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School board approves amended budget
Jim Talbert
Tazewell VA. – A late approval of the state budget brought good news to Tazewell County Schools.
Director of Finance Gary Matney said the school system received $2.1 million more than it expected. Matney said the additional money brough the school system budget to $92,367,898.08 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Chris Stacy said the county was able to give a four percent pay increase for all employees and a step increase for contracted personnel. He said contracts have been issued to all personnel and are being signed and returned.
The board voted to approve the amended budget and appointed Dr. Chris Stacy, division superintendent, as fiscal agent, and Matney as the deputy fiscal agent.
Stacy commended the staff burning midnight oil to get the budget prepared and contracts issued. The state approved its budget near the end of the month, and the county board of supervisors approved the county budget for the new year June 25.
[In other action the board:]
*Heard from Director of Transportation Marcell Keene that the state is requiring three traffic control patterns for each of the fourteen schools. Those patterns are for buses, parents, and walkers. She said the bus pattern is ready, but work is continuing on the pattern for parents and walkers.
*Approved a bid of $35,176.22 for a heat pump at Dudley Primary.
 *Designated Stacy to approve appointments, resignations, transfers, and terminations.
*Honored the memory of the late Jimmy Jones, who served on the school board, board of supervisors, Bluefield town council and mayor and was a long-time band director at Graham.
County to hold public hearing on ATV's on roadways
Jim Talbert
ATVs are not coming to Tazewell County roadways anytime soon.
A Facebook posting about a public hearing on allowing ATVs to operate on public roadways in the county caused a lot of concern. Â The post referenced House Bill 302, which did not make it through the 2026 session of legislature.
The board did not schedule any public hearings for its June 25 meeting and does not have a July meeting scheduled. County Administrator Eric Young said some residents of the Southern District approached the board seeking an ordinance to prohibit ATV traffic and they decided to hold a public hearing.
 County Attorney Aaron Roberts polled the board members on a request for the hearing and Supervisors John Rhudy, Curt Breeding and Chuck Presley voted in favor, and no one voted against it. That poll will have to be ratified at a public meeting before the hearing can take place.
House bill 302 was carried over to the 2027 session by the house transportation committee. It dealt strictly with the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority (Spearheads Trails).
A summary of the bill as it was introduced reads: Expands the authorized operation of all-terrain vehicles to include (I) operation on highways in all localities embraced by the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority, in addition to Buchanan County and Tazewell County, which are already authorized under current law, provided that certain conditions are met, and (ii) operation on public highways or other public property by employees of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority conducting official business. The bill also authorizes any locality embraced by the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority to provide for the lawful seizure, impounding, and disposition of an unlawfully operated all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle operated on a highway or sidewalk within the boundaries of such locality.
In addition to Buchanan and Tazewell Counties the SRRA includes Russell, Dickenson, Wise, Scott, and Lee Counties, as well as the City of Norton.  The bill is now part of a work group study with representatives, state police, and Spearhead Trails.
The board voted earlier this year to prohibit ATVs on the road in Burke’s Garden. State law currently does not allow ATV’s on VDOT roads.  Section 46.2-915.1 prohibits All Terrain Vehicles on any public highway or property except in extremely limited circumstances.
Those circumstances include law enforcement, EMS, and firefighters in the performance of duties.  The only exceptions are in Buchanan County and Tazewell County, where the Pocahontas Trail system has special provisions.
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