The Stafford County Board of Supervisors began its first meeting of 2025 with a significant leadership transition. Supervisor Deuntay Diggs was elected chairman in a 4-3 vote, succeeding outgoing Chairwoman Meg Bohmke. Diggs addressed his new role during the meeting and outlined his expectations for the year ahead, emphasizing transparency and teamwork.
Chairman Diggs’ Vision
Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 5 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live, and the agenda will be posted online.
Supervisor Monica Gary, Aquia District, confirmed the meeting is still held despite the county government and schools closing for weather conditions.
Monica Gary, who represents the Aquia District on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, announced she will step down at the end of her term on December 31, 2025. Gary, elected in 2021, shared her decision in a statement posted to Facebook emphasizing family and faith as her priorities moving forward.
“As we enter the New Year and I spend time mindfully with my family, I’m reminded of how quickly life passes us by,” Gary wrote. She highlighted her family’s milestones, including her children’s graduations and her desire to be more present for her loved ones. “This is also a time for me to deepen my relationship with the Lord and prepare for whatever comes next.”
With a major snowstorm expected to impact the region starting Sunday, January 5, 2024, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) updated the Stafford County Board of Supervisors on its winter storm preparations late last month.
Andrew Thorpe, Assistant Resident Engineer, presented an overview of VDOT’s snow removal strategies during a recent meeting, emphasizing readiness across Stafford and neighboring counties.
Stafford County Supervisor Monica Gary, who represents the Aquia District, was formally censured by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, for her role in the removal of Mary Becelia from the Central Rappahannock Regional Library Board of Trustees. The board accused Gary of providing misleading information that led to the unjust ousting of Becelia and violating the board’s Code of Performance. As part of her punishment, Gary was removed from all board assignments and committee appointments.
The censure resolution, passed by a 5-0 vote with one abstention, stated that Gary’s actions were “political in nature” and aimed at securing support from the Stafford Democratic Committee for her 2025 re-election bid. Gary, a one-term supervisor who ran without political affiliation, has announced her intention to seek another term representing the Aquia District.
A special Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting, initially scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2024, has been canceled. Stafford County spokesman Andrew Spence stated that the cancellation was due to a procedural issue with the meeting notice.
“Chairman [Meg] Bohmke canceled the meeting originally scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2024, due to a procedural issue with the meeting notice. At this time, there is no information about it being rescheduled,” Spence said.
The planned rebuild of Drew Middle School in Stafford County is moving forward amid discussions about a $16 million increase in costs. The updated total is now $113 million, up from the originally approved $96.5 million in the county’s Capital Improvement Plan.
The additional costs are attributed to land acquisition, off-site infrastructure improvements, and increased contingency funding.
Stafford County Utilities has completed a multi-year effort to confirm that its water lines are lead-free, meeting the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revision requirements. The service line inventory, which involved field verification and historical record reviews, has been approved by the Virginia Department of Health, ensuring safe water for the county’s residents.
Press Release from Stafford County Government:
