Board Meeting Notes

For more information about the items below, please view the April 11, 2023, Board of Supervisors meeting video.

At the top of the meeting, the Board of Supervisors received a briefing from Chris Kyle, Vice President of Programming, Regulatory, and Business Development at Shentel, detailing the progress toward deploying GloFiber services across the County. Mr. Kyle also explained the steps the company has taken to remediate construction issues in County neighborhoods and outlined a more responsive customer service system to receive and act on neighborhood complaints going forward.

The Board of Supervisors also received a briefing from Roanoke County Public Schools about the Roanoke County Public Schools Proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget and Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2033 Capital Improvement Program. Our school system’s budget is funded by our local government in addition to funding received from the State of Virginia each year. Delays in the General Assembly’s approval of this year’s State Budget may impact the Schools’ budget proposal. The Board of Supervisors will adopt a final budget for Roanoke County Schools at a later meeting.

In new business, the Board approved the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission Budget for Fiscal year 2023-2024. No funds from the County of Roanoke have been requested or anticipated for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Roanoke Regional Airport budget. 

The Board also approved a resolution setting the allocation percentage for Personal Property Tax Relief (PPTR) in Roanoke County for the 2023 tax year at 56.1% on the first $20,000 of assessed value on personal use vehicles. Each year the State contributes $12,229,857 to Roanoke County as part of the Personal Property Tax Relief Act of 1998. The amount Roanoke County receives from the State has stayed constant since 2006. However, the personal property tax base has continued to grow (more vehicles), which has caused less of the personal property tax bill to be offset by the State's PPTRA funds over the years. Staff originally proposed a 44.98% tax relief rate for calendar year 2023. Considering the elevated values of both used and new vehicles over the past several years, the Board of Supervisors approved a measure to contribute an additional $3 million towards this year's personal property tax relief. With this additional funding, the calculated effective reimbursement rate for Roanoke County citizens for the tax year 2023 is 56.1% of the first $20,000 of assessed value on personal use vehicles.

The Board of Supervisors also approved tax rate reductions for Real Estate, Personal Property, and Machinery & Tools. Because of rising real estate assessments, higher assessments for personal property, and continued high levels of inflation, there has been much discussion to evaluate various tax rates as we continue in this period of rapid inflation. After a public hearing, the Board of Supervisors adopted the following tax rates for Calendar Year 2023:

• Real Estate Tax rate of $1.06 per $100 of assessed value.
• Personal Property Tax rate of $3.40 per $100 assessed value.
• Machinery & Tools Tax rate of $2.80 per $100 assessed value.

These tax rate reductions will result in a total of $3,040,000 less revenue for the County in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. There is no impact to Roanoke County Public Schools’ revenue in the current fiscal year as the transfer to the Schools for fiscal year 2023 has already been finalized through our revenue sharing formula. In fiscal year 2023-2024, these tax rate changes will reduce the County's revenue by approximately $4,690,000.

In addition to the above tax rates, the County Administrator’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget included a provision to increase the gross receipts threshold from $135,000 to $150,000 for which only a $50 fee is levied for business license fees. To make this change, County Code will need to be amended by an ordinance, which will be presented for consideration at the May 9, 2023, Board of Supervisors meeting.

Consent Agenda

The Board went on the approve the following items on its consent agenda in the form of one resolution:

• A proclamation recognizing the week of April 9-15, 2023 as National Telecommunicators Week in Roanoke County.
• An Observance and Proclamation of Thursday, April 27, 2023, as National Arbor Day in Roanoke County.
• A resolution requesting that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) accept Fairway Ridge Court of Ridge at Fairway Forest Section 3 in the Windsor Hills Magisterial District into the VDOT Secondary Road System.
• An ordinance accepting and appropriating a donation from the Cave Spring First Aid and Rescue Squad, Inc. in the amount of $8,250 for use by the Roanoke County General Services Department. (First Reading and Request for Second Reading)
• An ordinance authorizing the acquisition of one-half (1/2) interest in three (3) parcels of real property containing approximately 42 acres adjacent to Explore Park, located in Roanoke County and in Bedford County, and authorizing execution of an amended purchase agreement, deeds of conveyance and other documents necessary to accomplish the acquisition of this real estate. (First Reading and Request for Second Reading)

After discussion, the Board also approved a resolution approving the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority (RVRA) budget for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024.

Work Sessions

The Board of Supervisors moved to a closed session to discuss or consider the acquisition of real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body. Specifically, the Board considered the acquisition of potential property for Parks, Recreation and Tourism in the Catawba Magisterial District. The Board also held a closed session to discuss the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business' or industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community, namely in the Catawba, Hollins, and Vinton Magisterial Districts. The Board held a third closed session to discuss the performance and/or compensation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of Roanoke County; namely the elected Constitutional Officers, County Administrator, and County Attorney.

For More Information

More information on each of these items, along with the meeting video, can be found under the Past Meetings section of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Meetings and Videos page.

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