2026-09-17 JCC Meeting

The Jefferson County Commission meeting was held September 17, 2026 (the title date; the metadata gives September 18 UTC). The Commission approved routine accounts payable, manual checks, and payroll, and approved an $80,000 budget transfer to the Sheriff’s salary-and-wage line, along with motions to unencumber remaining funds from prior maintenance capital-outlay purchases. It approved the audit committee nominations and reviewed the county’s annual audit RFP process: the RFP is to receive legal review before being sent to eligible auditors, with proposals to be evaluated by a review committee; no audit contract award was made. The Commission also approved a request for a $125,000 Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority grant for a secure sallyport at the Jefferson County Judicial Center, a project estimated at approximately $600,000, and approved a related letter of support.

Other actions included approving a $50,000 new hire within the FY2027 budget, authorizing Blue Ridge Community and Technical College and the Office of Economic Development to use county property for a student-operated food truck, and approving a highway-commercial rezoning. Commissioners scheduled a September 28 workshop on proposed local guardrails for data centers. A draft ordinance concerning disclosure of affiliations in communications with county government drew public criticism and extended discussion; it was not adopted. The proposed mass-surveillance procurement policy was deferred for legal discussion in executive session.