thank you
good afternoon everyone
[Music]
I know we have a large crowd out here
tonight so we'll give it everyone an
opportunity to be you know heard
um first of all I'd like to welcome you
to the Russell County Board of
Supervisors October the 2nd 2023 at 6
p.m at the Russell County Board of
Supervisors
I like to first start off with a call to
order and roll call
Tim Lovelace here
right in time
car Ray here
David here
Steve Brady here Rebecca dye here or is
Chris president
Luanne Wallace here
ma'am you have a quorum
thank you sir at this time I'm going to
ask for the invocation please remain
standing for the Pledge of Allegiance
let us pray father God lord we love you
we thank you and we praise you today
Father father forgive us for where we
fail you each and every day and Lord
thank you for allowing us to be a part
of our local government father help us
be more like you each and every and
every day in your name we pray amen amen
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
Republic which it stands one nation
under God the indivisible with liberty
and justice for all
thank you and at this time I'm going to
going for an approval of the agenda
please so moved I have a motion I need a
second got a motion in a second any
further discussions
hearing none I'll call for the vote all
in favor any opposed any abstentions
motion carries thank you at this time
this evening we've got a presentation
um by Ms Kimberly hooker and that is our
uh school superintendent for Russell
County please come on up thank you Miss
hooker pleasure to have you
Madam chair and members of the board
I stand before you today to address a
matter of utmost importance the
compensation of our dedicated
administrators teachers and staff
the success of any school depends
heavily on the individuals who work
tirelessly behind the scenes and in the
classrooms
her administrative staff ensures the
efficient operation of schools our
faculty members are the heart of
education and their support staff plays
an indispensable role in creating a safe
and nurturing environment for our
students
today a teacher discrepancy has become a
critical matter
between the last three years we have
lost over 60 faculty and staff to
neighboring higher paying counties
our teachers are more than just
instructors
they are mentors role models and
advocates for our children's success
they invest countless hours in planning
lessons grading assignments and
supporting students both academically
and emotionally
their dedication goes beyond the
classroom often involving participation
in extracurricular activities and
engaging with parents to ensure a
holistic educational experience
however the current state of teacher
salaries in Russell County does not
reflect the immense value they bring to
our community
as the cost of living continues to rise
it is imperative that we recognize the
financial challenges our Educators face
competitive compensation is not only a
matter of fairness but also a Strategic
investment in the future of our schools
and the overall quality of Education in
the survival of our community
when our teachers and staff are fairly
compensated we can attract and retain
the best talent ensuring a stable
experienced faculty and staff
the stability creates positive
environment for learning where students
can Thrive under the guidance of
experienced faculty and staff who are
motivated and fulfilled in their roles
this problem did not happen overnight
but I urge you to consider the long-term
consequences of low paying salaries
insufficient salaries can lead to
burnout High turnover rates and
ultimately a decline in the quality of
Education our students receive
by addressing this concern now we can
demonstrate our commitment to the
well-being of both our Educators and our
students
I have a folder that I have shared with
you tonight that will give you insight
into the problem
the school board and I realize it is a
problem
like I stated previously this problem
did not happen overnight and we are
certainly not going to fix it overnight
however we think it is time for our
boards to come together to work toward a
solution
we are conducting an operational audit
by an outside group that began last week
and should be completed in December
it is our desire to know if there's
anything that we can do to help our
employees get higher salaries and wages
the folder also has information on
salaries that are compared to the state
in region 7 divisions this information
is the
2022-23 and it came from the Virginia
Education Association this is this
year's salaries won't be printed until
December
there's information on the County's
appropriation that shows we have been
level funded for the last several years
we have given enrollment numbers at each
School in the teacher to student ratio
we have not replaced several teachers
when they have retired or left
there is also information on how our
administrators are paid from the school
to the central office level
our administrators only get a raise on
their teacher-based pay
there is a lot of misconception that
they get a raise on their supplement in
the two extra months they work Beyond a
10-month contract
I have also included a central office
comparison of surrounding counties I
think that you will find that our Center
office staff salaries are not inflated
if you look at the central office staff
in comparison you will see that our
supervisors have multiple
responsibilities where in other counties
the person only has one job
responsibility
as I stated in the beginning of my
presentation all administrators faculty
and staff are vital for our schools to
be successful you cannot have one
without the other in collaboration among
all of us is essential for the success
of our division
in conclusion we are asking that you
prioritize the Equitable compensation of
our faculty and staff let us acknowledge
their tireless efforts and dedication by
providing them with salaries that
reflect their vital contributions
by doing so we invest in the foundation
of our community's future success
thank you and I'd also like to say that
I have had the privilege to talk to Mr E
and Mr Lester about this before I had
the presentation and I appreciate the
open dialogue and I hope that we both
boards can continue to do that
[Applause]
great great group of people and I want
to thank the school board members the
administrators the faculty and staff
coming out and support me I'm very
humbled by that thank you Miss hooker
thank you can we yeah can we ask some
questions sure okay
okay I applaud you for doing this
analysis that you know the way Lonzo you
know explained to me it's like an
efficiency analysis and they'll look at
all aspects of what you're doing and I
think it's a great thing David and I had
talked about this several years ago we
didn't get much traction so uh is there
a way for the county to
be a part of that to participate in some
of the meetings sure yes we can make
that happen I think that would be good
to have a liaison you know to go with
the county and believe me I understand
my wife is former teacher and I hear it
all the time so uh I I think it would be
helpful maybe just you know to bring
information back to the board and I know
once they're finished with it they will
if I I would like for them to they will
present to our board and they can come
and present to the Board of Supervisors
yeah
you know just doing a presentation like
this I sort of scanned through it and
I've seen a lot of this before but uh
you know it's going to take a little
while sitting down
compared to the other areas so you know
maybe having somebody involved in it you
know you could even maybe a little Mr
Lester could be
that's fine
I really appreciate Miss hooker and for
you know I always say it since I've been
elected for eight years that this is so
critical for us because if we're not
competitive
we can't ever catch up and the way that
the money sent down to us from the state
we've been blessed to be able to give
the raises but you're never going to
catch up because everybody else gets the
raises around us also so I think with
this you know we talked about hiring an
outside independent person to come in
and do an evaluation and look at both
sides to look and help us to strategize
a way and I would like to see not this
implemented as just a one-time fix I
think whatever we do it's going to have
to be a long term
long range fix that that is documented
and put together on paper that we don't
it don't matter who sets in these seats
we don't change it we don't evaluate
from it we don't go away from that but
it's going to have to be set in stone
that whatever we do is going to be long
term
you know I know by my review when I was
on the budget committee and looking back
through the years there was times that
no raises were given well that even puts
us further behind and then there was
times that you know we've been really
fortunate to be able to do the raise but
you're never going to catch up and
there's not a person in this room that's
wants to be competitive and for us to
get somebody to live here work here
build a home here and want to stay in
Russell County this is to me an industry
it's not just it's somebody that's
taking care of our children but it's
actually 600 or so employees that we
need to look at that and say why would
you want to come here and work when you
can go somewhere else and make ten to
fifteen thousand dollars more in the
year to me on the business side that
don't make no sense to me so I think
it's going to have to be a combined
effort between both boards we're going
to have to really get down in the mud
and work this out and see what we need
to do to fix this this critical issue
we've had a lot of cans kicked down the
road over the years we can't blame that
now we gotta we gotta come to a
resolution of fix and see what we can do
to to address this issue I don't want to
lose anybody but it's all about also the
money you know you you spend the money
on your education you go to work and
then you're not fulfilling that you know
money in your pocket I guess years ago
when the coal mines was big and
everybody was working good you know it
might not have been an issue but we need
to be forward thinking we need to think
about how we fix our economic woes in
our County to be competitors I don't
think this is anything that can be fixed
overnight no we're gonna we need a plan
as David said to address this you know
when we you know and we need a Target to
try to get to and we need to talk to the
state maybe about the way they allocate
their money as well we need to Lobby uh
we talked to Governor yankin about this
issue with our schools we had a meeting
with them with him on three different
occasions and told him what we were
dealing with and he was blown away
he couldn't believe that we were so far
behind and you know we we need the lobby
we need to Lobby together we need to go
to Richmond we need to talk to our
delegates our Senators or and see what
they can do to procure maybe a health
fix to to bring the money down here so
we can make these
you know to apply this so we can work
toward this you know some of that excess
budget they had that two or three
billion dollars extra could have gone a
long way towards some of the smaller
counties you know as far as trying to
get parity and Equity among all the
teachers
I appreciate it we're I'm certainly
willing to work with you anyway we can
that's one to work with you guys to see
what we can do but we don't need to just
talk about it no just need to talk about
it
I mean we need to dig down into this
thing and and really fix this issue yeah
because it's critical I mean we're on
you know I hate the the fact that we've
lost 60. you know we were talking if if
we lose we've actually lost 23 this year
if this happens next year what had
happened this year I don't know if we'll
be able to operate
so I mean it's it's a critical situation
whatever I can do I'll I'll help
I would like to say that uh this is not
just a school board or a county
situation has been involved the state's
going to have to get involved we've lost
revenue and also um I think we're gonna
have to at least to State the county and
the board of supervisor is going to have
to work and come up with some plan
I've told different people if not what I
fixed they've done said that I make all
the same thing they said but I I already
spoke out out in the public so always
it's something that we are going to have
to really
work the revenue is not there and people
doesn't want to raise taxes so we may
have to raise taxes but we need all the
help we can get from the state
government and if we if there's any way
possible it may be the federal
government
I want to look at every Avenue there is
to look at and consider and work
aggressively to get that assistance from
whatever Department of banks or
government that we can need to okay
thank you
we appreciate you very much thank you
thank you uh Mr Lester will be do you
need to say anything Mr Lester I'll give
you a minute or two
that's giving me a minute to say
the Board of Supervisors over the last
couple years we knew that this was
coming through of course we went through
the pandemic and everything went into a
tailspin but and when that happened is
they changed the whole dynamics of uh
the actually get the skill set actually
teachers we had the same problem with
law enforcement you it's hard to get the
skill sets even if you had the funding
it's it uh but the board has been
working behind the scenes to look at
Alternatives just like you know the
board members have mentioned this up
here uh they've been navigating at the
state level we've been looking at the
local level we have also come out of the
pandemic and we have some businesses
that are coming online so that gives us
a lot more opportunity to be able to
look at other venues and other ways to
be available to assist the you know the
school system and the teachers
thank you you're welcome so as the chair
I'm going to ask Mr Lester
if he will be that uh liaison with you
because
um I think that brings quality to
Quality and we can move faster that way
so thank you I appreciate it again thank
you everyone for coming in support
moving on to new business
I need an approval of the minutes for
the unapproved minutes of September the
5th 2023 please so move Madam chair
second
I have a motion and a second for
approval of the minutes all in favor
any opposed
any abstentions hearing none motion
carries
I'll slow down just a minute if you guys
would like to go ahead and make your
exit
[Music]
foreign
can everybody hear
all right we'll move along
so I need an approval of expenditures to
consider for the present to present for
payments please
I'm like in motion manager
thank you Mr Ray I need a second
thank you Mr Christian I have a motion
and a second to approve the bills and
pay the bills all in favor uh any
opposed
any abstentions motion carries next on
your new business is committee
appointments for board consideration
first off we have the local College
Advisory Board and she has just left the
building
yeah I talked to Dr hooker and she would
uh she's very excited about uh been on
this board so I would like to appoint Dr
hooker to a two-year term on the local
College Advisory Board
thank you David we have a motion for Dr
hooker on the college Advisory Board any
further
discussions they normally do appoint our
superintendent and they've always done a
good job and I'm I feel like she will
too they work hand in hand with what
their schools need
are you the second
well you don't really need to say all
right we're going to move on then we're
going to take all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries
next I have the highway safety
Commission
um
Miss Patton can we take that as a slate
you can if you want if there's a motion
it can be considered that way I'll make
that motion to do it as a slate I think
I talked with mine and he's willing to
come back and serve again everybody else
I think if you talked with your reps
I got a second from Mr Christian
I'll take that one sorry Carl all right
any further discussion
all in favor
any opposed
any abstentions motion carries next
we're moving on to the Russell County
Planning Commission we have Charles
Edmonds and John Mason are up for
reappointment for another four-year term
for the Planning Commission
I'll entertain a motion I'll make a
motion so it is
Katie I mean Miss Patton may we do it as
a slight you can I mean if you want to
make the motion that way it have to be
second and improved by all righty but
you can't I'll see I got a motion in a
second to approve Charles Edmonds and
John Mason put him back on the Planning
Commission uh all in favor uh any
opposed any abstentions motion carries
next on the list is the Cumberland
Plateau Economic Development Commission
there's three seats open for that for
each is a one-year term
I'll make a motion as it's like that we
reappoint off these three gentlemen
okay I have a motion for a slate to
reappoint the three I need a second so I
have a second any further discussion
I'll call for the vote all in favor any
opposed any abstentions motion carries
next we're coming to the citizen comment
period
um I have a list of folks
that have signed up to speak tonight I
will ask you to keep it to three minutes
I will call you if it's not so I'm going
to set the timer we're going to start
off with
um Jim little Copper Ridge
Mr little
Miss Wallace said I'm Jim little from
Copper Ridge district one uh I guess I
know most of you all up here in fact all
of you uh I'm coming to speak in
reference to the landfill out of
ignorance about everything that's going
on but also out of respect to our
environment Henry David Thoreau said
that if you build a wall a fence or a
border you become a steward of
everything within that
and as stewards of that
as every citizen of this County and U7
setting up here uh especially you assume
that responsibility
of being a steward over all that we're
blessed with
also in the Book of Genesis we're told
that
God gave adam and hence all mankind the
responsibility
over air Land and Sea
and anything that would be a hindrance
or harm to that
we not only have violated our
stewardship but we've violated Our
obligation to our Lord and savior
now that being said
I look
a few years back my daughter served
three years on a group called stream
sweepers cleaning up that Clinch River
many young young men and women have
served on that in doing just that
project
and if we in any way offer something now
I don't know the details I don't want to
know I don't know how all this
information came down and it's none of
my business basically but it's all out
there in the open it seems so I think
it's a subject to be addressed
I would hate to think that her and the
other young people that worked on stream
sweepers that 10 years from now
they can't fish in that River
that 10 years from now I can't take a
grandchild of mine down and enjoy the
clinch
as I've had the opportunity to do so
there's been enough Hazard as waste some
was found around Cleveland back when
Shiloh was serving on stream sweepers
she still maintains a scar on her leg
from where there was an industrial tanks
55 gallon drums that had been dumped
into that River
the point is U7 along with all of us
citizens have a responsibility to see
that doesn't happen again
we have a responsibility
to see that even though great income
might come in
we're trying to promote tourism we're
trying to promote land values
we're trying to attract people in and I
really don't see
maybe I'm just plain ignorant
unless you've been talking to my wife
you would agree that that may be the
case sometimes but that we are losing
sight
of our rural environment here
would you want to
10 years from now be eating a fish out
of that okay thank you very much
Wanda Burke
we're just here to thank the Border
supervisors
for allowing us to apply for the six
thousand dollars out of the opioid
settlement money to bring Mark mayor
here last a couple weeks ago
the settlement money was is to help with
the prevention of opioid addiction and
as you all know paperwork had to be
completed for it to be approved
and the county did not just
give us money
sadly we had some people who really
tried to destroy what was done here for
our students in those two days
by creating a distraction
shame on anyone who feels an
investigation is needing ask the
students the parents teachers the
principals who really were there for
those presentations
a personal opinion was given in one
school by someone who doesn't live here
and has nothing
no say in anything that happens in this
County politically in a campaign was
started that it was a political ploy
but I'm here to tell you that three
students
out of hundreds of messages that Mark
received were complete contemplating
suicide
they all related how impactful the video
of the mom whose son had committed
suicide due to bullying and Mark's
encouragement changed their path
I could never put a price on a child's
life or what a parent would go through
to get a phone call like that so I can't
understand why people would want to
destroy all of the good that came out of
those two days and we hope that they
never get a phone call like that mom got
so sadly I hate that it had to be made
into something that it was not and we
apologize for any problem that it caused
but we just want to say we're grateful
for all the students the teachers the
staff the adults that were impacted
positively whether in the school or the
community nights events our struggle for
our students is real with bullying drugs
alcohol and all the other pressures they
face and we just want to thank you all
again
thank you Miss Burke
next is Tony Smith
I'm a little slow way to push that butt
excuse my looks I normally am very
handsome man but my mule doctor broke my
upper teeth knocked two bottom teeth out
I didn't curse and I I didn't hear them
but anyway I'm here on a series matter
every one of you
think about this I don't know if you've
seen them or not when I was young it's
like dumpster on fire everywhere
it's on fire I mean it burnt the place
down its stunt where's the name stinky
could smell
yeah according to what I can find out
too at least maybe a year and a half ago
see we talked to there was some kind of
industrial park and I'm thinking that'd
probably be pretty good you know maybe
even a place for the elderly people
but this trash stuff's been in mind all
along
and uh
why are we just now hearing about it is
one thing but don't ask me I got a few
things to say here
I personally think we need uh
get the EPA involved y'all met done got
them but I don't see how it could win
through
but let me tell you what I wrote down
today a few things from my memories
all right we've had dust forever the
farm I live on was called dust Farm I'm
65. and it was the dust farm when I was
five
okay then before that we had mustard
guys
it's been a kind of a rough life over in
Cleveland I could have any taste maybe
even ears
but and then we had and then we got more
dust it's like a lawsuit for my
grandfather I got the community semi
cleansed big money for everybody it
helps it worked you got to fight to see
us to my main I'm not suggesting y'all
are the system but there is a system
whether it's the
no matter where it's at from you pass
along down all right then we got a power
plant got the dust it put out
then a trash dump was put in next to a
lake ten feet of each other
the Wastewater leaked until the roadside
ditch I mean right there it was coming
out just like cold things
stunt finally got it straightened out
all right
we got water from Channel Creek on this
side coming into this
we got to like we got dumps Creek
I mean how many Russell County need to
die
from this you know this is not a good
thing trash New York trash in our
country
why don't New York take their own trash
we're back here in the mountains but I
understand the density
because when you come out of Cleveland
if it's 10 10 30 it was real good place
to drag tobacco but when you come out
you were in the mountains you know what
I'm saying you were in the sunshine
it's different the density holds down
over there and that's why we got mustard
gas dry strikes and everything else
I was able to add some to that but I
believe that would be wrong me
I think that's the ones that opposed
just ain't no good recipe for rats or
maybe we can sell them to the community
maybe we can Farm them you know I don't
know but what this is going to come I
mean you got New York trash Bristol
trash all kinds of trash I'm out of time
but
who's I'd just like to know who's
against this news sports is that too
much to ask
nobody can raise a hand no comments
tonight no comments thank you for your
comments you come back next week and
finish your story
you'll get three more minutes
perfect
your your district is one of the worst
fair is fair Mr Smith thank you
Jackie Yates are you in the house
well I didn't really want to do this
because I
here I am
there's not not two people in this
County it's tried harder than me and
Jennifer we started with a credit score
of about 420 and a Toyota pickup that we
had to push start every morning to go
pick up trash
we've come a long ways and we struggle
trying to get her payments from people
that everybody's struggling and it just
us and we don't want to give up what we
do and
I've tried to get an answer on this for
a while and just keep getting shot down
we started doing a tire route we go to
all the garages the end of every month
to pick up used tires
every garage that I pick up from I keep
an invoice of how many tires I pick up
if I go to the transfer station and the
Machine is there I literally put them in
the machine and get rid of them they
never touch the ground no County workers
ever touch them I do that to help Brian
and Chad and them guys because they've
been good though and my question y'all
is is I know some people are dumping
tires and not paying for them because
they're getting them from Over the Hill
and them same people told me that
there's not as many cars over the hill
now because we're doing it the right way
and all I'm asking is is any we're
trying to do stuff like that and do
these events like for the town of
Lebanon and stuff to make it for the
people to not pay in the residential
so it would be something y'all could do
to help me with the dump fee on the
tires
because
the people the string sweepers I think
they're called they don't pay a dumpy so
they're not picking as many of them up
now because we're doing it the right way
before us he had everybody just getting
them and make it easy twenty dollars
throw them over the hill pocket the
money I feel like I'm getting punished
by doing it the right way
and if y'all can help me with the dump
fee on that I appreciate it if not we're
going to quit doing it ourselves but who
holds them just they wasn't going to the
landfill before us
you know there's a big pile I'm up there
now because they're getting hauled in
there that way so if y'all would help us
on that we appreciate it if not we're
all but done I mean
her big truck was messing up we had to
get rid of it we're back to pickups
we love what we do we do we got a lot of
customers that we treat like family I've
got some customers we take the bingo
with us because they have no family we
love what we do so if y'all can help us
with the tires fine if not we're going
to quit doing them they'll go right back
over the hill I promise you because my
baby was taking the landfill before us
and I was told you know they couldn't
help me to do it be fair to help me and
not help others without nobody else
doing it who else are they to help if
somebody else wants to do it I'll quit
and let them start they just don't need
to go over the hills
that's all I got to say I guess
and if I can get an answer on that
pretty quick
I mean I don't know why we can't get
some kind of answer tonight if we can't
thank you Mr Gates you still have some
time I don't want to interrupt you I
just want to say and if y'all can't help
me at least help you School teachers
without them we're done
there's plenty of money in this County
plenty of money they just ain't
distribute it out the right way
teachers need to get what they deserve
too thank you Mr Yates I appreciate it
next on the list is Mike White did I get
that right
good afternoon ladies and gentlemen how
are y'all this afternoon
um I'm here because
um
we have property basically across the
street from Moss three
I am 150 against this landfill for for
one simple reason well there are several
reasons you know well and I we acquired
the property for rest and relaxation we
have Lake Bonaventure we have our
hunting area
I have built in in our company has built
landfills in Virginia
Tennessee and North Carolina we built
most of the transfer stations here where
they took all the trash to Bristol you
know that landfill down there was
supposed to be 70-year landfill
they filled it up in 23 years because
they took trash from everybody it was
all about the dollar that's all it was
about
plain and simple and and we feel if
that's what this landfill will be if
y'all agree to put it in we'll be all
about the dollar bringing trash from New
York bringing trash
from Pennsylvania you know they they
train trash from Chesapeake and Norfolk
to Kentucky right now
you know the leech age from this stuff
coming out there it's toxic it's
Biohazard you know it's chemical it's
it's just it's it's dirty it's nasty you
know right now Cheney Creek is one of
the cleanest Creeks since they closed
the mines down
it's one of the cleanest creeks in that
area
and so is Buffalo Creek in the north
clinch the North Fork of the clinch you
know I'm I you know I'm not a tree
hugger or or anything like that but I
believe in conservation
I believe in doing stuff right but I am
against the landfill 100 percent
and that's all I got to say thank you
thank you Mr White
that ends the public comment list but I
will say if you are here and did not
sign up on this list and you want to
have a word here for your three minutes
you're welcome to do so
no sir we just Maybe
let us get through this meeting sorry
come tell me your name your address
where you live
Who You Are
my name is Jared ring uh I live at 149
Calvary Baptist Road in Castlewood not
terribly far from the side of the
proposed landfill
um
uh 26 years old I got my degree in
computer science out of my graduating
class
I think the top ten I'm one of two who
remains
I did not want to leave this place I
love Russell County I love Appalachia I
have had to work to remain here due to
the lack of jobs available in my
profession
and now there could be a landfill
less than five miles from my home
and I I think I speak for a lot of young
people
when I say it is difficult to remain in
this place due to the lack of jobs
and
it just adds insult to injury if we put
a landsl here as well and I have a very
hard time believing that none of the
trash from it will end up in the clinch
I mean
polymer waste has a Decay time of
centuries
so some of the waste that will very
likely end up in this landfill will be
in this County polluting our Rivers
polluting our land longer than Russell
County has been a county it takes
centuries for some polymer waste to
decay
and uh I just I can't believe that there
would be an incentive good enough for us
to entertain the notion of this being
here because no short-term gain is worth
the centuries of problems that will be
left to our children and it's hard
enough to remain here
without the property being devalued
further by the landfill without
the shift to agrotourism being damaged
by having a landfill in an area that's
been relatively untouched since the
mines and Moss three itself went out
um
there I believe categorically they're
hundreds of reasons that this is not a
good idea ecologically or economically
and I would encourage all of you to
think about the impact that this will
have not just in the next 70 years but
after that
I mean because as I mentioned a moment
ago much of this stuff will be here
centuries if this guy
uh I will likely live to see it
so I'm speaking from a younger person's
perspective I I would ask all of you to
bear that in mind and oppose this
landfill every step of the way thank you
anybody else want to speak on this any
topic for public speaking
come on up and give me your name and
address
my name is Linda Fletcher and I live in
Lebanon
36 Barton Drive living in Virginia
and I worked in Cleveland for 35 years
and I watched that community at this
point it's been almost 50 years ago I
watch how things have changed over the
years with the loss of the minds and the
loss of employment in the area the
downsizing of the power plant that has
really badly affected that community
um the closing of two schools has
happened since I started working there
and from a personal point of view when I
was a little girl there was a landfill
in Lebanon and most of you folks are
probably not old enough to remember that
but it was right across on the other
side of the field for my house
up open Castle Road Upper Hall
it's done you had smoke you head
straight animals you had all kinds of
stuff that you put on in your backyard
and I'm sure if one at a time we asked
you would you like to have a landfill
across from your house
your farm I am pretty sure that most of
you would say no
I know we're in economic hard times I'm
also the employee of Russell County
School System part-time that I worked
for Russell County school system for 35
years I have been blessed and how many
wonderful people and I know that with
many it's hard we try to think of ways
that we can improve our situation that
are truly with all my heart believe and
I don't live up there and I don't live
close to over there
it's not going to affect me personally
in my backyard but I think you really
need to think about is this worth the
cost
down the road is this worth the cost I
can remember when they would let
um
the polluted water from the mines into
the river over there dead fish floating
along
we don't want that here and I really
hope you all will really really consider
and think if this was my community
if this was my backyard
if this adjoined my farm
or my house would I want it there and I
appreciate y'all's time thank you very
much thank you
anybody else oh got another one all
right
hi I'm Vicki Kitts I'm with the Virginia
Education Association I'm uniserve
director we have an office here at 232
East Main Street in Lebanon and I just
wanted to reiterate what Dr hooker said
in her presentation she did reference a
salary study that the Bea done for 22-23
but I've also have data for the 2324 for
region seven and unfortunately Russell
County at every step of the way as at
the bottom of the list for region seven
we know this isn't anything new but we
want to help Russell County Board of
Supervisors in the school board to work
to fix this issue it is important to
retain and attract quality
instructors from the top from our
superintendent down to our custodians
because we want quality people in our
schools for our students and we know
that there needs to be a legislative fix
for this the funding mechanism doesn't
work and we have legislated and lobbied
for years to get this change jaylark in
their report continuously state that
this is an issue and we want to work
together oftentimes people don't see the
Virginia Education Association as being
pro public education for Southwest
Virginia but we really are and we help
all of our localities in Southwest
Virginia to be able to raise their
salary so that our folks can pay their
bills and they're not working two and
three jobs just to pay their bills and
have student loan debt that is crippling
many of our employees and many of our
teachers so I do uh look forward to how
Alonzo is going to be working with Dr
hooker in this audit so that we can see
how we can be most efficient with our
funds but we also want to work on how we
can help y'all legislate at the local
and state levels in regionally to help
fix this issue again it's not a problem
just in Southwest Virginia teacher
retention and attraction is a problem in
all of Virginia right now and Across the
Nation because when people are going to
school and they look at what teacher
salaries are and then they look at what
I.T and other things are they're not
going to the schools of Education
they're going otherwear so we need to
find ways that we can get people into
the schools to educate our students so
that they can come back to live in
Russell County and be productive
taxpayers thank you so much
well done Miss kids thank you
I'll entertain someone else if you're
ready to come up I see
Miss Chumley my name is Jennifer
chumbley and I want you all to know this
feeling's my life this issue and
my Landa joins this I've got 400 Acres
at stake here so I've got skin in this
game as you could speak to say
can y'all not hear me so I work so this
issue fell into my lap you know it was a
concerned person that came and
told me about it and from there
I started researching and I found out
tidbits along the way
the issue is we've done this once in
Cleveland we've been through this
economic environmental damage you know
we've done this we've washed our houses
of coal dust we've watched the coal
trucks go through and private entities
own coal mines and all that happens is a
fine you know it's just a fine another
fine they kick the can down the road so
we don't want this and I don't think you
guys would either and I also think it is
very beneficial that you look at how the
wind blows every little I know you will
but every little aspect of this and most
of the places that are going to be
effective in this are going to be at
higher levels I mean I know plenty of
these guys houses they're going to be
affected and it's going to affect our
children and you guys have said it over
and over again that you want to protect
the children this is protection for our
children the children that are here
today that will be here tomorrow this is
the protection for the children
and further I'm going to add that I
don't appreciate threats and we should
not be threatening the public for
finding out something that's simple and
that shouldn't happen at all and I think
that I'm an apology on that one but
I think that you guys have some control
and I understand you know there's an
ordinance that says that a private
landfill can go in here
but this is about money and it's always
about money with these guys we've dealt
with this in Cleveland we've dealt with
it too many times and we're not willing
to do it again it's that simple we're
going to stand and fight thanks
thank you Miss Chumley
hi my name is Angie McLaughlin I live on
7202 Finney Road and Honaker
and I'm here to speak about the private
landfill at Moss 3.
the landfill has many adverse effects
which include contaminated water supply
it contaminates air
it
makes hydrogen sulfide which is the main
byproduct of landfills
which is a colorless Scott gas
it's poisonous corrosive inflammable
and has the foul odor of rotten eggs
the release of methane gas is 20 times
more hazardous than carbon dioxide
and in trapping the heat within the
atmosphere
[Music]
the
increased rates of cancer
is a effective
the landfill waste
um
a 12 percent increase in the risk of
birth defects
including malformations
the nervous system
their skeletal
um
increased risk of
premature births lower average birth
rates
and no matter what you do
leaks will happen sometime or another
leaks are going to happen
and when it does it's going to demolish
air
County that we have spent
thousands and thousands of dollars
trying to make the clinch a wonderful
place a tourist attraction
um
I just think that it's really a mistake
if Russell County needed a landfill
to put our trash I think it would be a
lot different
than having a private company come in
and saying hey we're going to
send it through on the rails we're going
to truck it in y'all are just going to
be stuck with it
and I think it really needs to be
stopped before it started
I know that they say that we can't stop
it
but
not too many months ago you passed an
ordinance
Banning any private
Family Planning clinics
from coming into Russell County
you should be able to ban
any private landfills from coming into
the county
and
I really think that should be the first
step and I really think it should be
done fast
before
so much money is spent going into this
that they say well if you didn't want it
you should have stopped it before
McLaughlin
[Music]
yeah I live on Finney Road and Honaker
was there any other information you
needed what name or
thank you
hello David Miller 12162 New Garden Road
out here talk about landfills tonight
although it seems like it's a pretty hot
topic but uh I'm here to talk about uh
an instance I had with the PSA in May
and I've talked to some of you
individually and I thought well maybe
we'll bring it out more publicly and see
if something can be done or something
should be done or whatever
in May of this year I had unfortunate
time I spent a month in the hospital
with my uncle just day and night so my
88th water bill will come to you and uh
I said well I forgot to pay it I think
most people probably have had that
happen and and so I'll come here to pay
my taxes which by the way was over a
thousand dollars but that's another
another thing so I go to pay my water
bill
17 days after the due date 17 days after
the due date a cutoff notice had been
issued
and my options were leave it off
pay 100 for a reconnect fee 17 days
pay 100 reconnect fee or give them a
voided check or they can start deducting
out on my checking account because I'm
not responsible enough to pay my bills
so that infuriated me
I said this is extortion this is this
can't be right
so I came out to my truck I did a brief
research and found that the code of
Virginia requires a 30-day notice
I sent that information around some of
you sent that information to the chair
of the PSA board I got a call from the
chair of the PSA board he said we don't
have to follow that code
we're good on 15 days it's on the back
of our bill and it's clearly on the back
of the bill and my statement then was
you can't put something on the back of
the bill that supersedes code
that was the Friday before Memorial Day
and I said okay send me something that
says you can't you don't have to follow
code
so that was on the Friday before
Memorial Day the last Friday of July
he called me back and said we found out
that it is in fact 30 days
I said what took so
I said I found it in just a few minutes
researching and it's the the psa's
childhood under chapter 51 Article 2
Section title 15.2 and the code is
15.25138
. the clarity sales 30 days is required
so my question was then
people that have been wrongfully
disconnected because if anybody was
disconnected from 15 to 30 days without
notice and they were wrongfully
disconnected
anybody that was charged that money from
15 to 30 days
they were wrongfully charged
so my question was how are these people
how many people were there
how are these people going to be made
whole and who is going to be held
accountable
because it's not something one comment
was said well we can't just look at the
code every day
the code hasn't changed as far as I can
tell in the last 30 years
so my question is how did this happen
who's going to be held accountable
how many people are impacted and how are
they going to be refunded we can't just
say well the PSA can't afford it because
I know one man the day after I was cut
off that found out he was disconnected
on fixed income less than a thousand
dollars a month and he had to pay a
hundred dollars and he hasn't got his
money back so anybody that wrongfully
charges somebody
which it seems as though they have
how are we going to correct it and
that's that's my question who's going to
be held accountable how's it going to be
corrected and what's going to be doing
thank you
thank you Mr Miller
anyone else for public comment
Thomas Reed
3877 Jesse's Mill Road Cleveland
Virginia
I am opposed to the landfill in every
single way my grandpa was a coal miner
provided for his family the whole reason
my family's here
they reclaimed it for a reason be back
for nature
if we want to have this state park come
through and any of it do any good
nobody's gonna want to smell trash
they're not going to see trucks hauling
trash going down the road everywhere
my dream as a kid was to live in
Cleveland
I was lucky enough to get my house that
I own now
I have a disabled daughter
all right I want to work my
guts out pay this house off to leave it
to her
how good is that going to do her
15 years down the road 20 down your 20
years down the road when the air quality
and all this is just horrible
I just asked y'all really think
and
decide
not to let this happen because you're
going to ruin a good region a good place
for people to have dream and could raise
a good family and not worry about crime
and all this other stuff that you have
everywhere else
thank you
thank you Mr Reed
one minute
Jeremiah Neal from 317 Ivy Ridge Road
Cleveland Virginia
I currently sit on the board Council
board for town of Cleveland
I
totally opposed the landfill coming to
where I've known nothing but home for
our whole life have a family there
and
I'm pretty straight and simple to the
point
if you would is it about money is
there's other ways to make money if not
I understand that completely but what I
don't like is secretivity in such
projects I mean that affects as you've
heard everyone here say
not just us for years and years down the
road strict environmental qualities
River qualities air qualities every sort
of pollution quality you can think of
and
and came out of the comment I'm against
it and I believe that
if it's put in a lot of changes will be
made
as far as people that are elected in
office
because the people will the people will
stand up for what they believe in
whether it's past or not
that's all my comments
thank you Mr Neal anybody else
Miss McLaughlin
there didn't seem to be anybody running
up here I'll let you go again
we don't normally but I will I'm not
speaking on the lantern
landfill all I want to say is the way
that
the Board of Supervisors meetings are
conducted during the public comment
phase
that I think if someone takes off work
to come here to bring up an issue
that somewhere or another during that
time something needs to be answered so
that they don't have to come back here
like three or four or five months
because
when you come and you ask something and
everybody's just like sorry I can't talk
to you
know it's against the rules it's really
disheartening
thank you
thank you Miss Eaton and I will tell you
uh Miss McLaughlin I'm sorry and I will
tell you that usually we handle such
matters at the end of our meeting when
we can the agenda is set
just so you know
you call and ask
anybody else
all right
[Music]
my name is Chris axum I live at 334
shotgun Hollow Road Cleveland Virginia
it's about a quarter of a mile it's that
from where this is being proposed to go
in
I've raised my family over there uh
I know if it goes through we'll probably
have to leave I mean
the the effects of this I can't fathom
the runoff into the into the clinch into
Lake Bonaventure
they just got through like other people
have told y'all they just got through
with the stream recommations they've
cleaned the clinch up
and you know y'all do work for us
and if you're about the kids like you
say you are then something needs to be
done to stop this I know there can be
ordinances put in place because there
was ordinances put in place to stop the
clinics come into this County
and I just wanted to let y'all let y'all
know how I stand on it if y'all lived
within within a quarter of a mile or if
it's in your backyard you'd have a
different view of it I'm sure
but uh and we was misled about what was
going to come in down there supposed to
be an industry come in down there to
create jobs
not a landfill that's going to destroy
everything that's been built over the
last 15 or 20 years
owned the Clinch River
and everybody's lives and having to deal
with all the health problems and stuff
but y'all need to think about this and
I'm sure you will
before any rash
things are signed or done with it but uh
this is something that's going to affect
generations to come if it comes in
thank you
thank you Mr axum
Kaiser I live on Green Valley Road
readings District
um
I just want to say that
all of this has started to come to light
now about the public landfill or the
private landfill
and I think there's probably a lot of
misconceptions or
misunderstandings or
assumptions being made
and I don't know
what the answer is for all this I don't
know enough about it but I will tell you
this
is out there
and you all need to be fully transparent
you need to have someone come and
explain to the people because they need
to know what's going on
you need to have someone full
transparency put it out there lay out
what's going on
and what can or can't be done about it
because we don't need
this kind of stuff happening in Russell
County if we don't know ahead of time
what's going on and understand there's a
process and there's public hearings and
things like that
but this is out there and people need to
know and they have a right to know and I
stand up for the people 100 in that
thank you
thank you Mr Kaiser
anybody else public comment before we
close public comment
anybody else in the other room can you
hear me
all right
as many of you know I'm ty Harris I live
over in Cleveland
um I'm 100 against landfill have always
been from the day one I mean that I
heard about it I have been threatened by
some of the board members and I will not
stand for that that's not going to
happen the people need
and according to some of you the this
landfill has been in the works for going
on saving years now
and
this just ain't gonna happen I mean
we're not gonna let it happen and I'm
running for supervisor and I will not
let this happen and I will stand against
this thank you
okay Mr Harris thank you very much
anybody else one more time
yes I'm Flora farmer I live at 6819
Cleveland Road Cleveland Virginia at the
end the bridge
I went and debt for all that down in
there so our little Old Town wouldn't be
destroyed we got to park out of it
the campground and everything and I just
don't see bringing anything in there
that's going to upset people that wants
to come over because they probably go to
our Park all the time in the campground
by this piece one quite they don't have
to worry about staff we got enough
people over there that's busy stealing
everything
now if I steal that trash that'd be good
if I go manner that's the way I say it
but I don't I buy every bit of that I've
been dead over a hundred some thousand
dollars to save Cleveland
and I'm on the Town Council too
so I'll probably die before I get all
that paid for but I just don't believe
in that and back years ago there's one
down towards Golf Course is if y'all
remember that I don't know if y'all as
old as I am or not they'd be trashed up
down there I never had them go down
there
but I just wanted y'all to know I hope
y'all help our little town because it's
hard
time people don't know where Cleveland
is
but we've been putting it out there you
know we got to park and everything and
I'm really proud of it I've moved away
for years because there wasn't a whole
lot you could do you know I work in
carpet meals and everything I've worked
for head starts work for the schools
I've done a little bit of everything I'm
hoping my child's stay she's going to be
a lawyer so I'm hoping she she will hang
around too because I've been wanting to
come to Cleveland and try to open her
office or something to bring stuff in
and that's just like Cleveland I thought
was going to get some of those stores
built and everything but we didn't get
you know nothing like at we can't even
feel Upper Park a lot so we're supposed
to head over there
there's one one old cars sitting there
now for like the last five years
but I just want y'all to know I just
don't approve of of it ruining you know
our community now if y'all could find it
somewhere to put it somewhere else out
of town or way off that'd be different
but
and they're supposed to be
graveyards over you know where y'all
want the Perth in it Indian Barrel
grounds and everything and that's what I
worry about too
and I worry about the drain knives going
in those little Creeks that's over there
and stuff but I just wanted y'all to
know I just hope and pray that y'all
don't do that to let it go through
maybe look around find somewhere else to
put it or something because you know you
see all these signs Cleveland like
Virginia is for Lovers Cleveland's
beautiful you know Virginia's beautiful
so we need to keep it that way thank you
all much thank you very much we
appreciate you
come on
one more time anybody else
Miss couch
I guess most of y'all know I'm the mayor
the town of Cleveland I'm totally
against this we've worked really really
hard to have what we've got over there
and I do hope that y'all would decide
not to do this or to bring it into our
community I think everybody here is
really said enough I just want you to
know I'm totally against it I appreciate
y'all very much
thank you Miss count
anybody else
public comment
okay I'm going to close public comment
at this time
board we don't have any constitutional
officers that are here tonight
I don't see any
uh County attorney reports and request
Madam chair I don't
I don't have anything this evening
thank you Miss Patton moving along to
the County Administrator reports and
requests
thank you madam chair
first on the County Administrator
reports is uh as we have spoken has been
mentioned before I put it into the board
package to give them somewhat of a
little bit more information from the
state's perspective
of
what Jay Lark had looked at on
Virginia's teachers and their shortage
of teachers actually in the state of
Virginia there's 9 500 teachers short
that
okay
there we go I'll let their bite have
time to excuse we're about 9 500 to
teach you short so of course the Board
of Supervisors like I said before uh the
pandemic and then even during the
pandemic
pandemic we became there's a greater
shortage there was less skill sets less
people that were going into it also less
people going into law enforcement there
was two career paths that there seemed
to be either taking different career
paths or not attending those career
paths so that what the governor did with
the law enforcement he used his budget
surpluses to bring up the bases in on
the Constitution officers and that's one
of the perspective that the Jay Lark
report is looking at like the state of
Tennessee the state of Tennessee came in
and brought up the base whether you were
in Knoxville or you were in the City of
Bristol they brought up the base based
off the state budget of fifty thousand
dollars that DNA started looking at
additional things like whether it's a
bachelor's degree a master's degree
tenure structure steps a Compensation
Plan so that that's that's really in a
nutshell what we're going to be looking
at but it also gives the Insight on the
j-lock report of what this the state is
looking at and hopefully they're they're
going to be successful in this
legislation I know the board's going to
be up there advocating you know with the
school board you know try to get these
additional funds for the teachers
second thing is again we're back in
Richmond again this is the Virginia
Department of election the polling place
accessibility it is complete I had it on
the agenda last time this is new changes
to the election rules and security
everyone knows there's not aware of it
of all the issues that we've had over
the last three or four you know uh
elections so the security is being
tightened up we have done what the
Department of Elections has has has
passed us with to do so I think there's
a couple of things that at a couple of
schools that were making some minor
Corrections on a couple of precincts
right now right there and one's already
been fixed and the other will be
by-election yeah so one of the things
that we're looking at is the
accessibility of it security you know
continuity I.T wise that we've got these
are fully operational so we don't have a
glitch so uh we take this very serious
and we work with the Department of
Elections so
next on the County Administrator reports
is the Southwest Virginia Community
College this is the annual scholarship
banquet this is just a note to the Board
of Supervisors
next is
um
the Russell County landfill Grand water
Solid Waste permit this is a closed
landfill by the way so
oh I'm sorry I'm sorry I did
sorry I was getting ahead and going up
next one on chemistry reports is the
Virginia opiate abatement Authority the
uh the opiate Workshop that Mr breeding
and Miss dye attended uh we attended a
day-long session looking at uh counties
and towns and non-profits that came in
and what they were doing with their
abatement funding and we were looking at
different programs and Partnerships so
uh between what we received from the
local funds which we have a fund of that
we also have a venue we also have an
opportunity to go after State funding
with the Partnerships with either
another County or another estate
organization or non-profit so we're
looking at those venues too
now on to the Rosa County landfill
grandwater Solid Waste permit number
258.
that is of course
what we uh
twins River hang on just a second
this is a big agenda
as you can see on our landfill Solid
Waste permit number 258 this is a review
and the calculations of you know the
backgrounds that we are meeting all
compliance with Federal EPA and state
law so we are meeting those regulatory
requirements within our own landfills
and we do continue doing that
so uh
next is actually that's ironic the AEP
industrial landfill whether y'all knew a
lot of people don't in Cleveland there
is another landfill that's in Cleveland
that is operational
and it is done by AEP so it is it is
classified as a landfill it is
maintained as a landfill and it is
inspected as a landfill
as as you can see on the map
this is the landfill that's where it's
at where it's located it's adjacent to
the Clinch River this is done and
maintained with two retaining ponds and
it has been in place for what 24 years
so it is in place
so
that is a report on it it is continuing
to meet by law on Solid Waste permit
number 223 number 620 and 624 are in
compliance
next on the county administrative
reports is the Virginia Compensation
Board as I mentioned before that
the state Virginia during their budgets
they fixed the law enforcements the
deputies they raise their base pay
during that time and this is the uh
let's get to it
there we go
they raised the the salaries and the uh
on the base pay of all of the
Constitution officers that included the
clerk's office the Commissioner Revenue
the treasurer's office the deputies and
the uh you see that I guess anybody you
know what that's pretty good uh on the
treasures uh
I think you got them but all the
Constitution officers were increased by
two percent
during the previous budget under the
two-year uh law there was a biennium
budget that had a five percent increase
by law that all the custom tuition
officers receive that that the First of
the Year this is a budget amendment as
everyone knew that the legislation was
running late and uh
they were negotiating back before back
and forth between a tax break and you
know teachers raises salaries Etc well
this is what came out they did move it
from a five percent to a seven percent
the Constitution officers take effect
December the first
the teachers and I don't know why they
did this but they did the teachers take
place January the first so December the
first constitution officers January the
first is the teachers pay so there's a
month difference don't ask me the logic
in it but it was the part of the budget
negotiation
um next is
the Clinch River as y'all mention this
is
in your packet this is the Clinch River
State Park the comprehensive
comprehensive plan master plan this is
part of the state parks that was
discussed before it is comprehensive
10-year plan that looks at the park the
park development its continuation and
that also includes the boats launch
sites and and the
the total comprehension plan over the
next 10 years that they're going to
develop all the way into Saint Paul to
the state park
next on the County Administrator reports
is we have
the
dank Community Fair
this is health and education resource
fair that will be on Saturday October
the 14th 2023 from 9 30 a.m to 2 p.m
this is at the Dank Crossing entrance
for and it has blood pressure checks uh
blood sugar checks and health education
by ETSU and they'll also be medical
resources there by Appalachian
Healthcare Network which is part of
valid health
which is very good for the elderly or
that you know if you get a chance please
attend
next is the United
is the VDOT monthly Road system report
as y'all can read through it's it's
still got all the list of what they're
going to Surface Street and seal that's
for the board's review and information
and we're coming out of the late season
so we will be looking at
at the new Paving schedule in the spring
so you know if you have a road that you
want on it'll be the time to come visit
within the March next is the United Way
Royal Summit this is the summit that is
in at the Southwest Virginia higher
education on October the 26th and 27th
this uh the United Way rule is looking
at putting a daycare center and working
with our Ida at currently at the old
9-1-1 building to give opportunity for
more day care services uh in that
facility so uh we'll be attending that
that real Summit
next is the County Administrator request
the first one on the counter
administrator request is of course the
annual audience engagement with farmer
with Robinson farmer and Cox associate I
need a movement an emotion and approval
to proceed with the wayfy 23 audit of
the county I'll entertain a motion for
75 000 for an audit engagement please
some movement in chair
got a motion I need a second
second
any further discussion
this is the same price we had last year
is that correct there was a slight
increase due to the federal single audit
act see now we've got arpa funds that
have come through so we have to pay for
the additional arguments it's like
having two audits in one DMG said all
agencies have to do okay yeah any
further discussion from that I'll call
for the vote all in favor any opposed
any abstentions motion carries second on
request is the Russell County financial
system software and maintenance upgrade
this is I have talked with all the
Constitution officers this is our
current as 400 system this is a an
upgrade uh
component that we either have to take
and I've talked to all the Constitution
officers and they want to continue using
the es400 if we look at a different
system we're looking at a six figure
another additional system which is it
could be up between 150 to 250 000 so
that we it is expensive so we're able to
operate we're comfortable with it so is
the state of Virginia it does
communicate and and it's operable with
the state Virginia so I need approval
for the Russell County financial
assistance software and upgrade of forty
thousand two seventy nine I need a
motion on that please I'll make a motion
thank you Mr Christian I need a second
I got a second prescription please
um I just got one question what's the
term limit of this software maintenance
upgrade
this is a five-year term so it lasts for
five years okay I just needed to know
that thank you any further discussion
I'll call for the vote all in favor
any opposed
any abstentions motion carries
okay next on is the Virginia Department
of fire this is the FI 24 fire program
agreement and Grant of ninety five
thousand twenty nine dollars
as you can see on this this is the
jurisdiction that this is our 100
allocation to fy24 this is for
disbursements to the fire departments
for purchase of equipment and training
it is a it is a grant that's provided by
the department of fire to all all fire
departments throughout the state
um they have an opportunity to take the
95 000 split it between our eight
agencies and it comes out about eleven
twelve thousand dollars depending upon
how they purchase and what to buy for
additional equipment and training that
they need this is in addition to what
the Board of Supervisors appropriate and
what they receive from their other uh
Revenue venues so this is on top of what
we appropriate this is from the Virginia
Department of fire and any approval for
the program agreement and the additional
Appropriations from the state of 95 029
so move I have a motion I need a second
I got several I'll take any
any further discussion hearing done I'm
moving along sorry
all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries
next on the County Administrator request
is the FY 2324 in County
uh employee salary increase when we
approve the FY 23 24 budget we included
um
a five percent by the biennium for all
the employees which was already in the
code of Virginia as you can see in the
budget amendment there has been a two
percent increase
uh and to the Constitution officers and
the teachers pay
when we devote develop the budget
we put the seven percent in we did not
change it we put the covenants into the
resolution that whatever the state did
we would match it so that way it would
be fire and equal across all employees
Constitution officers teachers and
County Employees so it's hard as you do
this for a while it's easier to take it
down which we had budgeted and left that
component in to see what the state was
doing because at the time they kept
saying it would be a week from now two
weeks from now then it went into months
then it kept being delayed but the point
was this it's easier to take it down and
then it is to take it up if I we have to
come before the board for a two percent
increase in the budget for salaries
that's over the one percent requirement
which we would have to have a public
carry so trying to speculate or what the
state was doing in the general assembly
we actually hit it on the head because
we had been talking with them and then
we knew it would be between the current
five either a one or two percent between
between what the house negotiated and
has seen it wanted so they did come out
at a two percent which we have in the
budget which is already approved at that
level but the Board of Supervisors has
to concur with that additional two
percent Foreign County employees
and the board said they need emotion and
everybody said
help me out here and I'm seconding that
as your chair I can do that so I have a
motion in a second for the two percent
thank you goodness all right all in
favor
not opposed nonextended thank you motion
carries
next on the county Ministry request is
the Clinch River Little League the 25 24
25 appropriation request what that's
that's correct 24-25 I got a request
from the Clinch River Little League
where they'll be using their
Appropriations next year to pay for the
payment up front almost like the uh you
know the additional funding that we gave
to Glade Hollow the new roof that we put
on the
price box at home acre so they asked for
their appropriation up front so they
could get the total Paving done and get
it out knocked out of the way so I've
already made those comments to the
fy2425 budget so I need approval for
pre-approved Appropriations from the
24-25 for the clinch liver Little League
I'll make it motion oh second
thank you I have a motion and a second
for the Clinch River Little League
appropriation borrowing forward as I
call it
any other comments
hearing none I'll call for the vote all
in favor
aye any opposed
any abstentions motion carries thank you
thank you madam chair next is the Travel
Quest by the library
uh to attend actually the Royal Summit
in 26 and 27 uh and need approval for
that
travel I'll make it in motion
thank you Mr Ray I have a motion for
travel requests for the library
thank you Mr Christian I got a motion in
a second you know that travel is for the
tickets by the way you gotta each when
we go we got to pay for the team what's
the uh the cost of that the tickets is
actually uh 150 it's
there's I we get it they get a discount
so it's about 65 I think it's 65 ours is
75 by the way
it's uh for two tickets it's 115 dollars
okay you have a motion in a second any
further discussion hearing none I'll
call for the vote all in favor any
opposed any abstentions motion carries
next on Planning Commission Platts is of
course got a motion to recommend
approval of the plat for the Newberry
and Stuart speaking correctly spell land
a motion so I need approval for the
Russell County Planning Commission
request on the attached survey that's in
your package
I'll entertain a motion on the
Planning Commission I'll make that
motion for you madam chair thank you
Miss Don I need a second got a second
from Mr Ray any further discussion on
the plat
hearing none I'll call for the vote all
in favor any opposed any abstentions
motion carries thank you Mr May
concludes County Administrator reports
and requests
at this time we've come to the point in
our meeting we're going to have board
discussion and reminders and so I'm
taking Chairman's prerogative and I'm
going first
so Mr Yates you sit here patiently and I
appreciate that and
um I want to make sure that we do
something to help this tire situation
and help our landfill and help everybody
that we can Mr Gates has been really
good he's down in my community that's a
long way
and so we see your JJ trash cans
everywhere so I'm going to give you a
plug
everybody out there call JJ to pick up
your garbage if you need house to house
garbage he comes he comes so I thank you
so on behalf of all of us here we hear
you
we do and I insist that we do something
we're not on the agenda that's not on
the agenda but you have to amend it Mr
Lester is raising his hand slowly down
there
you want to say something Mr Lester
JJ actually
I have trashed through JJ so not the new
new nothing JJ had approached us and the
board does have venues to do it but I
don't know if you can do it tonight and
I'll explain the reason why
when you mentioned the non-profit
uh Street swimmers uh Street stream
sweepers we'll get it second right here
in a second my mind's going in for the
numbers
um you that is a non-profit we can we
can donate that as a to a non-profit
because they do it on an annual basis or
a randomly not on a continued space so
you're a private entity so that would be
the Board of Supervisors picking out a
single company and giving a specialized
rate to one company and that's not well
how do we they operate now there is
Brian and I have looked at these
programs on the tire and it is a great
job but what will need to be looked at
is the companies that do this have the
opportunity all that do it have the same
rate does that make sense and to do that
on the Tipping fees and Disposal fees
which Tim will tell you we just started
negotiating and we just approved the
contract on the public hearing last week
so we could not negot we didn't know
where we at in our disposal fees and
tipping fees so we didn't know who he's
going to have to charge you more or or
the companies like you more or less on
the T on the tires so what I had
conveyed to Brian is to make sure that
after the regional Waste Management
contract was approved and we did the
that we had the actual numbers to work
for now the board supervisors can pick a
disposal fee or select companies that do
these services and give it as a
cross-the-board feat and the opportunity
for all that do it that way it's it's
you're not getting Advantage but
everyone that does it gets a vantage at
it and it does keep the tires out of our
our rivers and streams and sides and
over the hill but the board can approach
it like that but I'm going to tell you
something we keep dragging our feet on
this issue and he's not going to be in
business and then you're going to have a
major issue here that we've had for
months because I've been in talks with
you about it Lonzo I've talked to JJ
about it and it's not fair for people
like that's doing a service and it
should be across the board if anybody
wants to do the tires it should be
across the board and you shouldn't
charge them these ridiculous fees for
the service that they're doing and
that's the fees I mean they should get a
waiver on it I mean if they get a waiver
on it doing a service for the citizens
of the county and the businesses I mean
these tires are going to go over the
hill they're in my district I've talked
to JJ about it he went and cleaned up
one
147 in my district and I I appreciate it
but you shouldn't have to pay to have
and you went all the way down there and
had them you processed them yourself
I know you've done it
I don't know why we have to amend the
agenda to address a critical issue it's
a fee schedule that you have to amend
ment
yeah
see that's a that's that's set by the
board super
man
freaking out
we want to keep doing what we're doing
today
I understand and we can work on that
that's what I can bring it on the board
next time yeah I want to move on it I
can bring the fee schedule up for the
board but it's a whole fee schedule
that's okay you know what I'm saying
and it gives us an opportunity where the
other one is disapproved too like I said
we just got the waste the Tipping fees
we know what our disposal fees are now
so we can we can give you a good price
we know what price to give you because
we have our numbers now like I said it
was just finally approved I think Carl I
think it was September
he wants a waiver
to be able to take the board that's up
to the board if you give it to one you
got to give it to Uncle how are you
going to go who's who else is going to
go pick them up
I don't know but whatever the
terminology is it has to be given to one
and given to all
now
see we got other people that buys those
permits too
yes two other people
[Music]
that is correct
and if they did it they would have to go
under permit now and do it the same way
you're doing it to get the advantage of
that if they didn't they would not get
it
thank you
they were doing this before
Brian said they wouldn't come into the
rainbow
yeah and y'all do a great job I'll be
the first one to test it
but
Katie do you have anything to say on
that I mean how that works I mean you
have anything just about the fees and
how you got to do it across the board or
anything
well it would require board action to
change a fee schedule or to implement a
waiver I would say because you are the
government when you do that it has to be
equal across the board you can't just
select one provider and give them that
incentive so it would have to be
available to anybody who wanted to Avail
themselves to it
accomplishment
okay thank you there's a permit that he
has to buy the news right
um so if somebody else will want to do
it
so why don't give them a labor too if
there's 20 that's what I said
Nate there's three
I mean it would apply to all
that's what I'm saying
[Music]
I'll say if he goes to our business it's
going to be a disaster across the county
him and I have had an extension for
conversation in the past
are you shredding them when you hit the
transfer station are you doing that are
you we doing it with our community
workers
so you're doing it with our surgery
okay
see we need to look at that too to make
sure in case the liability to make sure
in case Something's Happened we'll have
to address that too
foreign
let me ask you this if since this is not
on the agenda
if we commit to trying to get this
worked out just as soon as possible even
if you have to quit taking them for a
month or so
we'll we'll try to work down I mean
it was that satisfactory I think it
should be wave too I mean and I don't
see why we just you know we couldn't be
talking about a tremendous amount of
money
no I mean trash is eating slime anyway
there is a Tim will tell you Carl will
tell you tires is the most expensive
trash you're taking yeah
well I'm sure by weight they probably
are you know but they get the oldest the
Tipping fee on them it's the same as any
other piece trash and we have tone right
yeah we have to pay the Holland yes
right
to me it's a great service
yeah I don't think we disagree with
anything here it's just trying to figure
out how we get there and make it fair
and equal and Equitable and transparent
for the entire County
so we hear you
mark it down we hear you
once the board's pleasure you want to
um just discuss this some more you want
to let this ride until next month
I think there's anything we can do
tonight we do it tonight
I'd like to make a motion to give the
account administrator the authority to
issue a waiver equally across the board
to be able to take care of these tires
just disperse them that like they should
be
have a motion
I'll second that motion
I have several seconds
Miss Compton
holding
not that we know of okay the machines
that we have will not take the metal out
if you the machines that shred that
takes the metal out of the tires it is
it's about a quarter million dollars
just by yeah so with the machines that
we have do a very good job at at
breaking them down as JJ obtained but
it's the wiring inside just
environmentally you cannot we would love
to take it to the you know playgrounds
and put it down as mulch but with the
wire you can't do it kids get it right
second much discussion
the only thing I would suggest is just
making the motion really clear and what
you're the so and let me make sure we're
saying this right is that the motion is
to for the board to issue a waiver for
the Tipping fees for the disposal of of
certain tires I mean I think your
minutes need to be clear on what the
waiver applies to yeah
yeah if you do get industrial all tires
okay
yeah Tires Tires that would be covered
under a permit that's purchased by the
county by the provider
okay I just think the motion should so
it will read that make it clear make it
clear and that'll I'll stand with that
motion
he says contingent on anything are we
just good to go with this flat flat
motion no contingency with Mr Lester and
what he can work out and let you know
are we through debating
all right I'm seeing a nod I'll call for
the vote all in favor uh any opposed
any abstentions
motion carries
now we're still in board discussion so I
took the privilege of taking Chairman's
uh prerogative
Mr Lovelace you got anything else no
ma'am thank you
Mr Ray no ma'am Mr Eaton uh one thing
here uh I'd like to present this to the
Highway Safety Committee are you on that
Carl okay who else just you damn
uh I've been able to talk to VDOT about
a lot of the areas where we don't have
proper signage uh we've had some
accidents in our County and took out
some signs one is Lynn Springs up near
Stanley Kings
had a really bad accident up there and
uh the signs never did get put back up
also throughout the whole County we're
experiencing a lot of speeding a
terrible bad
and uh especially during school I've got
calls like crazy about people uh it's
been very dangerous I don't know how we
address this I know up around Lynn
Springs and some other areas like that
there's been some
speeding and by the time they do call
law enforcement it takes them forever to
get up there and then they're already
gone so I don't know what we can do to
address that but I think proper signage
and some additional children playing
signs would be critical to having some
of the neighborhoods to let them know
that uh that kids are playing in those
areas I mean they playing the roads up
there and shoot ball and stuff and VDOT
don't do the
I know but we have the ability from what
I understand Lonzo don't we have the
ability to enact and make our own signs
for areas in our County just a 9-1-1 sir
just a 911 yes sir
and the temporary case emergency if the
dot don't have the time to do it we can
put a temporary sign until the person
how would that work how would that work
but as far as like when children playing
and stuff like that within the 911 area
uh as far as the children that play that
comes in from the VDOT perspective so it
they have to evaluate it but it's very
it's rare that they they put Road you
know children planes children planes
they said they don't do that no more
yeah it's rare you have to buy your own
off of the Walmart or Amazon or whatever
their neighborhood has that and they
bought their neighborhood bought their
own
yeah there's different different sizes
we don't okay
they put them on theirs
like in on adjacent pieces of property
they'll put kids that play I've seen
different types of different sizes
I'll look at some contentious monies
that I have and see if we can't do that
or get some signs made in some of my
area districts okay
anything else Mr Eaton
thank you
Mr reading the only thing I have is you
know we've got the election coming in
an exported meeting will be the day
before the election
which is
and I see how the board feels about it
just moving that from the first Monday
to the Second Amendment the Board of
Supervisors for me because I know
several people have people that are
running against them and understand Mr
Lester has to secure provide security
for all the polling spaces isn't that
right one's a we had we had to make sure
the it's of Securities up maintenance up
the buildings have access
is anyone put you in a bind it will I
know what the answer is
[Music]
just uh
with the board agree to that to move it
I'm in favor of them everybody
to the second Monday yeah that because I
know there'll be a lot of people out
trying to get signed as anything else
[Music]
but actually the next room is uh
yeah
well
well that's great Randy but we can't
we'd like to have you at all but I mean
we just sometimes we just you know have
a conflict that we can't get around you
know
I'll make I'll make a motion then if we
move the next sport of Supervisors from
the first Monday to the second Monday of
the month which is the 13th November
everybody check your calendars and make
sure that that uh works with you my
calendar seems to be clear that day
[Music]
okay second Monday second Monday in
November doctor's appointment out
13th right
yeah
all right we have a motion in a second
I'll call for the vote all in favor any
opposed
any abstentions motion carries
you got anything
yes I want to um thank VDOT they have
worked with me on uh getting some
ditches cleaned uh it was needed because
it was having water run off and they
worked with getting it cleaned up I also
want to thank Point broadly in for
getting the internet through Green
Valley up through the loop corn Valley
and I also want to thank PSA for their
review with
Tazewell County on getting water through
Green Valley and corn Valley they did
have a good successful uh meeting there
and I want to thank all of them for
checking on these things for me that's
all very good Miss Don Miss Christian
my personal
they've been told that they can't
process beef at The Cannery and they did
them a whole nature and I was wondering
thank you I didn't know if you could do
it okay here he's on now yeah
can you repeat yourself no you don't
need to hold it you speak yeah they're
all alive
no he can tell I wasn't saying most
about none said nothing now which one
are you going he's like based about it
no I mean
from I said he's a person face and
confirmed me about not being able to
process beef at The Cannery in Honaker
and if someone told him that he cannot
bring beef down processing
whatever
I don't know anything about that we've
been processing chicken and beef at The
Cannery yeah sorry
I'll have to get up with him somebody
misinformed him Ellis gives cup yeah
call him back let him know
all right all Hearts clear tonight
thank you very much for coming I'm
adjourning this meeting thank you