Highland County Board of Supervisors October 16 Meeting
New Highland County EMS Chief Pete Kosenko gave a report on a new Quick Response Unit at the October 16 meeting of the Highland County Board of Supervisors. He said he was thankful to be working well with the Highland County Volunteer Rescue Squad in all areas, but specifically the use of the quick response vehicle. Kosenko will use the vehicle during the day, then it would be available for the volunteers at night. There are items on backorder that prevent the unit from being placed into immediate use, but Kosenko reported that he hopes to have it in service within a few months.
The Highland County Volunteer Rescue Squad is also keeping one ambulance at the county EMS building, also known as the former car wash. This recent development and collaboration has started improving response times already, according to Kosenko.
The board then adopted a resolution to support the Virginia America 250 Commission, seeing it as a furtherance of economic development and tourism in Highland County. Known as VA250, this state-wide commemoration celebrates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and US independence in the Commonwealth of Virginia. VA250 has requested that each locality form a committee to aid in planning for the commemoration period, and this resolution would allow for a citizens’ committee from Highland County to form with Interim County Administrator Jerri Botkin serving as a conduit to the supervisors.
Under new business, Botkin spoke to the board about posting the position for a part-time water system operator for the Village of McDowell. Current operator Judy Ralston informed the county she would not renew her water operator license when it expires and would like to stop operating in the position on November 1, 2024. The board voted unanimously to post the position.
The board then added an agenda item and quickly voted to give Chief Kosenko the authority to sell a county ambulance that has never been placed into service. Kosenko reported that this ambulance is ill suited for Highland County because it is not 4-wheel drive and has very low clearance. Space is also cramped for working with patients. The county currently has does not have any ambulances in service, as this one is being sold and the other is in the shop for repairs, so the volunteers keeping an ambulance in the county EMS space has been a huge boon to the entire rescue system for Highland County.
They convened in closed meeting to discuss the assignment or promotion of a specific employee. No actions were taken in closed session.