Bedford County board adopts budget, nursing‑home rate increase and multiple land-use and grant measures

Bedford County supervisors on May 26 adopted a package of fiscal and land‑use measures, including a $10-a-day private-pay rate increase at the Bedford County Nursing Home, adoption of FY2026–27 county and school budgets, two rezoning approvals, and several grant and capital authorizations.

Nursing home rates: Nursing home administrator Paul presented a routine market-based adjustment to private-pay daily rates. The board approved an ordinance to increase private-pay rates by $10 per day: shared room with shared bath from $274 to $284; private room with shared bath from $279 to $289; private room with private bath from $284 to $294. No citizen comment was offered during the hearing and the ordinance passed by roll call.

Rezoning and tax exemption: The board adopted ordinance 052626-5 to rezone three parcels (tax map 25A155–157) from R1 to PRD as part of Mariners' Grand, following a planning commission recommendation. It also adopted ordinance 052626-6 approving rezoning RZ26-00003 for a Mariners Landing parcel (tax 243A47) to PRD. Both planning commission hearings had no public speakers and passed 4–0. The board also approved tax-exempt status for the Bedford Community Christmas Station after a staff recommendation; Kevin Turner, representing the nonprofit, described year-round pantry operations and said last year's Christmas program served 321 Bedford County families (504 children and teens among those served). The tax‑exempt ordinance passed by roll call.

Agricultural and forestry grant: Economic development director Cam Armstrong presented a Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services grant request for Eco‑friendly Farms to upgrade electrical service and cold storage at a meat‑processing facility. Project cost was described at about $58,517 with a requested grant of $38,678 and a required 2:1 match of roughly $17,839. The board discussed whether the locality should provide a match for a single business; Supervisor Sharp objected to using county taxpayer funds to favor one agricultural business. After discussion and questions about whether the locality match must be county funds, the board approved resolution R052626-08 by a 4–3 roll call vote.

Budgets and school appropriations: Finance director Ashley Anderson asked the board to adopt and appropriate the FY2026–27 Bedford County and Bedford County School Board budgets as presented at the May 12 public hearing. The board adopted the budgets, noting potential future state budget changes may require later amendments. The board also approved supplemental appropriations and reappropriations for school security and other grants and carryover funds, including an All‑Virginia fund carryover and a $162,458.95 school health fund balance to be appropriated.

Capital and administrative actions: The board authorized staff to advertise bids and award a contract for a new social services building on Falling Creek (with bids scheduled to go out June 16), approved a temporary lease for sheriff's office staff displaced by construction, and authorized the county administrator to accept deeded surplus school property once the school board formally declares it surplus on June 11. All of these actions were approved by roll call where recorded.

Votes at a glance (selected):
- Ordinance approving nursing home private-pay rate increase — adopted (roll call: unanimous)
- Ordinance RZ26-00002 (JCM Property Group) — adopted (roll call)
- Ordinance RZ26-00003 (Mariners Landing Devco LLC) — adopted (roll call)
- Ordinance granting tax-exempt status to Bedford Community Christmas Station — adopted (roll call)
- Resolution R052626-08 (agriculture/processing grant) — adopted 4–3 (roll call)
- Adoption and appropriation of FY2026–27 county and school budgets — adopted (roll call)
- Authorization to advertise and award bids for social services building — approved (roll call)

Next steps: Several matters will return for continued work: staff will follow up on grant match details with the applicant, bids for the social services building will be received after June 16 and reported back, and the Smart Scale items and related public concerns will be revisited at a June 9 work session.