Chamber News

Patrick County Board of Supervisors Meeting-November 16

This news report is from the Patrick County Board of Supervisors which met at 6:00pm, Monday, November 16, 2009. Report given by Tom Bishop.

News report Patrick County Board of Supervisors-Meeting, Nov. 16, 2009 On Monday, November 16, the Patrick County Board of Supervisors met for their monthly meeting. In the public comment period, Charles Vivier of the Blue Ridge District gave a report from the “Taxpayer Watchdog Group� and recommended the County hire a permanent County Appraiser and select a study group to report on the feasibility of this. Waste Management solid waste cost has been escalating at a rate of approximately 36%. Jack Hinslewood, Consultant from Olver Corporation, gave a report on his Solid Waste Management System Assessment. His company has recommended the following: 1. Negotiating a less per ton rate that will save the County $80,000 per year. 2. Review tipping fee structure. Improve the method of assessing commercial waste. Today when Rural Services picks up garbage, commercial waste and residential waste is mixed. Also, consider charging residents a nominal fee at the Transfer Station. 3. Re-bid the Rural Services contract (expires June 2011) and encourage competition in the bidding. Rural Services charges $18 per month to County residents and other comparable rates are much lower. Other counties and municipalities are charging in the range of $7-13 per month. The Town of Stuart charges for curbside collection $10 per month. 4. Make further efforts to encourage recycling. This can reduce the tonnage hauled and keep our cost down. 5. Investigate working with other localities, such as Floyd and Franklin, who have their own landfills. This has been done by Carroll and Grayson Counties to reduce cost. Contracts with other government agencies do not require the bidding process, and could drastically reduce the hauling distance and cost. 6. Recommended other disposal options that could be more cost effective. Ralph Ison of Embarq/Century Link telephone company gave a report on the installation of High Speed Internet in Patrick County. At this point 64% of the County has High Speed service and it will be 74% at the end of 2009. It will be 80% by the end of 2010. 1. Century Link (the new company name) is offering High Speed Internet for only $14.95 when the customer bundles it with other telephone services. This offer ends December 31, 2009. It requires a 12-month agreement. Residents are encouraged to call 1-888-840-4039 to take advantage of this offer. 2. New High Speed Internet service will be available in Ararat on Ararat Highway, in Claudville on Cox Ridge Road, and in Woolwine Route 57 in approximately 2 weeks. 3. Other Ararat/Claudville and Fairystone neighborhoods will be getting High Speed service in 2010. The Master Gardeners proposed to conduct a Courthouse Beautification project by removing old shrubs and putting in new shrubs and plants for approximately $1000, to be done in the next 2 weeks. Members of the Board of Supervisors agreed to donate $600 to the project with the remainder being paid by the County. This was approved by a 4-1 vote with Dr. Lock Boyce voting no. Lock was proposing this be funded by community donations. Charles Smith reported on the Land Use Assessment study team. The team recommends it only apply to Agriculture and Horticulture land. Forested and Open Land would not be included. They propose that this land be assessed in the range of $1000-1500 per acre. No action was taken, due the requirement that a public hearing must be conducted before any decision is made. Jason Brown, Building Inspector presented the question of fees to be charged for yurts (fabric membrane structures). Since zoning ordinances and current fee structures do not make reference to these buildings, the approach will be taken that fees will be charged for the next most comparable building structure. The zoning issue should be referred to the Planning Commission for recommendations. Passed a resolution to install “Children Playing� signs on Rave Rock Road in Ararat. Vote was 4 voting for the resolution. Jonathan Large abstained. Voted to move $8000 from an unnamed capital improvement fund to the Courthouse Renovation Capital Improvement fund. Vote was unanimous.