Latest news with #AugustaCountySchoolBoard
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Grepps, Dimitt to square off in Board of Supervisors primary; Butch Wells to run for school board seat
The Augusta County Board of Supervisors has three seats up for election this November. However, before the general election, there will be one primary on June 17. In the Beverley Manor District, Justin Dimitt and Stephen Grepps have both filed to run for the Republican nomination for board of supervisors. The incumbent, Butch Wells, will not run for reelection. That doesn't mean Wells' political career is over. He has thrown his hat in the ring for the Augusta County School Board, running for the Beverley Manor seat this his wife currently holds. Donna Wells has decided not to run for reelection. Early voting for the board of supervisors primary begins May 2 at the Augusta County Government Center in Verona. You can register to vote in the primary by May 27. In talking with potential voters, Dimitt has discovered that some don't realize that there will be a primary for the Beverley Manor seat this year. Dimitt, who operates South River Rehab and Performance in Staunton and Waynesboro, was approached to run for the board of supervisors, but said he held off his decision until he knew what Wells was doing. Dimitt didn't want to challenge an incumbent for the Republican nomination. About the time Wells decided not to run, Dimitt found out his wife was pregnant with their third child. Once again he was on the fence, not sure if now was a great time to run for office. He struggled with the decision for a while before finally telling his wife that he needed to run. "I need to help in some way," Dimitt said. "Help secure the future of this county one way or another for our kids. I never want my kids to grow up and have chaos around them and say, well, 'daddy just sat on the sidelines.' We have seen what happens when people who shouldn't sit on the sidelines sit on the sidelines." Meanwhile, Grepps moved to Augusta County in 1992 and is the longest active member of the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department. He plans to retire in August as a lieutenant from the Augusta County Fire and Rescue. "I plan on taking my experience of serving others to the next level and serving the citizens of the Beverley Manor District," Grepps said. "If elected, I will always put the citizens first, remain faithful to my values, and listen to what is important to the district I serve. I promise I will never be a part of the 'good old boy' network and will make decisions that benefit our community." Dimitt believes his business background, starting and running his own company, will be valuable to the board of supervisors. "The board needs more business-minded people," Dimitt said. "More people who look at the fine details, how to be fiscally responsible but also aggressive in the development of this county." Dimitt wants to improve the discourse on the board. He's heard too many people say that members of the board already have their mind made up on subjects so nothing they say matters. He wants to change that perception. "I'll have the R next to my name ... but I listen to ideas from both sides," Dimitt said. "If someone has a good idea you're going to listen to it, if it's going to benefit the county you're going to listen to it." Grepps also has an interest in business, saying he wants to grow Augusta County's economy by attracting new businesses. "As a board member," Grepps said, "I hope to be part of a team that solves county issues with common sense and good judgment." If elected, Grepps also wants to advocate for a zero-base budget. "Where every expense must be justified and approved," he said, "Rather than using previous budgets as a reference." For the other two seats up for election this year on the board of supervisors, only one incumbent is seeking reelection. Current supervisor Gerald Garber has filed to run for the Middle River District. He's currently unopposed, per the information received from the registrar's office on candidates who have filed. He will be the Republican nomination for that seat. Like Wells, Pam Carter of the Pastures District said she won't run again. Chris Kincehloe has filed to run for Carter's seat. He will be the Republican nominee. Tracy Pyles, a former member of the board of supervisors, told The News Leader that he is running as an independent for the Pastures District seat. He has not filed yet. Candidates for the board of supervisors can still file by June 17 at 7 p.m. to run as an independent for any of the three seats in the November election. More: Concerns over tariffs led an Augusta County woman to create a food map of the Shenandoah Valley Like the board of supervisors, the Augusta County School Board has three seats up for grabs in November. The only school board candidates to have officially filed, as of April 9, were both in the Pastures District. Incumbent Timothy Simmons will run for reelection against, as of now, one challenger, John Ocheltree. In November 2021, Simmons upended then incumbent Ocheltree in a narrow three-person race. Simmons won with 44% of the vote. Ocheltree finished second, 144 votes shy of Simmons. There will be no primary for the school board with the race being decided in the general election in November. Candidates still have until June 17 to file for the school board seats. All candidates run as independents. In an interesting move, Beverley Manor incumbent Donna Wells has decided not to run for reelection. However, her husband, Butch Wells, who currently is on the board of supervisors, announced Tuesday that he will be running for the Beverley Manor seat on the Augusta County School Board. Wells, who hasn't officially filed yet, said he discussed the decision with several respected people, including his wife. "Some would claim I'm prejudice, but my wife is an excellent, respected educator and an excellent board member," he said. "It was a tough decision for her to not pursue reelection and when she supported me I knew it wasn't a whim. She had confidence I would be an asset to the board with my experience on the board of supervisors and the challenges the school board will have facing them in the future." Wells may have a challenger. Dan Ferraro announced on Facebook that he will run for the Beverley Manor school board seat, but he hasn't filed yet per the registrar's office. The News Leader has reached out to Ferraro twice, but he has not responded. In the Middle River District, incumbent and board chair David Shiflett told The News Leader he will seek reelection, although he has yet to file. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early voting for the general election begins Sept. 19. You can register to vote in the general election by Oct. 14. More: Party in the Park, spring concert, and Love Forward Foundation's downtown event: The Digest — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@ and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Board of Supervisors June primary set; Butch Wells to run for school board
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With lower raises than planned, Augusta County Schools approves 2025-26 budget
VERONA — The Augusta County School Board approved a $151.9 million balanced budget at its regular business meeting Thursday, March 20. The budget includes a 3% raise for all staff and a 7% raise for bus drivers, both lower than the board had hoped for but necessary to balance the expenses to projected revenue. In a work session before the regular meeting Thursday, Superintendent Eric Bond told board members that they are still waiting for Gov. Glenn Youngkin to approve the budget sent to him by the General Assembly. Bond said in putting together the school budget, staff used projected state revenue from the General Assembly's budget of $91.2 million. That number is based off an average daily membership of 9,500 students in Augusta County. Middle school football to launch in the fall after Augusta County School Board approves program On Monday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin made more than 200 budget amendments and vetoed eight budget items. The General Assembly now will take up the governor's vetoes and amendments when it returns to Richmond next week. The revenue for Augusta County Public Schools also includes a projected $53.99 million in local appropriations from the Board of Supervisors. That accounts for approximately 35.5% of the revenues. At the beginning of the night, expenditures exceeded revenue by $3.7 million. During a work session, the cuts to expenditures included numerous items that were on the board's wish list but hadn't yet been implemented. "We tried to touch things we don't have now," Bond told the board. Nourishing Strides 5K, Project Grows youth program and SAW Housing Lunch & Learn: The Digest That included eliminating additional coaching and transportation department stipends and 10 new staffing positions. No cuts will be made to existing staff positions. The board also eliminated a reorganization of the support staff salary scales. Bond said the hope was to make those salaries more competitive, and staff would still like to do that in a future budget. Reducing staff raises from a 4% to 3% raise, and bus driver raises from 15% to 7%, helped reduce expenditures also, enabling the board to pass a balanced budget. The 3% raise equals what Waynesboro Public Schools approved. Staunton has yet to pass its budget, but in a presentation at its March meeting the division is planning a 4% raise for staff with an additional 1% for teachers with 20 or more years of service. More: PD: Western State Hospital employee in Staunton injured in attack, suspect arrested More: Fort Defiance High, Wilson Middle bands recognized as state programs of honor — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@ and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Augusta County School Board balances budget with lower raises than planned
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Jury trial begins Tuesday for Waynesboro man charged with murder
WAYNESBORO — A three-day jury trial for a Waynesboro man charged with murder is scheduled to begin Tuesday. Jacob P. Sipe, 24, pleaded not guilty on March 14 during his arraignment to charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting at or into an occupied dwelling, and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Sipe is accused of killing 33-year-old Trevor Hill of Waynesboro on the front porch of his James Avenue home the morning of July 23. Hill's 2-year-old son was in the residence at the time of the killing, resulting in the contributing charge. The two men spent several hours together before the shooting, with Sipe arriving at Hill's home at 1 a.m. Sipe admitted to drinking liquor and using cocaine while at Hill's before falling asleep, according to court documents. He claimed he awoke to Hill screaming at him and said Hill began punching him. "I was fearful," Sipe said in a comment that was picked up by a Waynesboro police officer's body camera. The shooting took place at about 9 a.m. Sipe, who stayed at the scene, told a police officer he thought he "had no choice." When asked how many times he pulled the trigger, he estimated seven times and said Hill fell after the third shot. Hill was shot multiple times with a Beretta APX handgun. Sipe's nose was fractured during the incident. It was also revealed at an October bond hearing that Sipe became a father five days before the killing after his son was born prematurely and had to be hospitalized, his attorney said. More: Middle school football to launch in the fall after Augusta County School Board approves program Augusta County Commonwealth's Attorney Tim Martin is handling the case as a special prosecutor, along with Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador, after Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney David Ledbetter and his staff stepped aside in August because of an undisclosed conflict of interest. At the bond hearing, Martin noted multiple shots were fired at Hill, and said most of them came from a distance. The prosecutor said a trail of shell casings led to Hill's body on the porch, with the last shot reportedly coming from relatively close range. "He emptied his gun into his friend while high on cocaine and alcohol," Martin said at the hearing. Denied bond, Sipe remains at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona. The murder trial will be held in Waynesboro Circuit Court with jury selection beginning Tuesday morning. The trial is scheduled to conclude Thursday. More: Nourishing Strides 5K, Project Grows youth program and SAW Housing Lunch & Learn: The Digest Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@ You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter) This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Three-day murder trial set to start Tuesday in Waynesboro
