Supervisors Approve Contract Renewal with Reassessment Firm, OKs WCGC Closing on Primary Election Day June 17

Despite a fairly light regular meeting Action Agenda of Tuesday evening, May 6, the Warren County Board of Supervisors faced a multi-pronged discussion of high-public interest topics. From the “New Business” action agenda, those topics were:

1/ a vote on renewal of a contract on Reassessment Services with Cowan Services LLC;

2/ a pulled item from a five-item Consent Agenda, a request to close Warren County Government Center (WCGC) offices on June 17 when the government center will be one voting site on Primary Election Day.

Then during the Public Comments on non-agenda items, the final agenda item prior to adjournment, the board heard sometimes emotional public entreaties regarding a perceived growing board majority separation from its constituents. Some of those citizen comments involved the continued lack of support for Samuels Public Library. (non-agenda Public Comments begin at 1:25:50 linked video mark)

Some citizens are concerned that a board majority has become out of touch with a majority of its constituents on fundamental issues. Could those issues include, not only a lack of support for the community’s multiple award-winning Samuels Public Library, but fundamental institutional honesty issues from elsewhere in their own socio-political backyard? Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

More on that topic in a coming story. Here we will focus on the board’s “New Business” action agenda votes.

Reassessment Contract Discussion

The topic of the County’s reassessment contract was introduced by Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours at the 4:43 meeting video mark. As questions emerged, County Administrator Ed Daley pointed out that Cowan Services LLC principal Jason Cowan was present to answer questions. He joined the conversation at the 10:30 video mark and remained involved in the discussion for about 12 minutes prior to the board moving back to discussion with Sours on her opinion of some of the issues at hand.

County Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours introduced the proposed contract renewal for Reassessment Services topic, but soon handed off response to procedural questions to Cowan Services LLC principal Jason Cowan, pictured at podium with her below.

This introductory aspect of the Reassessment contract discussion continued between the board, Sours, and Cowan until the 40:25 video mark. The board discussion preceeding its vote on three options presented regarding the continuation of a contract with Cowan Services LLC was the final “New Business’ agenda item. It begins at the 1:11:45 meeting video mark, continuing for 13 minutes. The staff “Explanation and Summary” presented the status of the current contract and Reassessment contract options facing the supervisors:

“The County has previously solicited and awarded a contract to Cowan Services LLC for Reassessment Services (the “Original Contract”). The Original Contract expires on October 18, 2025 but can be renewed for another two-year term. The County has two contract renewal options:

“Option 1: The contract price is $456,330.75, includes the mailing of assessment notices, and includes the use of aerial imagery to locate structures that may otherwise not be known to exist or to locate structures that may have been removed.

“Option 2: The contract price is $217,200, and does not include the use of aerial imagery or mailing of assessment notices. The County will be responsible for the estimated $21,000 cost of mailings, for a total cost for Option 2 of $238,200.”

Then there was an Option 3 cited, rejection of the contract renewal.

The motion made by Supervisor Stanmeyer, second appearing to go to Supervisor Jamieson, was for approval of Option 2. That motion read: “I move that the Board of Supervisors approve Option #2 to the Agreement between the County of Warren, and Cowan Services LLC. I further move the Board authorize the Chair and County Administrator, either of whom may act, to execute all necessary documents that have been approved by the County Attorney.”

It was approved by a 4-1 vote, Vicky Cook dissenting.

County Administrator Ed Daley and County Attorney Jason Ham were cited for their respective roles in the execution of all necessary documents in achieving renewal of the Reassessment Agreement with Cowan Services LLC.

Item G was the Consent Agenda, including five items considered fairly routine business:

1. FY26 Health Insurance Rates – Kayla Darr, Human Resources Manager
2. Amendment to Lease Agreement of Hangar B17 to Andrew Gass – Mike Berry, Public Works Director
3. Warren County Offices Closure Request – Kayla Darr, Human Resources Manager
4. Authorization to Advertise for Public Hearing – Secondary Six-Year Plan through the Virginia Department of Transportation – Mike Berry, Public Works Director
5. Authorization to Advertise – Ordinance Authorizing the Payment of Employee Bonus – Jane Meadows, Deputy County Administrator

Item G-3, the request to close the WCGC offices on Primary Election day, June 17th, was pulled for discussion by Supervisor Cullers. Cullers addressed her concerns about the closure to accommodate Primary Election Day for state and local elections (1:06:29 video mark). She observed that previous experience indicated Primary Elections weren’t as “traffic heavy” as the November Election Days, adding that, “The disruption to the workday didn’t seem to be a need to close the building.”

South River District’s Cheryl Cullers, near left, wasn’t eye to eye with her colleagues on the need to close county government offices to accommodate Primary Election Day, June 17, at the WCGC polling place. Cullers noted that the week coincides with the extended county tax payment deadline and already will be closed on June 19 in honor of the Juneteenth holiday.

Her other concern was with the extension of the tax payment due date to that week. Cullers noted that coupled with the Juneteenth holiday, that would be two days the building would be closed the week people would be coming in to pay their taxes in person. Apparently her colleagues didn’t share her concerns. On a motion by Cook, eventually seconded by Jamieson after an extended initial silence in response to Cook making the motion, the WCGC closure request was approved by a 4-1 vote, Cullers dissenting.

Earlier, the Consent Agenda as amended with withdrawal of number three, was passed unanimously on a motion by Stanmeyer, second by Cook.

Click here to watch the Warren County Board of Supervisors Meeting of May 6, 2025.