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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and Scottsville Town Council Joint Meeting - October 28, 2026

Board of Supervisors — Wednesday, October 28, 2026

BodyAlbemarle County, Virginia

SessionBoard of Supervisors

DateWednesday, October 28, 2026

StatusNEW · FILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:26:10

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:00

County, you can make it work no matter what size organization you're in.

0:04

We use some facts, the EEI fax, okay.

0:07

So 18,000 people without power, there's an electrical substation damage, there are critical facilities on generators, many of which could also be in the town.

0:15

At the same time, we're slowly in the town and not necessarily in the county.

0:19

Our EOC, which is emergency operations center assessment, is that energy services are significantly degraded.

0:26

What that comes out to is a lifeline status of red.

0:29

So red is the worst situation that we would have.

0:32

There are two other colors that would go into that.

0:35

And that decision-making chart that you see across the top would be color-coded.

0:39

So we would have a briefing, a briefing would include those pictograms.

0:44

And without reading that briefing, you could look at it and you could analyze all of the circles across the top and really understand from a mayor perspective, a town manager perspective, county executive perspective, what's going on in your locality.

0:57

And then from there you can start to make decisions.

0:59

And a lot of those decisions you might need to make in a very short order.

1:03

We can uh yes.

1:05

So

Unassigned speaker

1:07

good

Speaker 1

1:07

place to stop if there's any questions about the emergency operations plan, because we're going to change subjects.

1:11

If you're okay with that, Mr.

1:12

Chair.

Speaker 2

1:13

Mr.

1:13

Mayor, any questions from the town council.

Unassigned speaker

1:18

And

Speaker 2

1:19

we do have a new member joined.

Speaker 3

1:22

Hi sorry I had

Speaker 4

1:24

to work late today.

1:26

Molly Angebod, council member.

1:29

Good evening.

1:30

Good

Speaker 3

1:30

evening.

Speaker 4

1:31

Supervisors' questions.

Unassigned speaker

1:32

Just

Speaker 2

1:33

look to my left or

Speaker 1

1:34

right for those.

1:35

All right, we're all set.

1:37

Thank you.

1:38

So we're going to transition over to our public alert and warning work.

1:41

And really the key word here is formalizing.

1:43

This work has been in place through the partners at the ECC for many years.

1:47

The focus here is that both the city, the county, and the university now have independent emergency management programs that we're working to build in coordination with the ECC.

1:56

So this is work that you're going to see before your board to formalize that public alert and warning work.

2:02

What public alert and warning is that's a wireless emergency alert.

2:06

Many of you got those when we had our tornado warnings that came across the county three or four times in a row.

2:11

That's a wireless emergency alert.

2:13

EAS would be an alert that comes across your A of F radio comes across your TV and your homes.

2:20

That's a statewide alert.

2:22

So the state has to send those alerts.

2:24

We can't necessarily initiate them, but we can request

Unassigned speaker

2:26

them.

Speaker 1

2:27

Then the NOAA weather radio.

2:29

So any of you that have weather radios or on the AMF and channels, when that tornado warning comes out across your phone, you may also hear it on a radio.

2:36

And those are all sent through what's called the FEMA integrated public warning system.

2:41

We also have email, social media, Twitter, X, there's all kinds of other communication platforms that we have that we utilize.

2:49

What we've had previously is there were already an arrangements through our ECC.

2:53

The ECC also was our previous regional emergency management agency prior to the localities building their their own agencies in support of each other.

3:04

That framework is in place, it works today, but we want to formalize it.

3:08

We want to improve upon it.

3:09

We want to create those written agreements that say the when, why, and how we do things.

3:13

So that's going to get to what is now.

3:15

We have those programs, they're independent, but there is an intentional collaboration together.

3:20

So weekly, we're we're on phone calls, we have monthly meetings, we have quarterly meetings with uh even greater pool of partners.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Water And Wastewater Management██████████████████████22%

Emergency Management████████████████████20%

Roadway Maintenance███████████████15%

Public Engagement███████████11%

Public Safety█████████9%

Transportation Safety███████7%

Infrastructure And Placemaking████4%

Public Transportation████4%

Community Well-being███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and Scottsville Town Council Joint Meeting - October 28, 2026

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors met jointly with the Scottsville Town Council on October 28, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Room 241. The informational agenda covered emergency management, water and sewer infrastructure, and VDOT transportation updates. No formal votes were taken. The meeting adjourned to November 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium.

Emergency Management Overview (26-440)

Johnny Switzer, Albemarle County Emergency Management Coordinator, presented the county's emergency management program and shared priorities with Scottsville.

Switzer cited an emergency assessment example involving 18,000 people without power, an electrical substation with damage, critical facilities on generators, and significantly degraded energy services, resulting in a 'red' lifeline status.
Public alert and warning work is being formalized across the city, county, university, and ECC. Systems include Wireless Emergency Alerts, EAS, NOAA weather radio, FEMA IPAWS, email, and social media. Message length limits are 360 characters on newer phones and 90 characters on older flip phones.
Switzer said alert closures should use terms such as 'resolved' or 'hazard has been mitigated' instead of 'all clear' or 'canceled' to reduce public confusion.
The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is a federal requirement stemming from the Bhopal disaster. Scottsville is in the planning district. The county is proposing a joint Albemarle-Charlottesville planning district, easier hazardous-materials reporting, stronger community right-to-know support, and more training and exercises.
For Scottsville, Switzer proposed shifting the former CERT program into a community preparedness model focused on 72 hours of self-preparedness, with at least two open sessions per year and a later integrated preparedness plan. Focus group stakeholder sessions are expected in spring to early summer 2027, after an initial launch meeting expected in November 2026.

Town council members and supervisors had a series of questions and comments:

A council member asked whether the county intended to take over Scottsville emergency preparedness. Switzer said the town may adopt the county's Emergency Operations Plan but is not required to, and the county will partner with Scottsville either way.
The same or another council member asked whether formal adoption was needed for resources; Switzer said no, though state code provides that a town shall adopt a plan. It does not have to be the county's plan.
A council member asked about the LEPC planning district. Switzer explained that the LEPC is a standalone advisory body formed through petitions to the State Emergency Response Commission, not controlled by the county or city.
One council member said Scottsville residents often feel the county forgets them and reminded everyone present to keep the town's needs visible.
Supervisor Pruitt asked that county emergency management and public safety agencies proactively identify grants for Scottsville, because the town has very limited staff capacity. Mayor Ron Smith said flood mitigation is Scottsville's greatest concern and is significantly underfunded, and a council member asked that grant management be followed through to completion.
Supervisor Pruitt also cautioned against replacing Scottsville's specific CERT program with a general countywide model, saying the town's distinct needs require intentional targeting rather than an assumption that broad county principles apply.

RWSA Infrastructure Update (26-441)

David Tungate, Deputy Executive Director of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, reported on Scottsville water and wastewater services.

In 2025, RWSA produced about 18 million gallons of water at the Scottsville water treatment plant and treated about 20 million gallons of wastewater at the Page Street wastewater plant.
Scottsville has two finished-water storage tanks, including a 350,000-gallon tank near Stony Point. Water and wastewater operators staff the plants 365 days a year.
Planned FY27-FY35 investments in Scottsville total about $21 million, including roughly $1.36 million for an emergency generator replacement, $1.84 million for a wastewater treatment plant renovation, $800,000 for dam repairs, $465,000 for raw water supply line repairs, and about $16.5 million for the Scottsville water treatment plant renovation.
The Southern Albemarle Convenience Center is open six days a week, closed Thursdays, handles about 2.8 tons of tag-a-bag refuse per week, and recycles cardboard as its top product.

Discussion included:

A council member raised concerns about possible water contamination from large-scale farming operations. Tungate said RWSA treats the Scottsville plant the same as urban plants, added UV treatment for Cryptosporidium, and conducts regular sampling.
Supervisor Pruitt said the county has a resolution of intent on animal feed operations that was advanced in July and updated last month; he noted additional information was requested about localities that chose not to impose restrictions due to concerns about sampling bias.
A council member asked whether tag-a-bag stickers could be sold in Scottsville; Tungate said he was open to exploring that.
A supervisor noted that ratepayers in the larger 120,000-customer system help support smaller communities like Scottsville.
A council member asked about a future development area near the water tower. Tungate said the Scottsville plant has capacity of 250,000 gallons per day versus a current average of 50,000 gallons per day, and the renovation does not expand capacity.
Supervisor Pruitt said Scottsville has the largest gap between utility capacity and population in the system, encouraged the town to consider more housing, and raised the idea of painting water towers as placemaking. Tungate said the Stony Point tower was painted within the last five years and noted emblem painting can become cost-prohibitive on later repainting.

ACSA Infrastructure Update (26-442)

Jeremy Lynn, ACSA Director of Engineering, presented the Albemarle County Service Authority's Scottsville Phase 4 water main replacement project, with Executive Director Quin Lunsford also present.

The project replaces about three miles of asbestos-cement and cast-iron water mains. Past breaks have included one that nearly drained a storage tank and caused a boil-water advisory, and a recent leak at Page and West Main that took weeks to locate.
The total project budget is currently $8.5 million and is expected to climb. The work has been split into Phase 4A and Phase 4B.
Phase 4A was expedited to coordinate with VDOT's planned 2027 downtown repaving. It covers about 5,600 feet of pipe. Five bids received in August ranged from $5.3 million to $6.3 million; the low bidder was Concrete Foundations Inc. of Craig. A notice to proceed has been issued, and construction is expected to begin within about two weeks, with completion targeted for June/July 2027.
Phase 4B is under design from James River Road and Warren Street to the wastewater treatment plant. Roughly seven or eight easements remain to be acquired. The current construction cost estimate is $4.5 million.

Discussion included:

A council member reminded ACSA of Scottsville's July 4th event. Lynn said VDOT also wants construction finished before that holiday weekend.
A council member thanked ACSA's John Anderson for a previous presentation and noted the plans are available at town hall for public review.

VDOT Infrastructure Update (26-443)

Matt Mashhadi, VDOT Assistant Resident Engineer, provided a VDOT project overview.

Preliminary engineering projects include Fifth Street Hub and Trails, Route 250/20 intersection improvements, 250 East Corridor improvements, the Connector Road from Bergmar Drive to Airport Road, the Avon Street project, 250 Rolkin Road and Peter Jefferson Highway improvements, and the Route 29 shared-use path, which is under construction.
In design-build, the 240/250 roundabout and 680 Browns Gap Turnpike Bridge replacement were completed on August 1. Roundabouts at 5th Street/Old Lynchburg and Water Parkway/Rio Road are under construction.
The Route 53/20 roundabout will convert the existing signalized intersection into a three-legged hybrid roundabout with a shared-use path. Utility relocations begin in July/August, construction is expected in September, and completion is anticipated in November 2027.
VDOT's 2027 Scottsville paving list includes full mill and repave on Irish Road, Bird Street, Harrison Street, and West Main Street, plus service treatment on Byrd, Warren, Page, Harrison, South, Jackson, and Ferry Streets.

Discussion included:

A council member asked about traffic counts at the 53/20 roundabout and said he had heard about 7,000 vehicles per day through Scottsville. Mashhadi did not have the number immediately available and said he could pull it.
Supervisor Pruitt expressed frustration that dangerous rural intersections such as Valley Street and the Warren Ferry area do not qualify for VDOT improvements because of low traffic volumes or incident rates. Mashhadi said a traffic group could review requests.
County Executive Jeff Richardson described the broader state transportation funding problem, noting that all six Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission jurisdictions wrote to the delegation last year and that VACO is advancing the issue. He invited Scottsville to add its official support. A Scottsville official said the town works through the Virginia Municipal League rather than VACO and was interested in coordinating.
Scottsville Police Chief Jenkins described recent VDOT paving on Blenham Road as uneven, with double solid lines partially covered, making a tricky road worse. Mashhadi said he was not aware of the condition and would follow up with maintenance staff.
Mayor Ron Smith said Scottsville should be viewed as 6,000 to 7,000 people per day due to commuter traffic, not just 500 to 600 residents, because thousands of daily travelers affect roads and services.
Supervisor Mallek reassured members about the 53/20 roundabout, citing a similar project with about 10,000 cars per day that was completed well and kept traffic moving.
A council member worried the roundabout work could divert traffic and hurt Scottsville businesses. Mashhadi said the road will remain fully accessible throughout construction.

Wrap-Up and Next Steps

County Executive Jeff Richardson thanked the town and the presenters. He said emergency management coordinator Johnny Switzer is a collaborator and county staff would follow up with Scottsville on issues raised.

Mayor Ron Smith gave a town update: the county agreed to help with levee repair and maintenance, though finding a qualified contractor is difficult; a grant discussed with Supervisor Pruitt could help with Scottsville's lack of a pharmacy; new businesses have opened or are coming; West Village has homes under construction; and a proposal to reactivate the old tire factory will go before the planning commission.

Supervisor Pruitt offered closing remarks about preserving Scottsville as an ideal American community, noting the recent closing of Farmstead Ferments and the pressures of wealth consolidation. Chair Ned Gallaway acknowledged the partnership and invited continued joint work.

The Scottsville Town Council adjourned, and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors adjourned without objection to November 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium.

Key Outcomes

No formal votes or resolutions were taken; the joint meeting was informational.
Follow-up commitments included emergency management stakeholder sessions with Scottsville, finalizing alerting agreements, and bringing joint LEPC planning district documents forward.
ACSA will continue Phase 4B easement acquisition and coordinate with VDOT on construction timing; VDOT will follow up on the Blenham Road paving complaint, traffic count requests, and intersection survey requests.
County and town officials agreed to explore grant assistance, flood mitigation support, local tag-a-bag sticker sales, and possible joint transportation funding advocacy.
The next Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for November 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in Lane Auditorium.

Meeting Transcript

County, you can make it work no matter what size organization you're in. We use some facts, the EEI fax, okay. So 18,000 people without power, there's an electrical substation damage, there are critical facilities on generators, many of which could also be in the town. At the same time, we're slowly in the town and not necessarily in the county. Our EOC, which is emergency operations center assessment, is that energy services are significantly degraded. What that comes out to is a lifeline status of red. So red is the worst situation that we would have. There are two other colors that would go into that. And that decision-making chart that you see across the top would be color-coded. So we would have a briefing, a briefing would include those pictograms. And without reading that briefing, you could look at it and you could analyze all of the circles across the top and really understand from a mayor perspective, a town manager perspective, county executive perspective, what's going on in your locality. And then from there you can start to make decisions. And a lot of those decisions you might need to make in a very short order. We can uh yes. So good place to stop if there's any questions about the emergency operations plan, because we're going to change subjects. If you're okay with that, Mr. Chair. Mr. Mayor, any questions from the town council. And we do have a new member joined. Hi sorry I had to work late today. Molly Angebod, council member. Good evening. Good evening. Supervisors' questions. Just look to my left or right for those. All right, we're all set. Thank you. So we're going to transition over to our public alert and warning work. And really the key word here is formalizing. This work has been in place through the partners at the ECC for many years. The focus here is that both the city, the county, and the university now have independent emergency management programs that we're working to build in coordination with the ECC. So this is work that you're going to see before your board to formalize that public alert and warning work. What public alert and warning is that's a wireless emergency alert. Many of you got those when we had our tornado warnings that came across the county three or four times in a row. That's a wireless emergency alert. EAS would be an alert that comes across your A of F radio comes across your TV and your homes. That's a statewide alert. So the state has to send those alerts. We can't necessarily initiate them, but we can request them. Then the NOAA weather radio. So any of you that have weather radios or on the AMF and channels, when that tornado warning comes out across your phone, you may also hear it on a radio.

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