Dillwyn Gearing Up Centennial Celebration
Published 3:35 pm Tuesday, February 7, 2012
DILLWYN – With 2012 marking the town's 100th anniversary, Council is gearing up for Dillwyn's Centennial Celebration.
During its January meeting, council approved an agreement with the Buckingham County Lions Club that leads the way for the Lions' annual Buckingham County Day to be hosted in Dillwyn on Saturday, May 12.
The agreement was prompted by an invitation from the town's 100th Anniversary Committee asking the Buckingham County Lions Club to join the Centennial Celebration by hosting Buckingham County Day in Dillwyn.
“We are so excited that the Lions Club is going to join us,” stated Councilor Sandra Moss, who is a member of the 100th Anniversary Committee. “That is going to be a big plus for us,” she told her fellow council members.
With the agreement, the Lions Club will oversee the commercial and non-profit vendors, informational/educational exhibits; food vendors; and activities for children and youth,
In turn, the town's 100th Anniversary Committee will handle the parade, entertainment, shuttle buses, and administrative chores such as obtaining the necessary permits with VDOT.
Plans include a street-type festival along Main Street and several side streets in the center of town's business district as well as incorporating Ellis Acres Memorial Park where the new covered pavilion will be the venue for live entertainment.
With the theme Come Home to Dillwyn, the parade, which will follow the same route as the Dillwyn Christmas Parade, will start at 10 a.m. and officially begin the daylong celebration.
Members of Dillwyn's 100th Anniversary Committee include Chip Davis, Wil Dean, L. P. Gilliam, Diane Holman-James, Karen Sue Moss, Sandra Moss, John Staton, Margaret Stout, and Sarah Walker. Representatives of the Lions Club working with the committee are Bettie Bass, Judy Grigg, and Tana Knott.
For information on vendor spaces or sponsorship forms, call Judy at (434) 315-3446; or, email
Buckinghamcountyday@yahoo.com. To receive a parade entry form, leave your name and number at the Town Hall, 983-2076. Inquiries may also be funneled through 983-2372.
Council began its January meeting with the annual reorganization.
Although Dillwyn's mayor is elected in the general election by the town's registered voters, the vice mayor is chosen by council.
When Mayor Ervin Toney opened the floor for nominations, Councilor Karen Sue Moss nominated Councilor Linda Paige. In turn, Paige drew the unanimous support of her fellow councilors and will continue in the position she has held since 2008.
It was the consensus of council to continue meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at Town Hall. Although most meetings are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., the October 9 and November 13 meetings will begin at 5 p.m., because of a conflict with meetings of the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors scheduled for those same dates.
The next organizational task dealt with committee assignments.
Council's newest member Tora LaTonya Jones agreed to serve on the finance committee with Chairperson Paige and Councilors Sarah Walker and Bill Lewis Moss.
Wanting to involve more Dillwyn residents in the work of the town, council agreed to ask DuVal Shumaker and Mel Taylor to serve on the building and grounds committee with its chair B. L. Moss and Mayor Toney.
K. S. Moss agreed to continue as chair of the zoning, planning, and building committee with current members Jimmy O'Bryant, Wayne Myers, and B. Moss.
K. S. Moss will also continue to chair the Planning Commission. Council agreed to ask Diane Holman James, Jimmy O'Bryant, and Alan Leatherwood to serve with current commissioner Wayne Myers.
No changes were made to the beautification and litter committee, which includes Walker as chair along with members S. Moss and Faye Shumaker.
Likewise, there were no changes on the ordinance committee. Vice Mayor Paige and K.S. Moss serve on that committee.
Councilor Jones agreed to join Toney, S. Moss and R. W. Maxey on the community service workers committee.
While discussing the community service workers and Saturday clean-up days, S. Moss suggested that council members volunteer to help with those workdays, which she said would resume in March on the second Saturday.
Jones also agreed to serve on the town's parade committee with Paige, James, Walker, and S. Moss. In addition to the annual Christmas parade, the committee will oversee the parade on May 12 for the Dillwyn Centennial Celebration.
While talking about parades, Mayor Toney congratulated the committee for the great Christmas parade.
Vice Mayor Paige thanked everyone who made the parade a success. She added, “We were so grateful for the good weather and we thank God for that.”
The tourism committee, a coordinated effort with the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce, was last on the list. Indicating she would like to serve on that committee, Jones will join with S. Moss and Walker.
After all the committee assignments were made, council unanimously approved the committees as discussed.
Council approved an amended contract from LPDA, Land Planning & Design, for Phase IV of the Transportation Enhancement Project.
As they have done in the past, LPDA will provide construction documentation and construction administration services for this phase of Dillwyn's continuing streetscape project.
Phase IV involves new sidewalks, streetlights, and landscaping along Route 15 from Conner Street to Rosney Road.
According to the contract, LPDA will receive $25,536 for its services, with an additional $1,046.50 estimated for expenses.
Providing an update on the Business District Revitalization Project, Clerk Peggy Johnson advised that they have received six applications.
Mayor Toney reminded that a meeting with the architect was planned for January 17.
Clerk Peggy Johnson advised that she provided the town attorney with the information Wil Dean presented at last month's meeting regarding concerns with the proposed lease for Ellis Acres Memorial Park.
During council's discussion of street maintenance, Supervisor Donnie Bryan, who represents District 2, which includes Dillwyn, requested that council replace the frayed flag at the clock plaza.
Councilor B. L. Moss said they needed to come up with some way to raise money to be able to fence in the cemetery. “It's going to take thousands,” he stated. Moss added that even using trees and shrubbery would take several thousand dollars.
Bryan suggested checking with Appomattox High School's greenhouse. His suggestion prompted several other ideas including checking with Virginia Tech and several gardening organizations.
When discussing the town's ongoing search for an affordable street sweeper, Clerk Johnson reported that the town's application for the Virginia Surplus Property Program was approved.
With that approval, the town can visit one of the warehouses, which are in Richmond and Wytheville, access the Virginia Surplus Property website, access the GSA website for federal property; or utilize the Customer Wish List process.
“Hopefully something positive will come out of that,” stated Mayor Toney.
Council tabled any action on the Comcast Franchise Agreement until they receive information from the town attorney.
Johnson shared that she received a call from someone who said they would like to see the old theatre building restored.
She added that at one time there was a discussion about including that area in the transportation enhancement project.
Council agreed it would be great if it could be restored. However, noting the property is privately owned, they asked the clerk to write the caller a letter advising her of that.
Johnson said the Commonwealth Regional Council sent a letter advising that the state received the documents for the Buckingham and Dillwyn Regional Water Supply Plan.
Sandra Moss shared that at the January meeting of the Buckingham Board of Supervisors, Cassandra Stish was appointed as the county's representative to the Commonwealth Regional Council.
Bryan announced that beginning with the February meeting, the board of supervisors' packet, with the exception of confidential data, would be available on the county's website.
Before adjourning the meeting, Mayor Toney thanked council for all their efforts and hard work during 2011.
