Russell County Board of Supervisors - October 5th, 2026

The Russell County, Virginia Board of Supervisors meeting on October 5, 2026 included several spending and project actions. The board approved routine expenditures, a change in location for the county vehicle-storage rental contract, and an amendment allowing the Russell County Fair Association to sublease fairgrounds space under specified insurance and liability terms. It approved a $7,500 Virginia Department of Emergency Management performance grant and a revised Cumberland Plateau wastewater treatment plant project scope, funded with $2,681,000 in grant money for treatment-plant, pump-station, generator, laboratory, and related upgrades. The board also approved a resolution designating three secondary routes as Rural Rustic Roads. A $3,200 towing bill related to mutual-aid fire department calls was tabled pending legal review of whether the cost can be deducted from department stipends. The county administrator reported that the animal shelter project was progressing and was under budget, with equipment and utility work underway.

Education officials reported grants supporting career and technical programs, including a $50,000 HVAC grant and earlier awards of $125,000 for automotive training and $40,000 for a criminal-justice training system; no new board spending vote on these grants was reported. A sheriff’s office proposal for a sensory-support trailer is expected to rely on donations, including a reported $5,000 contribution, and a planned grant application rather than county funds. Public commenters raised concerns about a proposed data center and requested safeguards and greater transparency; the IDA said the project remained in a discovery phase and announced a community forum for November 18. The board also directed the county administrator to draft a resolution for state legislators concerning the IDA’s composition. A request for county support for a proposed miners’ strike monument was presented, but no board action was taken.