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In Brief . . .
Highland County Board of Supervisors
¦ Highland's board of supervisors set a public hearing on the VDOT construction improvement program and six-year budget plan for its March 4 board meeting. ¦ District Ranger Pat Sheridan of the Warm Springs District said the Bureau of Land Management auctioned federal oil and gas leases on 25 tracts of land comprising 10,243 acres on the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest in Highland County (5,441 acres on the North River Ranger District and 4,801 acres on the Warm Springs Ranger District). R&R Royalty Ltd. of Corpus Christi, Texas, was the highest bidder on all the leases. Winning bids ranged from $10-$17 per acre, per year. Sheridan said land has been leased before without drilling operations following, the same may be true this time. ¦ Sheridan said a broken sewage system at Lake Moomaw is affecting campgrounds. If the sewage system is not fixed by May 19, bathrooms will be locked. Porta-potties will be available instead. A failed lift station is affecting campground 1, the new Sugar Ridge Campground, the Beach Bathhouse, and the Beach Picnic Area. Campground 3 will open on April 3. Campgrounds 1, Sugar Ridge and the Beach will open May 19. ¦ Solid waste collection site manager Richard Waybright said in his annual report that approximately 1,700 tons of waste were removed from Highland County in 2007 - about 5 tons more than in 2006. Recycling was down 164 tons from 2006, to 459 tons. Most of that was attributed to a one-time spike in recycled materials in 2006 due to abandoned car removal in McDowell, among other things. "But we met our recycling rate at 21 percent," Waybright said. The state has reduced the required rate to 15 percent because "counties are not meeting the goal," he said. Supervisor Jerry Rexrode said recycling probably saved the county $70,000 in removal costs last year. Supervisor David Blanchard suggested the county should strive for 25 percent. "I think 25 percent is a great goal, 15 percent is not," he said. Waybright said the county's recycling contractor accepts glass from Highland, while rejecting it from other sites, "because we keep it separated good." ¦ The board appointed Paul Klein to represent the county on the Valley Health Council through the end of the year. Klein suggested supervisors consider putting $116 in the budget this year (5 cents per person in the county) to support the work of VHC and the Northwest Virginia Health Systems Agency. This will help offset a shortfall in state funding to the NWHSA. VHC represents Bath, Highland, Rockingham and Rockbridge counties. It holds public hearings for certificates of public need, such as for nursing homes or assisted living facilities in the area. What the council does reduces the cost of health care by reducing duplication of services and insures a higher quality of health care. NWHSA is the parent organization to VHC. ¦ The board tabled appointing a fifth planning commission member to fill the seat vacated the end of December by Crysta Stanton until next month. Board members have a list of candidates willing to be considered and will work through the list in coming weeks. Many of those on the list indicated they did not want their names released so as not to fuel speculation as to who will ultimately be appointed. "It would be nice to find someone from the Stonewall District for a broader representation and distribution of power on the commission," said Blanchard. Approximately 30 names are on the list, some of whom responded to the supervisors call for volunteers last month. Supervisor Robin Sullenberger said, "I agree with David that it would be nice to have someone from the eastern side of the county. I'd also like to see a woman appointed." He added the caveat that the appointment, nonetheless, would go to the most qualified candidate, the one willing to put the most effort into the demanding position. "We need to get the right person rather than expedite it," he added. "We need to give a lot of thought to this." Blanchard suggested that in order to avoid delays, a standing list of volunteers willing to serve the county should be maintained by the county to fill seats as they come open. Rexrode suggested the younger generation should also be considered. "They have a voice in the community, too," he said. ¦ The board appointed Caroline Sponaugle as representative to the Blue Ridge Community College Board. Sponaugle previously served on the board, is a guidance counselor at Highland High School and her nomination is supported by the school superintendent and welcomed by BRCC. Sponaugle replaces Dr. Koressa Malcolm who resigned at the end of the year subsequent to the acceptance of her husband, Dr. Joe Malcolm, to the teaching staff there. ¦ County administrator Roberta Lambert submitted the audit conducted by Robinson, Farmer and Cox for the year ending June 30, 2007 to supervisors for review. ¦ The board set a joint work session with the planning commission on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment making abattoirs/ slaughterhouses conditional uses in agricultural (A- 2) and light industrial zones (M-1) for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19 in the courthouse. ¦ The board set a work session on the comprehensive plan for 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22 at the Highland County Modular Conference Center. "I think we need to sit down with legal counsel and go over it word for word," said Rexrode. ¦ The board will attend the Virginia Association of Counties' legislative day in Richmond today. Members will have an opportunity to visit the general assembly and with legislators. ¦ Lambert said the latest statistics on Highland's population show a decrease of 154 people from the 2000 census. The current population is estimated to be 2,384. ¦ Lambert said if the county wished to go to fouryear cycle for reassessments, it should do so soon. "If you reduce (the interval), we need to begin the process to hire an assessor in 2009," she said. Rexrode said it would be part of the discussion when the board considers the budget. ¦ The board went into closed session to negotiate contracts, discuss personnel and duties of a county employee related to the acquisition of E-911 camera equipment for the sheriff's office. The board came out of closed session and pursuant to the county's Public Procurement Procedures Ordinance for purchases under $30,000, reviewed proposals from three vendors and accepted a proposal in the amount of $21,087 from Bank Design & Equipment, Inc. of Waynesboro for installation of an access control and surveillance system at the sheriff's office/dispatch center.
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