The Surry County Board of Commissioners convened on June 3, 2025, to discuss various budgetary requests and community needs. The meeting focused on funding for volunteer fire departments and nonprofit organizations, reflecting the county's ongoing commitment to public safety and community support.

The first significant topic addressed was the request from three volunteer fire departments for tax increases. Commissioners acknowledged the need for a comprehensive discussion on how these increases would impact the county as a whole. A proposal was made to allocate $250,000 from the county budget to support fire services, which would help balance other budgetary needs.

Commissioners also discussed a specific request for $50,000 from the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department. It was noted that while this request had not been fulfilled in previous years due to budget constraints, there was a consensus to hold off on this funding for the current year, with the possibility of reconsidering it in the next budget cycle.

In addition to fire department funding, the meeting included discussions about new requests from nonprofit organizations. Mountain Valley Hospice submitted a request for $95,386, but it was highlighted that these new applications were not recommended for funding this year due to the county's financial situation. The county has transitioned to an online application system called Neighborly for nonprofit funding requests, which was noted as a more transparent process.

Overall, the meeting underscored the challenges faced by the county in balancing community needs with budgetary limitations. The commissioners agreed to revisit some of these funding requests in future discussions, emphasizing the importance of supporting both public safety and local nonprofits.