Highland Supervisors Must Deal With Additional Cuts In State Funding To The County Budget

Monterey, VA – The Highland County Board of Supervisors will have to deal with yet another budget reduction from the State of Virginia to start off the new fiscal year. This is the third reduction in state support for the county in the last 12 months. This most recent reduction totals $28,952. County Administrator Roberta Lambert gives her recommendation.

“My preference would be that we pay it and the programs themselves not be reduced” she says.

After her suggestion, Supervisor Jerry Rexrode responds.

“So what you’re saying is we’re going to end up taking $29,000.00 more out of the county budget, because the state made a correction; correct?” asks Rexrode. “Correct” says Lambert.

The Supervisors approved a motion to have the County Administrator send the payment for the reduction in funding to the state treasurer. The County will then have to make up for that reduction from the General Fund later in the fiscal year.

In other business, the US Forest Service notified the county of its plan to close about 1 mile of road in the George Washington National forest. The location is in the western part of the county, off Route 600 in the Ruckman Draft area. Supervisor Rexrode responded with a motion.

“I’m going to make a motion that we send in a resolution not to close anything” says Rexrode. “I’m getting to old to walk, and all we’re doing is taking access away from old people like me and handicapped.”

The Board approved the motion. Supervisor Rexrode also had a suggestion regarding a fence near the new access road to the swimming pool off Route 220.

“There’s been discussion about putting a wire fence between Jerry Moats [business] and the county” he says. “I did ask the gentleman to get us a price on it. I just need permission from y’all to go ahead and put the fence up; I would certainly suggest that we go ahead and do it, but that’s up to y’all.”

The Board approved a motion for Mr. Rexrode to get a bid for the fence construction and proceed with getting the fence built so it will be finished before the access road work begins. At the time of this meeting on June 21, VDOT had not yet issued the building permit to start work on the access road. However, that permit was received earlier this week so construction should begin later in July.

The bids are in for the sidewalk project, but a panel hearing had to be held on those bids. That hearing has now been completed and VDOT has approved awarding the contract. There will be a preconstruction conference soon with the builder to approve the construction contracts and the Sidewalk Project construction should begin in a few weeks. The Supervisors awarded that contract to Plecker Construction of Staunton, Virginia during their June meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Highland County Board of Supervisors will be Tuesday, July 5 at 7:30 PM in the Modular Conference Center in Monterey.