foreign
Madam chair I'd like to make a motion we
come out of executive session
I'll second it I have a motion and a
second to return to open session all in
favor
any opposed
any abstentions motion carries
Pam I'll start off with certification in
closed session pursue it to subsection
2.2 3712 D of the code of Virginia 1950
as amended each member of the Board of
Supervisors upon roll call certifies
that to the base 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 mayors that were identified in
the Motions by which the closed meeting
was convened where heard discussed or
considered in the meeting by the Board
of Supervisors
any member of the Board of Supervisors
who believes there was a departure from
the requirements shall stay so prior to
the vote indicating the substance of
that departure in his or her judgment
are there any supervisors who believe
there was a departure has taken place
seeing none
if you agree that the matters heard
discussed or considered during the close
meeting were pursuant only to the
Motions by which the closed meeting was
convened please signify by saying yay or
yes Tim Loveland yes
car Ray yes
David Eaton yes
Steve Brady yes
Rebecca die yes or as Christian yes
Luanne Wallace yes
ma'am you have approval to return to
regular session thank you Mr Lester
welcome everyone at this time I'm going
to ask you to rise for the invocation
and remain standing for the Pledge of
Allegiance
father God lord we love you we thank you
we praise you today Father father
forgive us for where we fill you each
and every day thank you for allowing us
to be a part of our local government and
help us be more like you in each and
every way in your name I pray amen
to the flag of the United States of
America and to the Republic which it
stands one nation under God indivisible
with liberty and justice for all
foreign
thank you at this time I'm going to need
an approval of the agenda however there
will be amendments Mr Lester
yes ma'am hang on just a second let's
see how it is going
ma'am I'm asking for amendments under
the first under the County Attorney to
add in as number two for Bond Council
for services for debt consolidation of
an Ida project
and number 12 as consideration
I got concerned when there is the sirens
going on
sorry about that consent number 12 be
added under the county administrative
request as consideration of resolution
in support of the proposal for grant
funding from the Virginia opiate
abatement Authority
number 12 under the county Ministry
request number two under the county
attorney
sorry
uh one more is the under the County
Attorney report will be number three
this will be the solar energy project
Revenue sharing ordinance uh public
hearing right request
advertising the ordinance
those three changes those are three
changes to the agenda so far so I'll
entertain a motion to accept the agenda
as amended some new Madam chair thank
you Mr breeding I need a second
got a second
um any discussion further
hearing none I'll call for the motion
all in favor all right any opposed any
abstentions motion carries thank you
next we're moving on to tonight's agenda
we'll have presentations on it and we
ask that um you try to keep your
presentations short
so at this time and I don't mean three
minutes but I do mean shorter than
normal we we would go through so
um tonight we're going to welcome John
McCoy with 11 and fire department who is
the fire chief of the association thank
you Mr McCoy
you're a whale
[Laughter]
that's all the fire departments Fire
Chiefs in Russell County we meet we go
over some stuff that we feel like we
need some stuff that we go over to keep
the county in in great shape especially
everything being 100 volunteer
look at that right here we go check now
everybody's good check all right anyway
uh first and foremost I want to remind
the board and citizens that fire service
in Russell County is still 100 volunteer
we don't look to change that we don't
want to change that we've got a great
Community we've got great emergency
services at Ross County
um I'm thankful for it I think everybody
up here is thankful
um first and foremost I do want to thank
you all for allotting the money to allow
us to go to digital radios that's really
really helping us out when we receive
those uh we've worked with Bo Bice head
dispatcher for a while now he's still
doing some programming to to get those
radios out to us we've been working with
him in the last couple weeks and
hopefully Motorola has everything we'll
be receiving those
here before too long
um that's going to allow us to do a lot
more clear Communication in what we call
an idlh environment that's a media
danger to life and health all right so
um we are thankful for that but there
are some requests that we do have
tonight uh not dealing with radios but
some other requests all right and we'll
try to keep it as short as I can for you
because I know you've got a big agenda
um the first thing we'd like to request
the Russian Volunteer Fire Chiefs is
that I am responding app to be paid
through the through the whole County for
all of our fire departments all right so
that's going to cost 350 per Department
uh for county-wide it's going to be
roughly on average nine thousand two
hundred forty dollars now that's the
numbers that I've came up with we may be
able to get a little bit more of a
discount from I am responding on that as
long as the whole County goes
county-wide
um when we go digital this page right
here everybody sees that that's what
allows us to be responded all of our
members have those this digital page is
going to cost 420 per member all right
so you all bought the radios we've still
got to have pagers to be able to respond
to calls all right my department alone
that's about nine thousand two hundred
forty dollars that we'd have to spend
out of pocket all right that's 25 of our
County funding plus our State Fire grant
funding that's a big big chunk out of
our funding to be able to purchase those
all right that's why we want to go to I
am responding all right that's gonna
allow us everybody carries the cell
phone now we can we can respond to our
cell phones dispatch sends that directly
to our cell phones we actually respond
to ourselves we know who's responding to
that it keeps our hydrants on there it
keeps our pre-plans on there it's really
really helpful uh lebanon's been using
it now for I'm gonna say six to eight
months uh St Paul's been using it for
probably two years
um and then Belfast is testing it in uh
Castle is also testing I don't have any
complaints out of anything from from
that application so we'd really like
that to be done
um
again if we if we don't get dispatched
whether it be through a pager or an
application we're not going to show up
the time they you know that's that's
really really big if we're not there we
can't help
um in 2022 the Russell County Fire
Department's responded to 976 calls
that is 10 822 donated man hours for
volunteer hours that's that's a lot of
man hours all right
um that's going to include Kyle's
trainings meetings uh these firefighters
fire me and the fire women have spent
time away from families uh Missing
birthdays holidays doesn't matter if
it's Christmas if it's Thanksgiving that
goes off we're going you know 10 minutes
before I walked in here we had a coffee
luckily I had enough volunteers to be
able to man that take care of that all
right
um the last raise that the volunteer
fire departments received in Russell
County as far as budget wise was 14
years ago that we can find all right
um I've got some comparables so you all
can see what we're dealing with in a
raise of costs of life-saving equipment
because everything we keep on the fire
trucks in the firehouse is life-saving
equipment all right we don't go out and
just spend to spend money I think you
all know that because we have to budget
ourselves all right
um a fire engine in 2004 was a hundred
and five thousand dollars now that is a
truck a tank and a pump that's no hose
no ladders no equipment whatsoever
that's a basic fire engine
um St Paul just expected about the same
engine out that's 425 thousand dollars
for the comparable engine again no
equipment that's that's just the fire
engine that's an increase of 328 percent
that we say and that is a must-have
piece of equipment if we show up we
don't have that what are we gonna do you
know
um price of deals diesel fuel and gas
you all know have gone through the roof
um 2008 we're looking at a dollar eighty
a gallon now we're looking at three and
three dollars and fifteen cents a gallon
I mean that's and it takes that to
operate all right uh and SCBA which is a
self-contained breeding apparatus you'll
see it on the screen which is our
breathing system to be able to go into a
fire um to go into idlh environment
um in 2010 that's four thousand five
hundred sixty dollars
2023 it's 11 500. all right 156 percent
increase
uh PPE which is going to include our
helmet our nomax structure pants
structure coat gloves and boots uh
that's costing us thirty five hundred
dollars per member all right that is
each member has to have that you know
um we have to take that out of service
every 10 years in FBA which is National
Fire Protection Agency governs us
no matter if it sees one call or it sees
300 it's got to go every 10 years we do
a good job of trying to rotate this gear
and not buy it all at once but you look
at a volunteer agency with 20 men
we've got about 20 sets of turnout gear
all right our our goal is Chiefs and
they'll back me up on this is number one
to keep our volunteers safe second is
key to the community site and they'll
just go hand in hand with me
um I don't know how we're expected to do
this without proper funding comparable
to what we're having to purchase now you
know these 156 percent 300 increases
that's hitting us hard really hard
um Class B foam uh that was running US
98 for a five gallon bucket now we're at
253 dollars for a five gallon bucket
again 158 increase
um thermal search camera that's running
us 8 500 in today's environment that
gives us the ability to go inside a
structure search for a victim of course
it's going to read temperatures uh it's
going to check structural Integrity for
us um you don't check for flashover for
us there's a lot of departments inside
the county don't have them me personally
I use it on every fire amount that I
will not go to a fire without once
um Kyle goes off at 2 A.M it's by my
side it doesn't matter the reason that a
lot of the Departments don't have one is
because they're having to make a
decision whether to buy a thermal search
camera or pay their insurance prices
and that's my opinion not right in my
opinion you know what I mean if I show
up they should have one everybody in the
county should have one but of course
budgeting you've got to do what you got
to do from that all right
um Insurance bills for the for the camp
for the each Department's running
between 20 and 25 000 per Department per
year
um and we we can't do anything about
that that's set in stone with us
um the county is almost upon twenty six
thousand dollars to US for funding on
that all right we get 13 000 I believe
from State fire grants that right one's
a take 13 000 but the county is
supplying 26 000 to us
that's uh life-saving essential
equipment that we need to keep our
community safe that we can't purchase
because we don't have the funding
um I don't know how we can expect a
volunteer to go in a burning structure
without that year because the
underfunded Department can't afford the
gear for them all right
um fundraising the community's been
great when we fundraise this this is a
great Community a great County we live
in they help us out but just because of
the price of our equipment gets gets
more expensive doesn't mean the
community is going to give you more they
usually they haven't allowed to set them
out that's what they're going to give
you
um Bingo is always a big thing for us
but since covered being everybody knows
Bingo's kind of dropped nailed to
nothing we can't help that
um
we we truly understand the difficulties
of balancing a budget because we do it
in our own firehouses all right but we
need some help we really do need some
help
um our average increases of equipment's
gone up 210 since our since our last uh
funding increase
uh Volunteer Fire Chiefs Russell County
want to propose tonight to bring
everybody to level funding of 72 000
each department per year all right right
now we have some departments that
received a little more some apartments
that receive less uh depending on where
they're at in the county what they
operate and go from there
the reason we want everybody on level
funding is because volunteers are so
hard to get we're looking at 327
classroom hours per volunteer to get
them certified to be able to go in a
structure all right that's time at night
time on weekends that they've been in
the classroom and that's just the basic
training you know of course we do our
other training with them but that's
through the state just the basic
training on that
um that's going to bring
us to close to where we need
um that's 576 thousand dollars split
eight ways all right I feel like that
that's a fair number we we put our heads
together in the last couple months and
come to you all fair number we're not
coming with something that's
astronomical out there we feel like you
can't work work with
um
I really feel like you all can come to
this and and once you see this and put
your heads together I feel like it's
something that is needed
um at 2 A.M when we go out and
somebody's inside there do you all want
us to be underfunded or where we need to
be and I'm not trying to put that back
on you all but we've seen those
hardships all right
that's that's a real question if it's
your family's in there you know if it's
your mother your daughter your
grandmother and we're underfunded we
don't have the equipment we need we're
not going to be able to do the job we
need if you all go out and get an
accident tonight and we're in the golden
hour to get you to a hospital within an
hour get you extricated out of there if
you want them underfunded I mean it's
it's a hard question to ask all right
um comparables throughout the the couple
of counties that I pulled and you all
want so you can probably pull a lot more
than I can uh tassel County's funding
676 thousand dollars uh per year for
fire Services Washington county is at
1.1 million Smith County I've got it 451
thousand uh Montgomery County I've got
it 559 000 and I've got Russell County
at 203 000. in my opinion that's
underfunded and I think it's something
you all need to look at very hard
all right y'all have any questions or
anything like that
I just want to say I appreciate the
volunteerism that we have here in the
county and I can fully understand as a
business
what it's like to see all this increase
around us and I really appreciate every
every person that does their job and you
all are great to work with I can't say a
bit about that any question I've ever
had just like tonight getting us on the
agenda first so we wouldn't have all the
Chiefs in Russell County that are in
letting it at one time thank you Luanne
I really appreciate that
so anybody else have a comment
thank you we appreciate it John John I
have a comment for you go ahead go on
those numbers that you gave and you know
we you know we have worked with you guys
on the radios and birds and Kobe money
and this yes sir yeah we're compiling
the budget and that's one of the things
that's on the agenda tonight we're going
we're getting Fast and Furious on this
I'm going to see if we can speed this up
so give me your numbers that you've got
that way we can look as at what you're
proposing for all of the squads as the
con now this is just fire departments
that's even better what I would like to
see but what we would like to see is 72
000 from the county itself to each
department right so St Paul gets gets a
lot a lot less money uh Copper Creek
gets a little bit more because they run
two departments where we respond with
each other a lot now we're relying on
them that's why we want to bring
everybody to level funding and we feel
like 72 000 is where we need to be at to
purchase the equipment that we need to
keep rolling forward is that included is
that is that part of the including the
fire grants and the rest this is in
addition okay I I don't include fire
green because it's a good state in my
opinion yeah and I will say this too for
the Public's knowledge having a fire
department in your area actually reduces
your insurance rates correct so that so
there is a cost savings to have that and
like I said I just want to throw that
out and that that's another thing is is
as we look at some departments that are
underfunded even us that goes back to
excuse me an ISO class rating which is
your insurance uh protection class ring
which is what all insurance companies
are going to rate on and that goes back
to equipment they come in every five to
ten years and they they will go through
every piece of equipment they'll go
through every piece of apparatus you've
got they'll go through your training
hours
and that that that's affecting a lot
because a lot of departments can't
afford what they need to bring them to a
lower ISO rate so
I'd like to say I appreciate everything
each and every department on whole
County not just the county state and the
nation yes we can't let them down I can
say that don't let them down
as you um put together your numbers
um you gave me or all of us percentages
if you can compose a narrative
along with that I'd like to see that
also Edward you only send that one's
overseas send it to him and he'll see
that we all get a copy that sounds great
thank you so very much we appreciate you
coming if you all got questions you can
find me you can find these Fire Chiefs
about anywhere
um so just just come find us all right
thank you all
normally not but I'm going to allow this
one nobody else
Fred Evans I'm the fire chief of
Cleveland volunteer fire department and
I know I've reached out to you I've
reached out to Steve
I've reached out to him
Lonzo down there
um talking about the radio situation our
department in Cleveland uh we're going
to be three units
three mobile units short we're going to
be one base station short and we're
going to be eight Portables handhelds
for our members so this is also
not counting into the budget of which we
are asking you all but this is stuff
that we need to keep our firefighters
safe
it's a security issue and it's a
security it's safety and we got to have
it and I can just tell you right now
like John said twenty six thousand
dollars and a whole lot of money
especially when you're paying your own
insurance
you're
taking care of your own fuel bills
I can show you
that our department pays twenty four
thousand dollars a year for her
insurance
so I don't have thirty thousand dollars
to buy radios
so what the county has a lot at us or my
department is five mobile radios 10
handheld radios
right now our department can hold 18
people I've got 14 on roster
now how can I go as a fire chief and say
you 10 people are more important than
everybody else
uh everybody should have a radio if you
have never been on a fire scene you need
to go
because anything can happen
that quick
and if it don't work out you're going to
end up getting somebody hurt or killed
and
I'm sorry everybody's life's worth more
than three thousand dollars thank you Mr
Evans you're welcome I appreciate it um
Mr McCoy does Mr Edwin's work through
your department
the fire chief
okay but you don't represent all all of
those
all right thank you very much
we appreciate you all coming
yeah I have uh Miss Sandy hiss
presentation
good evening I appreciate you all
letting me come and speak please excuse
my voice allergies
but I'm here this evening to address a
need that our county has that most may
not be aware of uh David Eaton had
mentioned it at the last meeting
uh there is a need in this County for a
shelter
for homeless individuals uh displaced
residents and emergency situations as
well
the County Emergency Management
coordinator Jess Powers serves this
County and he does a remarkable amazing
job especially with what resources that
he's given Jess does an amazing job but
now he maintains the shelters when it is
necessary
but now myself being an employee of DSs
we are also mandated to work the
shelters if the need does rise it's been
several years since the need has arisen
that we had to
excuse me but in the past it has come up
currently the only shelter available is
Green Valley
is Green Valley Baptist Church here in
Lebanon and while this is a blessing to
the county for sure
um if there's a natural disaster such as
the flood that happened in Hurley or a
severe snowstorm it would be very hard
to get people from Swords Creek or
Homemaker over to Green Valley
that would be almost impossible
especially in the middle of a snowstorm
or something like that now the schools
are supposed to be shelters for the
county but Swords Creek Elementary
School
um doesn't have any showers and actually
it's in a flood zone so a couple weeks
ago when it just came a hard rain there
was about six to eight inches of water
running through the parking lot of the
school
so that's not a very good shelter the
Honaker fire hall is also supposed to be
a shelter it's not handicap accessible
it has no showers or facilities either
so there's really nothing on that end of
the county if if something did happen
now also many of you may not be aware of
the homeless situation that we do have
in Russell County now currently there
are 91 homeless individuals receiving
food stamp benefits in Russell County
now that could be people that are
staying with other family members that
are just bouncing from place to place
that don't have anywhere to call their
own residence
it could also be that they're actually
living in tents we do have that or less
and people are not aware of that you
know you don't see them on the sidewalks
like in San Francisco but Russell County
does have a homeless situation and
there's been several instances
um that I've been aware of in the 16
years that I've been at Social Services
where we have homeless individuals come
into the agency that need somewhere to
stay and the nearest place we have is
either Norton or Bristol that our social
workers have to you know take them down
there A lot of times and so there is a
need for that in Russell County
uh in 2022 Mr Powers sheltered 164
people in Russell County
either due to house fires uh power
outages
weather events even spousal abuse now
most of this of course is funded by the
American Red Cross and the Salvation
Army but when someone's house burns them
like there was 33 structure fires last
year and four already this year so when
someone's house burned down they have to
scramble to try to find them a motel or
somewhere to go you know at least
temporarily
so it is always an issue
the old southern states building in
Honaker is currently being looked at as
a shelter for that end of the county
now this is not a need for the town of
Honaker this is a need for the county in
general and would serve the needy
residents of the entire County this is
not a request of the Emergency
Management nor is it a request from DSS
there are currently no state or federal
programs that would help people with
shelter that could or would be funded by
DSS
I'm simply approaching the board because
I have witnessed this need firsthand in
our County
what I'm requesting from the county is
that the county helps secure the grants
to complete this shelter and equip it or
if possible use the cares act money
whatever may be available so that that
this shelter can be completed and get it
in use for the most vulnerable people in
our County
and that's that's okay
thank you very much we appreciate you
foreign
next we're moving on to our new business
and I need an approval of the minutes
please motion to prove manager
I have a motion I need a second second
I've got a second all in fact any
discussion
all in favor
opposed any abstentions motion carries
for the minutes thank you
um I need an approval of expenditures
I've got a motion in a second any
discussion
I'm going to pay the bills all in favor
any opposed any abstentions thank you
very much
uh moving along we're going to move
along to the committee appointments for
board consideration
um do we have any body that wants to
present this tonight
yes Madam chair for the Ida I'd like to
present the Ron Blankenship
okay um I have a motion for Mr Ron
Blankenship to serve a four-year term uh
that's vacant on the Ida I need a second
second I've got a second um any
discussion let me ask you
who who do you have somebody on the
on that board
you don't have anybody he's he's
replacing yeah you've got somebody no no
okay so you're next okay gotcha I'm just
making sure Mr Wright is a replacing
Rogers
right all right so we have a motion and
a second all in favor
any opposed
any abstentions motion carries
next we come to the Southwest Virginia
Community Corrections Facility for Doug
Howard our two-year term I'd like to
reappoint Mr Howard how second we have a
motion to reappoint Mr Howard
house second all in favor
extensions motion carries
at this time we're coming to the
citizens comment period which is limited
to three minutes I'll open the floor for
that
any comments
all right
um one two three done
um constitutional reports and requests
I'm looking over the audience do I see
anybody nope
next we have the County Attorney reports
and requests it's Patton thank you madam
excuse me thank you madam chair the
first thing that I have is a resolution
that's included in your packet
um
and it's in regard to the opioid
litigation this resolution
authorizes our
um outside Council they're they're the
ones that have provided all of this to
us it was a form resolution that we
needed to just plug in air and that it
was Russell County and and gives them
authority to settle the claims
um against
um Teva allergen Walmart Walmart
Walgreens and CVS and so I would just
ask the board to approve that to allow
us to keep working to settle those
claims and receive some more money
through the opioid litigation
okay and um
well we probably need a motion in a
second on the floor for discussion so
I'll call for a motion on that I'll make
a motion that we approve this resolution
I need a second
I have a second from Mr Christian and
discussion please
now let me clarify this that this is an
addition to what we've already gone
through yes ma'am that's correct all
right so the public understands this is
just a little bit more these are the
actual Distributors yes that's and when
we when we first when I brought the
other
um settlement to you that was only a
partial settlement so there was there's
different moving pieces to this and so
this this only pertains to those
Distributors
um
thank you for the clarification for the
public
um I've got a motion in a second I'll
call for the vote all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you Miss Patton thank you
madam chair the second item under
um County the County Attorney reports in
Lonzo will probably have to address any
questions but I have discussed an issue
with him and regarding
um the issuance of bonds by the Ida
which would require Moral Moral
obligations from the county and some
restructuring of that debt and as I've
advised Lonzo previously I'm not on
Council so um when the county needs a
bond Council you do have to hire an
outside counsel for that and so it would
be my suggestion for that those
particular matters to um to hire outside
counsel
um for legal matters relating to the
restructuring of the debt and and bond
counsel
foreign we have a recommendation by the
attorney
um to look for
Bond Council for matters of obligations
do you just select one or do you have to
prepare it here you um and I pulled it
up um you actually do not
um excuse me I thought I had it pulled
up
um there isn't it there is an exemption
under
2.2-4344 that um you do not have to a
public body may enter into contracts
without competition for the purchase of
Legal Services Professional Services
well it's not just professional it's for
Legal Services in particular that you
don't have to use competition yes ma'am
I'll make a motion
okay I have a motion I need a second
okay I've got a second further
discussion board
hearing none I'll call for the motion
all in favor
opposed any abstentions motion carries
thank you very much
excuse me last
um matter I have for the board is it's a
draft of a of a solar energy project
Revenue share ordinance
um late in 2022 I
um the board asked me to look into that
and Madam chair created a committee and
we've been working to that and working
on an ordinance and after you know the
the committee and our collaborative
efforts which have been great
um it's been determined that because the
county does not have zoning we can't
enter we can't adopt a solar ordinance
that that governs
um where where and how they can be
placed but what the code does allow is
and what this is for is basically a tax
resolution and how that big solar
projects not the one just that someone
has at their house would be taxed and
I've got a draft of what I have prepared
for at the last committee meeting at the
last community meeting meeting it was
brought up that you can also do you can
incorporate
um the storage component into these
ordinances and I do not have that link
but I am going to
um when Lonzo gets that to me I'm going
to amend this ordinance but what I what
I'm requesting the board to do if you
want to move forward with with this is
just to
um
authorize the County Administrator to
advertise this and set it on the agenda
for the next hearing and what I but he
won't advertise it until I add the
additional language and I'll send that
to you all as well but this this will be
the majority of the language and they'll
just be additional language on how the
storage is taxed pursuant to the code of
Virginia
okay so it's my understanding that I'm
going to ask for a motion to do this and
uh for public notice tonight uh Mr
breeding and Mr Lovelace was the two
representatives from our board and we
had experts from across the state and
um I'm I'm going to call for discussion
here but I need a motion in a second
here I'll make that motion I have a
motion I need a second second I got a
second from Mr Loveless there are two
members and for discussion purposes
anybody have anything that you want to
add subtract or anything to this
ordinance for a large project like this
does this fall into a machining tool
this is this is what
um for a large one it's you
you're opting to go for this to assess
this number you know per megawatt
instead of proceeding under the County's
machine okay thank you
okay
um and I'm not going to put Mr McFadden
on the spot but you're okay with this
because we're doing this for you right
so your your Ida is all happy with this
and you've been at the table the whole
time and we appreciate that okay
I'm gonna call for the vote all in favor
um any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you very much
next I'm moving on to the County
Administrator reports and requests Mr
Lester
thank you madam chair
the first thing on the community County
Administrator reports is uh this is a
follow-on of what uh
Katie had done this is uh American
Electric Power EP leader support for our
the department of energy bipartisan
infrastructure law long duration energy
storage facility funding opportunity
announcement which is a lever support on
behalf of Russell County Virginia would
like to voice support for the American
electorate power in its application of
long duration energy stories
demonstrations
the Clinch River power plant has been an
integral part of the community over 65
years and believed this investment in
the new Battery Technology will allow it
to remain an important part of our
community for the years to come
what AEP is proposing a long-term
battery storage facility units in
Arizona
15 Acres a 70 million dollar investment
so this will consist of 240 employees
during the construction phase 50
employees after the phase so uh the
course the board had to act quickly on
this along with the Ida and the rest to
get this through we need an approval for
the board for the American Electric
Power literal support
got a second all in favor
any opposed any abstentions and I didn't
ask for any discussion because I figured
you didn't need to that's a win right
that's it a big win 70 million
second first next unknown area is the
environmental impact report for the
construction for the Department of
Corrections Appalachian Detention Center
wastewater treatment plan upgrades uh
this is a as a course you can see from
the Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality the reviewers did not anticipate
any embarrassing adverse impacts from
the projects and the recommendations of
follow DEQ has no objections to the
construction provided that it meets all
applicable laws regulations policy and
coordination of the needs of the project
I need approval for the environmental
impact from the County's perspective for
the construction of the Department of
Corrections Appalachian Detention Center
wastewater treatment plan
at the Blackford unit I'll make that
motion you've got a motion and a second
um any discussion
nothing further I'll call for the vote
all in favor any opposed any abstentions
motion carries
the next one on there on the counter
administrator reports is the American
Rescue plan Recovery Act tourism Grant
and I'm going to list out a little
explain this one to you
we're good thank you Shiloh so um I'm
sure that was uh presented in your
packet I'm basically just going over
this briefly because I know you all are
ready to get home into dinner so am I
um so basically this is split up this um
budget is from um Virginia tourism
corporation which they got fun arpa
funding
um during covid so we were finally able
to get our budget approved and the
budget that is in your packet is the
budget that was approved so um basically
we have thirty thousand dollars total
um 16
500 is going towards tourism product
development which is going to focus on
creating an adventure Guide which will
be print and digital format so we're not
just doing one format we'll have both
um so it's going to highlight the entire
County not just one particular area
um including events
um businesses uh
well the river you know all of our
tourism assets that we hear we have here
in this great County and it's also going
to um help with our website updating and
development
um
then 5000 of it is going to go towards
marketing production which is going to
focus on professional photography
because that's where we lack so um
5000 of that it's going to be split
between professional a local
professional photographer and then we're
also going to have a drone specialist
coming in
um to have drone photos of the river of
the mountains of everything so and then
we also have
8 500 of that set aside for paid media
fields which is going to be our ads so
that's going to be in Blue Ridge
outdoors that's also going to be in um
Google ads Facebook Instagram YouTube
um
all of those different types of ads so
our bro ads um in the magazine they are
expensive so we are limited to two
um but we'll also already have the the
created ad that we can then use in
further ad developments and if we want
to go on to other bro issues those
issues are going to be focused hyper
focused in regions such as Georgia North
Carolina
South Carolina
um Tennessee
uh West Virginia and Kentucky because
that's where the majority of the people
who are coming to our website and our
social media pages are coming from so um
there's been a lot of thought process
that's gone into this so this is the
budget that's already been approved by
arpa which is through horn they're legal
um
organization I guess so I just urge you
to you know go go on could you speak
briefly about that idea I called you
about about
yeah so um Mr Eaton
came about uh Q uh QR development for
the county so we've um it's a very it's
very easy to do so I've gone through
some of the different ideas that we
could go through having a QR code for
the entire County
um displayed on businesses
um advertised at events
um things of that nature just to draw
people towards um
uh either the County website or or our
tourism page as well so I think it'd be
a great way to to incorporate everything
we could also have a link tree hook to
it so you can have multiple links on one
so it's just something that you know I'm
continuing developing so yeah of course
if you have any questions no but you can
also hook that QR code to businesses yes
and um so as people walk by that
particular business they can shoot that
QR code and find out all about things
they can purchase and help the economy
keep rolling yes thank you Shiloh for
your presentation we're excited to
accept our home thirty thousand dollars
and in funding well I'll make it motion
to accept it thank you Mr Eaton I need a
second
I got a lot of seconds I'll take them
all
no further discussion is needed I'm sure
any proposed
any abstentions motion carries
thank you ma'am chair next is again
we're talking money uh just as reports
the oh everyone knows if you don't uh
of course the Virginia assembly the 2020
23 24 budget they the 23 uh General
Session adjourned with what they call a
skinny budget so it doesn't make one
okay how do you ever get a skinny budget
but anyhow I like to have one of those
but we don't get the pressure of it but
what it means is they'll be reconvening
as they come out of special committees
to take on these other things and one of
the biggest things that is under these
budgets is
in their analysis last year the general
assembly and when they were working
through the schools they some of them
came up and were over either over
extended they had a gap funding or there
was over you know there was overstated
or understated so they're going back
through to make sure that all schools is
held harmless now I'm in that and I and
I encourage the board supervisors to
look at that and we'll talk about the
budget means later the actually
Russell County was
uh hailed harmless on about 443 thousand
dollars I think that was the number off
top of my head so we'll be dealing with
that when it comes through too so again
I encourage y'all to take a look at
those and we'll be dealing with that
during the budget process
next on Academy of story reports is of
course every month the VDOT monthly Road
system report
so as you can see between uh what the
board actions right now B dot is not
seeking any board action in the form of
resolution I do have a couple of things
that I got cleaned up for housekeeping
on my request
but take a look at the maintenance
activities and the maintenance schedule
plans from VDOT over the next
moth
next on the county Ministry request is
of course we're talking trash again uh
disposal is this is the Cumberland
Plateau Waste Management Authority user
agreement and the 2324 uh budget as you
can see
the Cumberland plateau and and both Tim
and Carl sits on that board and uh as
everyone knows with the rate of
inflation and everything going up so
just trash I'm sorry to say this is the
operation but the good thing to say is
this and we're in in the negotiations
right now the 2023 Cumberland Plateau
Waste Management Authority Manpower
service agreement and the 2023 user
agreement and the budget
what after discussing the board approved
6-0 to increase our budget only by 1242
dollars a month that's not bad not
considered that was hard work it was
really hard work to keep it down on that
volume and Tim and Carl will both tell
you that it was a long-hearted
discussion between all Three Counties to
get it down into that uh and that
includes the cover of increases in fuels
and utilities that's that is very good
so I needed a motion for approval for
the use agreement and a motion to prove
the budget combined so moved
second I have a motion and a second
discussion
I do
if I may
um now I don't want to pin you all down
to anything but I realize that we're
saying that because of gas
uh that's the the cost of running this
stuff the fuel has caused us to do this
in our operating budget now
suppose we have a different take on
things next year is this a year by year
thing or are we are we stuck on this and
yes goes down to a buck 80
hypothetically I'm just saying I'm
asking this question it's your about
year
much year by year but but let me clarify
it even more because we did discuss it
during the Waste Management Authority if
there's a short file it does go down
what is remaining as what we call a net
profit will be split between the
counties it will be returned if we do
not expand it
then it will be returned to us
that was a matter of much discussion
also yeah so that was a very inevitable
that doesn't matter if it's just fuel
any line item that we have within this
budget is not expended and approved by
the Waste Management Authority will be
returned equally back to each County
thank you very much we have a motion and
a second and discussion all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you madam chair next again
on the uh
this is the B dot this is for notice of
Route 871 that we had discussed before
and T 1211 I think telling Cleveland
there's members here the abandonment
resolution Anita public hearing to set
this up for the may I think is the April
3rd April 3rd is the board
meeting for a public hearing at the next
board meeting I'll make a motion for a
motion to close an abandonment of eight
route a71 and t1211. I have a motion on
the floor I need a second
second that's just for the public here
this is public hearing that is who is
public here yes
oh okay all in favor any opposed any
abstentions motion carries
thank you madam chair next again this
and this part of what uh the County
Attorney spoke up Katie did on the
national open thesis settlements why the
the resolution that that you approved
under her request was actually for the
national Distributors manufacturers and
that was the settlement through this
these are the ones that you heard about
through CBS or the retailers so they're
stepping this process down from the
manufacturers Distributors and
wholesalers to the retailers it's a
step-by-step down process so I've got on
my requests from the Distributors and
the manufacturers and
appropriation of forty four thousand
seventy eight dollars forty one cents
that goes back into the Russell County
uh National opiate settlement I needed
approval for forty four thousand seventy
eight dollars and forty one cents I'll
make a motion
she got a motion in a second a second
any further discussion
I'll call for the vote all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you ma'am sure next on the
request is the Department of Criminal
Justice Services this is the law
enforcement block program Grant
uh appropriation of two thousand six
hundred twenty three dollars
uh this is to help support their efforts
and to reduce crime it's a little part
of the uh
Department of Sheriff's Grant this is
assistant Administration twenty six
thousand I mean 26 I hope it was
two thousand six hundred twenty three
dollars so moved
a promotion I need to say 26
000.
I like that
clarification two thousand six hundred
and twenty three dollars all right I
have a motion in a second all in favor
any opposed
in extensions motion carries I guess
that leads into my next one
um of course everyone knows
there's General legislation went through
what we again in the skinny budget uh
one of the things that we want to
consider I've been compiling the request
and on on the budget and what's coming
through on departments and I'd like to
request an earlier meeting to start on
the budget meetings then we have first
proposed during the organizational
meeting this month let's that's because
I've got a date on it and if any
if we can have a reconvene meeting to
start the budget process as fast as
possible yes sir does anybody have any
dates that we can work on this please
I'm I had some suggestions and hang on
just a second 20th
20th
check your calendars everybody
say the regional mating as you can see
on the schedule
was the budget committee Workshop did
not start till the 24th now I'm at the
24th so I was trying to move it up from
the 24th and do the 24th too to speak
that no March March we're moving fast
this year yes
that's that's up to us at y'all's
discussion so you're saying the 24th
right now y'all have approved the 24th
on on the regular schedule
yeah I need this in addition to the 24th
20th is good for us Mr Lovelace so the
20th six o'clock
six five man
the 20th will be the Monday
at six o'clock perfect six o'clock here
yes ma'am
that's a consensus we don't need a vote
on that right
because we've already voted to approve
those dates
we're adding I can't see
20. you're adding the you're adding
March the 20th to the current schedule
yes yes ma'am so I do want to need a
vote
I'll make a motion thank you I have a
motion and a second to add the twins
to the list that we've already approved
yeah before
affordable cases I'll second
it's not the workshop so all in favor
any opposed any abstentions motion
carries thank you okay the last well the
next item on the county Ministry request
is the uh Russell County vehicle Surplus
request this is vehicles that we have
setting as as you can see out in the
government center that has exceeded
their useful life or repair and I would
like to uh we're going to advertise
these on on the government site I need a
request to approve all three vehicles
for Surplus I'll make it most soon I
have a motion in a second for the
vehicles uh any discussion
hearing then I'll call for the motion uh
sorry the vote all in favor any opposed
any abstentions motion carries thank you
command chair
next is the one added to the agenda and
it I'll you have a copy of this one is
number 12. this is consideration of a
resolution in support of the proposal
for grant funding from the Virginia open
abatement Authority Russell County in
partnership with the mended women's life
Recovery Center would like to Grant
twenty five thousand from the Virginia
opiate abatement Authority for FY 2023
Atomic motion
for the purpose discussion I'll second
it okay we have a motion in a second
we're in discussion
men and women is an is a facility it's
not in operation yet
it's a
really Washington County I think
Washington County put like two hundred
thousand dollars into this facility but
this will be a regional facility in its
women's facility
and it's actually a treatment facility
which really don't have one
uh here in Southwest Virginia at this
particular level
and it'll be available for women from
Russell County as well
I would propose that we you know prove
this so we can kind of get our foot in
the door and be a be a partner with
Washington County and City of Bristol uh
in this new facility uh they're going to
apply for some some of the opioid money
and they're in the process of putting an
application in I'd also like to work in
the end of the week uh you know partner
with them on that well not it might
affect our money anyway at all and
uh I'm thinking they're asking Maybe
for the next year like a 1.5 million
dollars and they're going to buy the
property they've got property lease
right now they're going to buy that
property and when they buy the property
then that will reduce their overall cost
substantially but this is something we
needed for a long time here in Southwest
Virginia we've been sending them
everywhere but this is something we need
and I have I have a notion I talked to
Lonzo about we're you know we have to
use this this money we can't we can't
replace existing operational money but
this is a new facility so we're not
at the two facilities we have here in in
Lebanon I think maybe we ought to look
at maybe trying to take those up and
we're there to step phase two is that
what they're at now they're currently at
a at a a two level yes two level
we might use some of our money to take
that up to a three level which would
make them
a treatment facility as well yeah
they're a recovery currently certified
is a recovery facility not a treatment
there is a distinction but that's
something we'd have to work with them on
you know that was something to be right
here in Russell County too on two
separate locations one for me and one
for women smaller one for the women
that's kind of where we are on this one
I worry that
this money has got a lot of strings to
it and you really can't use it to do you
know to do much with a with an existing
facility unless you can come up with
some new sort of program that it has
been wrong with you know you know so I'd
like to get some of this money into work
you know into work in Washington County
and that buy-in is is very small I think
maybe City of Bristol put in 25 000
Steve but they've also got money from
two or three foundations and I think
they're just about ready they're going
to Target and up started I think was
April or May something like that
we've got people we can send
them this is just for us to consider so
you want us to read and find out you're
going to give us a copy of that
yeah
okay okay
so
well let me do they have an application
Ian like we're supposed to do with the
opioid stuff because have we done that
yet Lonzo we haven't made our
applications they're preparing an
application for the opioid money we can
distribute ours
without an application
right
well right now we're moving our money
y'all can do it they the OAA in their
skeleton standard they request an
application you can do application to
their money and you can do the same
process I'm we're just piggy banking on
the same gold standard that theyo or ala
if if that was the case if they could
you know once y'all approve I think the
committee uh
uh approved a Draft application based
off the Trap of the old AAA I don't mean
to be so confusing but these are the
acronyms
process then the The Recovery House in
Abington can demanded women can fill out
an application yep not a problem
so what
so what this is is
um
don't we need to get our our
applications ready and then they would
be part of our application process for
this particular money
I must be real confused I'm confused too
because I thought
I thought we had to have that
application in place before we started
we don't have to
and that is at the discretion of the
board
when we discussed it we discussed an
application you know process to make it
you know transparent to the Auditors you
know that's the easiest way to do it uh
I guess
this is new to the counties and it's new
dog County so don't we're not uh asking
questions any other county has not
answered
uh there's two pots of money there is
local money in their state money you put
an application in one or the other and
that's the way it works now usually what
the County's money or the locality they
have for programs that is in the county
or regionally surrounded that's the way
it works uh you Russell County currently
has three hundred and seventeen thousand
dollars including what was appropriated
I mean not including what's appropriated
tonight this is an addition that will be
for Oak new opiate programs that's the
key word like Steve said this is this
can only be used for new opiate programs
if you have a non-profit or a church
that is say they're doing treatment for
alcoholism they have a treatment
they can create an opiate treatment
program but they have to be a proven
facility a proven non-profit that has
these types of treatment and it's not a
new off the cuff starting new facility
it's going to have best practices
improving track records in this area
that was part of the Court ordering that
is part of the OAA golden standard
procedure it's very restrictive and I
don't mean to go into a lot of terms and
conditions so I was standing here but if
y'all want to continue I can complete
the applications like I said from the
goat standard and y'all can move through
it and at the budget meeting which I
will be in full session back on the 20th
I can have that ready for you how's that
to start distribution if you would send
an application to Linda Austin
she can fill it out okay well I'll tell
you this I had a family member that I
think every family's been impacted by
opiates everybody but I had a family
member that had to go to Atlanta Georgia
and is still in Atlanta Georgia because
we don't have a treatment and I'm saying
treatment facility here in the area and
if we buy into this thing early I'm sure
that I'm not saying they're going to
deny or refuse anybody but I'm just I'm
thinking that it would help us greatly
to know we could go to Washington County
and visit and have that participation
on the ground instead of all these
people being shipped out all over the
country to get treatment on this level
serves too and why y'all consider it now
I mean it's very comprehensive but also
Dickson County is putting a new
treatment facility in too so yeah you
know you probably might want to
participate that you might look at that
in the future too so I just this is an
opportunity to use some of that
some of that tendency
it has to be open with can't be alcohol
related has to be opioids
I think that's very Noble and I I don't
say that this is not a good thing I
think that we need to consider uh all
things and make sure we're considering
Russell County First
and I know we can be Regional and we
talk about that but I I really I really
want to drill down on this a little bit
I do this first I've seen of this so
well Russell this is some recipes
20 minutes to add it you know we're
going to use I I get you I get you and I
understand that I do think it's a noble
thing to talk about and how we've talked
about regionalism as a whole on a lot of
other areas
I just um I just want to make sure that
that you know when Tazewell County calls
and Buchanan County calls and we may be
working on our own type situation right
yeah because we could have an
opportunity
oh did they yeah
I hope they got more than two hundred
thousand we don't let me I don't know
what they've done
news and it is based on opiates it
doesn't based off the demographics of
the population you would think that it
is I hate to say this but Dickson County
Buchanan Russell has a high opiate
utilization and then yes then Washington
County actually yes well my only thought
is that we're sitting on this uh
recovery here in Russell County and
we're trying to get air accreditation
and move up and and I don't want to be
seen hard-hearted and not work with my
neighbors or anything like that but I
just think that we may not be needing
this 25 000 to keep air sustained
because that's part of our program and
we're we are charging the peers rent to
stay at our facilities and if we step it
up we will be needing this money we will
be needing the twenty five thousand
dollars here in the county I don't think
twenty five thousand dollars on the
maker some breakers but this is just an
opportunity to be a part of a facility a
big Regional facility that's uh that's
going to be in operation you're probably
in a couple of months and have our you
know have our name on it uh it's just
something you can't buy you know if we
miss this opportunity then that's so be
it
foreign
folks are traveling to Abington to work
that's part of our program now we are
working with Bristol and Abington yes we
have them over there now and they come
to us I serve on the Cumberland board up
here and I can tell you the state
hospitals Florida capacity they can't
take anymore
and if we don't have a place quickly
something that we can aggressively get
these people in
I'm telling you is that you you the
pandemic's here I mean and we're going
to have to address it one way or the
other I just think it's a great
investment to partner regionally in a
facility like this and if we can take
more money and upgrade our facilities I
think it's the money that we need to
utilize for to do that also did
Washington County receive
opioid money yes yeah so they gave to it
yes they did they gave to it I think it
was what 200 000 plus 200 000 of theirs
Foundation
but like I stayed before you know
Russell County Buchanan and Tazewell and
Dixon we have we have a higher Opie
utilization then actually will you know
we partner on the Regional Jail
I mean it ain't located in Russell
County and and and most of the majority
of that is what you're seeing in
incorporated into the regional process
of regional jails and Prosecuting the
fourth generation and this is just a I
think a great opportunity
well like I said I think it's very Noble
but we don't have air programming and
our application process in place so we
need to get it in place
and we don't we don't say that that's
not a bad thing and I agree with that so
with that uh
Ms braiding would you amend your motion
I'm in my motion if we can have the
application in place
and to review on the 20th and we'll make
a decision then I'll me and myself
thank you so very much um all in favor
uh any opposed
any abstentions Austin right Steve Lynn
Austin
yeah yeah
okay we have come to air the end of our
agenda and I'm going to quickly ask a
board for discussions and reminders uh
Mr Loveless I just have one thing if I
could go back to number seven under
request and I should ask this then
but and I know vdot's not here at one's
open
they will be next time okay but why why
are we having this public hearing on our
agenda we we haven't ever done that in
the past when they've abandoned roads
they have a public hearing if you it's
it's if you they're going to advertise
it for us you just saying you're going
to abandon a71 and t t 1211 is all
you're doing they're going to run the
advertisement
advisors has intended to abandon route
a71 and t1211.
and they'll do the advertisement boards
okay they'll do the public this is the
same road towards the cemetery yes it is
okay it just seemed different this time
for some reason no they will be doing it
it's way for us to proceed as you've
seen in your packet there's two types of
discontinuates in there and you know
these type of Roads you know in the past
we've traditionally abandoned but it
reads in their in their sample yeah
either their example that they give us
their template
like we are abandoning in it now it's
the process it's a it's a dual process
but they do they're going to do it
anyway
right they're going to do this
that makes us look and we're not working
I know it and it's it's the same way
where we went through the roads that was
in insane you know down in Castlewood in
the ones that we banded before at uh
locality provides notice of intent to
abandon yes resolution or letter to
commissioner
but that's they will when you do the
based off the motion tonight it goes to
the v-dot they will hold the public
hearing they send those results to the
CTB board and if there's nothing on that
criteria for economic development
housing arrest it will be abandoned I
don't why they even put you in the
process too I don't either okay because
you have no decision in it
other than you know
it goes before the board as a notice
that's that's about basically the best
way to say it anything else Mr Lovelace
thank you Mr Reed I mean uh Mr Ray
no Mr Eaton I got one thing I want to
bring up when we have our budget
meetings
uh this is laid on my heart pretty
heavily so I want to bring it out I
think that we need an Excel program and
fund it through the schools or if the
county can help in any way let me give
you an example we have a lot of great
kids in our County that Excel to
to going to state competition
and what happens is in that
then somebody's requiring these kids to
do fundraising and go out collect money
through this pandemic businesses have
been hit hard I mean hard and it's sad
it's sad to me because some of these
kids can't afford it some cannot afford
it and it I just don't like the fact
that they should be limited without
somebody paying for their motel room and
transportation and their food if they
exhale to that limit they ought to be
rewarded they shouldn't have to worry
about going out here and raising 300
when they live on 600 a month and they
have a kid that makes Straight A's and
exceed in to that point
I would like for us to look in the
budget to talk to the school and see if
we could set up an Excel program to push
our kids and take that burden off of the
parent and the child that they're not
going to have to pay for this if they
get to that level and they Excel and
they and they succeed we're going to
take care of these these things and I
think that it would be a huge it'd be a
great investment because if there's
nothing any better you can invest in
your children and your children's future
but there has been circumstances where
the pressure of that
gives the parent the indication honey I
can't afford it I can't afford it so if
I can't afford it that limits that child
to Excel and to get to that limit so I
think we ought to take that off their
back and see if we can't make an
investment into helping the situation
the second thing I have is that I would
like to encourage VDOT
to not use this Surrey on these roads I
don't think that I think that was a
waste of money uh our roads are in
terrible condition and that Surrey did
not help the situation whatsoever I
think that they're gonna have to be paid
and we're gonna have to talk to her I've
done talked to delegates and Senators
about it to say look I don't know what
you did the money that was spent was a
waste you do know they've discontinued
that the new engine well I mean it
shouldn't happen in the first place and
now we've got potholes and choke holes
and ruts in the roads and the main
highways even on the main drag going
from here down to St Paul well you about
get swallowed in a car down through
there I know I have a son that lives in
Moccasin and it's pretty bad so I think
that I'd like to see this board
write a letter to encourage them that if
you're going to do anything pave the
roads and not put the story down the new
VDOT commissioner changed that program
when he came in
I agree
we all agree with no slurry particularly
filling the potholes with that stuff
yeah yeah
it's fake it looked it's fake
Miss da you got anything
Mr Christian
uh being a follicle uh last month we
considered
19 and 58 to hansonville he's been a
develop with our thank you
um
the steel property and I'm wondering if
that developer is getting the poppy at
one time going to the highway on 58 and
19th at the
could that be actually
say that again now that's behind my eyes
on the property for 50. 19 comes into 58
Restaurant at the intersection it's red
light and handsome yeah
that's going to be abandoned back to the
original property owners
and then as a developer he is honest and
he has purchased on the process of
purchase that property because they
toilet house down they've done
excavation working on it I now I don't
know as far as the business transaction
afterwards I just know that the board
approved the reversion back to bdot now
that's up to them on the transactions
or sell me after that okay
I don't mean to muddy the waters and no
pun intended but
um storm water management has to take
place there Mr Christian I believe so
there they will not be able to encroach
on much of some of that wetlandy area
there I don't and that was one of the
things that we discussed because there's
a main strange easement that's going
through there under the Route 58 over
into the land yeah they know yeah
all right I don't have anything else
except to say uh Monday March the 20th
here six o'clock we shall see you then
and then again on the 24th and then
again on April 3rd congratulations board
you're working
all right your um we're adjourned thank
you