The Stafford Board of County Supervisors will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. (not 3 p.m.) on Friday, December 6, 2024. The meeting will occur at the government center at 1300 Courthouse Road, just hours before the board participates in the county’s Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.
The meeting follows a statement issued by Aquia District Supervisor Monica Gary on Facebook. Gary apologized for her role in Mary Becelia’s removal from the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) Board of Trustees earlier this year.
Gary stated on Facebook that Becelia’s removal stemmed from misunderstandings, poor judgment, and deliberate actions by the board. She admitted to motioning for Becelia’s removal, which the board unanimously approved, and later described the action as both unjust and illegal. Gary’s statement acknowledged that misconduct is the only legal basis for removing a trustee and that Becelia’s actions did not meet that threshold.
The controversy stems from July 2024, when Becelia was removed from her role as a trustee. Becelia said Gary contacted her, requesting her position on a hiring committee tasked with finding a replacement for the library’s executive director. Becelia declined, stating that it was not her decision to relinquish the seat.
The CRRL has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
The FXBG Advance reported that the Stafford Board of Supervisors had provided differing accounts of the events leading to Becelia’s removal. Gary’s recent apology, shared publicly on Facebook and directly with Becelia, emphasized her intent to address the situation and make amends.
Further details on the agenda for the meeting have not been disclosed. The meeting is open to the public.
Gary ran for the Virginia State Senate in 2023 as an independent and was lost to Tara Durant (R). She won her seat on the Stafford Board of Supervisors in 2021.
The library board consists of representatives from CRRL-member jurisdictions Fredericksburg and Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Westmoreland counties. Stafford, the largest system user, has two seats on the board.
Garrisonville District Supervisor Pamela Yeung also represents Stafford County as a trustee board member.
