n LOUDOUN
4 | n LEESBURG
8 | n PUBLIC SAFETY
18 | n PUBLIC NOTICES
Community-Supported News. Free to all.
VOL. 10, NO. 18
25
MARCH 13, 2025
Supervisors Back DEI Efforts, Review Staffing Requests BY HANNA PAMPALONI
hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
As county supervisors near the end of the fiscal year 2026 budget season, they continue to hear from department heads justifying their requests for additional personnel and resources included in the document. A focus of the department level review is briefing on plans for new staff hires. The proposed budget includes requests for 244.27 additional full-time equivalent positions, which, if approved will bring the county total to 5,302.87. Over the past week supervisors heard from office directors in human services departments, community development and general government. The Office of Equity and Inclusion garnered the most controversy during Monday night’s meeting when a motion by Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner (R-Catoctin) to remove the funding request for two equity specialists did not receive majority support. Department Director Carl Rush said he is requesting the positions to meet the growing demand for professional learning, development and BUDGETS continues on page 5
Hanna Pampaloni/Loudoun Now
Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (D-32) meets with residents of Loudoun Valley Estates to talk about transmission lines proposed to be built near the neighborhood and the local schools by Dominion Energy to provide grid reliability within Loudoun.
Push For Underground Power Line Continues
Loudoun Valley Estates Residents Raise Concerns BY HANNA PAMPALONI hpampaloni@loudounnow.org
A move to bury high voltage transmission lines underground is again gaining grassroots traction as Dominion Energy advances plans to build out a power loop around eastern and southern Loudoun to
improve grid reliability within the county. The first stage of the loop, known as the Aspen to Golden line, was approved by the State Corporation Commission in February. That project will build 230 kilovolt and 500 kV double circuit lines from a substation south of Leesburg, along Rt. 7 and then south to the intersection of Rt. 28 and
the W&OD Trail. A proposal by the Loudoun County government and the Lansdowne Conservancy presented to Dominion and the SCC last year would have buried three miles of the line along Rt. 7 and shifted the POWER LINES continues on page 19
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