a groundbreaking ceremony for the jail.
b. Supervisor Parr will attend the Emergency Council Meeting tonight (December 16, 2025. The ingress/egress to the Parkway has been approved by the committee at the state legislature for Wintergreen on the mountain. It’s moving.
b. Supervisor Reed attended Drug recovery Court, JABA, the Service Authority, and the School Board meeting. Nelson County has risen over the last year’s assessment of need (or lack thereof) in the composite index and is now number 10 which indicates that the Nelson County schools will receive even less money from the state. This will be a real challenge for the county and the school board for meeting our budgets.
B. Appointments: The vacancies and current candidates are set out below.
Candy McGarry reported another vacancy on the Board of Zoning Appeals as Carol Saunders just resigned.
Deborah White was unanimously appointed to fill the vacancy resulting from Mary Cunninghams resignation on the Agricultural and Forestal Advisory Committee. A new vacancy to has just occurred due to a resignation from the committee.
R. Carlton Ballowe, James Clinton Bibb, and Thomas Nelson, Jr. were unanimously appointed to the Board of Equalization.
The appointments to N.C. Social Services Board (new Board) was postponed to the January 2026 meeting when the full 2026 Board could consider and decide the appointments.
C. Correspondence: None
D. Directives: Supervisor Parr made a motion to appropriate the $5,000 requested by the Juneteenth Committee and that the Juneteenth celebrations be made a potential line item in the ongoing budget process. The motion was unanimously approved.
IX. The meeting was ADJOURNED AND CONTINUED TO DECEMBER 17, 2025 AT 5:00 P.M. FOR A JOINT WORK SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION – AN EVENING SESSION WILL NOT BE CONDUCTED.