Photos courtesy of Botetourt Co.
By Matt de Simone
Botetourt held its annual State of the County Address last Thursday morning at the County Administrative Offices in Daleville. This year’s community engagement event gave attendees a look at what it is like to “Fall in LOVE with BOCO.”
The event featured updates from Botetourt County departments and key partners, including Botetourt County Public Schools, the Botetourt County Historical Society, the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge that highlighted 2024’s successes locally and shared what is ahead for Botetourt in 2025.
County Administrator Gary Larrowe welcomed the event’s attendees at the start of the meeting. He shared his heartfelt feelings about Botetourt being “The Jewel of the Commonwealth” and also spoke about hearing kind words about the county’s “reputation of being one of the best counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia” from residents and visitors to Botetourt and from individuals outside of the county.
“I hear stuff like that whenever I’m out in the community, whenever I’m outside of the community, and in other parts of the state – and its very, very important for us to recognize this is a special place and its absolutely wonderful.”
Larrowe recognized all the elected and appointed officials in the county, stating, “It’s the guidance that they give, it’s the leadership they provide, and it is the commitment and volunteerism that makes this place so special in helping to direct the future, the present, and to reflect upon the past.”
He highlighted some of the county’s efforts to better the community – the broadband expansion as the county gets closer to universal service, the launch of the “Destination: Botetourt” business summit, and the BOCO small business grant program.
Additionally, Larrowe recognized the efforts of the county’s emergency workers who volunteered their services in Damascus, Va. and Asheville, N.C., in the wake of Hurricane Helene that devastated the state in late September of last year.
“Our fire and EMS team went out and volunteered, paid staff raised their hand and said, ‘Yes, I will go,’” Larrowe shared. “The assignment was not very pleasant. They were assigned with a cadaver dog team to help support them – a very, very difficult thing to do. It comes from the heart because I see these people and the dedication that they have to this community is immense… When you work day in and day out with these people and you see the capacity, the interest, and the enthusiasm from the seat that I’m sitting in, it is absolutely astronomical.”
The event also included updates from Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton, Communications Director Tiffany Bradbury, Economic Development Director Ken McFadyen, Planning and Zoning Director Nicole Pendleton, Parks and Recreation Director Victor Morales, Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Russ, BCPS Supervisor of Career & Technical Education Mike Metron, Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce President Maiya Ashby, Botetourt County Historical Society Director Lynsey Allie, and Virginia’s Blue Ridge representatives Debora Wright and Cheryl Morales.
Amsterdam District Supervisor Steve Clinton praised the work of administration and highlighted the county’s efforts to improve communication through initiatives like “Getting to Know BOCO,” programs in the public libraries, and other open lines of communication that “go a long way towards engendering trust and avoiding misunderstanding.”
Clinton made mention that the state of Botetourt County “is very good. And you’ll say, ‘What? Why isn’t it excellent? Why isn’t it outstanding?’ It’s simply because we have a believe in a tendency towards continuous improvement. That kind of means that you never really reach excellence. You strive for excellence. And, in our case, when we get close to it, Gary moves the goalpost and that’s a way to engender continuous improvement. So, we’re in a very good state right now.”
During the event, the county presented a musical collaboration between the county and local band, the Parkway Players. The song written by David Austin captures reasons people love Botetourt and will serve as an anthem throughout the year. The music video for this song can be found on YouTube by searching the song’s title, “Love is All Around in Botetourt County.”
The event also included a special tribute to Tony Zerrilla, who served as Botetourt’s Director of Finance for over 20 years. Zerilla, who sadly passed away last year, was a dedicated public servant to the county. With his birthday falling on February 6, the county found it fitting to celebrate the place he called home and continue to honor his lasting impact on the community.
According to the county, over 150 people participated in the event, either virtually or in person. Individuals who were unable to attend may watch the recording by visiting www.botetourtva.gov/stateofthecounty. The 2024 annual report is also available at www.botetourtva.gov/annualreport.
