Bath BOS meets for March

When the Bath County Board of Supervisors met last Tuesday evening it was clear the focus on their work I the next couple of months is developing a budget. The planning commission assists the board in this process by prioritizing requested items. Then the board approves or disapproves the recommendations from the planning commission as tool for their own work.  Repairs and improvements to the baseball field at the high school, and a new mini pumper truck for Mountain Grove Volunteer Fire Department are in the top category of most urgent budgeting requests. In the second level of requests, or those the planning commission identified as important to fund as soon as funds become available are; an elevator in the Mertz Wing of the high school, and improvements to the county’s waste water treatment center. Extending or improving a water line to the Chimney Run area of the county comes into Category C, or items that should be included in the budget if funds are available. Richard Bird, Board Chair clarified the steps that are followed as the board determines how to plan for the year ahead.

“ I want to be precise of what that actually means because we’ve got some calls; that does not mean the Board of Supervisors are appropriating any funds whatsoever to any project, any item, any subject that has been approved by the planning commission. The planning commission has done their due diligence by doing what they do, and do good; you find the information, prepare the information for the Board of Supervisors, and give us the right to do the best we can with the funds that we have. We can only fund up to the amount of money that we have. We will do that during the budget process during the budget process, which begins, of course as you’ve already heard, March the 22nd.”

A few other items addressed, and unanimously agreed to during the meeting were: acknowledging March as National Red Cross month, setting a public hearing during the April meeting for a rezoning question, and renewing an agreement for ongoing Emergency Medical Services training with the provider through May, 2018. Concluding a discussion about the forty-one thousand dollars in funding made available through Title III, the board voted to use it for the Search and Rescue operations for which it is designated. At least one board member, and one member of the public noted any funds that could be used on forest land would be especially welcome in fire prevention, or fire containment practices. There is concern about so much down and dry wood throughout the mountains. The board noted these concerns, but responded those Title III funds are available only for search and rescue at the moment. The board also reappointed David Lindsay to the Public Service Authority for the Valley Springs District through March of 2022.

Kathy Barden, who is the program specialist for the Allegheny Highlands Victim Witness Assistance Program was present to accept a resolution adopted by the Board designating National Crime Victims Rights week. After defining the role of the organization as one who identifies victims of crimes, informs them of their rights, and seeks legal and personal assistance for the victims, Richard Bird, Chair, read the resolution on behalf of the supervisors. It concluded:

“Now therefore be it resolved that we the Bath County Board of Supervisors, the County of Bath, the Commonwealth of Virginia, on behalf of the county and its citizens do here proclaim April 8 to 14 National Victims Rights week.” More information about this program is available on line, and will be in the courthouse in the second week of April.

 

Story By

Bonnie Ralston

Bonnie Ralston is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens.

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