PE Talks Field Of Dreams
Published 5:04 pm Tuesday, October 23, 2012
PRINCE EDWARD – What will be the County's involvement in the Town's Field of Dreams?
That is to be determined.
Board Chairman William “Buckie” Fore, Vice Chairman Howard Simpson and County Administrator Wade Bartlett met with Farmville's Town Council to discuss improvements to the facility (which has been reported by The Herald) last month. A brief report was presented at the October board of supervisors meeting.
“The Town invited the County to participate in this project which was estimated to cost…about a million and a half for the County's portion. While the chair and the vice chair said it was worthwhile, there were other needs at the County schools that might be considered a higher priority by the full board,” Bartlett reported. “There was no decision, of course; at that meeting they were just getting input-the Town was-to see where the board members might stand.”
The exact scope of work has not been completed; Bartlett noted that it was his understanding now that the Town is proceeding with a master plan to develop the Field of Dreams and, after that is completed, they will have a better of idea of the full scope of what's available and the cost.
“And, I might add, probably then a formal request will come from the Town to the board,” Fore said. “The meeting that the three of us attended was a 'Here's what we're thinking kind of meeting.' So what we said was not making our minds up for the board…”
Hampden District Supervisor Charles McKay said he would like to see the full board meet with the Town once the master plan is done “because I think there'll be a lot of questions.”
It may seem difficult to believe, but it is nearly time for the next reassessment of real estate properties. The reassessment, an approximately 18-month process and, following the County's normal cycle, the County would select a firm to handle the duties in the spring of 2013 in order for the process to be completed by December 31, 2014.
Supervisors issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) and will also look to a committee to offer some instructions (recommendations would first go to the full board of supervisors) they may wish to provide to the reassessment firm. That committee will include supervisors Simpson and Don Gant, the past chairman of the board of equalization (who is also a real estate agent) and the commissioner of revenue.
Supervisors, following an update from Bartlett, agreed to remove the County from the drought watch status.
Bartlett also presented an update on the work on the new Route 786-located just south of Farmville. The road will offer an alternate access for Route 628. It is estimated that the project will be completed before Thanksgiving.
Supervisors agreed on a 6-2 vote (with supervisors Pattie Cooper-Jones and Pete Campbell opposed) to chip in $22,500 to do restoration work and increase the slope in front one property. The board approved a change order for Haymes Brothers to do the work. The cost, it was clarified, would come from the sale of property to VDOT.
*Prince Edward County Extension Agent and Unit Coordinator Jennifer Bowen introduced new Extension Agent Caitlin Miller. Miller, a 2012 Virginia Tech graduate, has a degree in crop and soil sciences and a minor in civic agriculture. Miller will be the family and consumer sciences agent and her primary focus will be on building the local food system, Bowen detailed.
“I'm looking forward to creating programs that connect potential buyers with local producers and teaching residents the benefits of using local foods in their own home,” Miller said.
*Allison Crews, commenting in the public participation portion of the meeting, asked that the board proclaim Food Day for October 24. Food Day, a memo to the board detailed, is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable and sustainable food. Supervisors later in the meeting agreed to approve the resolution to recognize the day in Prince Edward.
*County officials, who have taken one look at the option of paying half of their real estate taxes in June and the balance at the end of the year, will take another look.
*Supervisors, in approving a consent agenda, approved several appropriations. The Sheriff's Department was awarded a selected enforcement grant of $12,190 to pay for 330 hours of overtime, training and LED Powerflares. The grant requires a 50 percent match, which will be fulfilled from the existing budget for fuel and maintenance for vehicles.
Additionally, the Sheriff's Department had to handle an unclaimed body; it was noted that the deceased had $1,570 on his person, which the sheriff used to offset the cost of burial.
The board approved an $800 appropriation to purchase materials to conduct a cognitive behavior class. Participants in the class pay a fee which covers the cost of materials.
*Supervisor Campbell, in the time set aside for board members to highlight highway issues, noted 608 (Prospect Road) and Pin Oak Road still have a lot of trash.
*The board agreed to reappoint Supervisor Howard Simpson to the Moton Museum. Simpson, the current representative, agreed to continue to serve.
*Supervisors held a public hearing (there were no speakers) and approved an ordinance amendment that would authorize waterfowl hunting at the Sandy River Reservoir without the need of a County-issued permit.
*The board received four applications for two positions from individuals interested in serving as citizen volunteers on the local emergency planning committee. The board appointed Tracie A. Giles and Anthony T. Williams.
*Supervisors named Fore as the voting delegate to the Virginia Association of Counties conference and Simpson as the alternate.
*Board members reviewed a proposal to increase the salaries of workers cleaning the agriculture building by two steps each, but defeated the committee recommendation on a 4-4 tie vote. The duties of the workers increased when the part-time worker who maintained about half of the building retired. That position will not be filled, Bartlett stated. With the increase in pay and savings with the retirement, the County was projected to save a little over $15,000 annually.
Still, in the discussion, it was noted that all workers received a bonus almost a year ago and a raise July 1. Comparison figures were also presented on school custodial and maintenance salaries, where the average salaries were higher for the County.
The time to do raises, Leigh District Supervisor Don Gantt offered, is when they do their budget.
*Supervisors approved a personnel committee recommendation on the holiday calendar for 2013. It will include the same number of days as the current year.
*The board agreed to advertise an expected vacancy on the Crossroads Community Services Board. The vacancy will occur at the end of December.
