Dante Volunteer Fire Dept. controversy reaches resolution

A hearing held in Grundy, VA Thursday afternoon saw a resolution to the situation involving the Dante Volunteer Fire Department and Russell County Administrator Lonzo Lester. A Buchanan County Circuit Court Judge granted a mutual agreement between the two parties to grant a non-suit, ending the legal action. The court also granted a judicial dissolution, formally dissolving the Dante Volunteer Fire Department, transferring the department’s assets – including any outstanding funds – to Russell County. The conflict started back in August of 2024 when County Administrator Lonzo Lester sent a message to the department to cease operations, shortly after he says he found out the department had not been certified by the state since 2015. The county then locked the building, and it remained that way for more than a year. In August of 2025, Daniel Meade, the treasurer of the Dante Volunteer Fire Department filed the lawsuit. During the course of the controversy, the county sold the fire department property and now months later, construction crews are hard at work building a new structure, reportedly to be a Dollar General.