thank you foreign
good afternoon neighbor one I like to
welcome welcome you to the Russell
County Board of Supervisors in November
the 7th 2022 at 6 PM I like to first
start off with a call to order roll call
Tim Lovelace here
call Ray here David Eden here Steve
Brady here Rebecca dye where's Christian
present and Luanne Wallace here ma'am
you have a quorum
Dutch um
please remain
s
let us pray father God Lord we thank you
for this day and we thank you for all
the many blessings you have given us we
thank you for allowing us to come out
and be together and be a part of our
local government father forgive us for
where we fail you each and every day
lead God and direct us and father bless
this nation father be with us during the
elections tomorrow be with us lead us
guide us and direct us in your name I
pray amen amen
of the United States of America and to
the Republic for which it stands one
nation under God the invisible with
liberty and justice for all
right
thank you at this time I'm going to ask
for the approval of the agenda but I do
think we have some amendments and I'm
going to take a couple of suggestions or
emotions from the um board
Madam chair I'd like to amend the agenda
an ad
under request and the county
administrators part on number eight for
the uh Swords Creek Community Center
installation of the heating heating and
cooling system the HVAC proposal okay
and we have some minutes I need to have
added
I'll make that motion to add uh
I guess we'll make it
uh it's October the 13th and it was a
meeting with the attorney general so
and it was on a Thursday so we need to
add that to our minutes to be approved
okay and now I also need to add under uh
the public hearing for presentation at
number two
I'm going to request that we add valid
Health Care System they need to do a
little presentation for us tonight so
we've really make that motion Madam
chair Madam chair if we could just have
one motion that includes all those to
approve the agenda with those added
because we have a bunch of motions that
don't have any seconds well I'll make
the motion to do all three
thank you second all right we've got a
motion in a second any further
discussion on the agenda if not I'll
call for the vote all in favor any
opposed abstentions motion carries thank
you gentlemen and ladies
okay first of all is our public hearing
for the Russell County property and the
Honaker pool property so I'm opening up
our public hearing right
do we have any comments at all from the
audience
we explained this last meeting what was
to happen
all right
I'm going to call for it one more time
anyone in the audience that would like
to speak concerning the public notice
for the transfer of property
okay I'll officially close the public
hearing
um we're going to let the
um wait just a minute wait just a minute
let me look let me look um
we need to survey that property I think
your microphone please
London provided the survey to me today
so once I get the file once he sends me
a copy of the final approved plan I can
do the deed
s okay so do we need a motion tonight
yes it would be a motion to convey the
this property the surveyed piece of
property
um um to the Russell County School Board
um subject to final preparation of the
deed by legal counsel thank you very
much I'll make that motion
got a motion in a second any further
discussion on this are we all good
we've had a public hearing so the public
must be good okay I'll call for the vote
all in favor any opposed
any abstentions motion carries thank you
very much board at this time we'll hear
a presentation from our ballot Health
Care system thank you for coming we
appreciate you
your microphone might need to be tweaked
thank you greater sorry Greta Morrison
administrator and CNO of Russell County
Hospital
are you driving yes I'm driving all
right so
um this is ballot Hill statement uh our
mission is to honor those We Serve by
the labor in the best possible care
some of our initiatives have become a
national model for improving rural
Health which would include Russell
County Hospital and consistent delivery
of valley of value and high quality of
care and improved population health
foreign
we have 21 hospitals we have over 13 000
team members
2.2 billion dollars of annual revenue
and we employ 750 providers
um
annual discharges over 90 000 3 million
in annual outpatient visits and 336
000 Ed visits
we cover 8 600 square miles
just keep going
um so Nationwide more than 136 rural
hospitals were closed since 2010. but
we've committed to keeping our rural
hospitals open
and we're expanding health care and
re-imaging Rural Health Care
okay we've invested uh 20 million
dollars to reopen Lee County so those of
you who know what happened in Lee County
that hospital was back and forth under
different ownership and was closed but
it did reopen it's been very successful
they have 10 modern beds in the facility
that service that community and since
they opened they have met the
expectations of the community
foreign
so in October of 2021 ballot Health
teamed up with ETSU and announced the
creation of the Appalachian Highland
Center for Nursing advancement AE tissue
part of our goal was to attract and
retain more nurses in rural communities
across Appalachian Highlands the sooner
nursing staffing shortages throughout
the state of the art training and
education and implementation of the
center creates a local pipeline for high
schools to advance their education
we continue to grow through Telehealth
and so
far not available at our hospital and so
we are able to connect with more than
300 providers and Specialty Physicians
the program has expanded access to
medical care of the thousands of people
and this is this is going to be a game
changer foreign
foreign
no you were on the wrong sorry
so the strongest future is was a
facility in Greenville
um that's full capacity expands the
Children's Network
um we also expanded Children's Network
to include Johnson Memorial Hospital to
add nice longer children's there
expansion of the school-based virtual
urgent care and Behavioral Health so we
have providers that actually offer the
Telehealth services in the schools
um expand nice workers hospital
um for the prenatal and pH pediatric
Institute and state of art neonate
Intensive Care Unit and opening the
Pediatric emergency department at
Bristol Regional
um October of 2020 and an Indian Path in
September 22.
so since 2019 we have invested in our
Workforce
increasing the higher end rates for
nurses plus increases for bedside
nursing and support staff launching
special bonuses or recruitment
incentives and developing new child care
centers for families to be able to come
to work and have their their kids taken
care of doubling the annual wage index
increases for all team members and
doubling the on-call pay
this adjustment resulted in 120 million
investment in wages it has increased our
team members wages
19.16 percent overall and increased 40
percent of Base higher end rates
increases increases will include four
percent this year of their base pay the
ranges include 22 it went from 22 to 27
hourly for the tertiary facilities and
25 for the rural hospitals
um
so this was two million dollars
investment into population health
and we worked alongside organizations to
support specific goals and strategies
and this ranges from social support
services and for women suffering from
addiction and launching a new primary
mobile unit of August of 2022.
in 2021 ballot Health announced a major
investment into special needs for
pregnant women babies and families who
suffer from addiction
the strong Futures is a house based in
one of our hospitals in Greenville for
pregnant women and mothers who suffer
from addiction or need Behavioral Health
Services the program provides a range of
residential and intensive outpatient
Behavioral Health Services that help
ensure strong possibilities New
Beginnings for women and children
so this is
um so that's about ballad for Russell
County Hospital
for this past year and upcoming year
we've invested 965 500 into our facility
and this includes
um we renovated our Clearview unit for
Behavioral Health to make it safer for
our patients we've renovated the floor
Med search floor for 85 000.
um the rural health clinic in Lebanon
has had a increase of 82 000 and the
rural health clinic in St Paul has had
Renovations totaling 88 000. we've got
several other Renovations that go into
this some of that being in the emergency
department and the hospital exterior
the equipment purchases sorry
include um 65 000 for an ultrasound
machine for the bedside for the Ed a
Lucas device which will allow the
providers to um for CPR and then some
other we did invest 60 000 medical beds
which we plan to increase over the year
and then miscellaneous was the equipment
needs was 210 and the miscellaneous for
future plans is 845
000.
so these are some of the sponsorships we
uh for the town 11 and 5000 we did
invest in the Honaker Redbud Festival
the scholarships
um for Russell County supported the
horse show and then we've also given
free flu shots to local police fire and
EMS and those are free of charge
we also invested for The Haunting on
Main and the Relay for Life and then
also we donated a water donation to all
three schools for their spring Sports
sessions and then the Cobalt yeah
and then also we did invest in the
ultrasound program at Southwest that's
not listed on here that ballot health
and invests to be able to start that
program
okay same by questions
I've got one okay on the board authority
I've brought this up numerous times
about veterans care
or we're in the heart of Southwest
Virginia and most of our veterans have
to travel either Johnson City
Salem OR you know I it's very it'd be a
perfect location for additional veterans
care
and I know I've mentioned it numerous
times to them about uh some of the
specific things that maybe you all could
look into to be able to take care of the
veterans so they don't have travel sets
for far distance
I know that I've talked to some of the
legislators and Congressman about you
know
having this Advantage here in Russell
County would be at such a you're talking
about Primary Care Primary Care
so once you're not talking about once
they're hospitalized you're talking
about actually just Primary Care in
general yes ma'am okay well it's like if
you could I would really appreciate it I
mean it would be a great opportunity to
have them be able to get help here
locally and not have to travel in such
40 distance the ones I talk to it's it's
a really trying situation once I have to
go all the way to Johnson City and then
you know then I talked to them that went
to Beckley and they get to run around
and they have to make multiple trips but
if it's something you all can just look
into I'd really appreciate it okay
I didn't introduce John but he's with me
tonight
um he's actually the CEO for Johnson
Memorial and Bristol Regional and for
Russell County he's who I report to so
he's he will he'll take it back thank
you all
right thank you thank you for coming we
appreciate your time
and I'm pretty strict about stuff
remember
thank you Miss Morrison appreciate you
all right moving on to uh new business
so at this time we're going to need the
approval of the minutes of which we have
added we need three separate motions for
this
so I'll entertain a motion for the
unapproved minutes of October the 11th
so moved I have a motion I need a second
I have a second uh any further
discussion I'll call for the vote all in
favor any opposed any abstentions next
is the October 13th meeting I'll make a
motion we approve those minutes for the
October 20 October 13th October sorry I
was not at that I will not take a motion
from you I'll make that motion I'll
second it all right I have a motion I
need it and I've got a second uh any
discussions
all right I'll call for the vote all in
favor any opposed any abstentions
Mr breeding mister
Mr Ray thank you very much uh next I
need a motion to accept the unapproved
minutes of October 26th I'll make that
motion thank you Mr breeding I need a
second I have a second
um all in favor
any opposed any abstentions
motion carries next I need an approval
of the expenditures I'll make that
motion I have a motion for the
expenditures I need a second I have a
second from Mr Ray uh any discussion
okay all in favor uh uh any opposed
any abstentions motion carries uh okay
now we've paid the bills and we've got
our minutes so I have committee
appointments for board consideration we
have upcoming Vicki Porter a five-year
term for People Incorporated so moved I
have a a motion I need a second second
got a second any discussion
all in favor
any abstentions or any no's
all right Miss Porter you are duly
elected uh Community policy management
team I got a Jeffrey help me with that
rental Brent thank you three year term
I'll take a motion I'll make that motion
I have a motion I need a second
okay
I have a second Mr Christian I'm going
to take that one Mr Lovelace
um any discussion
he currently serves as the chair of that
committee name thank you very much
um okay we've got a motion and a second
all in favor any opposed any abstentions
motion carries now we've come to the
citizen comment period which is limited
to three minutes I'm asking for my paper
um
okay at this time I'm going to take
public comment and I am going to take
Chairman's prerogative here because I
have promised the number one seat to
Miss Shirley Brown didn't matter what
time she came in she's come a long way
to talk to us some is brown and you have
you have in your possession each board
member uh what she's about to talk to is
the discontinuance of the maintenance of
roadway 871. it's brown it's all yours
okay thank you madam chairwoman and
member of members of the board my name
is Shirley Brown and I own a home and
property along with my sisters which
borders State Route 871 in the sourwood
mountain section District 3 of Russell
County
this road is also bordered by property
owned by my nephew Daniel music
by the nature conservancy and by two
familial cemeteries the Fielding music
cemetery and the Gilbert Cemetery
we received a letter from the Virginia
Department of Transportation last week
as did your board
that they are protect preparing or
proposing the discontinuance of the
maintenance of this road which is
slightly less than four tenths of a mile
my main concern at this point is that
access to these two cemeteries would
eventually disappear
despite assurances from VDOT near nearly
30 years ago
access to that third cemetery on Route
722 has disappeared already since that
road was rerouted in 1993.
my parents and a large contingent of
residents from sourwood Mountain
addressed the board on October the 6th
1993 when VDOT rerouted this road from
Route 722 which is the main access road
to the mountain
I've provided each of you with a
scrapbook copy of an article that
appeared in the Lebanon news which
highlighted that meeting
the fears and distrust of those present
then are becoming realized today
the road was rerouted at the convenience
of clinchfield coal company to enable
them access to strip mine the
surrounding land
at the time VDOT closed off one half
mile of route 722.
the VDOT spokesman explained at that
time that the community would benefit
from the new road because it would be
easier to maintain
many residents loudly protested because
the new road would be Steep and would
hinder access to three familial
cemeteries
the disputed route 871 was an offshoot
that was created from Route 722 at that
time
it did ends at the two cemeteries and
has remained unchanged since then
I believe that any disruption to the
road system there anyway will hinder
future development of the new 5 million
million dollar Industrial Park
had carbo which is only seven miles from
route 722.
Why Stop road maintenance on any of
these roads when you're trying trying to
attract businesses
I further contend that we meet the
minimum standards required by VDOT which
are three occupied dwellings and our
businesses
my father Berkeley music a World War II
veteran and my brother our music a
marine veteran
along with others who served their
country are buried on that mountain
the residents there has have asked very
little of the government in the past 400
plus years except for the minimum
maintenance of the Gravel Road
of this Gravel Road over the past 50
years to give them access to and from
their homes
I respectfully request that the board
support my efforts to keep this road in
the VDOT system SCS thank you
thank you Miss Brown
[Music]
was there anyone else with you that
wanted to speak on that tonight
if you're gonna if you'd like to speak
come to the microphone and give us your
name and address
it is several members of my family that
has been very
cemeteries and Fairwood mountain and
even the funeral home said it would be a
this for them because if it wasn't
maintained they have had several
funerals that they have taken care of in
the last few years up there
so and
several family members even people from
out of state has traveled to to those
cemeteries and my family has served in
my late husband served in World War II
and great uncles has to serve even in
the Civil War we have we just haven't
asked for very much over the years just
maintaining a way to the cemetery in our
property on Sarah wood Mountain
and I even have copies of some of the
funeral homes that address to you
you didn't bring them in I have you know
Mr Combs has wrote the letter
honecker Funeral Home has wrote a letter
where they have had service up there in
the last few years so
it would be a really a
band for us to be able to travel to get
to the cemetery so people that uh these
Generations
so okay thank you could you give me your
name and address please my name is Irene
Sproles
and I live in Castlewood Virginia
I own property yeah it's a cemetery and
also other property and on Sarah wood
Mountain
thank you Miss Bros oh thank you
are we good
okay I've skipped around and I apologize
but I took Chairman's prerogatives on
this so the next one in line is Larry
Hughes
harder
good evening my name is Larry Hughes I
reside at 30 Glade Hall Drive and live
in Virginia district five
I want to take time to thank the board
members for your service I am sure it
poses many challenges requires difficult
decisions for most beneficial effects
for the county citizens resident sale
thanks to each of you for rolling back
the 2022 intent of texts that was to be
imposed back to the 2021 and have a
balanced budget but here lies my dilemma
the favor of the board supervisors are
openly and properly notify the printing
changes in the car tax code even after
sharp horse and the county
administrators have been put on notice
by the commercial revenues later today
March 25th 2022. I've had members of the
board that tell me they did not recall
being informed of the letter or premium
tax changes until the board of
supervised meeting on Tuesday 10 11 22.
this includes members of the budget
committee without being informed and the
committee having multiple meetings at
the topic was never discussed with the
committee during the October 11th
meeting the County Administrator
provided a very never intense reporting
stating the county had imposed a new tax
with the possibility of providing
attention reduction relieves the
taxpayers the numbers was uh the numbers
was a game was overwhelming and hard to
follow which is which was it just smoke
and mirrors to Circle bit and confuse
the listeners well half of one and I do
think it was not alone it was confused
with a rapid presentation of the numbers
however I'm concerned that the
communication barriers occurring within
County's business activities both
specifically between the board members
the chairperson and the county
administrative staff how is it that the
following a meeting up on October 26th
of budget was medically brought back to
the 2021 Texas Hill albeit according to
the County ministries it could not be
done in the meeting before as stated
previously per Virginia Constitution you
the board and your staff are faithfully
and personally discharge all the duties
and covering each of you you furthermore
elected as management and since your
other people's trustees and service in
all times available to your voters why
did you fail in your earlier budgetary
development if I was your board now
formally fully informed of the pending
tax changes with regular Finance the new
budget I want to read you the
description of the duties of the County
Administrator administrative managers as
outbound also County Board of supervisor
web page it reasons this the County
Administrator is appointed by the Board
of Supervisors serves as chief
administrative officers and performance
duties outlined by the code of Virginia
he is responsible for the proper
management of all the fires of the
county which are within the board's
authorities who control under direction
of the board again on the direction of
the board which the assistance of the
administrative manager of the County
Administrator responsible for
Preparation and the recommendations for
an annual budget for the county the
individuals keeps the board informed of
the County's Financial conditions and
oversees the policies and priorities
established by the Board of Supervisors
I may it may just be me but I think my
fellow citizens are concerned and want
to know how you the board are going to
rectify this failure communication and
early meetings I ask you to hold a
closed meeting to evaluate communication
failures it is my sincere wish that the
board take the initiative to resolve
these issues we do not want the county
publicist to have to revert to a certain
litigation to Helen's question of
communication failures uh and your legal
obligation to manage the powers of the
county as our trustees in the most
economical ethical and Sound business
process
we thank you
thank you Mr Hughes
next I have
um Roy Castle
Mr Castle
is today your birthday
is today your birthday today
says I've been around 95 years Mr Castle
from Castlewood Virginia is 95 years old
today
we're glad to have you what can we do
for you sir
I want to speak on two things
uh
King land heights subdivision I'd like
you to put that on the spring
uh check up see what needs to be done
the subdivision Road it involves a half
a mile circle
uh paved
needs some attention
the other thing I want to talk about is
the Sheriff's Department
ah
I don't last I'd like to ask the board
if they could set up
some kind of a banquet for the
Sheriff's Department
to show their appreciation
to watch it over us while we work while
we're playing while we sleep
those guys are laying their life on the
line every day out there
if a board would set up
some kind of a banquet for people to
Russell County who can come in and see
the men that are watching over there
uh
would have to be elaborate just some
snacks and drinks get to know each other
and show those guys
have we appreciate what they're doing
thank you
thank you Mr castle and happy birthday
from all of us
I have one more on the list and it may
have been I overlooked Alice music
Alice isn't going to all right all right
I just want to make sure that I'm not
leaving anyone off okay public comments
are finished at this time thank you guys
oh
foreign
sorry about that next we have
constitutional officers reports
I got one tonight wow
thank you ladies for coming
foreign
I want to talk to you tonight about the
uh
the employee
bonus ordinance that you're going to be
having here just in a little bit uh
we're very appreciative I know that all
the employees are very appreciative of
the bonus that you guys have set for 250
dollars but I'd like to talk to you and
ask you if you could think about
increasing that I know the school is
giving their full-time employees a
thousand dollars and their part-time
500. the town of Honaker is giving their
employees on a scale according to their
seniority anywhere from 250 to 5 000
dollars I've talked to the town of
Lebanon and they are going to be giving
something also out of their American
Rescue uh funds and that's where ours
could come out of uh they haven't set
the amount yet so I just wanted to bring
that to you I know we've had a lot of
employees that worked hard during the
pandemic they kept their offices open we
kept business going as usual and not to
say that we're not appreciative the 250
but I would like to see if there's
something you can do to increase it to
match what the school system has given
their employees
that's all I have thank you
next I'm going to the um
[Music]
County attorney reports and request Miss
Patton thank you madam chair
um the um Russell County employee bonus
ordinance that Alicia just referenced
this was an ordinance that was initially
taken up in May of this year and it was
advertised at that time as a Russell
County DSS employee bonus and I think
after some consideration the motion was
made by a board member and was
ultimately approved to have provided a
250 bonus to all and County Employees
um but after I was not aware that was
going to be emotion made you can change
ordinances after they've been advertised
but you have to be careful that they
would comply with the notice and it was
brought to air I did advise Lonzo that I
did have some questions about that but
ordinances are presumed valid and less
challenged but after that we received a
notification that an individual had
request that had concerns about the
enforceability of that ordinance so I
advise Lonzo wanted to look into it and
I think he did and I ultimately advised
that the easiest way is just to
re-advertise it to include all of the
Russell County
um employees and so my understanding is
Lonzo has done that he has re-advertised
it for a Russell County employee bonus
ordinance but that ordinance it cannot
be taken up tonight because it does have
to be advertised twice and so that would
need to be
um something on um at the board's
pleasure
um at the December meeting
okay so there we are that's just for
information sharing right yes there's no
action that can be taken on that thank
you very much all right next yes Madam
chair all I have is information really
tonight
um
um the next thing is the Russell County
technical assistance committees and what
this is really going to be for is for
um or potential ordinances or
resolutions for the board to consider
um I know in the past
um when there's been some interest in
adopting an ordinance the board has
asked me to draft one and when I when I
do that I look at it for legal
enforceability and I'm not always aware
of concerns of the citizens and other
other issues like that so I I discussed
this issue also with my boss and Mr
Campbell and I won't take credit it was
his suggestion that you know perhaps it
would be good to form when we have time
to do this that we form a committee to
address these ordinances that way the
board members at least a couple board
members and other people can have input
in drafting these ordinances I think you
know when I when I would do the way
we've done it in the past and I would
draft an ordinance and then there would
be changes that would be made and then
there would be several drafts floating
around which would lead to confusion
hopefully this way they'll be like
there'll be one ordinance that that
everybody works on so hopefully they'll
have you know if it's something that the
board does end up adopting there will be
minimal changes and so
um
the next ordinance that Lonzo has
requested me to look at I mean I know
that the Ida has expressed interest in
the board
um adopting a solar ordinance
um because they've had interest from
companies in in undertaking some of
those projects so that would be
um the first committee um for the chair
to appoint and my understanding
um is that the makeup of these
committees will change based on
different ordinances and different areas
of expertise board members have and also
members of the community that
um that may have um helpful expertise in
a certain area that would be appointed
to to help in in drafting these
ordinances
okay so tonight
um and Eric these board air board
members have received a letter from me
the chair and uh basically stating some
of the concerns that we've all had and
also
um I'm taking chairs prerogative to
begin that list of committee members and
so if anybody else you all have seen the
list so if anybody else has any anybody
they want to stick on there I've got
Steve as uh representing the Board of
Supervisors and Mr Lovelace
so those are air solar representatives
for this committee and so then I've got
um Mr McFadden representing the RDA
staff is going to be Lonzo
um you Ms Patton and Josh Stinson the
building official who will have to be
part of that
also because of the solar the vast uh
projects that's going to take place as
far as solar goes on property owners
I've asked The Nature Conservancy to
have someone at the table they own about
40 000 plus acres in our County that may
or may not be affected and they may need
to be a partner on this I've asked from
a soul smart the solar work group that
is working in Southwest Virginia I've
asked for a representative to be on that
and also from Virginia Department of
energy
um they have a template already in place
for ordinances to do this I have uh um
also asked that uh Mr Eaton's son Joshua
Eaton who has some experience in the
Solar industry would be part of that
technical assistance committee who did I
leave off can anybody remember
I'm just going by head my head but
anyway if I did not announce anyone's
name tonight you will be contacted for
further expertise
and how we need to draft this and please
board members look in your attorney
report
because
um Miss Patton speaks to the
ordinance of a solar ordinance it's not
as simple as we all think
um
yes and uh one more Cumberland Plateau
representative Scotty Wampler or his
designee
so I'm waiting back to hear from that so
that was my other one I added along with
Mr Eaton's son so I'm taking Chairman's
prerogative Mr Lester that is our
committee for the solar ordinance if
anyone in the public feel like that they
have some expertise in solar and you're
listening to us tonight or you're here
in this room you're very welcome to
contact myself for Mr Lester and be
placed on that committee we would love
to have input I don't see any more than
maybe two meetings considering that um
uh Virginia energy has got the template
so to speak I don't think it's going to
be extremely uh hard to deal with and
those can be by Zoom so I have asked
that that happened so make sure that
everybody knows if you've got Zoom or it
can be a hybrid of in-person
and uh and zoom all right I've yammered
enough on that I'll move on County
Administrator reports and requests thank
you Mr Lester thank you madam chair
first on the County Administrator
reports is of course
um we're getting ready to come up on the
New Year in the new legislative year uh
I have put in the board's packets some
vaco preliminary legislative programs
that Vaca will be considering and taking
a look at that's hit the radar as far as
upcoming legislative with the new
Administration from Economic Development
all the way through uh Health and Human
Services environmental and agriculture
Finance energy and education and
transportation now this is a draft of
luminary this will grow in size as you
all know each year by the time we get to
January and the legislative this will be
fine-tuned and honed and added and
deleted and modified so if you had an
opportunity take a look at all the uh
the different topics that have come up
before the legislation next on account
administrator reports is of course the
Bristol transportation district Regional
Improvement Commission
this is AKA the casino board uh I don't
know why they are called Transportation
but they need to be first presentation I
do change the name but anyhow
but we've had a couple meetings on that
one of the things that I want to you
know make sure that the county is aware
of the board is aware of these funds are
appropriated annually and so Jim
McLaughlin went to build a casino they
they wanted to ensure that the 13
counties and two
13 News tallies that got an opportunity
for this funding so in this funding we
all equally share so this is this is the
way the board is developed and this is
the way that we're going to participate
it's appropriated annually so we will
not see the first payment on this until
July so that will come in the new budget
year now what we're doing in the
meantime is the Department of Taxation
is appropriating to the authority but we
cannot give it out until annually but
one of the things that we're working
with local legislators Mr pillock uh
Senator pillion and delegate o'quin is
we're we're going to try to have that
changed into a court Appropriations in
the new fiscal year but right now we're
we're stuck under the current code
Virginia so we'll be looking at that and
also one of the other additional things
that you'll see coming up right now this
can only be spent or expanded up on by
the by the terms condition is
transportation
education and Public Safety that's
that's the three terms they come up with
well there's one other classifications
that we wanted added on to it and I
don't know why they didn't think about
it when they did it it was tourism the
casino is tourism well one of the things
that supports this entity and our
partnership with them is of course
tourism so we're going to see if they
can carve out part of that to take care
of our additional tourism the way we
partner with them when you walk through
the casino in the future you will be
able to see
picks and videos of Russell County the
Pinnacles the spearhead trails and it
will be Partnerships and there'll be
shuttles coming back for when they they
finally get this fully developed but
that's the short version but again the
important part is we only get the
funding right now in July so it's
appropriate once annual now under the
County Administrator request is next
thing is the funding Department of
Corrections uh we have got a grant from
the Department of Criminal Justice
Services for three new rsos
and a total of 159
984. one RSO will be for the vocational
school one for the Belfast and one for
Swords Creek uh the Russell County
Sheriff's department has worked along
with the schools to get these additional
grants for a total of 159 984 dollars
for these three additional schools I
need a motion and appropriation for 159
000. 984 okay I have a motion I need a
second okay got several good thank you
all all in favor any opposed any
abstentions motion carries
thank you madam chair next on Academy
Australia Quest is the course uh Miss
Brown had got up and spoke during
Citizen's comment on the the VDOT notice
the proposed route 871 the roadway
discontinuance after conversations with
VDOT even up till this morning we are
going to work on this to see if we can
make sure that these citizens and
residents and The Heirs
that have access to the cemetery so
we're putting that into the covenants
and the Deeds to make sure that no one
is landlocked or in or the code of
Virginia you can't restrict someone
access to the cemeteries so we're making
sure on our end that VDOT is working
with us to make sure that this happens
along with the nature conservancy in the
adjacent primary honors yes what trigger
the idea of closing this road to begin
with
VDOT first sent the county and the
adjacent Property Owners a letter and
here's what they stated
um and this is their language and and
they do this on all routes and it's
based off of traffic volume here's what
they said the road no longer provides a
level of Public Service to Warrant a
continued maintenance of the public
expense there see there's no property on
there so far it was a proposed route
that at one time was going to be the
developed and it didn't go that way when
they ended up doing route 722 they they
ended up not developing it it was they
were at one time going to they built a
partial Road in it was never hard topped
it was just gravel and he ditched it and
they put it in and it was never further
developed and that was when clinchco was
in there so they changed the routes and
went on set click clinchfield thank you
ma'am correction please feel thank you
we deal with like kind of quite a few
prop uh coal Fields but again back it
was it was initiated from VDOT
they said the road no longer provides a
level of Public Service to Warrant
continued maintenance of Public Service
and that's any real reality guard if you
have no Road you know no houses on it
that's that's was their conclusion so so
if they close the initially not close
this phone the people can still have
access to these cemeteries or to the
property and adjacent to this propose it
used to be a proposal the road that's in
place right now what happens when VDOT
discontinues it it it it it yes it goes
back to reverse still adjacent
landowners and that's correct then of
course one of the biggest property
owners that we have in Russell County is
the nature conservancy that is where
this the cemetery sets is on The Nature
Conservancy property and they work with
menia they've got a lot a lot of
cemeteries on their property out of the
44 000 plus acres that got in Russell
County so they will work with us we'll
put all that in together we will have a
letter from them to give to the adjacent
Property Owners along with VDOT so that
way they have access to this you know to
the cemetery of the same Nate any any
one or family members will have this to
be able to pass I wouldn't want to agree
to jeopardize during use of the road or
get into the cemeteries or anything like
that yeah I wouldn't I wouldn't be in
favor of that absolutely I guess my
biggest issue isn't just the maintenance
because it's hard to get to these
cemeteries in this rural areas I mean
and when you can't get access you know
whether you have one house or three
houses but you've got people they are
buried in those cemeteries that needs to
have maintenance to that road because if
somebody don't maintain it it's going to
be rough to get in and out there because
most of the cemeteries around these
areas upon these hills and mountains
it's pretty tough on these people that
don't have either support from one or
the other and I know the county don't
have any roads so and we can't get
gravel like Buchanan County does but
it's really hard on these people as as
we have an aging community and these
people get older they can't do it so I
I'm not I'm not for unless they can
something's done with the maintenance
side of that I I'm not going to support
this okay
I think we're just listening right now
because this is in this is in vdot's
hands and we'll have to wait till we
have to have a public hearing does the
board need to take any action on it no
no it does not after talking with Miss
Brown and top one feed dot this morning
they will have the next step of action
will be a public hearing okay and that
Miss Brown has already talked with Vito
herself she's had many Communications
with living in residency yeah yeah and
and Carl Ray and myself yeah we've all
talked with her but one of the things
that we want you know the the board
wanted to do is make sure they got
access to the center that's that's the
key component
well um David was talking about uh
keeping the road up we have a family
cemetery and we have a you know joined
together to keep the road up so it's we
had a Borough about two years ago it was
pretty tough
but if they could come together and be
in agreeable to keep the road up to or
they could travel to the cemetery or
with the funeral authorization and
everything
but that's something David I guess they
will have to work I hope they can get
something worked out for you don't but
otherwise they may have to you know come
together and um and try to walk among
themselves yes all this will come out in
our public hearing which VDOT says
um yes they will notify us and we'll
move forward is that correct Mr Lester
yes ma'am all right
any more questions or comments on that
next on account administrator request is
of course the Russell County tourism
coordinator position this I'm asking for
approval for hire on a full-time County
tourism position again I'm trying to get
the casino to pay for this but they're
the ones acquiring all this additional
work so we've got an opportunity here to
proceed forward so
um
and in the previous one that we had been
uh piecemeal and on part-time we had an
intern that was doing great at this and
now we have we've got to the point where
we're going to be able to get the
eligible funding you've got to have the
position so yeah
I need a motion for approval of the
Russell County tourism coordinator
position I'll say okay ma'am I have a
motion in a second any discussion
all right here we go good deal thank you
finally I'm calling for the motion all
in favor
any opposed
any abstentions thank you thank you okay
as one the annual traditions of the
russet County Board of Supervisors you
always give
turkeys to the food pantries y'all have
done this since I've been I mean this is
just one of them I need a motion I'll
make it I'll say
oh we got turkeys everywhere I have a
motion and a second for Thanksgiving
turkeys
all right all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you
I got one once I am
next again from the Board of Supervisors
tradition the Russell County employee
slash Christmas uh
Thanksgiving you know he's our Hammer
turkey gift certificates I need a motion
for it I'll make it second I have a
motion and a second for Thanksgiving
Christmas gift bonuses or certificates
I'm sorry let's call it that yeah all
right all in favor any opposed any the
abstentions motion carries thank you
thank you ma'am chair the last one was
the one that was added
um of course I that all board members
had on before them we went out and got
bids on the Swords Creek uh proposed
Community Center
uh for hvc Union the it had oil in it
they had an oil facility uh furnace in
it and that has to be replaced it could
not be repaired so we went out with bids
and I need an approval on the bids for
thermco for the hvc unit at the Swords
Creek Community Center I'll make it
motion okay I have a motion I need a
second
for thermco HVAC to accept their
proposal correct yes ma'am all right any
discussion further can we use uh
arpa funds on this no man no sir no sir
just says it comes out County budget yes
sir yes all right I have a motion and a
second all in favor
extensions motion carries thank you the
reasons TV's being if it had hvc I could
do it if it was apples for apples change
renovation
yeah it's a renovation if I'd had an hvc
unit and it went down I could have done
HVAC to hvc but we're changing to an oil
the feds
Auditors okay Madam chair that concludes
kind of industry reports on Quest thank
you ma'am thank you very much the next
thing I see on the agenda oh by the way
um there was a couple of pieces of
information added into your packet the
papers
um I think you've got the school board
information
and you also have some DSS information
so it's there
and uh next I'll take board discussion
and reminders remember I'm reminding you
no motions just tell me what you think
Tim I'll start with you I'm good thank
you Carl no matter
David I would like the board to consider
our employees uh I know they have worked
through the pandemic and if we can help
them and do more uh I would support that
I
it's a very trying job and our employees
do a wonderful job so I just want to say
I appreciate what they do and anything
we can do to help them
okay anything else
thank you Mr braiding no ma'am let's die
now I'm like David I will support
whatever we can do for our employees
okay
Mr Christian
microphone please
okay okay Echo what David
um Rebecca said I'll support it
very good and chairwoman tonight I
usually don't have anything but I will
say that uh concerning some comments
that we've had in the public uh lately
there are videos to all of our meetings
including uh May May 10th I will say and
uh other meetings that we've had so
please take some time out and watch them
for your bedtime enjoyment I guess it
might put you to sleep anyway at this
time uh I will see you all next month
what's our time
six air date
December the 5th six o'clock
uh oh
that is right well we shall uh
okay
are we good to go with that
all right
that's the date we'll be here thank you
all uh during this meeting