Henry County Public Information Officer Brandon Martin and Commissioner of the Revenue Tiffany Hairston detailed their communications plan for the upcoming property reassessment campaign, scheduled to coincide with the mailing of reassessment notices between Jan. 5 and Jan. 9.
The plan — spearheaded by staff in the commissioner’s office — is intended to help residents understand the process, what to expect, and how to appeal if needed.
As part of the effort, residents will receive a “colorful mailer” along with their reassessment notice to highlight important information and avoid confusion. The county has also produced two instructional videos — one explaining the reassessment process itself, the other walking viewers through the appeals process.
In Virginia, property owners who disagree with their reassessed value typically must begin by appealing to the county’s revenue office, then to the local board of equalization, and, if still unresolved, finally to the circuit court.
Additionally, the county has scheduled two in-person community information sessions: one on Jan. 14 from 9-11 a.m., and another on Jan. 20 from 6–7:30 p.m. These sessions will be held in the Summerlin Meeting Room at the Henry County Administration Building. They will also be recorded for posting on social media to ensure broad access for residents.
The county will also deploy a banner on its website and subpages for the reassessment, making the information immediately visible to all site visitors.
Martin and Hairston described the communication plan as “proactive and transparent,” noting that the materials — infographics, videos, mailers — were designed to demystify the reassessment and appeals process.
The hope is that residents will feel better prepared and informed when notices arrive. A calendar of key dates will also be distributed to help officials and community members keep track.
CYBERSECURITY REVIEW COMPLETED
Director of Information Technology Mark Alley provided an update on a recent cybersecurity review conducted by the Virginia Army National Guard Cyber Brigade.
From Nov. 17–21, a team from the National Guard’s Cybersecurity Division carried out an on-site audit of county computer networks and data systems. According to Alley, the assessment included staff interviews, policy reviews, and both internal and external network scans to identify strengths and vulnerabilities.
Though the county chose not to release specific findings publicly, the report praised the county’s current security efforts while flagging several areas for improvement — including a recommendation to expand the IT staff.
“We won’t sugarcoat it — being examined under a microscope is uncomfortable,” Alley said. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the assessment was “free to the county,” and considered a valuable step toward safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining public trust.
Alley stressed the urgency of the work: in an era when ransomware and cyberattacks have caused costly breaches and operational disruptions elsewhere, reinforcing local government defenses is critical. The review is part of a broader effort to ensure that Henry County does not become a victim.
Alley said sources close to similar local-government contracts suggest that hiring a private consultant for a comprehensive audit of this scope could cost many thousands of dollars. Leveraging the National Guard’s support was not only strategically beneficial to the county but also economically beneficial to taxpayers.
HCBOS
The Henry County Board of Supervisors met for a regular meeting on Tuesday.
In other matters, the board:
* Appropriated miscellaneous refunds and revenues for $5,400 to cover salary-related expenses for a part-time clerical position for the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
* Approved and additional appropriation of $54,100 from the County General Fund for 911 Call Handling equipment for the 911 Communications Center.
* Approved loan agreements and grant funding with the West Piedmont Planning District Commission for $412,587 for the Villa Heights Housing Project.
* Approved carryover funds of $68 million from FY2025 to FY2026.
* Approved the rezoning of approximately 0.655 acres of the Blackberry District from Suburban Residential to Mixed Residential. The applicant wishes to market the property for the potential placement of a double-wide manufactured home or site-built home.
* Approved the rezoning of approximately 6.18 acres of the Reed Creek District from Suburban Residential to Rural Residential. The applicant wishes to place a manufactured home on the property.
* Reappointed Vivian Hairston to the Public Service Authority Board of Directors for a 4-year term scheduled to expire on Jan. 5, 2030.
* Reappointed Jim Adams and Pam Cobler to the West Piedmont Planning District Commission Board for four-year terms scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2029.
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