foreign
motion to return or to exit executive
session
I'll make it
second I'll say
okay we have a all in favor
okay I'll Now read the certification
pursuant to section
2.2-3712 D of the code of Virginia 1950
as amended each member of the Board of
Supervisors upon the roll call certifies
that to the best of their knowledge
only public business matters lawfully
Exempted from the open meeting
requirements under the Virginia Freedom
of Information Act and only such public
business matters that were identified in
the motion by which the closed meeting
was convened were heard discussed or
considered in the meeting by the Board
of Supervisors any member of the Board
of Supervisors who believes that there
was a departure from the requirements of
Clauses one and two above shall so stay
prior to the vote indicating the
substance of the departure that in his
or her judgment has taken place are
there any supervisors who believe a
departure has taken place
seeing none if you agree that the
matters heard discussed or considered
during the closed meeting were pursuant
to the pursuant only to the Motions by
which the closed meeting was convened
please signify by saying I or yes Tim
Lovelace yes Luanne Wallace yes Carl Ray
yes Steve breeding yes David Eaton yes
Rebecca dye yes or as Christian yes
you now have approval to return to open
session
thank you very much at this time I'm
going to ask everyone to please rise for
the invocation remain standing for our
Pledge of Allegiance
let us pray father God lord we love you
we thank you we praise you today Father
father forgive us for where we fail you
each and every day and thank you for
allowing us to be a part of the local
government father forgive us for where
we fill you
be with us lead us guide us and direct
us in your name I pray amen
and to the Republic for which it stands
one nation under God indivisible with
liberty and justice for all
at this time I'd just like to tell
everyone that our County Administrator
Mr Lester has had a family emergency and
so we are going to try to do the best we
can do to conduct this meeting as
expediently as possible and
um so it's going to be most of us here
tonight with the county attorney in
aiding air plight that we're in so
excuse us if we're not doing things
exactly like we're supposed to we're
failing a little bit today and just keep
our County administrators family in your
thoughts and prayers
so at this time I'm going to ask for an
approval of the agenda and I do
um need to ask that some of these that
we not
um kind of we need to mark off if you
guys don't mind that we can make things
a little faster tonight
so
um there's some things that we we might
can do away with so Mr braiding do you
have some thoughts on that please
yeah I think we can table these
committee appointments
everybody everybody will serve anyway
that's right committees committees serve
until they're reappointed or right
replaced okay so number three is gone
constitutional officers
I do have one matter to add under my
report it's a it's a resolution for
child of Child Abuse Prevention month
if you don't mind to add that so you
want to add that under number three
County attorney reports okay
um
I think you can just make announcement
about this report the VDOT minority uh
monthly reports in their package uh
household waste you can just make an
announcement about that
uh
we do have to do that yesterday we're
going to do number three in the request
and EMS country so I think that's about
it okay so is that all that we need to
do for the amending of the agenda
ma'am I think so all right I'll make a
motion we we approve the agenda with
those amendments
I have a motion and a second uh any more
discussion
all in favor any opposed motion carries
thank you so at this time we're going to
have a public hearing
on Revenue share for solar energy
projects and energy storage system
ordinance
so if anybody came to sign up for that
I don't have anything
okay basically for the public hearing
since Mr Lester's not here to explain it
to you guys
um this was going to be for
um a solar industrial solar in the
county and because we have no zoning we
needed to work on an ordinance that
would take care of how this solar
array they call them would actually be
placed and uh and how it would act with
storm water how it would act with uh the
utilities and the buffers that we have
it is in our packet so if anybody that
has been publicized so if anybody needs
to read that that is out there Also it
talks about the battery storage uh last
month we gave a letter to uh in support
of American Electric Power they are
looking at iron battery storage and if
anybody else here can chime in if you
want to do help me on that but they're
looking at doing that on their footprint
at the American Electric Power Station
in carbo and so we added that into that
solar ordinance because it all has to do
with storage battery storage and so
that's basically
um what's going on with that I think the
uh uh I think the Amendments or the
ordinance does talk about fees
I think the fees are like fourteen
hundred dollars per kilowatt kilowatt
thank you
I'm sorry thank you very much that's an
annual fee and and it does exclude
residential solar systems yes this is
industrial
um is pink on anything else you need
if I made the ordinance that's um been
advertised and it's for the board's
consideration tonight it's basically how
the how the industrial solar facilities
are going to be taxed and currently and
without the ordinance the County's
machined and Tool tax would apply but
that would be it's it's sort of a
complicated way to do the solar
facilities and so this solar Revenue
ordinance creates a a simpler way to to
provide that machine and tool tax on
these solar facilities but
um the ordinance only applies to
really big projects that's why there's a
cut off on what it will apply to so it
would not apply to any kind of
facilities that anybody would have at
their residence but that's really
essentially what the ordinance is it
just controls how that how the county is
going to tax those facilities
very good so we had no comments we've
done our comments up here I'm going to
officially anybody want to say anything
no
all right so all hearts are clear on the
um public hearing and I will close the
public hearing on the solar energy
project at this time
moving along to presentations uh
currently I have on my list of Mr Dan
glass and Ronald Passmore the director
of Regulation and compliance enforcement
Division office of emergency medical
services and the Dank rescue squad's
request for an organizational variance
gentlemen I'll give you the floor
do you think my name is Ron Passmore I'm
the director for regulation compliance
enforcement for the Virginia also BMS in
the Department of Health Bank rescue
squad has petitioned or applied for an
exemption to regulation the invest
regulations and a part of that process
in the Virginia Ministry Administrative
Code requires you as a body to give
permission before I can we can consider
the request
and so I'm I as a part of that process
the code requires that I be present at
the board of supervisor meeting when
dank officially asks you for your
support so that I can be a resource I'm
not here to be again a for or against
the the regulation I'm just here to
answer any regulatory questions that you
have bear in mind if you give permission
for this then you are assuming
responsibility for this as well because
you have to give permission first
and what you're asked whether they're
asking to do is to operate outside of
compliance with EMS regulations in the
state that no other agency is able to do
you think so I'm here if you have
questions
okay thank you
it's quiet
um
whatever questions is
um
currently the regulation for the AE
Junior member has to be 60 years late
we have an opportunity with some
youngsters in our area
to
um
restart our Junior Squad we have at
least four applications at this time and
they're in the very very interested in
doing it but we would like to lower that
age to 14.
okay uh the
what we've guidance questions probably
on the safety involved
I assure you that they're safer with us
than going to school every day
with hundreds of people
uh
also
these kids uh participate
in all sorts of sports activities
uh the ones that we've got
participate in tennis
they participate in being
so there's lots of opportunities women's
wrestler
so how much closer can you get
to the people that um
their
is
a good chance here for us
to
grow a little bit
uh
bear Squad
is an aging group
people
to admit that that we are
uh
but when you have
people out there
person
to move
some of the gun laws the 18 year olds
they're also out there talking about
16 year olds to vote
and all we're doing is asking them to
help
the community
uh
but if you have any questions
answer
Ed what Mr glass is it age 13 or 14.
we originally put 13 I think that would
be fun
since since these are Mr glass since
these are minors do you have a form for
parents to sign to allow them to do this
that and that'll be a written dot yeah
so it'll be a written document
um
some of the things that we are looking
at they will go through some training
prior to
uh
begin
there are uh
beginning to help us
um
they will be required
to wear a mask
gloves on all cars and uh
things like that
so were all the departments in the
county requesting the same
thing or just okay okay this is just
solely a
requests for my agency
what uh I guess this is a question for
Katie uh our attorney what uh
legal
responsibilities we have as a board for
lowering it from 16 to 13.
well this is not something that
um that the County Administrator had
discussed with me but in reading the
resolution that's proposed that he
drafted basically we're not we don't
have the authority
from my understanding too Grant this
um the the resolution would say that the
Board of Supervisors strongly supports
the board of directors request for an
organizational operational variance for
the purpose of increasing
increasing volunteer members for the
junior Squad membership by lowering the
age to age requirements to 13 years of
age while creating opportunities for
members to serve the Dank community so
again this this will not discuss with me
prior to this but it appears that we
really don't have you know any Authority
it's just we're we we say that we agree
and encourage that that that be allowed
so
will that resolution will that meet your
needs
some guy that's on drafting a resolution
I can give you the Virginia
administrative code 12 vac 5.
if you want to pull it up
it'll take me just a second let me write
it down so I don't get it you can 12vac
5-31-110 under exemptions for EMS
agencies
under B2 could you could you pull that
microphone up a little bit please 12 vac
5 12 vac 5-31-110
okay and then B
two
or actually it's B1 it says the written
request for exemption must be submitted
for review and recommendation to the
governing body of the jurisdiction
or the chief administrative officer in
which the principal office of the EMS
agency is located before it's submitted
to the office of EMS so if you guys were
to say no to this then the the the
request stops at that point because I
can't consider requests that you don't
support so you are this this resolution
and it requires for as proof of support
you have to issue a resolution uh of
support for the request then they begin
the process with the office of EMS okay
so it's just either we object or support
your request and so I I do think what I
just read
would do that because it says that they
do support your request for that is
there additional language yes now we
need to talk about the resolution needs
to speak specifically to which
regulations you're giving an exemption
to and there's multiple regulations in
the US regs that require minimum age of
EMS providers if you will the first one
being the one that is quoted 900 which
states the minimum age for an EMS
provider in the Commonwealth of Virginia
has to be 16 years of age
uh so you'd be asking for an exemption
to section 900 and you'd be asking for
an exemption to section 1200 as well
which specifically is titled the
regulation is minimum age of EMS vehicle
Personnel this is EMS EMS Personnel
serving in required position shall be a
minimum of 18 years of age the ambulance
is required to have two trained
providers on it both of those of those
two required positions have to do a
minimum of 18 years of age uh although
we a lot we will certify EMTs beginning
at 16 they can't function in that
minimum two they would be a third person
on the truck until they get some
experience and then section B of 1200
says an EMS agency may allow Assistance
or observers in addition to the required
personnel
period an assistant or Observer must be
a minimum of 16 years of age
and the concern that this is stated when
you look at nine section 900 that
probably needs to be addressed in their
plan is
uh under 900 number one be a minimum of
16 years of age an EMS agency may have
Associated Personnel who are less than
16 years of age this person is not
allowed to participate in any EMS
response or other activity that may
involve exposure to a communical disease
hazardous chemical or other risk of
serious injury that's the part that
needs to be make sure that the minor
children are going to be covered outside
of especially when you're going outside
of regulations by whomever is going to
be insuring these children because they
are going to be exposed to physical
diseases hazardous material these EMS
EMS scenes are inherently unsafe they
won't have the training necessary to
make sure the scene is safe or to assure
safety
so I think all those I think for this to
continue going through the process all
sections of regulations that deal with
the age of these observers the other
sections are in the education component
of Mr glass mentioned they'll have some
training EMS doesn't allow training to
anybody less than 16 years of age
there's no way to to document that they
may give some training at the agency but
that's not recognized training by the
also EMS such as EMT or paramedic
training
because you have to regulations also
require you to be 16 years of age to
enroll in any EMS education in the
Commonwealth
well I'm not against any more volunteers
but I think we need to do our due
diligence and I think that not having
our County Administrator here I think
there needs to be some communication
with you and our attorney and Lonzo to
get all this drafted out before we make
or before I make a determination or a
motion this is very complicated uh in a
sense to make sure that all the eyes are
not in the teaser crossed it's not that
I'm against I I was a junior Squad
member at 16 and uh
I didn't know Apple from oranges and I
had a it was probably was 21 before I
could really Catch The Knack of anything
going on and I had to have supervision
right
and the state is not here for or against
we're here to just be a reasonable I
understand fully
as the regulation say you can have
Junior Squad members at eight years old
nine years old they just can't respond
to calls or be on scenes so that's
specifically what the ordinance needs to
address is what are these folks going to
be doing that regulation doesn't allow
them to do and that's going to be scene
responses
and so and and from around the two and
I've pulled up 900 the general
requirements they just need the
resolution needs to cite what you're
asking the waiver for basically 912 900.
those are the only two for this
particular I think unless you're wanting
to try to do education before 16 you'll
have to add those as well I didn't get
any sense there that the rescue squad is
requesting them to be able to go to EMT
school and I don't know that that's
going to probably go to the National
level because there's no way to become
certified because the state doesn't
certify providers anymore that's done at
the national level so
I'm just here if you have questions I
think it would be a good learning
process the office but I saw me saying
there's a lot of bills in that we just
have to make sure we keep them safe yeah
well that's why the regulation the
intent of the regulation of withholding
them from doing scene response until 16
is so that we're keeping young children
safe
my one of my first question was why I
just won the apartment is wanting this
and the rest of them or not
if someone can answer that question I
appreciate it
so um
missed uh
board members let me ask this question
past more you hang on right there
so if we were to give a variance letter
of support that's not saying anything
because it has to come your
recommendations have to come back to us
anyway right am I I'm understanding that
right well this point is the yes or no
from Russell County if it's a note
Russell County the request dies if it is
a yes from Russell County then the
request will be put before the training
and certification committee on the
governor's EMS Advisory board for
consideration
they will they will make a
recommendation to the Commissioner of
Health as to whether they recommend
approving this or not based on their
approval the executive director for the
office of the MS will make his
determinations of whether he recommends
approval or not then it will work its
way through the deputy Commissioners all
the way only the commissioner of health
will be able to give this ultimately
give this exemption this wouldn't be a
variance this would be an exemption
thank you
so tonight we could give them
an exemption to move that to the next
level
uh you could give you could the
resolution would have to be amended
because it's it's it's stated as a
variance instead of an exemption and it
does not list the specific amounts but
it is just a letter of it is again
that's what I took from what I read it's
just it's the board is only voting
whether they support it or you don't
support it so I mean I can I can admit
you can direct me to to
um to amend the amend the resolution to
include the appropriate legal language
the resolution needs to be specific what
sections of Regulation are you
supporting in exemption to uh and a
variance is only good for one year
it's a very temporary thing an exemption
that you're asking for exemption for the
life of the regulation so this would
stand as long as chapter 31 Remains the
EMS regulations which we are in the
process of changing that but that will
take a few more years once chapter 31 is
repealed then this exemption would go
away and this whole process starts over
under the new job so in our board book
tonight it says variance and that's just
for one that would be that would give
you a one year
it would only give you a one year
uh exempt into this
and that's not typically what an agency
like when they're asking for something
like this that's not a variance is not
typically okay usually a variance is I'm
at the end of my certification and I
forgot to get my continuing education
hours done can I have two more weeks so
so yeah
okay thank you
so we'll board you got any decisions you
want to just let that ride or you want
to
that's going to come back up
I'm not comfortable they've done
anything until I understand what's in
section 912 can you tell me that okay
yeah I I can read it
administrative codes
um and 12 5-31-900
um it's titled General requirements and
and what it's and I guess the first
section here it says it's um excuse me
EMA
okay they must it says
um EMS Personnel shall meet and maintain
compliance with the following General
requirements and one is be a minimum of
16 years of age an EMS agency may have
Associated Personnel who are less than
16 year of age this person is not
allowed to participate in any EMS
response or other activity that may
involve
exposure to a communical communicable
disease hazardous chemical or other risk
of serious injury so I guess that's what
we're asking for the exemption is to not
be would be 12 vac 5-31-900
um one
okay and so that's the only exemption
that would be okay in that code section
that's the only thing okay so that would
be that would be that one and then
and then 1200 is it's titled minimum age
of EMS vehicle personnel
and it's a short section as well it says
a EMS Personnel serving in a required
Staffing position on an EMS vehicle
shall be at least
shall be at a minimum of 18 years of age
and then B and M and EMS agency may
allow Assistance or observers in
addition to the required Personnel an
assistant or Observer must be at a
minimum minimum of 16 years of age so
um I guess I guess the question would be
um
is you know we're asking for this
exemption
um are they going to be an observer are
they going to be a staff I mean I guess
that's
so so that would be so you would just
need to do
um 1200 B then if you're going to be
specific
[Music]
so those would be the two requests from
the EMS to
um to support the exemption of 901 and
1200 B
is that correct I want to make sure I'm
saying that right
[Music]
thank you
so board we're going to look at that in
uh
under the request on number four unless
you want to take it up right now
I'll allow for that
anybody
well I'd like to be able to study it a
little bit better and understand what
I'm actually voting on I mean I know
we've got a lot of it throwed at us I
can understand what the need is for the
rescue squad I'm sure
we do have aging people and we do need
younger people to get involved but I
would like to have a little bit better
understanding of what I'm doing here uh
and read up some of the information here
on these codes before I before I make my
decision but I think it's nothing really
that pending that you got to have them
this month right now do you because it's
something that we could do next month at
our next meeting that way I give us
enough time to digest it
thank you sir could uh can you have that
resolution modified sure for next one
sure I I prefer to do it all right all
right so we have a consensus don't need
a vote I'm just going to move on
uh the next presentation is with the
American Red Cross appreciation and Jess
powers
I left your name out Barry do the last
name for me
thank you
no hello my name is Barry Abramovich no
I'm not from around here originally but
I'm here to stay now
I'm sorry I'm not from around here
originally
with the name Mark airport which is a
good old southern name
Southern Lithuania
with me I have with me I have Sharon
Dixon who is the disaster program
manager for Red Cross in our Bristol
office a few years ago Mountain emperor
empire chapter was merged with growing
up we do still have an office in Bristol
but it's no longer the Mountain Empire
unfortunately
and
behind me and gentlemen we have some of
the volunteer firefighters they've come
here I believe to support you come on up
guys
um
first of all I I applaud the rescue
squad and I hope you're successful
because every volunteer agency is facing
the same crisis and it here is going to
be worse
our average age of Red Cross I'm 71 and
that's about the average age of Red
Cross volunteers
and so as you know yes Powers is the
County's emergency manager but I know as
my dad responder I live here in the
county there's only two of us me and
Jess that respond to Red Cross
situations in the county unless we Karen
has to come sometimes from Bristol we
have other volunteers but sometimes
we're helping them
uh tip was it 10 10 days ago we had a
huge fire here in town
the response was awesome
those of you who are on the scene I
thought we had every fire department
except one was held back
every piece of equipment
Bruce bonders
EMS uh squads New Garden
Lebanon Castlewood
transported seven people to the hospital
and I'm I'm not ad-libbing right now and
hope I'm not taking too much time but
some of the residents had to
well two toddlers had to be tossed out
of a third floor open window for someone
to catch and the parents had a jump the
parents were injured and they they were
transferred to other hospitals outside
of the region
I might be wrong on this but there was
no
fire alarms heard in that building I
could be wrong and I hope I'm wrong but
if that if I'm right then I think Connie
needs to look at that in the multi
multi-family building it's required
smoke alarms and I hope I'm wrong so
don't don't quote me on that but I just
learned about that tonight and I read
living glitter here I might be in
trouble but
we have free Red Red Cross without free
smoke alarms as a matter of fact
yes one was the first one Castlewood a
few years ago I mean more than a few
years ago
seven years ago oh by the way I had the
Good Fortune of coming 11 years ago and
meeting Jess and working with him and
you have a gen of an emergency manager
here
and I I know most emerging managers in
Southwest Virginia and I've been on
Wednesday I'm leaving for uh Arkansas my
28th deployment nationally I've seen
what happens when they don't have a good
plan
yes I have to tell you this one story
Jess it's 3 30 on a Sunday morning my
phone's ringing yes yes I know it's not
good news he said Barry I'm out of town
I said yep he said we have a cave rescue
situation
I said yes that's not even on my list of
things that could ever come up I mean
and there was outside of Cleveland
four people stuck in a cave it was 3 30
in the morning he says Barry I need you
to go to Walmart and he had a laundrom
about 12 items that I never bought
before but I bought them that day and if
it was somebody else anyone else I would
have not but I would thought happen and
he also said barriers are going to take
all day
[Music]
oh I don't know where you were he was I
was training class somewhere
it was 3 30 more he had a whole lifts
all right he said most viewers will be
coming from all over the region because
the Cambridge rescued themselves and
they did North Carolina South Carolina
West Virginia Maryland District
um Virginia of course uh Tennessee they
were about 35 of them showed up I didn't
know Blacksburg had the cave rescue team
they arrived at the trailer with
equipment
and they were surprised that we had
breakfast for them we had we had
Gatorade we had water with coffee we had
lunch we're in this Rescuers are saying
we've never gotten this before I said
you never had just Powers as an
emergency manager because he has to
request it but I guarantee those 35
papers from all over the reason went
back and said how well they were treated
we even served the pizza before they
left
all right I'm I'm talking too much tell
me what I'm talking about sleep but
the coup de gras was at 10 30 on a
Sunday morning a truck with two polar
potties arrived I don't even know where
you get porta potties during the week
but they arrived CNN arrived from
Charlotte with the big satellite truck
and at 4 30
that afternoon the last stranded person
was removed from the cave we served the
rescue of pizza
they they thanked us oh and every item
that he gave me on the list eventually
they came up the rest just came up at
one point or another and asked hey can
you get me whatever I said come on the
back of the truck here you have it there
already I said yes
because guess power is our emergency
manager told me to get it anyhow that's
just one of many stories like I said
it's a pleasure working with guests but
we're here tonight
Friday night what number that was spot
disaster action team responses usually
it's a fire but we've done the cave
rescue we go train we do floods
uh on that Friday in the department fire
what number was that for you
if his 549th response and we were
honoring for 500 because I'm already
almost to 600. most of them after
midnight unfortunately not all of them
you know it wasn't meant for midnight
we've talked more in 3 30 in the morning
but most of these gentlemen too and I
come to love my volunteer I call them my
volunteer drivers they're not I didn't
in Northern Virginia I lived in Atlanta
I've seen paid firemen I put these guys
up against any of those with the same
equipment they they do it because they
do it with the past and it's their
neighbors this is their homes it's their
friends and
I love them the Friday night Saturday
morning after being on the scene for
five hours the Lebanon crew was the last
crew to leave they rolled up their hoses
they drove you know where they drove
they didn't they went past the firehouse
Medical Center to see how the people
were that were transported
that just took them in my heart to a
higher level
anyhow sorry guess but
do you want to present
ready
go ahead
[Music]
vacations they're always there I
apologize I didn't realize I think that
I stay at dinner I said the dispatch
people had it under control as a matter
of fact seven or eight fire departments
were on scene that the eight one was
held back because that was the only one
left in the county to do something in
the carry
and one last plug
we had mutual aid from the Edmonton
Volunteer Fire Department
and because there is no aerial equipment
in Russell County and they provided
their Tower truck
and they came with the full response
they had no problem coming except it
took them 40 minutes to get here and
fire fire department time that's the
most you know that's almost uh not even
talk about it we're talking about cream
10 minute time
just something in the back of your head
I know I know it's an expensive piece of
equipment and we don't have that many
tall buildings but we needed we needed
it that night
and
have I got myself in trouble yet I
wanted to thank you
you have my respects and you're the
first ones that get that call
and when just you call Jess and he calls
me I know it's because it's needed and
that that's appreciated
now for the real reason we're here
responding to over 500 death calls
disaster action team responses house
fires floods
wow he does other things too but some of
the stuff Red Cross doesn't respond to
and it's just a keep certificate of
appreciation but but as a volunteer I
know we don't do it for the rewards but
it sure is nice to be recognized
present to just just powers for 500
disaster disaster action team responses
for the American Red Cross on behalf of
the national office
the Virginia Regional Office and
especially Red Cross is Southwestern
Virginia
and the Bristol office Sharon myself and
our other volunteers thank you Jess it
is my honor
asking you Emergency Management
coordinator for Russell County
you know it's my honor and privilege to
coordinate these volunteer services that
bring if you look at 549 fires in
Russell County how much money do you
think that would bring into the county
over 250 000 for emergency assistance to
our residents about fifteen thousand
dollars a year
so it's critical for our families to
receive this assistance because 95
of the families do not have homeowners
insurance
and they have they don't have family
members to go to
the 11 residents at the apartment had
nowhere to go
with coordinating the American Red Cross
disaster relief they had somewhere to go
and we're placing the last family into
apartment this week
and so you know without my volunteer my
fire department members or EMS agencies
are dispatchers you know they do an
amazing job especially here in Russell
County and I would like to thank them
because I'm standing on some big
shoulders
and all I'm doing is just requesting
services and coordinating services so
thank you thank you Jess by the way we'd
like to get a picture uh we need to get
a picture of you guys so if you'll line
up right through here
come on everybody we're going to get a
picture of you you look beautiful
and everyone is welcome to join us any
night at 3 30 in the morning we'd be
happy to have you watch what we do and
perhaps join us
so we may take it
photo photo ops line up come on don't be
bashful come on come on
Caleb you're going to do it you're going
to take a picture for us yes sir thank
you
all right
[Music]
I'm sorry
if you have questions
oh wow
yeah
I'm not sure
I think they're gonna
[Music]
okay we'll probably um
if they did they would direct me to redo
the resolution
you up
thank you
okay moving along to our next
is a recognition of National Public
Safety telecommunications week which is
our e91 dispatcher 911 dispatcher so
guess what
come on up you're the next contestant
for a photo op
s
3
foreign
to declare that or you already have it
let's take one I'll take a motion to
declare okay I'll make a motion to
declare April 9th through the 15th
national public safety
telecommunications week e91 dispatchers
I'll second that
think you have a motion in a second all
in favor
any that motion carries thank you again
here's something I think was very
fascinating
72 130 cows
for these folks that's room for you
it's impressive
all right let's move along to the new
business I need approval of these
minutes considered um from our last
meeting the unapproved minutes of March
6th March 20th and March 28th so moved
on off
uh we'll have to do those separate we
have to do it I think we have some
absentees
some of us was absent so I'll make a
motion on the first one on March the 6th
to have a motion and we have a second
all in favor any opposed that motion
carries on March the 20th 2023 I need a
motion so move I have a motion I need a
second okay I have a second all in favor
any opposed any abstentions
all right March 28th I need an approval
on that which one was the one you were
Virginia City since 20. the last one
okay
all right on March 28th I need a motion
for approval I'll make a motion who I
have a motion I need a second second I
have a second all in favor uh any
opposed any abstentions one two three
I got three abstentions all right thank
you motion carries
next I need an approval for expenditures
um presented in your packet for payments
some new management second I have a
motion and a second any discussion
all right all in favor any opposed
any abstentions motion carries we're
skipping um number three we're down to
Citizen comment period And I do have on
my list is Linda couch
Cleveland Virginia come on up Linda
thank you for being here with us thank
you thank you for having me
um I'm here um I had dropped a letter
off from our Russell County kids
a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to
see if y'all were going to be able to
donate again to us and we would
appreciate that very much
during comment period we usually don't
speak but I will you're on our list so
hang on
thank you for coming we appreciate you I
appreciate it
anybody else have any comments tonight
that didn't sign up
all right I'll close public comments
next we're moving along to the
Constitutional officers reports and
requests I see no one here for that uh
County attorney Miss Katie
thank you madam chair um the first item
that I have is the ordinance for the
revenue share for solar energy projects
and energy storage systems
um as I discussed a little bit earlier
this is basically just a tax ordinance
and because we do not have zoning we
cannot regulate through an ordinance any
kind of
um
placements or or or requirements of a
solar of an industrial solar project but
the code does allow and requires certain
projects to get approval by the host
County and that's where it's called a
solar facility siding agreement and so
that's not anything I did provide that
template for the board but that's
nothing that you need to approve that's
only when that's only when a project
comes that something in a similar form
will come before you to be approved at
that time through a public hearing the
only thing for approval tonight is just
this ordinance and it's it's just very
straightforward
um and like Madam chair said
um it
um it it basically takes it um to assess
a revenue share of fourteen hundred
dollars per megawatt and um that's how
it's taxed instead of using our formula
that we use for machine and tool tax and
that will be for both solar projects and
energy storage systems that and and
specific exemptions are anything that's
five megawatts or less and again that
doesn't mean a whole lot to me but in
the committee meeting it was described
that's a fairly substantial project to
get to that level so
if the board has any questions I'll I'll
be happy to answer it but um the
ordinance is available for the board to
consider adopting I'll make a motion we
approve that ordinance I'll second it I
have a motion and a second to approve
the revenue share for solar energy
projects and energy storage systems
ordinance all in favor uh any opposed
any abstentions and I will say that uh
the technical advisory committee that we
put together I thought was exceptional I
want to thank Mr Lovelace and Mr
breeding for serving on that along with
many Energy Partners and Miss Patton uh
that would include Dominion who played a
huge part in this and I'm thankful to
them for being a part of that
Appalachian voices the nature
conservancy and I'm missing a whole big
bunch of Partners on that but they did
an outstanding job of bringing together
these ideas to help us put this together
so I'm very pleased with that thank you
very much okay Katie you've got
something else and the last thing I have
for the board is and I'm sorry I've I
got it to you so late I'm I realized it
was going to be April and this is this
is a matter that's really close to me
um as as as you you all know I serve as
legal counsel for the Department of
Social Services here and so I work with
those individuals who are doing their
best to to prevent child abuse and they
do a fantastic job and they work
tirelessly but I do believe and this is
something the resolution talks about
that it does take it takes a village it
takes us all looking out for each other
and so this is just a resolution and
I'll read it out loud and for Child
Abuse Prevention month and that that I'm
I'm putting before the board for
consideration and it states whereas
nationally nationally in 2020 nearly 3.1
million children were involved with
child protective services and whereas in
2022 nearly 53 000 children in the
Commonwealth of Virginia and 516
children in Russell County were reported
as possible victims of abuse and neglect
and whereas the Russell County
Department of Social Services and other
County agencies Russell County Public
Schools and Community Partners worked
together to offer programs and services
to strengthen resilience and protect
children from abuse and neglect and
whereas Child Abuse Prevention is a
community responsibility and finding
Solutions depends on people becoming
involved asking questions making
critical decisions and offering help and
whereas all Russell County residents
Community agencies churches and
businesses are encouraged to renew their
commitment to preventing child abuse and
supporting families and promoting safety
family resilience and child well-being
now therefore be it resolved that the
Russell County Board of Supervisors on
behalf of all residents of Russell
County does hereby proclaim the month of
April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention
month in Russell County and urges all
residents to recognize this month by
working together to prevent child abuse
and neglect protect protect children and
strengthen families
I need a motion to accept the resolution
and to tell everyone to please wear blue
that's the recognition color for child
abuse I'll accept that motion from Miss
Dai in that second from
okay thank you Mr Christian uh any
further discussion and we surely know
because this this uh past year has been
rough on a lot of us in Russell County
as we've realized a lot of things going
on so thank you Miss Patton for bringing
that to us all in favor
any opposed
motion carries thank you
that's all I have
okay well we're going to see what we can
do with our County uh administrators
reports and requests first of all we
have uh a request for the tax rate
public hearing to be scheduled on 4 11
2023
so I need a motion some movement so I
have a motion in a second any discussion
I'll call for the vote all in favor
um any opposed motion carries
ma'am chair I might point out that that
there's a Russell County household
hazardous waste cleanup day and I think
that's Wednesday
12. is that what it is it's been
advertised in the papers so just it's a
good opportunity to get rid of a lot of
stuff that you can't take to the trash
now
he gets out down in our parking lot out
here I totally marked that off as I
wasn't
I appreciate you
uh what time are the let's talk about
the public hearing Miss Vicki is asking
me that it's got to go in the record and
we have to make that announcement I
thought I said 6 p.m that I apparently
didn't
six o'clock
public hearing 411 2023
all right moving along we're back to the
number four which is the oh and by the
way on the um
of the public hearing for the county tax
rate Mr Lester wanted us to make sure
and he told us this before he left that
we've given our employees a seventh
included in this is a seven percent
raise for our employees
and the employee pay raise over uh with
two bonuses over the past how long two
eight years thirty percent raise with
two bonuses so we're we're really proud
of that fact for us thank you very much
and Mr Eaton says and no taxes all right
number four the EMS resolution for the
Dank Rescue Squad operational variance
request we know that that is now an
exemption and we are working on that so
we don't uh do we just need an emotion
to move that forward to hear it next
month
table it till next month thank you Mr
Brady moving on to number five is the
county kids fishing day
and we've had a public comment
concerning the Cleveland and the oh it's
the Russell County and which is
Cleveland and uh the Homemaker kids
fishing day and I'll entertain a motion
to give them a donation I'd like to make
a motion that would give the Russ County
kids fishing day 500 and the Honaker
kids fishing day 500. I'll second it got
a motion in a second any discussion
hearing none I'll call for the vote all
in favor
in the opposed motion carries thank you
very much ladies
and next thing we have the leachate
containment concrete foundation contract
this is going to go at our County
landfill uh this is to keep up with our
permits I'm assuming for Department of
Environmental Quality also fondly known
as DEQ so I'll entertain a motion to
accept uh the payment or the of 15
398 dollars I have a motion I've got a
second all in favor any opposed motion
carries
this time I'm going to go through
quickly the board discussion and
reminders I'll start with uh Mr Lovelace
um I have none thank you
Mr Ray
I have none Madam chair Mr Eaton
Mr breeding let's die
it's Christian
I have
very good and I will remind I'm going to
take prerogative here I will remind
everyone that this is our blessed Holy
Week and we're coming up on the Easter
holiday and I want to wish everyone a
wonderful holiday and remember what the
reason for the season is but also
another thing that we did in this past
year was We we made a resolution for 49
Winchester to be the date 4 9 in Russell
County remember that guys we did this
back in August so it just so happens
it's falling on uh Easter Sunday but
that is air 49 Winchester day and we we
want to celebrate them too as as well as
Our Risen Savior so anyway at this time
with all Hearts clear I will declare
this meeting adjourned are you going to
have a continued meeting
well I don't know I guess we are thank
you very much Miss attorney I'm not a
journey I am a I'm adjourning to
reconvene
on on April 11th public hearing that's
it at six thank you very much
thank you