Highland Supervisors Appoint Interim EMS Chief & Authorize Hiring of Two EMT positions

The Highland County Board of Supervisors held it’s monthly work session July 21.   The Board went into closed meeting after the work session, then reconvened and voted unanimously to appoint Carl Williams as Interim EMS Chief and also authorized him to move forward with advertising to fill two EMT positions.

During the meeting, there was public comment from Gerald Armstrong about the proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area.  Armstrong said the land is already National Forest and he asked why declare it a wilderness area, asking what would be the benefit?  He said the proposed expansion of wilderness area will create a corridor between Route 250 and Route 33 that no generation in the future will be able to cross with utilities or technology.  Armstrong said we don’t have the right to tell future generations how to use that land.

County Attorney Melissa Dowd recommended the Board table any action indefinitely on the resolution for the Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area.  She said she had information for the Board that she would like the Board to consider before taking action.  The Board voted to table action on the resolution indefinitely.

County Administrator Roberta Lambert provided a reminder about the Board of Zoning Appeals public hearing on July 27 at 6:30 on an application from Atlantic Coast Signs for a sign variance for the proposed Family Dollar store.  Supervisor David Blanchard said he plans to attend.   The county, as the owner of the car wash, is an adjoining landowner to the property.

And the Board voted to submit a letter of intent for Highland County in order to be eligible to apply later this year for funding for broadband expansion.  The funding is from the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative and will be used to expand broadband and technology for unserved areas of Highland County.