Loudoun County Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee Meeting – June 9, 2026

The Finance/Government Operations and Economic Development Committee (FGOEDC) of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors met on June 9, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The meeting was chaired by Chair Briskman. The committee adopted a large consent agenda, received the monthly Economic Development report, endorsed two transportation projects, considered property tax exemptions for nonprofits, and reviewed the 2027 health plan update and premiums. Committee members present were Chair Briskman, Vice Chair Saints, Supervisor Umstead, and Supervisor Laterno (arrived later). Chair Randall was absent. All votes were recorded.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was adopted by a vote of 3-0-2 (Chair Randall and Supervisor Laterno absent). Items included: Authority increase for IT hardware/software/services; renewal of public safety radio system maintenance; renewal of job order contracts for mechanical infrastructure, stormwater/paving, and construction support services; award of roadway/civil design services for Village of Waterford infrastructure; Broad Run Farms community waterline extension supplemental funding; November 2026 bond referendum; housing finance specialist position authority; Security and Intelligence Operations Center; Loudoun County Community Criminal Justice Board 2025 annual report; FY 2026 Section Eight Management Assessment Program certification; FY 2027 Restricted Transient Occupancy Tax Fund tourism grant recommendations; Smart Scale Round 7 applications for Clarke County and countywide; and items 2–16 as listed on the agenda. No discussion or separate votes were held on these items.

Discussion Items

• Monthly Department of Economic Development Report – Buddy Rizer reported that through May 2026, Loudoun County had achieved 130 economic development wins, created or retained over 7,000 jobs, and secured $2.4 billion in new commercial investment. The department conducted over 1,000 business retention visits, working with approximately 287 minority-owned businesses. The unemployment rate for Loudoun in April was 3.2%, compared to 3.8% for Virginia and 4.4% for the U.S. The most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a 3.8% year-over-year increase, driven largely by energy prices; core inflation (excluding food and energy) was 2.8%. The average price of regular unleaded gasoline nationwide was $4.17 per gallon, up from $3.13 a year earlier. The department’s earned media efforts generated 38.7 million impressions with an advertising equivalent value of over $775 million in May; fiscal year-to-date totals were 1.6 billion impressions and $39.1 million. Rizer highlighted Overview Energy, an Ashburn startup that announced an agreement with Meta to provide up to one gigawatt of space-based solar energy and received an Air Force contract. Ray Vasquez, representing the Economic Development Advisory Council (EDAC), reported on the May EDAC meeting featuring a presentation from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and provided a status update on an ad hoc committee that is being formed with co-chairs Carlos O’Tal and Michael Timmins. Vasquez also introduced his company, Vertex Eleven, a cybersecurity consultancy.
• Evergreen Mills Road / Hogeland Mill Road Bridge and Safety Improvements – Staff presented a $5 million project to improve safety at the bridge over Sickling Creek by widening shoulders, installing barriers, and utilizing the existing box culvert. The project originated from a 2019 safety audit. The committee endorsed the location and major design elements and directed staff to proceed with final design and construction documents. Supervisor Saints asked whether widening the road to four lanes per the County Transportation Plan had been considered given nearby development; staff agreed to look into the feasibility and cost.
• Benedict Drive – Potomac View Road to Existing Sidewalk – Staff presented a project to install a 6-foot-wide concrete sidewalk, ADA-compliant ramps, and a marked crosswalk along 480 feet of Potomac View Road. The total project cost is approximately $2 million, with construction under $1 million. Waivers were applied to minimize utility relocations, keeping the project ahead of schedule. Construction is expected to begin by summer 2027. The committee endorsed the location and design and directed staff to finalize design and prepare construction documents.
• Nonprofit Organizations’ Requests for Property Tax Exemption by Designation – Commissioner of the Revenue Robert Drake presented four applications for property tax exemptions by designation: Cornerstones, Inc., Loudoun Career Firefighters Association, Lower Loudoun Girls Softball League, and Willowsford Conservancy. Two of the organizations had previously been considered. If granted, the total exempted amount would be about $60,000. Drake noted that Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Falcon’s Landing now account for 90% of all exempted amounts for the 58 already-exempt organizations. Supervisor Umstead moved to amend the motion to remove Willowsford Conservancy, stating that it is fundamentally an HOA and the board does not traditionally grant exemptions to HOAs. Chair Briskman accepted the amendment. Supervisor Laterno opposed the practice of property tax exemptions on principle, arguing it is inconsistent with the county’s competitive grant process. The amended motion to refer the remaining three applications to a future public hearing passed 3-1-1, with Supervisor Laterno voting no and Chair Randall absent.
• 2027 Health Plan Update and Premium Review – Staff presented the annual review of the countywide group health plan (medical, prescription drugs, dental, vision). The plan is self-funded with stop-loss insurance at $650,000 per claimant. Key statistics: 46% of covered members have chronic conditions, accounting for 72% of total costs; 34% have hypertension, diabetes, or obesity; in 2025, 74 high-cost claimants (over $100,000) accounted for 25% of total plan costs. Prescription drug costs increased less than 1% in 2025 after a 20% increase the prior year, but actuaries project a 12% trend factor for 2027. Behavioral health utilization reached 29% of members, though the network has grown 24%. Recommended plan design changes: increase the stop-loss threshold from $650,000 to $700,000, and implement Hinge Health, a digital musculoskeletal care platform. Proposed premium increases: medical 9.9% (down from 12.2% last year) and dental 1.4%. The committee approved the plan design changes, premiums, and authorized the purchasing agent to renew vendor contracts, by a vote of 4-0-1 (Chair Randall absent).

Key Outcomes

• Adopted consent agenda (3-0-2).
• Endorsed Evergreen Mills Road/Hogeland Mill Road bridge and safety improvements and directed staff to proceed with final design (voice vote, all in favor).
• Endorsed Benedict Drive sidewalk project and directed staff to proceed with final design and construction documents (voice vote, all in favor).
• Approved referral of three nonprofit property tax exemption applications (Cornerstones, Loudoun Career Firefighters, Lower Loudoun Girls Softball) to a future public hearing; removed Willowsford Conservancy from consideration (vote 3-1-1).
• Approved 2027 health plan design changes, stop-loss increase to $700,000, implementation of Hinge Health, and premium increases of 9.9% for medical and 1.4% for dental; authorized vendor contract renewals (vote 4-0-1).
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30 PM.