The date of a public hearing on Isle of Wight County’s proposed budget has moved from April 17 to April 24.

County Attorney Bobby Jones told county supervisors on March 20 that a change in Virginia’s public notice laws is the reason behind the rescheduling.

State law has for decades required local governments to advertise public hearings two successive weeks in advance of the scheduled date in a newspaper with general circulation in that locality. Legislation passed in 2024 requires the second notice to appear no fewer than seven days before the date of the meeting referenced in the notice.

Jones said to meet the Times’ print publication schedule, he’d have to have the notice prepared by March 28 – four days before County Administrator Randy Keaton is to present his budget to the supervisors – in order to move forward with the original April 17 date.

On March 18, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, that would shorten the required window for certain planning and zoning actions to five days before a meeting. The bill, dubbed House Bill 1996, takes effect July 1.

According to a tentative budget calendar, Keaton’s budget is due to be released to the public via the county’s website by April 3. Following the public hearing, the board is tentatively set to vote on its final budget on May 15.

The 2024-25 budget adopted last year totaled $107.6 million and included a 2-cent increase in the county’s real estate tax, from 71 cents per $100 in assessed value to the current 73-cent rate. In addition to the $33.2 million for school operating costs, it included $14 million for one-time capital projects, $9.5 million tied to the school system. The bulk of the school-related capital improvements funding was tied to the replacement of Carrollton Elementary’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, which per a bid the School Board accepted in January is estimated to cost just under $5.7 million with the work beginning this spring.

The budget Isle of Wight’s School Board adopted March 18 requests a $6.6 million, or 20%, increase in local funding.