12 Outside Agencies, Including Samuels Library, Make Fiscal Year/2027 Budget Requests to County

Samuels Library was the last of 12 outside agencies on the Warren County Board of Supervisors Work Session agenda of budget-requests on Tuesday, February 24th. However, the re-emergence of an annual funding request by Samuels for the coming Fiscal Year-2027, beginning on July 1, 2026, was probably the item of most public interest on the agenda in this budget season.

That is due to the year-plus public outcry over the previous 4-1 board majority’s defunding of Samuels in the current budget year. Cheryl Cullers was the lone dissenting board voice during that previous two-year period.

A majority of Samuels supporters, who seem to be a strong majority of county residents, appear to believe the real issue of Samuels defunding was library officials refusal to remove all books dealing with LGBTQ issues that a minority of citizens, some with cited religious motivations, pushed for in 2023/24.

Publicly the former anti-Samuels board majority contingent led by North River District Supervisor Richard Jamieson alleged a lack of financial accountability by Samuels. However, Samuels Library officials illustrated on multiple occassions that such accountability was traditionally available monthly on an annual basis. Jamieson was absent from the work session.

That assertion was supported by now unretired Happy Creek Supervisor Tony Carter during his unretirement campaign to regain the board seat he previously occupied for over 20 years.

Unretired Supervisor Tony Carter, to left center gesturing, joins the Samuels Library funding discussion. Carter, along with Hugh Henry, to right, both campaigned in support of Samuels refunding as this community’s long-standing public library.

So, with no disrespect to the other 11 agencies making their budget requests at the February 24th work session, all presenting their mission statements of providing needed and valuable services to various aspects of this, and sometime other communities as well, we will begin our summary of those FY-2027 outside agency budget requests with Samuels Library:

Samuels Library Director Erin Rooney begins the presentation at the 1:44:10 mark of the County video. Samuels Board of Trustees President Melody Hotek joins Rooney at the podium at the 2:00:10 video mark after beginning to contribute to the discussion of revenues versus costs 25 seconds earlier from her seat.

Samuels Library Director Erin Rooney begins the Samuels Funding presentation. Below, a graphic from that presentation by the 501-C3 non-profit Samuels Library.

It may be noted that public attendance appeared to be minimal throughout the work session. But rather than a loss of public interist in, not only the library, but the entire work session lineup of contributing agencies seeking some County funding, that small attendance likely was due to the lack of a Public Comments section or Public Hearings and votes during work sessions.

Feb. 24 WC Budget Work Session

Item L. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Samuel’s Public Library

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: Samuel’s Public Library will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Eileen Grady Director of Operations joins Rooney in the presentation. 

Mission Statement: Samuels Public Library brings people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. Community Partnerships – Samuels Public Library remains committed to exploring and building new partnership opportunities to ensure the best possible resources and services for Warren County residents.

COST & FINANCING: $1,240,333.85 – Requested

Remaining 11 outside agency presentations

Item A. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Concern Hotline

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: Concern Hotline, Inc. will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: To comfort, calm and assist those in need by providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention through compassionate listening and empathetic support via trained volunteers on a 24 hour hotline.

COST & FINANCING: $3,500 — Requested

PROPOSED OR SUGGESTED MOTION:  None Required for Work Session Discussion ….. Staff Presentation – WC Finance Director Alisa Scott

Item B. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Old Dominion ASAP

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) will present their FY 2027 budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) mission is to improve highway safety by reducing the number of people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

COST & FINANCING: $15,000 – Requested

Item C. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Laurel Ridge Small Business Development Center

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Small Business Development Center at Laurel Ridge Community College will present their FY 2027 Budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Laurel Ridge Community College’s mission is to grow Virginia’s economy through small business success.

Vision: SBDC at Laurel Ridge’s vision is to be the most effective provider of consulting, education and resources to Virginia’s business community.

COST & FINANCING: $15,000 – Requested

Item D. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Winchester Airport

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Winchester Regional Airport will present their FY 2027 budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: “Provide a safe, efficient, and customer-friendly airport that meets the aviation needs of the region”

COST & FINANCING: $5,000 – Requested

Item E. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Browntown Community Center

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Browntown Community Center will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Browntown Community Center Association (BCCA) was chartered to take over the formerly county-owned building and grounds of the Browntown Elementary School.  The BCCA maintains the Community Center as a meeting place for community functions and events and a playground for children. In addition, a South Warren Fire Department substation is housed on its grounds as well as a historic building formerly used as the community post office and the medical office of Dr. Updike. The Updike building has been restored and is maintained as a small museum. Operating funds come primarily from donations and volunteer-staffed fund-raising events. Volunteers maintain and operate the center for all community residents to use.

COST & FINANCING: $5,000 – Requested

Item F. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Humane Society

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Humane Society of Warren County will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Humane Society of Warren County (HSWC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing compassionate care to abandoned, abused, homeless and neglected animals in our community. We aim to educate pet owners on the importance of vaccinations and population control and to place adoptable pets in loving homes.

COST & FINANCING: $445,200 – Requested

Item G. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Lord Fairfax Soil & Water Conservation District

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Lord Fairfax Soil & Water Conservation District will present their FY 2027 budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: To conserve, protect, and enhance the quality of our region’s soil and water.

COST & FINANCING: $16,500 – Requested

Item H. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Virginia Regional Transit

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Virginia Regional Transit will present their FY 2027 Budget Request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: Virginia Regional Transit’s mission is to create access to mobility through direct passenger service, transit system management and transit related services to the public.

COST & FINANCING: $77,058 — Requested

Item I. FY 27 Budget Presentation — House of Hope

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Hosue of Hope will present their FY 2027 Budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: THE FACILITY IS SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING SAFE HARBOR AND SHELTER FOR HOMELESS MEN IN THE FRONT ROYAL/WARREN COUNTY AREA (Capitalization in Context).

COST & FINANCING: $25,000 – Requested

Item J. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Senior’s First (Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging)

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: Senior’s First (Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging) will present their FY 2027 Budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: To foster the dignity, independence and security of older adults, persons with disabilities, and their caregivers, by providing a variety of high-quality services and opportunities, promoting their continued contributions to the community, while continuing to live at home for as long as safely possible.

COST & FINANCING: $50,000 – Requested

Item K. FY 27 Budget Presentation – Northern Virginia 4-H

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY: The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center will present their FY 2027 Budget request to the Board of Supervisors.

Mission Statement: The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center’s mission is to facilitate proven experiential learning programs for youth, families, and adults that educate, inspire and connect.

The Center’s vision is to improve all aspects of the world in which we live, work and play through recreation, education, leadership, and life skill development. Our vision is put into action through the support of diverse communities, impactful stewardship and the creation of meaningful relationships with those around us, making the 4-H Center a truly sustainable organization.

COST & FINANCING: $6,250 – Requested

See the County video below for details on all these outside agency presentations.

Conclusion

And that completes our summary of the FY-2027 Outside Agency budget requests delivered to Warren County’s elected officials on February 24th, starting at 5 p.m. We will track how the board acts on these and other FY-2027 outside agency and departmental funding requests, as one of most important parts of an elected official’s job is prioritizing how county citizen tax revenues are spent.

That includes an accurate reading of how a majority of the county citizens who elected them prioritize those expenditures to both outside agencies and county departments, as well as perceiving accurately across the board the contributions those agencies and departments make to the community citizens’ best interests, and what it takes financially to achieve those contributions.

Click here to watch the Warren County Budge Work Session of February 24, 2026.