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In Brief . . .
Highland Supervisors
¦ At their first meeting of the year Jan. 2, supervisors elected Jerry Rexrode chairman and David Blanchard vice chairman.
¦ The board adopted rules of procedure with one change from last year: the board cannot appoint a tiebreaker. The designation of a tiebreaker is allowed only by election of the voters of the county at large.
¦ The board readopted under Robert's Rules of Order the provision that the chairman can make motions.
¦ The board set its meeting schedule for the year. The board meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Highland modular conference center in Monterey.
¦ Jimmy White, VDOT Verona Residency Administrator, said there were two unfounded rumors circulating in the community. There is no truth to the rumor that the McDowell headquarters is shutting down and snow removal operations are not going to change.
¦ Seldom Seen Road and Possum Trot Road are set to be paved this year, White said. The paving projects are part of VDOT's Rural Rustic Roads program. Paving dirt roads costs between $60,000-$100,000 a mile, said White. "Paving dirt roads does more for people in rural counties than anything else," he said. ¦ Supervisors set a public hearing on the secondary road construction improvement program and budget (six-year plan) for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5. Supervisors will also hold a public hearing on a proposed change to the county's solid waste ordinance - adds definitions for yard and vegetative waste, and allows dumping of stumps and yard waste that exceed six inches in diameter at the landfill at the discretion of
the site operator. ¦ Supervisors chose not to participate in the VDOT revenue sharing program again this year. The county has not participated for several years. Typically, money from the program is used for things like sidewalk improvement. ¦ Supervisors set a joint public hearing for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 at the modular conference center with the town of Monterey and the planning commission on a proposed change to the county zoning ordinance - removing slaughterhouses as a conditional use in business districts and adding them as a conditional use in agriculture and light
industrially zoned areas. ¦ Supervisors will also hold a public hearing Jan. 24 to consider an amendment to a conditional use permit issued to Steve Botkin for Mountain Tire of McDowell allowing Botkin to keep more tires outside than he is currently allowed. ¦ The board appointed Blanchard to a one-year term on the Bath-Highland Disability Services Board, replacing former supervisor Lee Blagg as government representative to the board. The board meets every other month. ¦ Supervisors authorized county administrator Roberta Lambert to negotiate a contract with Robinson, Farmer and Cox for auditing services. The cost of the contract is expected to be less than $30,000 and the county's Public Procurement Procedures Ordinance allows a "procurer to determine a fair and competitive price for the service and to make the purchase or purchases from a supplier whose price does not exceed the determined fair and competitive price," said Lambert. "RFC's audit and financial services to Highland County have been exemplary for many, many years and they are highly recommended throughout Virginia." ¦ Supervisors set appropriations for the second half of the fiscal year. County operating funds for January through June are $1,038.082, Highland County Public Schools $2,020,429, department of social services $145,951, comprehensive services $108,782, capital improvement fund $60,000, and enterprise fund $140,693. ¦ Supervisors will attend legislative day in Richmond Feb. 7. ¦ Supervisor Jerry Rexrode recommended a work session to discuss commonwealth's attorney/county attorney Melissa Dowd's "position and what to do with it." Supervisor Robin Sullenberger said he also wanted to discuss the comprehensive plan in the work session. "We owe it to the comprehensive plan committee and the community to go forward with that," he said. Supervisors directed Lambert to set up a work session. Supervisors did not settle on a date at the meeting.
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