Mountain Top Media
Dickenson supervisors move forward with grant agreement, hold hearing for tax levies
by RODERICK MULLINS
CLINTWOOD, Va. — The Dickenson County Board of Supervisors moved forward Tuesday with a federal grant agreement to clean up local waterways and voted to maintain current tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year.
In a series of public hearings and special meetings, the board addressed lingering concerns over a USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) grant. The funding is earmarked for debris removal and restoration at five specific sites in the county following previous flooding events.
County Administrator Larry Barton informed the board that while some members previously questioned the selection of the five sites, a meeting with USDA officials clarified that the locations were chosen to “plug the gaps” in areas not already covered by FEMA or the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).
“FEMA and VDEM were taking first and second due on the response,” Barton said. “They were trying to plug the gaps… that’s how they came up with the five areas that they had identified.”
The board approved the agreement contingent upon written confirmation from the USDA regarding cost overruns and site flexibility. The grant provides 100 percent funding for engineering and technical costs, totaling approximately $28,500, while the county will be responsible for a 25 percent cost share on the work itself, which totals $241,061.25. Barton noted the county hopes to meet that share through in-kind services or in-house labor.
Supervisor Shelbie Willis expressed relief that the work would proceed, stating, “A little bit of cleanup, I guess, is better than none.”
Following the grant discussion, the board held a public hearing for the fiscal year 2026-2027 tax levies. For the sixth consecutive year, the board proposed no increases to tax rates.
The approved rates include:
- Real Estate: 52 cents per $100 of assessed value.
- Personal Property: $1.85 per $100.
- Machinery and Tools: $1.85 per $100.
- Merchants Capital: $10.50 per $100 (assessed at 10% of reported value).
Barton highlighted that the county’s real estate rate remains significantly lower than the state average, which he noted is currently above $1.00.
The meeting was conducted with Supervisor Richard Thacker participating remotely due to illness, following the adoption of a resolution allowing electronic attendance under a medical exemption.
The board adjourned shortly after the tax levy vote, with the next phase of the budget process expected to continue in the coming weeks.
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Dickenson circuit clerk announces candidacy for commonwealth’s attorney special election
by RODERICK MULLINS
HAYSI, Va. – Dickenson County Court Clerk Josh Evans announced his candidacy for Commonwealth’s Attorney late Tuesday, following a judicial reshuffling that has triggered a special election for the county’s top prosecutor post.
Evans, a Republican, made the video announcement on his “Josh Evans – Circuit Court Clerk” Facebook page from the Haysi Riverfront Riverwalk just one day after Circuit Court judge Brian Patton officially ordered the special election for Nov. 3.
The vacancy was created after former Commonwealth’s Attorney Josh Newberry was appointed by the General Assembly to a General District Court judgeship. That seat opened following the death of a local judge late last year.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer, a lot of time with my wife, and a lot of time with my family,” Evans said. “I just feel like in my heart that I can do more for Dickenson County. I want to be on my feet. I want to be in court. I want to be fighting for victims.”
Evans, who previously served on the Board of Supervisors and as an attorney for the Department of Social Services, leaned heavily on his background as a trial lawyer and guardian ad litem. He pledged a “shoulder-to-shoulder” partnership with law enforcement, citing his past record of funding police raises and school resource officers while on the board.
The candidate identified school safety and the drug epidemic as his primary targets, specifically promising “the stiffest and most severe penalties” for the distribution of methamphetamine and other narcotics.
“How you fix [addiction] is you take the drug dealers off the streets,” Evans said. “I intend to be as aggressive as I possibly can.”
Evans also proposed a more visible role for the prosecutor’s office, stating that he and his deputies would participate in “road work” with sheriff’s deputies and maintain a presence at crime scenes. He emphasized a desire to move the office beyond the desk and into schools for crime prevention and drug education.
Though Evans currently serves as the Clerk of Court—a position he described as a “job that I love”—he said the unexpected nature of the vacancy prompted his decision to run.
“This is not something that was planned or expected,” Evans said. “This was totally out of the blue.”
Evans confirmed he has already secured the Republican nomination for the seat. The special election will coincide with the general election on Nov. 3.
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