Floyd County makes board and advisory appointments, reestablishes equipment committee and debates EMS staffing

At the Jan. 5 reorganization meeting, the Floyd County Board of Supervisors approved multiple appointments to local boards and reestablished an equipment committee to review county vehicles and emergency apparatus.

Appointments recorded during the session included a one-year continuation for Mister Cox on the Extension Leadership Council; Mister Booth to the Floyd County Public Service Authority for a three-year term; Mister Phillips to the Planning Commission and Tourism Development Council seats; and Mister Terman to the New River Mount Rogers workforce board and to serve as the county's VAC legislative contact with an alternate named. The board also reappointed representatives to the New River Regional Jail Authority.

Supervisors discussed restarting the equipment committee to visit sites, review fire/EMS apparatus and landfill equipment, and interview candidate mechanics and citizens for committee membership. The board authorized staff to generate a 2026 site-visit calendar and to reach out to potential external candidates; a chair nomination process was discussed for formalizing membership.

During board time supervisors devoted extended discussion to EMS and volunteer-rescue staffing challenges. Members noted the county has budgeted money to support full-time rescue/EMS coverage but that the primary barrier is a lack of applicants and qualified candidates. Board members suggested outreach to local schools, scholarship/fundraising efforts by community rescue organizations, and advertising to attract recruits. One supervisor said the county had set a $6,000 sign-on bonus in prior years and still struggled to retain workers who subsequently left for higher pay in neighboring jurisdictions.

The board directed staff to follow up on committee membership, candidate outreach and to provide updates on recruitment efforts and the road-prioritization work tied to the six-year plan.