The Shadow
The owner of a disputed parcel of property on Patrick and Gray streets addressed members of Covington City Council during their work session Tuesday night.
“I want you to put a face to the name that you’ve been reading in the paper,” said Wayne Conner, owner of the property.
Conner’s neighbors have lodged a volley of complaints to city leaders regarding the property which they consider an “eyesore.” The neighbors approached council and aired their concerns during the February meeting.
“I want to thank Mr. (Bill) Zimmerman personally for trying to ruin me financially by tearing down my building,” Conner added.
Conner alleged “it depends on how much money you have” in order to utilize property in the city.
Conner queried, “Why can they have vehicles and boats on an auxiliary lot and I can’t?”
“I moved to Covington in April and it was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made,” Conner added.
Conner added he is planning to move away from Covington.
Property owners say that a two story garage on Conner’s property is in violation of zoning ordinances. Conner, however, went through appropriate channels and has complied with zoning ordinances, he said.
He said he is planning to install a privacy fence and stated he will keep his property clean.
“I thank ya’ll for trying to drive me out. I don’t like ya’ll,” Conner said in closing.
Covington Councilman B.B. Bryant said there are multiple concerns about the area, and there are other areas of the city that have the same issues.
“This council is only going to do what is within the law, nothing more, nothing less,” Bryant said to Conner.
Covington Mayor Stephanie Clark told Conner she is facing similar problems in her district. She said she was glad that Conner did erect a building rather than have inoperable vehicles strewn in yards.
“Covington is a good place to live. It really is,” she added.
Covington Vice Mayor Rob Bennett told Conner that council has “not planned an attack on you at all” and noted that the neighbors expressed their concerns to council during the citizen comment period and not as a planned agenda item.
Teresa Hammond, executive director of the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, made a presentation to council regarding a planned local or regional cycling event to take the place of the Tour of Virginia race that has been canceled.
Hammond is asking council to re-appropriate the $1,000 allocated to the Tour of Virginia race to the new event, The Alleghany Gran Fondo.
The event would be open to cyclists from novice, intermediate and advanced with three routes depending on skill level.
The suggested date is Saturday, July 10. A July event would alleviate any weather-related issues and the need to schedule around school bus routes, which occurred during the last Tour of Virginia race in the Highlands.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Zimmerman said.
Council placed the item on the March 9 agenda.
Covington City Manager John Doane advised council that an appropriation needs to be made to prepare the old Jeter-Watson Intermediate School to house the programs currently at the former Rivermont School.
He said the cost will be about $70,000 and utilities being maintained in both buildings will cost an additional $40,000.
Doane added that three companies have submitted bids for the next property reassessment. He is suggesting accepting the low bid. The item was placed on the agenda.
As many localities have done, Bennett suggested that the city should do away with the license stickers on vehicles owned in the city.
“It seems as though the other localities have moved in that direction,” Bennett said.
Other members of council agreed.
The revenue from the stickers would be maintained by adjusting the personal property tax rate to make up for the lost revenue.
Other items placed on the March 9 regular meeting agenda include:
– a public hearing regarding a major amendment to the Solid Waste Management Plan;
– a public hearing regarding a Department of Agriculture grant to purchase two new police cars; of the $60,660 total for both cars, the grant would fund $33,330 and Covington would fund $27,270;
– a presentation by Janet Nelson regarding the Charles P. Jones Memorial Library annual review;
– a presentation by Curtis Thompson of TAP regarding a Community Development Block Grant;
– consider a memorandum of understanding regarding the Covington Farmers Market;
– consider a resolution for a Fire Programs grant of $789;
– consider a resolution regarding departmental transfers;
– consider a resolution regarding transfer from surplus of $27,956 for Joint Services;
Following the work session, council held a closed session to discuss personnel and legal issues. No action was taken following the closed session.
