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Special Called Board of Supervisors Meeting (Thursday, March 27, 2025)
Northumberland County, Virginia
Members Present:
James M. Long, Richard F Haynie, James W Brann, Chip Williams
Members Absent:
A.C. Fisher, Jr.
Other Staff Present:
Mr. Luttrell Tadlock, County Administrator
Mr. Drew Basye, Assistant County Administrator
Ms. Morgan Wilson, Executive Assistant
Mr. Carl Hayden, IT Technician
Ms. Mary Dodson, Benefits and Bookkeeper Administrator
1. Opening of Meeting 5:00p.m.
Procedural: A. Call to Order
The special meeting was convened by Chairman Haynie and held at the
Northumberland Courthouse located at 220 Judicial Place, Heathsville, VA 22473.
2. Presentations
Action, Information: A. Corrective Action Plan
Vice Chairman Brann asked Mr. John Kost to review the corrective action plans due to his background and provide guidance to the Board of Supervisors. He made the Board aware that Mr. Kost also attended a Joint Finance Committee meeting in Essex County the other night and they voted to allow the County to take over the school’s finances. He thanked Mr. Kost for taking the time to create a presentation for the Board.
Mr. Kost provided some background information about himself to the Board and stated that he has no vested interest in the County’s doing other than as a taxpayer and wanting to see the school division do better. Mr. Kost believes that the issue is not accounting, but it’s accountability. He stated that there are serious political issues related to budgeting, spending outside of budgets, and the management oversight/procedures affecting integrity of how tax dollars are being used. Mr. Kost asked how the Board can be certain that the school is going to address the Board’s concerns and the findings in the forensic audit given the lack of trust and transparency between the two Boards. He stated that currently the Board has no means to
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validate the status of each recommendation other than verbal testimony of NCPS. He informed the Board that several items listed in the school’s corrective action plan are time sensitive and relevant to their budget deliberations. In particular, items # 1, 2, 5 and 20 are the action items that need to be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction as soon as possible. Mr. Kost suggested the Board act on 1 of 3 items:
1. Hire a County Finance Director or Auditor, reporting to Board of Supervisors permanently to ensure this is working, or
2. Hire an Auditor temporarily to oversee these findings on a weekly basis and reporting the same to Board of Supervisors, or
3. Have the NCPS Finance Director reporting relationship be to the Board of Supervisors rather than the NCPS Superintendent.
Mr. Kost explained that Essex County is in a similar situation and their Board hired a “Chief Business Advisor (CBA)” to oversee the County and School finances. Mr. Kost then provided the Board with a list of recommendations for specific items in the corrective action plan. His full PowerPoint presentation can be accessed in board docs.
Supervisor Long suggested that both Boards meet together.
Vice Chairman Brann would like to see the County start negotiations with the school and have some type of finance agreement or work towards a goal to take the school’s finances and bring them in with the County’s so everything is on the same page. The school would still have their budget and be responsible for their budget, but the County would have someone oversee all the County finances.
Supervisor Long asked what the position title was that Essex County hired.
Mr. Kost explained that the position title was Chief Business Advisor, but that title will change after the services agreement is completed.
Vice Chairman Brann believes this would be a good start and a lot has been going on with the school system over the years and the Board needs to offer them a way out by helping to take over the finances.
Motion to have the County Administrator send an email to the Assistant Superintendent to invite the School Board to attend a joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors to discuss allowing the County to take over the school's finances, which is a similar arrangement that is occurring in Essex County.
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Motion by: James W. Brann, second by: Chip Williams.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
Chairman Haynie agreed but stated this needs to be done as soon as possible, within the next two weeks because a budget needs to be presented.
Supervisor Long believes the County needs to hire the Chief Business Advisor position. Vice Chairman Brann stated that there is no need to hire that position if the School Board doesn’t agree with their proposal, so it’s important that the School Board knows what they want to meet for up front and they all sit down and have this discussion.
Supervisor Williams asked what the hire date was for the individual in Essex County. Mr. Kost stated that he’s unsure of the official hire date, but the individual started this month and the amount she’s accomplished thus far is amazing.
Chairman Haynie offered the public to comment on the subject.
Mr. Maurice Johnson stated that this is a healthy approach and an excellent plan that needs to be carried out. He also agreed that the Board needs to prioritize those four items in the school’s corrective action plan.
Vice Chairman Brann asked Mr. Kost if he would separate the four items he was referring to in the plan and email them to the Board members so they can review them for the regular meeting in April.
3. County Administrator Items
Information: A. Extension Office - HVAC
County Administrator Tadlock explained that the Board entered into cooperative procurement with Southern Air and received some estimates from them, but the estimate came back high, so the Board asked staff to go back and ask for several other estimates from other vendors. Provided in the Board’s packet are additional estimates for their review.
Chairman Haynie made a few comments on the estimates, but stated a decision did not have to be made tonight. The Board agreed to carry this over for further discussion at the regular meeting in April.
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County Administrator Tadlock asked the Board to let staff know if they have any questions related to the estimates prior to the Board meeting.
Action, Information: B. Sheriff's Office Equipment Grant
Sheriff Beauchamp explained that he’s requesting approval to seek a BYRNE/Justice Assistance Grant to purchase law enforcement equipment. Sheriff Beauchamp presented the items he’d like to purchase if they receive this grant, which is an ATS-5 Speed Trailer, a ProLaser 4 Lidar (current is 18 years old), six Eagle 3 radar units (3 radars are 20 years old and failing). The grant period is in FY26, beginning July 1, 2025, and runs through December 31, 2025. Sheriff Beauchamp stated that this grant is competitive, and they are going to give priority to an applicant that can expend their funds by September. He informed the Board that the total expenditure would be $37,986.93 and the County would be reimbursed $27,365.19 at the end of the grant period or sooner, making the local match $10,621.74. Sheriff Beauchamp explained that he has identified $3,000 in one of their local accounts, gun permit fees, that he can apply to the local match, thus reducing his request for a local match in the amount of $7,621.74. The deadline for the grant is April 8, 2025.
Chairman Haynie asked questions related to the capabilities of the speed trailer. Sheriff Beauchamp described the trailer’s capabilities to the Board and explained that it’s battery and solar powered, so the more it’s out in the field, the longer the battery lasts. Supervisor Williams asked if Sheriff Beauchamp was comfortable using the $3,000 or can he think of something that those monies need to be used for later.
Sheriff Beauchamp stated that he has some very old shot guns that need to be replaced at some point as well.
Supervisor Williams suggested having the local match for $10,621.74 rather than using Sheriff Beauchamp’s $3,000 identified funds from his gun permit fees account.
County Administrator Tadlock clarified that this would just be to allow Sheriff Beauchamp to move forward seeking the grant for the total amount. This will not be until next fiscal year, so any supplemental appropriations would not be done until the next budget cycle once we know the grant was received.
Motion to allow Sheriff Beauchamp to apply for the BYRNE/Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $37,986.93 to purchase law enforcement equipment.
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Motion by: James M. Long, second by: Chip Williams.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
Action, Information: C. MAT Program
County Administrator Tadlock explained that the regional jail is re-applying for the grant funds again this year in the amount of $338,762.90 for FY26. After the Gloucester match of $10,000 and the NNK Regional Jail match of $12,393 the total ask is $316,369.90. Mr. Tadlock explained that no local funds are required to approve this grant.
Motion to sign the Cooperative Agreement allowing the Regional Jail to seek the Opioid Abatement Authority Grant to assist with the expansion of the MAT program for FY 26.
Motion by: Richard F. Haynie, second by: James M. Long.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
Information: D. FY26 Budget
County Administrator Tadlock asked the Board if they’d like to schedule some budget meetings to bring in outside agencies to present their budget requests to the Board.
The Board agreed to schedule a meeting for budget presentations next week.
4. Items Related to Closed Meeting
Action, Information: A. Convene into Closed Meeting
Motion to Action: A. Convene into Closed Meeting: convene into closed meeting as permitted by Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711 (A)(1), (29); 1. Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of any public body; and evaluation of performance of departments or schools of public institutions of higher education where such evaluation will necessarily involve discussion of the performance of specific individuals. Any teacher shall be permitted to be present during a closed meeting in which there is a discussion or consideration of a disciplinary matter that involves the teacher and some student and the student involved in the matter is present, provided the teacher makes a written request to be present to the presiding officer of the appropriate board. Nothing in this subdivision, however, shall be construed to authorize a closed meeting by a local
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governing body or an elected school board to discuss compensation matters that affect the membership of such body or board collectively. 29. Discussion of the award of a public contract involving the expenditure of public funds, including interviews of bidders or offerors, and discussion of the terms or scope of such contract, where discussion in an open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body.
Motion by: Chip Williams, second by: James W. Brann.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
Action, Information: B. Reconvene into Open Meeting
Motion to reconvene into open session.
Motion by: James W. Brann, second by: James M. Long.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
Action, Information: C. Certification of Closed Meeting
Motion that the Northumberland Board of Supervisors return to Public Meeting and certify by roll call vote that only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed or considered during the closed meeting. The vote on the motion was passed by a roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Richard F. Haynie, James M. Long, James W. Brann, Charles H. Williams
Motion by: James W. Brann, second by: James M. Long.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams
5. Closing of Meeting
Action: A. Carry Over
Motion to carry over to the special called meeting on April 3, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
Motion by: James M. Long, second by: James W. Brann.
Final Resolution: Motion Carried
Aye: James M. Long, Richard F. Haynie, James W. Brann, Chip Williams