By Heather Michon
Correspondent
It may only be October, but the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors is already looking ahead to 2026.
On Wednesday (Oct. 15), they spent some time looking at legislative priorities that might impact Fluvanna County during the coming General Assembly session in January, outlining concerns ranging from school funding formulas to election workloads and local control over development.
Board members agreed the county must push for fairer treatment in state education funding, noting that Fluvanna contributes a larger local share than many neighboring localities.
Supervisors suggested asking legislators to review the state’s calculation of the local composite index — the formula that determines how much each county is expected to contribute to public education — to better reflect rural economies and rising costs.
The board also discussed pressures on the county registrar’s office, citing multiple primaries and extended early-voting periods.
Other items likely to appear on the 2026 priority list include support for maintaining local authority over utility-scale solar and data-center projects, and continuing coordination through the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and the Virginia Association of Counties (VACO) to advocate for regional issues.
Funding
County CSA Manager Judy Blakey briefed supervisors on higher-than-expected costs under the Children’s Services Act.
CSA staff coordinate and fund support for local children with serious emotional, behavioral or educational needs, helping them get the services they need to stay safe and thrive in their community.
Funding for these services is a mix of state money and local matching funds. Blakey was requesting additional funds to cover a shortfall in this year’s budget caused by higher-than-expected service costs for children referred through schools, social services, and the courts.
The board unanimously approved a $40,798 supplemental appropriation to cover the shortfall.
Tenaska
Tenaska’s proposal to build a second gas-fired power station near Scottsville was not on the agenda, but it did come up in the unfinished business portion of the meeting.
Earlier in October, the Planning Commission deferred decisions on several key permits Tenaska will need to move forward.
Board members acknowledged the public’s continued interest and concern about the project, particularly following recent community meetings and the Planning Commission’s decision to delay a recommendation until 2026.
Supervisors noted that citizens have raised questions about potential impacts on air quality, water use, and long-term environmental effects, as well as the county’s ability to weigh those concerns against possible tax revenue benefits.
Several supervisors indicated they would be interested in seeing independent confirmation of some Tenaska’s claims about the limits of their ability to mitigate the sound coming from the existing plant, as well as from the proposed new plant.
They are also concerned about how the project would impact traffic on area roads. Tenaska has said they believe there will be an additional 800-900 vehicles on the road per day during the multi-year construction of the new plant.
The board agreed to keep the item on the radar but took no formal action, signaling that any further county deliberations would wait until Tenaska submits revised plans or supporting studies.
