Highland County Board of Supervisors Vote in Water Conservation Measures for Town of Monterey and Village of McDowell

The Highland County Board of Supervisors met on August 6. Part of the stated agenda included an item for Drought Designation/Natural Disaster Designation under new business. Melissa Dowd presented the draft to the supervisors and after some discussion on gardens containing food stuffs, the resolution passed. The resolution reads:

“WHEREAS, the U. S. Drought Monitor list s the Eastern part of Highland County in an

Extreme Drought and the western part of Highland County in a Severe Drought; and

WHEREAS, the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Agriculture has designated all of

Highland County, and all of it s contiguous counties, as primary natural disaster areas

due to the drought.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED that the Highland County Board of Supervisors

finds that water should be conserved if possible in all of Highland County due to

the drought situation.

This RESOLUTION shall be in effect from August 6, 2024, for sixty (60) days. This

RESOLUTION may be extended if the Board of Supervisors finds it necessary to do so.

Therefore, all Highland County/Village of McDowell and County users of the

Town water system are hereby notified that all water consumption is restricted during

this period. Water consumption is permitted for normal household or business use or

the care of companion animals and livestock. No watering lawns, or flower gardens, or

washing vehicles shall be permitted during this period. Farm gardens are exempt from

this restriction.

Farmers in Highland County are eligible for emergency loan assistance from the federal

Farm Service Agency (FSA) due to the designation as a primary natural disaster area.

Farmers are eligible for eight (8) months from July 29, 2024, to apply for emergency

Loans.

Violations of this RESOLUTION shall be punishable as a Class III misdemeanor,

meaning a fine of not more than $500.00.”

This goes into effect immediately, so please plan accordingly for your household if you use water from the Town of Monterey or the Village of McDowell. If you are on a well, or use spring water, this resolution does not pertain to you.

Several other items on the agenda were tabled, with supervisors Harry Sponaugle and Henry Budzinski citing pending legal matters. Both Sponaugle and Budzinski are subject to a recall, which was continued by the court. The county is also involved in a lawsuit that involves the running and oversight of EMS, stemming from the adoption of an EMS Action Plan on April 11, 2024.

Tabled items included a Code of Ethics for the Board of Supervisors as well as the transfer request from Highland County Public Schools for needed repairs to the building and grounds. Bolar Volunteer Rescue Squad’s request to return their DERA status was also tabled, leaving Matt Ratcliff of the Bolar Volunteer Rescue Squad visibly frustrated. 

No action was taken on the ARPA Grant to implement a ballot on demand system for the main

Registrar’s office.

The board did vote to extend an offer to an EMS Chief Candidate with the hopes that they will have someone in place before the next work session. 

The supervisors began to bicker and make attacks on each other during discussion of the EMS situation, costs for legal fees, and discussion of EMS vehicle repairs. Decorum was lost several times as each member of the board of supervisors put down others, making demeaning remarks about their service and opinions on issues. The meeting ended with supervisor Paul Trible asking Sponaugle to please refrain from pointing his finger in his face. 

After the meeting there was no closed session, so many community members who were present at the meeting pressed the supervisors further to answer questions. This led to an additional shouting match with insults and cuss words hurled by members of the board.

Allegheny Mountain Radio will continue to update this story if a new chief is announced as hired. The next meeting of the Highland County Board of Supervisors is a work session on August 21 at 7:30 p.m.