| The
Wise County Board of Supervisors met in a Workshop meeting
on Thursday, May 4, 2006 at 6:00 P.M. in the Town Hall at
St. Paul. The following were present:
Honorable
Fred A. Luntsford - Chairman
Honorable
Ronnie Shortt - Vice-Chairman
Honorable
Robert R. Adkins
Honorable
Steve Bates
Honorable
Virginia Meador
Honorable
John W. Peace, II
Honorable
Leland Branham
Honorable
Robert Robbins, members of said Board and
Glen
A. Skinner, County Administrator
Shannon
C. Scott - Assistant County Administrator
Karen
T. Mullins - County Attorney
Annette
Underwood - Executive Secretary
PRAYER
T. G.
Branson led the Board in prayer.
PLEDGE
All
led in the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
IN
RE: AGENDA ADDITIONS
Supervisor
Branham asked that a resolution from the Coal & Gas
Road Committee be added to the agenda for some road work
to be done around the UVA-Wise campus.
WELCOME
Mayor
Jack Kiser welcomed the Board to the Town of St. Paul and
expressed his eagerness to work with Wise County on future
projects.
IN
RE: PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATE
Dick
Houchins, Chairman of the Wise County Planning Commission,
provided a brief overview of the Planning Commission's goals
and purpose.
IN
RE: PUBLIC HEARING - E-911 ROAD NAMES
A public
hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive citizens'
comments regarding input on the addition of 11 E-911 road
names.
There
was no public opposition to the proposed names.
There
being no public comment, the public hearing was closed.
IN
RE: PUBLIC HEARING -SPECIAL USE PERMIT -CINGULAR WIRELESS
A public
hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive citizens'
comments regarding a request from Cingular Wireless PCS,
LLC for a Special Use Permit on property owned by V.J. Robinette
Trust located off Orby Cantrell Highway in Big Stone Gap
at the Wise County/Lee County line for the purpose of constructing/installing
a cellular U-Tower.
Name
Michael Sandifer, representing Excell Communications
and Cingular Wireless stated that Cingular is requesting
a Special Use Permit to construct/install a lighted 275
foot unguyed, free standing, cellular U-Tower with supporting
equipment cabinets, on grade, at the base of the tower structure
on property owned by V.J. Robinette Trust.
There
was some discussion on other areas that needed cell phone
services. Mr. Sandifer noted that some of the other
areas are on hold because of budget restraints.
IN
RE: PUBLIC HEARING-CHANGE OF ZONING IN VIRGINIA CITY
A public
hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive citizens'
comments regarding a request from the Wise County IDA for
a Change of Zoning on property located in Maize, Caledonia,
and Curley Hollows of the Virginia City section of St. Paul
from an A-RR to an M-2 District for the purpose of commercial
development.
There
being no public comments regarding this request, the public
hearing was closed.
IN
RE: PUBLIC HEARING-ORDINANCE PROHIBITING DOGS &
CATS FROM RUNNING AT LARGE
A public
hearing was duly advertised for this date to receive citizens'
comments regarding a proposed Emergency Ordinance Prohibiting
Dogs & Cats From Running at Large in Wise County for
the Period of May 15, 2006 Through June 12, 2006.
There
being no public comments, the public hearing was closed.
PUBLIC
EXPRESSION
There
was no one to speak during public expression.
IN
RE: ROADS & HIGHWAYS
Highway
Resident Engineer, T. G. Branson provided Board members
with response to their requests from last month's meeting.
IN
RE: RESOLUTION - ROUTE 793 -NEEDMORE SECTION
Mr.
Branson received a letter from Willard Wells requesting
abandonment a section of Route 793 in the Needmore section
of Wise County. Mr. Wells' letter explained that he
is the sole owner of this property that is being requested
for abandonment and it dead ends at the head of the hollow
with no homes being involved and no right-of-way to any
adjoining property. The purpose for this request is
because he has had several break-ins, vandalism, people
partying all hours of the night, shootings and littering.
Since this road is in the highway system, he asked that
it be abandoned, which would allow him to put a gate at
the entrance to this property to keep intruders such as
this off his property.
VDOT
does not object to this section of roadway being taken out
of the system since it only serves the Wells' property.
There is a deeded forty-foot right of way instead of a prescriptive
easement for this property, and if the road is abandoned,
the County of Wise will still own the property. However,
the road can be discontinued as a public road and still
remain a public right of way in case the need should ever
exist to take it back into the system, or it can be abandoned
and the County then deed the property back to Mr. Wells.
In either case, Mr. Wells could gate off the road and prevent
intruders from entering onto his property.
After
a lengthy discussion regarding both options, the County
attorney was directed to review the property and the options
with the property owner, Mr. Wells, and report back to the
Board at its next meeting.
IN
RE: RESOLUTION PRIMARY ROAD PROJECT - SIX YEAR IMPROVEMENT
PLAN
Mr.
Branson reminded the Board that the Annual Transportation
Hearing will be held in Salem on May 9 at which time any
road projects the County may have should be presented at
that time.
Supervisor
Branham noted that the County can also send in written comments
up through May 20 and he suggested that the resolution being
considered by the Board be mailed in lieu of making a presentation
on the 9th.
BOARD
COMMENTS
Board
members reviewed needs in their districts, which needed
VDOT's attention.
IN
RE: CONSENT AGENDA
(1) Set
public hearing (6:00 p.m. June 1) on the proposed County
annual budget FY 2006-07
(2) Authorize
Treasurer to destroy paid personal property and real estate
tax tickets January 1998 - December 1999
(3) Budget
Amendments No. 87 thru No. 93
IN
RE: RESOLUTION - TRANSFER OF CABLE FRANCHISE -CEBRIDGE
Attorney
Mullins advised that she is still waiting for information
regarding this transfer.
IN
RE: BUDGET WORKSHOP
It was
the consensus of the Board to hold its budget workshop on
Thursday, May 18 at 5:00 p.m. in the conference room of
the County Administrator's Office located in the Wise County
courthouse.
IN
RE: COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT
Administrator
Skinner stated that during budget preparations for FY 07
he became concerned that the fund balance is not growing
at the rate it had approximately 12 months ago. This
could be caused by a slowing of the local coal economy or
a normal revenue cycle. Further, the County is waiting
for a tax payment from one of the local natural gas companies
that has taken issue with the methodology of valuation being
used by the Commissioner of Revenue.
For
these reasons, he asked that the Board reconsider its action
taken at the April 2006 meeting regarding funding for the
Powell Valley Primary and Coeburn Middle schools gymnasium
projects at which time a decision was made to pay 100% of
the approximately $7.5 million cost from the County's general
fund balance. Even though this will leave a fund balance
of approximately $5 to $5.5 million, it may be cutting too
close to maintain a required fund balance of $3.8 million,
based on possible FY 06-07 expenditures.
If the
Board is agreeable to such an arrangement, Administrator
Skinner proposed that the County pay cash for the "up-front"
costs to keep the projects moving at the desired speed,
but finance the balance of the construction costs and other
related costs that will not be expended until closer to
construction. Additionally, the County will continue
to draw interest on the cash, which is at a greater percentage
than for what the County can finance the projects.
This should in no way slow the projects and allows the projects
to proceed at the same schedule as if cash were being used
for 100% of the costs.
Administrator
Skinner noted that he has spoken with Dr. Killough regarding
this matter and he has no problem with funding these projects
in this manner.
BOARD
COMMENTS
Board
members voiced their appreciation to Mayor Kiser for allowing
them to hold its Workshop meeting at the Town Hall and the
hospitality shown to them.
ADJOURN
There
being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:15
p.m.
ATTEST:
WISE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
___________________
___________________________
Glen
A. Skinner, Clerk
Fred A. Luntsford, Chairman
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