The Shadow
Jeremy Bennett, Virginia Association of Counties presented Alleghany County its highest honor, the Best Achievement Award, for the Alleghany Highlands school consolidation, at the Alleghany County Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting, on Tuesday evening. Representatives of the school were also in attendance.
According to Bennett, The County was selected out of a pool of 135 applicants for “adopting innovative approaches to providing public services.” “There are a number of localities across the Commonwealth that I think could look at your successful implementation and consider it for their own communities,” said Bennett of the years-long process of getting the schools consolidated. James Griffith, Covington District; Matt Garten, Chair and Falling Spring District; and Jonathan Arritt, AHSB vice chair, accepted the award at the request of Stephen Bennett, Jackson River District. Stephen Bennett credits these three of eight, as the chief negotiators in making the consolidation successful.
Ingrid Barber, Executive Director, of Alleghany Highlands Community Services, asked the BOS to consider the FY 24/25 performance contract with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development. “Our budget is growing and we’re receiving some new funding,” said Barber. She talked about some of CSB’s new initiatives: to include expanding to a vacant building to make all access services for substance use treatment under one roof; researching sites and empty buildings close to the hospital for local mobile crisis and crisis receiving centers; efforts to reach out to local churches; and efforts to secure a local mobile unit. “We have a lot of things on our plate that we’ll be working on in the next year or so,” added Barber. She went on to explain that “our Budget has grown to over $11 million, and we still maintain the administrative costs to be rather low at a little over $1 million. She also reported that services are continuing to grow and the CSB is now serving about 1,400 individuals across the community. The BOS approved her request with a unanimous vote of 6/0. Shannon Cox, Boiling Springs District, was not present at the meeting and did not cast a vote.
During Public Comments, Deloris Quarles, who normally gives a progress report on the Wrightsville Revitalization Project, wanted to make the BOS aware of what she believes are bullying, intimidation tactics, and racist comments happening at the construction site. She prefaced her comments by saying, “I know this makes a lot of yall uncomfortable, but it needs to be dealt with,” said Quarles. She expressed that “these concerns, to me, are very valid and need to be addressed, though it doesn’t require any action by the BOS at this time.” Quarles also thanked Cox for attending the Wrightsville Revitalization Project’s celebration at the Historic Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge and Garten for his contribution.
The Board held a Public Hearing to consider an amendment to the County’s Operating Budget for FY 23/24 in the amount of $1,081,311.00, for supplemental appropriations to the School Operations Fund, which will be expended in this fiscal year on Athletic Facility Improvements at the high school. After some discussion and clarification, Garten closed the Hearing and called for a vote. The amendment was approved by a unanimous vote.
Suzanne Adcock Nicely, Director of Finance, later returned to the podium for questions and to clarify a funding request for school capital projects, crumbling tennis courts. After a lengthy discussion, it was determined that the crumbling tennis courts would be an additional appropriation from the supplemental appropriations and has not yet been requested. This was clarified by Rebecca Irvine, Director of Finance, AHPS. “None of that is new money,” added Irvine.
Susan Hammond, Virginia Department of Transportation gave her monthly VDOT update, to include improvements to Route 220. Garten noted that these improvements have been noticed and “are greatly appreciated.”
The BOS recognized the life of Anna L. Fox, former Alleghany County Treasurer of 24 years, with a Resolution of Respect. She “gave unselfishly of her time to the community and the Alleghany Highlands, setting an example of citizenship throughout her life,” read Garten in part. She passed away in July of this year.
During County Administrator’s comments, Reid Walters, reported on the progress of the Commerce pad site, adding that they are progressing well; the sale of the Wells Fargo building should close this month; that he is revisiting the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program to expand broadband to the western portion of the county; that the River Retreat Apartments Buildings 4 and 5 are going up and “it looks pretty good out there;” the Jackson River Trail Phase V is continuing and should wrap up soon; and the Wrightsville Revitalization Project has one construction and one rehab to be complete.
In other action, the BOS unanimously approved the changing of a portion of Frontier Lane to Cook Lane and struck out the discussion and consideration of transfer station fee changes, pending further investigation.
