County Government

By The Madison Eagle Staff
Published: February 29, 2008

The county is run by a five-member elected board of supervisors, a professional county administrator and five elected Constitutional officers.

The main county offices are in the County Administration Building (the former University of Virginia Extension Center) at 414 N. Main St. in the town of Madison. Other offices, including the administrator’s and registrar’s, are in the County Thrift Road Complex (the former school system headquarters building) at 302 Thrift Road on the southwest end of town and in the War Memorial Building in the center of town. County offices are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. five days a week. (The state holiday schedule usually applies.)

The county budget for fiscal year 2007-2008 is $34,490,853—the lion’s share of which is the public school budget. The Real Property Tax Rate is 59 cents per $100 of assessed value, based on an assessment ratio of 100 percent. The Tangible Personal Property rate is $2.14 per $100, based on 100 percent of value. The Machinery and Tools Tax rate is $1.10 per $100 and the Merchants Capital Tax rate is 86 cents per $100. County license stickers are $25 per motor vehicle, $10 per motorcycle and $7.50 per trailer.

Supervisors are elected for four-year terms that are staggered with three in one election and two in the election two years hence. All supervisors are elected at-large. Three supervisors are slated to be elected in 2009—one for the seat currently occupied by Bill Crigler, one for the seat currently occupied by Bob Miller and one for the seat currently occupied by Clark Powers.

The five members of the school board are elected; the 11 members of the planning commission are appointed.

Members of the board of zoning appeals are appointed by the judge of the Madison County Circuit Court.

The county supervisors meet with the planning commission at 7:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. The supervisors also meet at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. (Additionally, the supervisors host a workshop meeting the last Thursday of the month at 2 p.m.) The planning commission conducts regular workshop meetings at 7:30 p.m. on third Wednesdays of the month. (Except for the supervisors’ workshop meeting, all of these meetings are in the auditorium of the County Administration Building. The supervisors’ workshop meeting is at the County Thrift Road Complex.)