HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) — The Rockingham County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pass the county’s budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

However, it was not a cut and dry action, as several revised motions were made before the board’s final vote Wednesday night. Complications regarding a proposed allocation of funds for the Arts Council of the Valley stalled the first vote, with Chairman Dewey Ritchie opposing the allocated funds as he felt they would not be put to use in the county.

“Our money would go there, but then that would free up money they would have spent that would go toward the downtown [Court Square Theater] ,” Ritchie said. “I’m not against the theater, I think they do some wonderful work, but I am opposed to it going towards entertainment that wouldn’t be in Rockingham County.”

The budget was passed soon after with a unanimous vote – including Ritchie’s – that included an amendment for allocation of $4,500 in matching grant funds for the Arts Council, as well as the need for further discussion about compensation for constitutional officers in Rockingham County. The motion to pass the budget was made with the acknowledgement that it could change before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

If the board decided to make any changes with the budget in that time, the difference will barely be noticeable, according to County Administrator Stephen King.

“It would be marginal marginal, like, less than 0.1 percent,” King said.