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In Brief
Highland County
Board of Supervisors
Highland supervisors met July 3 and recommended to the Highland County Circuit Court that Harry Sponaugle be assigned to the board of zoning appeals for four more years effective July 1. The board reappointed Amy Darby, juvenile intake officer representing the court services unit; Dr. Andy Jones, Valley Community Services Board; Roberta Lambert, county administrator representing the board of supervisors; and appointed Christy Hicks, parent representative, to the Community Policy and Management Team. The purpose of the team is to provide a broad-based approach to help families in crisis. The commissioner of the revenue asked for an additional $2,037 to cover overtime expenses in 2006-07. The board, on a vote of 2-1 with supervisor Jerry Rexrode opposed, approved giving $1,018 (half of what was requested) to the commissioner of revenue. At county attorney Melissa Dowd's request, the board met in closed session to discuss potential litigation regarding "resources of the county." County administrator Roberta Lambert said, in response to a request from The Recorder for more specificity, "She (Dowd) doesn't have to go any further than that." Wednesday, Lambert was again asked for detail, and said she "will be glad to respond further, if necessary, when I can discuss this with the county attorney since she asked for the closed meeting." When asked at the meeting if Dowd had to state anything further in her request, Dowd said no. "She said the purpose of the meeting was consultation with legal counsel in regard to potential litigation with a subject matter of resources of the county and the code section was sited," Lambert explained. The next meeting of the board of supervisors is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7 at the Highland County Modular Conference Center in Monterey. Tuesday, June 26, supervisors held a public hearing to consider an amendment to the 2006-07 budget. Total projected expenses are $6,976,940 - an increase of $132,040 over the adopted budget. Supervisors approved additional appropriations for 2006-07 for independent funds that have had expenses during the year, including fire prevention, $16,000; capital expenses, $259,515; DARE program, $1,479; E-911 fund, $569,439; and the McDowell water system, $28,532. The McDowell system transfer is needed because the billing cycle does not coincide with the end of the fiscal year. When the bi-monthly bills come out the end of July, the county expects to recoup the money. Supervisors set appropriations for the first six months of the 2007-08 fiscal year with all county offices getting a total of $2,076,165 and Highland County Public Schools receiving $2,226,808, except for school debt service, which is for the full year. Supervisor Robin Sullenberger said the state workforce investment area that covers the Shenandoah Valley is being discussed for realignment. Highland would become part of a region covering Charlottesville. Sullenberger, a member of the workforce board, said the region the county is in affects training programs available to Highland residents. He said the county should stay with counties in the Valley.
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