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In Brief . . .
Bath County Board of Supervisors
¦ Bath supervisors approved the 2007 audit of the county's financial records, including a letter with a few recommended changes in county procedures and a letter reviewing some recent actions in the sheriff's office (see page 4). James Kelly, Director of Robinson Farmer Cox Associates, told the board Bath County "staff came through in flying colors." The state imposed some new standards for 2007 making record keeping and the audit more stringent, he said. His firm gave Bath "an unqualified opinion, the best statement we can make." ¦ Recreation director Mark Nelson presented a plaque to Marine Sergeant Evans recognizing the contribution the Roanoke based 4th Combat Engineers Bravo Company has made to the Toys for Tots program. Nelson also had certificates of appreciation for Elaine Nelson, Cherie Robertson, Savannah Altizer, Meronica and Miranda Robertson, Jeff Woodzell, Kendall Woodzell, Kylie Woodzell, Maggie Woodzell and Lorie Altizer. The certificates recognized the contribution the individuals made to helping 144 children at the recreation department's annual Christmas Party. ¦ Supervisor Stuart Hall thanked Alleghany County for being able to supply water to Douthat State Park in his motion to approve the proposed project presented by Assistant Alleghany County Administrator Jon Lanford. Hall said, "It is great Alleghany County can serve the needs of the park." Providing water to allow the park to expand has "positive impacts for that entire area," Hall said. The board approved the project noting the Bath PSA did not have any plans to bring water to that area or any objections to the Alleghany proposal. ¦ After considerable discussion and debate, a motion by Hall to hire two part-time workers in the recreation department to mow and other duties died on a 2-2 vote. Nelson presented three alternatives for the board to consider. Continue the mowing contract, which no one seemed to be happy with; hire two part-time employees; or hire one fulltime employee to mow and take care of the pool. Hall and chairman Jon Trees sided with the two part-time employee option while supervisors Carol Hardbarger and Percy Nowlin favored a full-time employee. Hall and Hardbarger disagreed on the cost of the full-time employee with Hall insisting the mowing could not be done by one person. Hall said, "Sometimes we suffer from too much education," in apparent reference to Hardbarger's Ph.D. "Common sense has to prevail," Hall added. No further action was taken. ¦ Residents Olivia Haney and Jackie Plecker told the board they were opposed to signing an agreement with Spectrum Associates turning over the old Millboro school. Plecker said she had received a draft copy of the proposed contract from Hall and calculated the total cost to the county, including the value of land and buildings, would be between $1.2-1.5 million. She noted the contract required the county to remove the asbestos and demolish part of the buildings "with no cap in the contract at all" for what this might cost the county. Haney said there are other options out there for the buildings. ¦ The board approved a request by the Bath County Electoral Board to move the Warm Springs voting precinct from the courthouse to the Warm Springs Presbyterian Church. Electoral board secretary Mary Barnes presented the request along with letters from church officials authorizing use of the facility. Last month the board tabled a request to move the precinct to the library noting a lack of parking at that location. Barnes said the electoral board concurred with that appraisal and was happy with the church location. The board asked county attorney Mike Collins take the requested move to the Justice Department for approval. ¦ VDOT district engineer Susan Hammond presented the sixyear plan for Bath County and the public hearing scheduled for 7:30 p.m. began just before 10 p.m. Few people spoke at the hearing. Hammond requested the board table action on the plan pending final budget figures she expects to receive in the next two weeks. The board voted to table action. ¦ Supervisor Richard Byrd was unable to attend the meeting Tuesday. He is at home recovering after being hospitalized with pneumonia. ¦ The board continued the meeting until Thursday March 20 at 7 p.m. in the courthouse.
 | | Sergeant Evans (left) of the Marines 4th Combat Engineers Bravo Company based in Roanoke accepts a plaque on behalf of Bravo Company from Bath County Recreation Director Mark Nelson, "in appreciation for your continued support and devotion to the Toys for Tots program." Bravo Company and Toys for Tots provided some of the gifts distributed at the recreation department Christmas party which benefited 144 county children. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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