The Shadow
LOW MOOR — Alleghany County will join with Covington and Clifton Forge in offering recycling services to its residents.
Tuesday night, the board of supervisors approved a $25,750 allocation toward recycling.
The county has been without recycling since Jackson River Enterprises in Covington ceased operations. Due to the costs involved, Covington and Clifton Forge have limited their recycling to residents of the city and town.
Pete Huber, the county’s interim administrator, said allocating funds to Covington and Clifton Forge will allow the three localities to provide the service and share the cost.
“It’s less expensive,” he said.
Covington’s current recycling drop-off point is located on the former True Value Hardware property across from Covington High School. Clifton Forge’s drop-off site at Matthews Park, near Hardees.
“It will be good to have recycling again on both ends of the county,” said Matt Garten, chairman of the board of supervisors.
In a matter related to economic development and the ongoing COVID-19 recovery, the board voted to expand a small business grant program to Bath County.
A $1.6 million grant for small business recovery assistance was awarded to the Alleghany Highlands last year.
Alleghany County, Covington, Clifton Forge and Iron Gate were awarded the Community Development Block Grant to assist small businesses in the Alleghany Highlands.
The localities allow up to $5,000 per business to reimburse the costs incurred to reopen the business in accordance with state guidelines, as well as provide up to $8,400 in commercial rent relief for affected businesses.
It was estimated that CDBG funding would assist approximately 150 businesses in the area, many of which are small retailers or tourism-related businesses that were closed during the pandemic. Alleghany County is and administering the grant money through assistance from the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.
Suzane Adcock, Alleghany County’s director of finance, said 103 small businesses have received funding so far. The grants have totaled $774,691.
“We would like to include the Bath County service area with the remaining funds,” Adcock said.
The proposal was approved 7-0. Ashton Harrison, Bath County’s administrator was presented at Tuesday night’s meeting. He thanked the board of supervisors for their action.
The board was also apprised of ongoing efforts to improve recreation areas at Lake Moomaw, which is in Alleghany and Bath counties.
Alleghany County resident Bill Uzzell said that through the efforts of District Ranger Theresa Tanner, progress has been made over the past six months.
“I have been doing this for 15 years and it’s been very tough to get things moving,” Uzzell said of his past talks with the U.S. Forest Service.
But he said Tanner has a five-year plan for carrying out the needed improvements.
“We are making progress,” Uzzell said. “I want to make sure you know things are progressing. Slowly but persistent.”
Uzzell credited Tanner for the progress that’s being made.
“She is actually getting some things done,” he said. “She is doing an excellent job, in my opinion.”
Delores Quarles updated supervisors on ongoing improvements to the Wrightsville area of the county.
She said housing rehabilitation and other work is approximately 90 percent complete. The work is expected to be finalized next year.
The work is being carried out with a $1.4 million Community Development Block Grant awarded to the county in 2019.
Wrightsville is one of the oldest African-American communities in the Alleghany Highlands.
Redistricting is also on the horizon for Alleghany County.
Two board members, Garten and Vice Chairman James Griffith, will be part of a committee that will redraw the lines in the county’s seven magisterial districts. The redistricting will be based on population data from the 2020 census.
Huber said the committee will begin its work after a redistricting commission redraws election district maps in Virginia.
“The work will really begin after the state does their redistricting this year,” he said.
In other action Tuesday, the board:
— Approved a $9.5 budget amendment that reflects carryforwards and outstanding encumbrances.
— Recommended that Dickie Engleman (Sharon District) be reappointed the Board of Zoning Appeals. The appointment will be made by the Alleghany County Circuit Court.
