By Taylor Boyd
The Patrick County Board of Supervisors approved the $74.2 million fiscal year 2026-27 budget at its Monday, May 11, meeting.
County Administrator Michael McGuinness said the county is projected to end the budget process about $71,000 in the black for the upcoming fiscal year.
“I was told it was a pipe dream to go ahead and balance a budget and get it approved by May,” he said. “Well, I guess that pipe, I don’t know what you do with it, you smoke it or whatever, because we’re going to do it.”
McGuinness said the accomplishment is particularly notable because last year’s budget began with a $2.5 million shortfall.
“A lot of people really worked hard on this. Thanks to the citizens who gave input, my team, as well as the supervisors, for helping win together collectively as a county,” he said. “Every-body really did a good job. I’m really proud of them.”
McGuinness said some employees were even willing to reduce their own salaries to help make the budget work.
“There are two constitutional officers who had asked for something in the budget, and their comments to me were, ‘Can I get that, and if not, can we just drop my salary to pay for it out of my salary,’” he said. “That’s amazing.”
Patrick County’s projected revenue totals $67,780,906, with $18,565,214 coming from general property taxes and $3,651,047 from other local taxes.
General government administration expenditures total about $2.9 million, while judicial administration expenditures are budgeted at $1,685,238.
Public safety has a budget of about $10.5 million, with law enforcement and the Patrick County Jail receiving the largest share of those funds.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office reduced its budget by 3.24%, or $25,005.
McGuinness said the Treasurer’s Office reduced its budget by 1.35% compared with the previous fiscal year, while Tax Mapping reduced its budget by 8%.
“The animal shelter, she went up 4.2%. They went up 22% for workers’ compensation insurance; well, we can’t really control that, but they went down on group life insurance. The retirement went down 5%,” he said.
McGuinness said rising costs for items such as fuel, electricity, and postage continue to affect the county budget.
“Postage just really stuck out this year,” he said, noting the Commissioner of the Revenue’s postage budget increased by 9.7%.
McGuinness said the Transfer Station budget increased by 6.32%, or about $50,000, compared with last year.
“But we’re paying $6 a gallon for diesel where it was $3,” he said.
In other matters, the board:
Appointed Donna Pendleton to the Economic Development Authority as the Mayo River District representative for a four-year term beginning May 1.
Appointed Sandra Anglin to the Southern Area Agency on Aging as the Smith River District representative for a three-year term beginning July 1.
Appointed Nick D’Addario acting building official, effective May 11.
Appointed D’Addario building official effective June 1, following the retirement of the current building official.
Awarded the reassessment bid for Primland Resort to CBRE Inc.
Approved a three-year contract for municipal materials management with Republic Services of North Carolina LLC.
Approved updates to the employee handbook.
Named Sandra Woods Heath as the May Patrick County Partner.
Recognized Assistant County Administrator/Human Resources Director Donna Shough for 22 years of service to Patrick County.
Approved an easement in front of the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office for an Appalachian Power infrastructure project.
Approved proclamations recognizing May 2026 as Ruritan Awareness Month and Community Action Month.
Approved the January meeting minutes.
Approved bills, claims, and appropriations.
Heard an update on the Transfer Station from Manager Scottie Hylton.
Heard the county administrator’s report and supervisors’ reports.
Steve Marshall, of the Blue Ridge District, did not attend the meeting.
