Residents, students and teachers urge Botetourt supervisors to approve $2.8 million school increase as others press for a balanced budget

Botetourt County staff presented the advertised FY27 budget and the board of supervisors opened a public hearing in which dozens of residents, students and educators urged approval of additional school funding while other residents warned against relying on one-time or forecasted revenue and urged a truly balanced budget.

In the presentation that opened the meeting, a county presenter said the advertised county-discretion revenue totals include $11,900,000 in one-time revenue, including $9,800,000 from EDA grants and $2,100,000 from a local health fund, and summarized categories that make up local revenue (which the presenter said is roughly 75% of the total). The presenter also described a capital improvement plan recommendation of $8,600,000, noting roughly $7.5 million of that would come from grants and about $1,100,000 from county funds. The board plans to consider final adoption of the budget and tax rates at its regular meeting on May 26, the chair said.

Why it matters: The hearing put the countys schools at the center of the budget conversation. Education is the largest share of the proposed spending, and speakers framed the choice to increase local school funding as both a community-investment decision and a matter of safety and basic facility maintenance.

Public comment split along two clear lines. Supporters of the school request emphasized the fixed-cost nature of schooling and the real-world effects of investment. Effie McCrady told the board, “Public education is not like a business where you can simply reduce production when numbers fluctuate slightly,” arguing that classrooms, transportation and special-education obligations do not disappear with small enrollment changes. Student speakers described leaking ceilings, wildlife in classrooms, and aging gymnasiums; Amelia Sanford said the buildings physical condition "is not conducive to good learning." Teachers and school supporters asked supervisors to approve the school boards compromise request of $2,800,000 (a reduction from earlier proposals) so the division can address staffing, repairs and security needs.

Opponents urged fiscal discipline and transparency. Multiple residents said the county should balance expenditures to known revenues rather than rely on projected development revenue or one-time funds. Commenters repeatedly cited county debt-service costsa figure the public heard described as over $7 millionand questioned using forecasted Google-related tax receipts or other future income as a balancing mechanism. Several speakers urged an audit or third-party review of school spending and clearer, standardized reporting of past expenditures.

Budget details and trade-offs: The presenter flagged that advertised totals include material one-time allocations (the EDA grant figure of $9.8 million), and presented a view of the FY27 advertised budget both with and without those extraordinary revenues; excluding the EDA grants, the presenter said advertised FY27 county totals would be notably lower. The capital improvement plan and department-specific highlights were discussed (new project-management staff, a Microsoft enterprise agreement for technology, adjustments to debt-service via refinancing, and ongoing appropriations to schools on a quarterly basis to allow adjustments if the state budget changes).

What the board said it will do next: Chair Max Godhorn closed the hearing by thanking speakers and saying board members will meet individually with staff between now and the May 26 meeting to review public input; he noted the board cannot add to the advertised budget but may reduce items before final adoption.

The public hearing produced no formal votes; the adoption of budget and tax rates is scheduled for the boards May 26 meeting.