The Henry County Board of Supervisors heard an update on reversion proceedings from County Attorney George Lyle at its July 27 meeting.
Lyle said that public hearings will be scheduled in the area from Sept. 7-9 after a voluntary settlement agreement is filed with the Commission on Local Government (CLG).
The location for the hearings has yet to be determined.
Once the hearings have been held, the CLG will issue a report on Oct. 15.
In other matters, the Board took the following actions at its July 27 meeting:
*Appropriated $400,000 to provide restaurant meals and fresh produce to low-to-moderate income senior citizens and baby and toddler care supplies to low-to-moderate income families. The funds were awarded to the County in partnership with the West Piedmont Planning District Commission from the Virginia Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) program.
*Appropriated $495,000 to purchase 56-acres of land adjacent to the Smith River Sports Complex. The funds were received from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Land and Water Conservation Fund. With an additional 60.8-acres donated by a local foundation, the County will have approximately 117 acres of land for the future development of outdoor recreation space to be known as Riverview Park.
*Approved an additional appropriation of $203,542 for Public Safety. The funds were received from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Aid to Localities (ATL) Fund. The funds will be used by the Patrick-Henry Volunteer Fire Department to purchase a new fire truck.
*Held a public hearing and approved a County ordinance to permanently relocate the Fieldale (#201) voting precinct from Rangeley Ruritan Club to Victory Baptist Church on 1300 Dillon’s Fork Road.
*Awarded a contract to J.L. Culpepper & Company, Inc. to supply food for the Henry County Jail and the new Adult Detention Center. There is no total expenditure amount for the contract due to the fluctuation in the number of inmates. It is estimated the contract will total more than $300,000. Pricing is based on an existing contract by the Henry County Public Schools that is valid until June 30, 2025.
*Approved monthly expenditures associated with the housing of inmates at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail. There is $800,000 included in the fiscal year 2022 budget for housing out inmates until Henry County’s new Adult Detention Center opens on April 1, 2022.
*Approved a request from Eric Phillips, of Phillips Logistics, to rezone approximately 1.33-acres of property located in the Iriswood District from Suburban Residential District S-R to Commercial District B-1. Phillips intends to construct a building on the property which will be used for offices and the maintenance of company vehicles.
*Approved a request from Prillaman & Meadors, LLC, to rezone approximately 3.762-acres of property located in the Horsepasture District from Limited Industrial District I-2 to Agricultural District A-1. The applicant is selling the property to be used for the construction of a new church.
*Appropriated $12,367 in miscellaneous refunds and revenues to cover expenses related to hiring a temporary part-time employee for the Henry County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.
*Appropriated $36,430 from the County’s contingency fund to cover the County’s share of the Public Relations and Community Liaison position.
*Heard a report from County Treasurer Scott Grindstaff on delinquent tax collection efforts. As of June 30, approximately 94.02 percent of 2020 personal property taxes have been collected which amounts to $115,903.17. During the same period, another 95.23 percent of real estate taxes have been collected for a total of $80,357.46 collected during the month. Since Jan. 1, Taxing Authority Consulting Services has collected $677,647.85. There were 121 VRW stops collected as of June 21 and another 57 stops collected as of July 21.
*Heard a report from Lisa Price-Hughes, resident engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation, on general highway matters.
*Reappointed Mike Ward to the Roanoke River Basin Association for a one-year term.
*Approved a resolution regarding a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth of Virginia for an Opioid Abatement and Addiction Settlement.
