The Henry County Board of Supervisors awarded the 2021 Jack Dalton Community Service Award to Fire Chief Charlie “Junior” Lynch, Jr., during its regular meeting on Jan. 25.
Lynch, who leads the Bassett Volunteer Fire Department, was nominated by members of his company in recognition of the numerous hours he spends preparing his team to respond to fire casualties and for his leadership to inspire the next generation of firefighters.
The Jack Dalton Community Service Award is named in honor of Jack Dalton, who served as a member of the Henry County Board of Supervisors for more than 24 years, and who was serving as the Board Chairman at the time of his death on May 24, 2000.
The award is the most prestigious honor bestowed by the Board of Supervisors and is presented annually to the Henry County resident who best demonstrates the exemplary community service that marked Dalton’s years of public service.
In other matters, the board:
*Approved an additional appropriation of $349,999 received from coronavirus relief funds to the school budget. The funds will be used for a variety of purposes, including assisting the needs of homeless students and incentives for school bus drivers.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $45,176 received from the Library of Virginia to assist the Circuit Court with records preservation.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $45,000 received as a grant from the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation to be used for initial engineering and surveying of Riverview Park.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $30,000 received as a grant from the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation to be used for a new entrance sign for Philpott Lake and Marina.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $52,550 received from state and federal asset forfeiture funds to be used to buy uniforms for new and existing officers at the Sheriff’s Office.
*Awarded a contract in the amount of $178,088.50 to Sheehy Ford for the purchase of 5 Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office.
*Awarded contracts in the amount of $306,600 to Municipal Emergency Services, Inc., and $255,800 to Vest’s Sales and Services, Inc., for the purchase of air packs and turnout gear for local volunteer fire departments and the Department of Public Safety. Funds from the American Rescue and Recovery Act (ARPA) will be used to cover the cost of the items.
*Held a public hearing and approved a request by Bernice J. Crowe, Jr., to rezone approximately 0.5 acre of the Blackberry District from suburban residential to rural residential, allowing for the placement of a single-wide manufactured home.
*Held a public hearing and approved a request by Barry Nelson to rezone approximately 16.76 acres of the Horsepasture District from Industrial to suburban residential for the development of the property into single-family residences.
Rick Ward, executive director of the Blue Ridge Regional Library, told the board about library activities and operations during the COVD-19 pandemic. He added that the system would be seeking a 5 percent raise for its employees in the coming year.
*Heard a presentation from Rick Ward, executive director of the Blue Ridge Regional Library, on the current operations of the library system and programs offered to the public. He told the board the library system would be seeking a 5 percent raise for its employees in the coming year.
*Heard an update from Mark Heath, president and CEO of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation.
*Heard an update from Public Information Officer Brandon Martin on naming bridges to honor fallen law enforcement officers in Henry County. Martin said seven officers who lived or worked in the county who were killed in the line of duty have been identified. They are George Melvin Brown, George S. Frame, John Hughes Mitchell, John J. Johnston, Paul Edward Grubb, J. Michael Philippi, and Willis Herman Ferguson. He said that so far, appropriate bridges have been identified for five of the seven officers.
*Heard from Doug Stegall, of Collinsville, who discussed reversion and school funding.
