Bath County Avoids Furlough For County Constitutional Officers

Warm Springs, Va – Bath County will avoid a furlough day for it’s constitutional officers. At Tuesday night’s Bath Board of Supervisors meeting county administrator Bonnie Johnson explained that Bath’s constitutional officers reduced their budgets even more to cover cuts by the state to avoid a furlough day. The State Compensation Board is reducing revenue more than anticipated which has resulted in a furlough day for some counties across the state.

The comp board left it to counties to find the money in their budgets to make up the cuts. Bath will have to absorb over $30,000.00 in additional cuts from the comp board, a much larger figure than anticipated. These cuts affect the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the sheriff’s Department, the commissioner of revenue, the treasurer and the circuit court clerk.

Supervisor Carol Hardbarger reported on the grant application she is writing to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help prepare a watershed plan for Cabin Creek. Hardbarger explained the Millboro community has worked hard on this project, with meetings including residents and the many agencies that are partnering on this project. The Cabin creek watershed planning partnership was created to find out why there’s flooding, to find out how to stop it and how to clean up the water.

The board heard a presentation on the Adult career pathway program at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. The program provides financial assistance for individuals who are unemployed or underemployed and assists in career planning. Tuition and books are covered for those who enroll to improve workforce skills.

Also on Tuesday night, The board discussed plans for the Board of equalization. The reassessment is underway now and the board discussed advertising to find those who may be interested in serving on the board of equalization. The board will focus on plans again in September.

County Administrator Bonnie Johnson presented an update on tourism activities. The county received 66 applications for it’s new Tourism Director position. Johnson hopes to have the new director in place by late summer or early fall.

The Board of Supervisors and the Chamber are working on several regional tourism projects including Fish Virginia First and the Rt 39 Appalachian Water Byway.
Also on Tuesday night the board appointed Mary Lynn Riner and Michael Grist to the planning commission and John Hodge to the industrial development authority.