COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Alleghany County Board of Supervisors heard public comments from Stanley Cook and David Andrews regarding needed improvements to Hallies Road after a joint public hearing with the Virginia Department of Transportation’s resident engineer, Susan Hammond, at the Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting on May 2. Hammond presented VDOT’s secondary six-year improvement plan for fiscal years 2024-29, to which there were no comments.
Cook presented visual aids to the board to show what improvements are needed on Hallies Road and advised that he had a 100-signature petition to get the road paved.
“A lot of people visit relatives down there,” said Cook. This sparked a discussion with Hammond on why the funds to pave the road could not be included in the six-year plan. Hammond agreed to meet with board members to go into greater detail on the matter.
Andrews stated he is also affected by the unpaved road. “What it is, it’s just dust,” said Andrews. “When the wind gets up, it dusts everybody’s home.” Chairman Matt Garten (Falling Springs) advised that the board was familiar with the problems and would look into it.
During VDOT’s maintenance report, Hammond discussed a three-way stop sign in Rich Patch with Stephen Bennett (Jackson River). His concern is when carrying a load, stopping at the sign makes it hard to take off again. Greg Dodd (Clifton Forge West) reported a big tree that is about to come down in Cliftondale (Clifton Forge East). Hammond made note of these concerns.
Lorri Saville, a teacher at the middle school, “came to share only facts” with the board members. “I know we are passed the point of you all being able to do anything with the consolidation, but we have concerns, and I think you all need to know some of these things that are happening.”
On her list of concerns with moving teachers and students to the Covington Middle School were: 16 teachers to share eight classrooms, causing the teachers to go from room to room; no teacher bathrooms on the second floor; 52 classrooms at Clifton Middle School versus 32 at Covington Middle School; there will only be one resource officer; and the easy access to Covington Middle School versus the extra security layers at Clifton Middle School. Saville added that she will be retiring in two years but is looking toward the future for others.
During board member comments, Cletus Nicely (Sharon), Dodd and Ronald Goings (Clifton Forge East) also expressed the need to look into Saville’s concerns. Additionally, Nicely encouraged Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Superintendent Kim Halterman and Assistant Superintendent Melinda Snead-Johnson, who were both in attendance, to note Saville’s concerns.
“It’s about the kids,” said Nicely. James Griffith (Covington) suggested that he and Garten meet with school officials to address the concerns.
Reid Walters, county administrator, updated board members on some ongoing projects: a contract that was released for construction at the Commerce Center pad in the amount of $3.2 million; an extension on the Wrightsville Revitalization Project until Oct. 31, 2023; an exploration on potentially forming a water and sewer authority; and he anticipates moving forward on the Jackson River Scenic Trail within the next week. Phase 5 is expected to be completed early this summer.
In other action, the board approved supplemental appropriations in FY 23 for American Rescue Plan Act-COVID funds and a Humane Society donation by WestRock by a vote of 6/0. Shannon Cox (Boiling Springs) was not in attendance.
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