The Henry County Board of Supervisors awarded the 2022 Jack Dalton Community Service Award to Harold William Martin during its regular meeting Tuesday.
Martin, who serves as the fire chief of Horsepasture Volunteer Fire Department and president of the Horsepasture Rescue Squad, was nominated for his contributions to the county that have dated back to the 1980s. The Horsepasture native has served on the Henry County Emergency Services Honor Guard for four years, on the Henry County Fire Review Board for 12 years and he is an active member of the Martinsville-Henry County Fire Association.
In addition to his work in emergency services, Martin assists with the annual Smith River Clean Up, does handy work for widows in the community, and takes food to shelters for the homeless. Along with his own volunteer service, Martin has instilled a love for service in the next generation through his classroom instruction and recruitment efforts.
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 annually goes 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 $1.2 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission for improvements to Reservoir Road at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $8,114 for the Clerk of Court’s office to fund a part-time employee to help with a project in the clerk’s office.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $95,000 from state asset forfeiture funds to buy two replacement vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office special investigations division.
- Awarded a $118,404 contract to Sheehy Ford, of Richmond, to buy three police interceptor utility vehicles.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $50,000 received from the Virginia Tourism Corporation to provide for an updated sign at Philpott Lake & Marina, as well as other tourism related projects to be determined.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $3,000 received from state asset forfeiture funds to cover travel-related expenses of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
- Approved an additional $549,342 appropriation to the current year budget of unexpended school funds from fiscal year (FY) 2022. The school administration has indicated that the funds will be used to cover the cost of capital projects, such as a new rooftop heating and cooling system at Laurel Park Middle School.
- Approved an additional appropriation of $50,884 received from the Circuit Court Records Preservation Grant Program to be used for reformatting and indexing wills from 1777-1974 and the preservation of marriage bonds for multiple years between 1832 and 1851.
- Awarded a contract to Creedle, Jones & Associates for financial auditing services through FY2027, with a two-year extension option. The fee for FY2023 and FY2024 is $64,250 annually, increasing to $66,250 for FY2025 and FY2026. The fee for FY2027 will be $68,250.
- Approved a request to rezone two lots in the Horsepasture District from Agricultural District to Mixed Residential District. The applicant wishes to create two additional lots out of the property.
- Approved a request to rezone approximately 0.74-acres in the Horsepasture District from Agricultural District to Commercial District. The applicant wishes to market the property for commercial purposes or the potential placement of general advertising signs.
- Approved the rezoning of approximately 20-acres in the Blackberry District from Rural Residential District to Agricultural District. The applicant wishes to build a house and outdoor building on the property.
