Amelia County supervisors elect new chair, adopt rules and accept grant toward new ambulance

The Amelia County Board of Supervisors on Monday completed its organizational business for the year, electing David Phelps as chair, naming Todd Robinson vice chair and approving the board’s meeting calendar and bylaws before voting to accept a public-safety grant toward the purchase of a replacement ambulance.

During nominations for chair, a motion to nominate David Phelps was approved in a general vote the board described as roughly 4–1. After his election, Phelps defended the result and said, "I don't think it's a conflict of interest to vote for yourself." Another supervisor said voting for oneself can pose a conflict in some circumstances.

The board then opened nominations for vice chair and approved Todd Robinson in a vote reported on the floor as 4 in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention. The supervisors adopted a resolution setting the regular meeting and workshop schedule for 2026 and approved the board’s bylaws and code of conduct, each by voice/hand votes.

In new business, the board heard from a presenter on a grant to help fund a new ambulance. The presenter said the award covers 50% of the purchase "up to a $180,000," and described options including accepting the grant by March 1 and deferring the actual vehicle purchase until after July 1 to place it in next year’s fiscal cycle.

Supervisors cited fleet condition and rising vehicle costs in debating timing. One board member noted two frontline units were approaching high mileage, across conversations that estimated values in the range of roughly $400,000 for a replacement chassis-and-body rig. After discussion, a motion to accept the grant, authorize the chairman to sign required documents and appropriate $401,000 this fiscal year toward the ambulance passed; the chair announced, "Motion carries." The motion as presented included the appropriation figure and the acknowledgement that the grant would reimburse up to $180,000.

Other business included a VDOT Chesterfield residency update on snow response and road maintenance; the agency said primary and secondary routes were substantially complete and committed to investigate several specific road complaints raised by supervisors. The school division joined the meeting virtually to report December enrollment figures, teacher-of-the-year recognitions and an upcoming school budget schedule with public hearings and work sessions in February and March.

Before adjourning into closed session to consult legal counsel under Virginia Code section 2.2-3711(A)(8), the board approved several routine items including a consent agenda and amended the evening’s agenda to postpone a retirement recognition, an extension presentation and a separate heat-grant appropriation to next month.

The board scheduled a closed session on a legal matter and then convened in closed session as announced on the record.