Washington County supervisors table cigarette tax, approve GovDeals and opioid grants, and make several appointments

The Washington County Board of Supervisors took a bundle of administrative and funding actions on May 28, including tabling a proposed cigarette tax, approving a GovDeals resolution for surplus property disposition, allocating local opioid settlement funds, and confirming several board appointments.

Cigarette tax: The board held a first reading of an ordinance to add a cigarette tax to the county code. Mr. Parker recommended advertising a rate of 20¢ per pack as a revenue option to mitigate the impact of a projected tax‑rate increase tied to the 2025 reassessment. After discussion, a supervisor moved to table the item until the Nov. 26 meeting to allow reassessment results to be finalized and to observe nearby Bristol’s decisions; the motion passed, 6–1.

GovDeals for surplus property: Finance staff described GovDeals as an online auction platform that the county may use to dispose of surplus property (excluding passenger vehicles and trucks over 7,500 lbs, which prior boards preferred to send to local auction houses). The resolution, recorded as 2024‑17, authorizes departments and constitutional officers to use GovDeals where appropriate and allows the county to retain a 1.25% rebate on completed sales. The board approved the resolution 7–0.

Opioid settlement funds: Staff summarized the county’s opioid settlement receipts (total received to date listed in the packet as $396,810.74) and introduced two requests: $10,000 recommended for Social Services (training and childcare items) and a larger request from the Washington County Recovery Court to bridge a lapse in federal funding. Chris Brown, the Recovery Court project director, told the board his program’s federal grant status left carryover funds sufficient only for a short period. The committee recommended a short‑term allocation of $95,840.50 to sustain operations while reapplication is under way; the board approved the allocation 7–0.

Appointments and other routine actions: The board approved appointments to the Highlands Community Services Board (Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Wissman), reappointed Claude Worrall to the Washington County Park Authority (Jefferson District), and appointed Rusty Belcher as an at‑large Park Authority member. The board also approved a VDOT resolution to change the state highway system for completed Route 58 work (resolution 2024‑416) and approved a tentative budget allocation for a volunteer fire department line item as presented in the packet.

Votes at a glance (selected): approve SSYP allocation and signature authorization — 7–0; consent agenda — 7–0; GovDeals resolution (2024‑17) — 7–0; opioid fund allocations ($95,840.50) — 7–0; table cigarette tax until Nov. 26 — 6–1.