Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

I'll call the 3M session of the August 26, 2025 meeting of the Henry County Board of Supervisors to order. Like to welcome all of our visitors. Remind you if you want to address the board, you must sign up 7 days in advance of any of our regular meetings to be put on the agenda. The county administrator is the contact person for the board. However, the public may address the board under the agenda item matters presented by the public that we'll take up in this evening's meeting. Again, welcome everyone. Thank you for coming out and participating in your county government. Uh our first item of business consideration day is uh agenda item number five, the items of consent. What is the pleasure of the board?

Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve the items of consent. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? It is 6 Jennifer. Agenda item number six. I will have a report on the delinquent tax collection efforts. We have with us county treasurer Scott. Scott, welcome.

Good afternoon. Uh this is a report for the end of July 31st, 2025. uh we collected 89.57% of the 24 personal property taxes. During the month, we collected 168,665. As of July 31st, we collected 94.78% of the real estate taxes. During the month, we collected 59,931. Since January 1st, 2025, TACS has collected 734,000. And our debt set off, we received 7,000 on August 15th for the year total. Our debt set off was $372,000 collected. And so far in the month of August, we've collected 152 DMV stops. Uh our real estate bills, 25 will be in the mail this week. Uh so you'll hopefully receive yours. We'll see that. We also like to give them extra day Monday so they get mad at us when they call back in. And uh I gave each of you the copy of the envelope they're going out in to remind you that we have changed the late date for real estate taxes this year. They are due October 1 and you have until October 31st to pay it without a penalty. That'll be on the outside of the envelope. So if anybody calls say anything to y'all that I didn't know about it, it's on the outside of the envelope. And if any of y'all are out public speaking or campaigning or anything like that, please mention this to all the people you speak to because we have to get out there and word them out these days. So, have any questions?

And just as a reminder, I know we've talked about this before, people can come into your office and make payments on their taxes all year. Yes. And then also payment stuff have to pay it before the late day and not receive a penalty. They pay any amount during the year before they receive a bill to my office. And you also have an online option online by phone. It'll it's all expressed on the back of their bill there. Different ways they can make payments.

Thank you. Also want to kind of remind y'all this fall we'll have a reassessment the commission of revenue has been working on probably December through October December. So next year will be a different year for real estate taxes. Y'all be ready. Right. Thank you. Agenda item number seven. We'll have a presentation by the Martinsville Henry County Heritage Museum. We have with us Holly Kazelsi, executive director, and she's going to provide the board with an update on the activities at the museum. Holly, welcome. Thank you, Brandon. Okay. Can you get this up? Okay. Thank you all for having me. And can you hear me?

All right. Thank you. And Brandon, can you get that up? Thank you very much. All right. I'm Holly Gazilki, the executive director of the Martinsville Henry County Historical Society. appreciate the time. I have a lot of information to get through and as my preacher Robbie Benfield said, if you'll listen fast, I'll talk fast. So, the Martinsville Henry County Heritage Museum is a has been a local history museum for about the fast past 15 years, but we are about to open a significant major national level museum in the annex. The opening day will be 3 to 8:00 pm Saturday, September 6 with a special private reception for members only the night before. Dr. King, Dr. Mvin King and Virginia King right here, they are behind this museum. They have been collecting antiques for the past 65 years. They designed mostly he designed the museum. They donated all of the funds for the construction of the museum. They donated the money to the historical society for the extra cost it would take to to carry out this addition to the museum. And the museum houses the antiques they collected almost over seven decades. So the courthouse um is the old Henry County courthouse. It was built in 1824. In 1996 when the county was going to move into this building, it was left empty. the historical society was formed to save the building and to put the building to use. That they did with some significant grant funding, including a Save America's Treasures Grant and um a HUD grant and harvest foundation grant. In 2010, the Henry County Board of Supervisors deeded the courthouse to the Martinsler Henry County Historical Society. That is all very well appreciated. It is a very fine history museum and we have many compliments from visitors across the nation on that on that building. The building you see

behind is the annex 13,000 square feet. Construction began in 2023 about two years ago. We spent about a year setting it up and it is finished. The collections are for the Kings. Most of the setup was done by Dr. King by his sidekick, his right-hand man, Jack Stewart, a fabulous volunteer. And then Mrs. Virginia King. The glass, we have a lot of glass walls that line that the walls of the museum. And so we have displays inside the glass walls. The glass came from pressed glass. And the forms of the walls was were custom made by Active Wall. So that's a Henry County and a Martinsville business. That's the guys from Active Wall doing an unload of glass. Now, we have shelves. We got freestanding shelves that sit in the middle, the middle aisles. We would get loads of 1,600 pounds a load. And we had the trustees from the Martinsville City Jail lined up to help us unload. Well, then a delivery came a day early. We couldn't get anybody. And I believe Dr. King and I unloaded that first 1600B load by ourselves. that taught me to keep a pair of sneakers and a pair of jeans at work at all times. And there we have um Michael Sangulce volunteer and then Jack Stewart and Dr. King unloading a load. You would not believe the valuables. Dr. King moved across the road. He would walk over there with no security. He would not even look around to see if there were thieves on the corner with tens of thousands of dollars on that cart or hundreds of thousands of dollars on that cart. I am happy to say that everything is now all safely locked up in a museum with a very high security, very fancy security system. But that was pretty wild to see that happen. There's Dr. King and Hunter Haskin hanging the

rugs. Um David Scott and Jack Stewart bringing things down from another building. I'm just quickly showing you what went into this because it was a really amazing and unusual year. Davis Scott and the intern Wilson hanging paper drafts of signs which then once we're satisfied with them I got printed up at Collinsville printing. As I'm showing you these slides really you're seeing some of the artifacts that are going in the museum. Also there the Kings R and Anne Martin um with toys that were brought over. We clean the toys with WD40. That's just brackets. There's Davis Scott cutting boards. There was just how many linear square feet of boards was cut up and made into shelves and display areas there. John Edwards h helping to move a Remington statue. And John was helping to move this thing across the road. He asked Dr. King, "How much would you say this is worth?" And Dr. King said, "Oh, about a million dollars." And very matterofactly. And John said, "I was never so nervous as I knew I was holding a very heavy million-dollar item in the middle of the road." There they are emptying out Dr. King's building in Hillcraftoft and Rangely where he had his train collections. They're setting up um shelves there. That's me. Mostly I do paperwork. Every now and then I do something useful. Eric Boaz of Minet. Minet is the Martinsville city's internet company and phone service and it is a fantastic service. They've done a lot for us. They set up a lot. We called them often to help. And when we call mine up, they're there in three minutes. And so when Eric brought his son by to look, I told Eric, "Take your son in and show him what you've done." And look at the look on his son's face. He's really assessing it. That's just the setup cleanup as we bring things in and work on them. Jack Stewart, Michael Sangulce, and Dr. King putting stuff up. There's Dr. King, the king in his kingdom.

Um, Steve Kezer and Virginia King putting Native American rugs on display. This is interesting. Some of the shelves in one of the display areas. Well, the shelves, a lot of them are brought lo bought locally. And the shelves there that they're putting in display cabinets were from Halt, CW Halt Fashions. And I happened to notice on the inside one of those shelves it said 200 hats 231 1963. Just a interesting little piece of history. So you already kind of saw what's in the annex, but this is really what the annex was built to display. Native American artifacts, a gambling parlor. You may have seen that set up in the back corner of um Jefferson Plaza for many years. pottery collections, basket collections, an entire collection of um horse tac. This saddle is embellished with sterling silver and 14 karat gold embellishments. Electrical well early medical devices, including these electric shock machines from the 1860s when they thought that shock therapy cured anything from a toothache to pneumonia. Can you imagine going to the doctor back then? baskets, um, tools, antique tools, firearms, toys. These ships, some of these ships are steam engine operated. Some of them are operated by windup and they actually will move across the table or move across water. A tremendous lock collection. More tools. Look at those cowhorn pieces of furniture from the Victorian era. Um, that is from the Marklin train collection. We've got Marklin Trains, Lionel, and and other early American brands. Now, field trips. We have a special anonymous donor who wants to be sure that kids can experience history firsthand.

That donor has donated uh has set up a fund to pay all school field trip fees, all admission fees for the next two years. That is a great program. schools will call me and so far we've worked with city schools and we are we the carpet is rolled out for county schools. There's so much that the schools can do. I can teach any lesson according to the state standards of learning on a six-step lesson plan. I don't know if the sixstep lesson plan is out of style now, but that's what I learned in college and that's what I can do. But we will honestly will do free field trips and also we've been able to extend that to some rest homes and some homes for disabled adults because we understand that their funds are limited and they get so much enjoyment and enrichment out of co. That's um some kids from Martinsville Middle School. We have plenty of hands-on activities for the kids to do as well as things for them to look at. I will say when when this group came, they were fascinated by by the time this group came, we had the king's portrait on the wall. Beforehand, we didn't have it. So, the king's portrait was up and they were looking at it and they really wanted to know about who gave these antiques and why. And then they were all herded upstairs at the end to wait for the school bus. And Dr. King walked up in the back. He was not announced. He just walked up and walked in and they saw him and burst into spontaneous applause. It was beautiful. It was just a just a to see these kids' reactions to the antiques and to the fact that people put this together and made it accessible to everybody. We also rent out um the annex space for your special events. We have different areas. The um Pedmont Regional Just Pedmont Regional Criminal Justice

Training Academy uses our courthouse to twice a year for training on how to handle court cases. So, we do that. We do parties. We do family reunions, class reunions, um baby showers, charity league meetings. Oh, Charity League is going to have Oh, she's gone. The charity league is going to have an event there October 18th. with that. We have a kitchenet where your caterer can warm up and keep cold the food that they're going to serve. That's our conference room. That's India Brown with Harvest Foundation addressing a conference of the Dan River nonprofit network. That's a spring tea. It's a social event we put on. So, I invite you all to come visit us. You can't miss us. Easiest address on the map. One East Main Street. We are open from 10:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon Tuesdays through Fridays and then from 10 until 4:00 on Saturdays. There's a $10 admission, $5 for students and 65 and over and it's free for um for kids for babies, I'm sorry, free for members. So you can also visit us on our website mhistoricalsocciety.org org and I run a local history column every day that gives snippets of news what happened here 175 50 and 25 years ago and it's not just political news it is social it is the garden clubs the churches the neighborhoods the organizations it's really interesting and again I invite you to our opening day Saturday September 6th and thank you very much

thank Thank you.

I think it goes without saying that uh to uh until you see it and I've seen a portion of it, you can't truly appreciate the background in all this. Thank you for giving us a a small sample of the background in this. And I think uh seeing it in person uh reveals it all that uh a lot of collection from all over the world and a lot of time put into this. So thank you uh Holly and thank you uh Mr. Miss King. That takes us to agenda item number eight, financial matters 8A, an additional appropriation referencing the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Grant Funds for the 911 center. Mr. wagon.

Tier Dillard, director of the Martin Lorenz County 911 Center, is asking the board to appropriate two grants totaling $450,000 from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The first grant in amount of $150,000 is from the geospatial services grant program. Director Dillard explains the grant will provide funding to update computers and servers within the 911 center as well as assist the center as it works toward accreditation. The second grant for $300,000 is also from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, known as the Public Safety Answering Point Grant Program, for shared call handling equipment. Director Dillard explains that this grant supports a regional effort to replace and upgrade shared CH equipment across participating 911 centers. And neither one of the grants require a match. And Director Dillard is here should you have any question.

All right. Uh the board has uh background material on that. Uh what action would the board uh like to take in regard to this additional appropriation? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve the additional appropriation of 450,000 received from two Virginia Department Emergency Management grants uh for infrastructure improvements to the 911 center as well as regional call handling equipment. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor is 6 uh Jennifer 8B an award of contracts for replacement vehicles for the sheriff's office. Mr. Wagner,

Sheriff Wayne Davis is asking the board to award the following three contracts for the purchase of replacement vehicles for the department. $344,525 to Haley Ford to purchase seven 2026 Ford Police Interceptor all-wheel drive utility vehicles uh to replace high mileage vehicles within the patrol division. Another contract amount of $86,600 to Haley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to purchase two Dodge Durango vehicles to replace high mileage vehicles in the investigations division. And the third contract being amount of $39,741 to RK Chevrolet to purchase one 2025 Chevrolet 2500 express cargo van for the animal services division replacing a high mileage van currently in service. Pricing for all three contracts is based on the Virginia Sheriff's Association vehicle procurement spec program and specifications and funding for the replacement vehicles is included in the fiscal year 2026 budget and Lieutenant Colonel Harris here question

in regard to awarding of the contract for replacement vehicles. Uh what action would the board like to take? Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion awarded contract totaling $470,866 to purchase the replacement vehicles for the sheriff's department as presented. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? It is 6. Uh Jennifer 8 C onward of contract referencing ground maintenance equipment for parks and wreck. Uh Mr. Wagner.

Roger Adams, director of parks and recreation, is asking the board to award a contract of $56,915 to Smith Turf and Irrigation to purchase a self-contained turf sprayer to be used at the Smith River Sports Complex. Smith Turf and Irrigation submitted the lowest bid for this project. Funding is included in the fiscal year 2026 budget. If you have any questions, Mr. P can probably answer them. In regard to this award of contract for the grounds maintenance equipment, uh what's the pleasure of the board? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to award a contract to Smith Turf and irrigation for $56,915 to purchase a self-contained turf sprayer for the Monogram Foods Smith River Sports Complex complex as requested.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor is 6. Jennifer, even though it's not on the agenda, uh M. McKennon, uh I believe that you'd mentioned to me that uh there's possible uh matter of that would require financial approval. It would and I'll bring it up under uhformational items. Okay. We'll be uh we're at that point. So, we'll take upformational items and uh we'll start with Dr. Talba.

Okay. I have been uh part-time in volunteer involved in a fun project in Martinsville and Henry County. It's the 250th uh celebration. V. The Virginia Commission has the 250th American Revolution Commemorative Commission is supporting in addition to the tobacco com tobacco commission supporting an engine being built by an engine and a car being built by uh Joey Arrington uh Joey Arrington engines. He has the record the the record in the United States with the fastest engine of 244.9 miles per hour. And for the celebration, the 250th celebration, he is building um an engine and a car to go 250 m an hour to break his record and has been invited to Cape Canaveral to to show the car. And that is uh something that's a project for he he has lives here and he works here and he the project is a project for our community to get around of course in the state of Virginia a lot of support in the state a lot of support in the country and I just I'm just beginning to work with them on that I think just for information and that's why it's I'm just mentioning it here for information purposes just to begin to spread the good news and the um the uh the exciting news of a project like that coming out of Martinsville and Henry County.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Puit. Uh the only thing I have is the town of Ridgeway will be doing their groundbreaking for the pickle ball courts on September the 15th at uh 10:00 a.m. The board members should have got an invitation earlier today. Um and the town will be sending it out for the the public um very soon. All right. Thank you, Mr. Dylan. No, sir. Okay. Mana,

I do. And I have some representatives here from the Homer Dillard Post 78. Um the veterans of Homer Dillard Post 78 which is located in Fielddale, Virginia have been an integral part of the horse pasture district for many many years and uh they work with our youth with educational opportunities. Uh they were very busy all day today uh doing that. They award scholarships um and they participate in the burial of our veterans. So they're very active in our community. Now they have faced some challenges here uh over the last few years with their building. Uh it's in need of renovations. Their parking lot has been washed out a number of times and they've been working hard to raise the money uh to uh make these uh repairs, but they're falling a little bit short. And uh Mr. Curtis Milner had reached out to me uh in regard to that. So, um with the board's approval, uh I'd like to take $5,000 from the horse pasture district uh impact fund and give that to them to help with the renovation of their building uh and also the the parking lot. And I realize that they will be required to provide any necessary paperwork or receipts that our finance department would need in order to uh complete this process. So I would like to make a motion to take $5,000 from my uh horse pasture district impact fund for the uh Homer dealer post 78.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? It's uh 6 Jennifer. And I do want to thank them again for all that they do in our community.

I I as well have witnessed a number of different things, not only the fundraising efforts themselves. So they're not just sitting waiting for someone else uh a fundraising efforts that you all have and the largest attendance that I know of in the entire area for a Veterans Day celebration. uh every year uh 300 plus people almost every year that uh that I've seen and you all do a great job of that and thank you for what you're doing and thank you for your past service. Thank you Mr. Wy. No sir and I don't have Mr. Wag

just a couple few things I want to welcome our new public safety director Mr. Tim Duffford to team Henry County and I'll ask him if it's okay with you to come to the podium and take 30 seconds and introduce himself.

Um, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank y'all for uh putting your trust in me and Mr. Wagner for putting your trust in me. Uh, my name is S Duffer. I'm originally I worked for Dam Fire Department for 30 years. Uh, and I just wanted to again say thank y'all for putting that trust into me. And I want to work together with uh y'all and all of our agencies as a team. Uh, that was kind of just we're one team uh to provide public safety for the citizens of Henry County. Um, and all the volunteers that that we have. Um, volunteers are a vital part. Uh I'm also a volunteer at heart and I spent u most of my career and still a life member of an organization in Pennsylvania county. Uh so I understand the volunteer struggles and that's really all I have I can answer questions if anybody has a question. So

look forward to working with you. All right. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Just a couple notes about some other personnel changes you may see when you get upstairs. Um, Julie Shelton has worked for us for many years and she had an opportunity to make a transfer to our our purchasing department uh when Gail Munter retired. So, Julie has taken on new roles in the purchasing department and we had high expectations she will excel through that department and presents opportunities to her to uh really grow in the organization. So, we're excited about that for her. And when you get upstairs, you'll be greeted by a new face. Uh we recently added Miss Sierra Glenn to our team. So, uh you'll see her when you get upstairs as well. So, introduce yourselves if you would, please. And then just one last reminder, Monday is a federal, state, and local holiday. Uh Monday, September 1st is a county holiday, Labor Day. And one other calendar reminder, the Chamber of Commerce annual banquet is on September 9th. So, if I hadn't heard from you about that, uh, please let me know if you want to attend and we'll get you registered.

All right. Thank you. Agenda item number 10. If someone will cite the uh items allowed by the uh code of Virginia and Virginia Freedom Information Act for allowing us to go into closed meeting.

Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that the board convenes in a closed meeting as permitted under the following sections of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act 2.23711A1 for discussion of appointees to the Blue Ridge Regional Library Board and the Patrick and Henry Community College Board. 2.23711 A7 for discussion of pending legal matters. 2.23711 A3 for discussion of the acquisition disposal of real estate. 2.23711 2 3711 A5 for discussion of as yet unannounced industries and 2.23711 A6 for discussion or consideration of the investment of public funds. Second.

We have a motion and a second. All in favor 6. Uh Jennifer board members staff in five minutes meeting on a motion by Ms. Buchanan and second by Mr. Puit. Mr. Pal, will you pull the board please? Yes, sir. Board members to the best of your knowledge only public business matters lawfully exempted from other meeting requirements and code section 2.2-3711 discuss or considered proposed meeting has voted Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. Mr. B. Yes, sir. Mr. Yes, sir. Mr. Good. Yes, sir. Dr. Yes, sir. Mr. Yes, sir.

Mr. Dylan, I believe that you have for the board's consideration a uh district appointment for the Blue Ridge Regional Library Board. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I would like to uh make a motion to appoint Twalla Dillard to the Blue Ridge Regional Library Board to fill the term of uh Greg Pites that ends on June 30th, 2027. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor is six zero. Jennifer, uh, Mr. Puit, I believe for the Patrick and Henry Community College Board, you have a appointment for the board's consideration.

Yes, sir. I make a motion to appoint Dr. Buzz Kuster to an unexpired term uh on the Patrick and Henry Community College Board that will expire on June the 30th, 2026. Second. Have a motion and a second. All in favor is 610 Jennifer. Uh Mr. Wagman, I believe that you may have an item that we need to um consider.

Yes. Um I think all of you are well aware that the public service authority has been a part of or tremendous economic development efforts over the last 20 years. you know, this board making decisions to invest in shell buildings and high quality industrial sites such as Patriot Center and Commonwealth Crossing and the PSA has been, you know, a vital part of that. Uh, for example, PSA employee Tim Pace is a chief engineer and one of our lead folks when we have uh economic development activity, he meets with us with companies. Um, in his office, Brian Mac Alexander is an engineer. He is assigned at Commonwealth Crossing. Every day he gets in his car in the morning and reports there to work to see that the grading work on lot two is done effectively and efficiently and within the parameters of our contracts. Um so uh you know that's just two examples of the PSA and how much it invests in economic development into our community and they do it without any compensation from you know the city or the county. uh one of our largest taxpayers in Henry County is also one of the largest water users in the county and had the PSA not had the foresight and investment in uh putting infrastructure into Commonwealth Crossing then that would not be a reality either. Uh right now we're talking about new industries on lot 2 at Commonwealth Crossing and we recently received a grant uh that was written by PSA employees to start planning on lot three uh which will create another 80 acre site for future development there at Com. The public service authority recently received news that our financial application through the Virginia Department of Health has been approved for the construction of a new water line to Commonwealth Crossing. The new line will provide redundancy and additional

capacity at CCBC for use by future and current tenants should they need it. The project also brings much needed relief to approximately 265 potential residential customers along the corridor who currently acts lacks access to public water. Water quality testing reveals that more than half of those on private wells in that area contains colorful bacteria and many residents report low yields or complete lack of water. U the financing that we have received from the Commonwealth PSA has received includes $3.3 million in principal forgiveness. That's the Department of Health's term uh for a grant. So, we received $3.3 million in a grant and a loan for the remainder portion of the project at a total cost of $8.5 million to build that water line from uh Horse Pasture to Commonwealth Crossing that would provide a redundant uh water source to the industrial park, increase the capacity of water going to the industrial park, as well as offer water services to 265 residents in the Horbast and Ridgeway districts. Saying all that, the PSA is asking the board of supervisors for $6 million to address current financial obligations so that the PSA can take advantage of the grant and the very low interest loan for this waterline project for CCP.

Mr. Bryan, I believe you may have a motion to offer in regard to that. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, uh, I'd make a motion to appropriate $6 million from the general funds to the PSA. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? It is 6. Jennifer, Mr. Wagner, do you have any items that the board should consider uh before recess? Mr. Chairman, I have one more item, too. I have board members. Uh Mr. Puit, you've indicated you have one.

I have a motion for an opioid claim. Um, I move that the board of supervisors approve the resolution dated today regarding uh pending opioid claims with the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma and have outside council execute the documents necessary to participate in the settlement. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor?

6. Jennifer, thank you, Mr. Puit. I have not made a note of that. Uh, are there items from board members prior to a recess? If not, we'll declare recess. Uh, start promptly at 6 p.m. I'll call the 6 p.m. session of the August 26, 2025 meeting of the Henry County Board of Supervisors back to order from our recess from our uh afternoon session. Like to welcome all of our visitors. Remind you if you want to address the board, you must sign up 7 days in advance of any of our regular meetings to be put on the agenda. The county administrator is the contact person for the board. However, the public may address the board under the agenda item matters presented by the public that will take up uh later in this meeting as agenda item number 19. Again, welcome everyone. Thank you for uh coming out and taking part in county business. Our first uh agenda item uh is agenda item number 11. Uh it's a Virginia General Assembly resolution presentation honoring Rita Shropshshire. And we have with us uh Delegate Eric Phillips. Delegate Phillips.

Good evening. So I do have a house joint resolution uh from the house of delegates commending uh Rita Jeene Shropshshire. And so uh Rita Gene Shropshshire, devoted volunteer leader and highly admired resident of Ridgeway, retired as chair of the Henry County Electoral Board in 2024, concluding more than six decades of exemplary service. and a native of Carol County, Rita Shropshshire moved to Martinville to work at the Duke Hunt plant and then ultimately settled in the town of Ridgeway in Henry County in 1962. She became an active member of the community shortly after relocating to Ridgeway. She elected as an elections officer and subsequently became the chief elections officer and served in that capacity for 28 years until uh she was elected to her first of five consecutive terms on the Henry County Electoral Board. During her 15 years on the Henry County Electoral Board, she worked tirelessly to uphold electoral integrity and efficiency. She was a trusted mentor and source of institutional knowledge for precinct workers and helped implement new technologies to enhance the voting process. Lita Shropshshire also offered her wise insights to the ladies auxiliary of the Ridgeway Fire Department volunteer fire department. She was a fifth year member of the order of the Eastern Star Martinsville chapter 66 where she served two terms as worthy matron. In addition to her career of community service, she's a dedicated member of the First Baptist Church of Ridgeway where she served as church clerk, Sunday school teacher, deacon ameritus, chair of the women's missionary union, and chair of the oversight and fundraising committees during the construction of a new church building. If I ever pastor a church, I won't read her there. And in all of her endeavors, Rita Shopshshire has been supported by her husband Howard, her daughters Joyce and Rachel, and their families, including two beloved grandchildren, Allison and Davis. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring that the General Assembly hereby commend Rita Gene Shropshshire on the occasion of her retirement as chair

of the Henry County Electoral Board. It be it further resolved that the clerk of the house prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Rita Gene Shropshshire as an express of the general assembly's admiration for her legacy of contributions to the inner county community, her inspirational commitment to public service and dedication to maintaining a healthy democratic process. This is a joint resolution. So, Senator Stanley joined me. Uh, so the House and the Senate. the kids involved. Agenda item number 12. Um, we have a Virginia General Assembly resolution presentation honoring Autos by Nelson and again, Delegate Phillips.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So whereas Autos by Nelson, an esteemed automotive group based in Martinsville, proudly marks its 50th anniversary in 2025, celebrating five decades of growth, service, and community commitment. Founded in 1975 by GR and Joanne Nelson as a single point. Ford dealership in Bass, Virginia, Autos by Nelson has expanded into a thriving automotive group with eight franchises under six rooftops. Today, Autoselson includes a collision center, a towing company, a rental car service, salvage yard. It's reflecting reflection of its evolution into a comprehensive automotive service provider. Under the leadership of Barry Nelson, the 2024 Virginia Time magazine dealer of the year, his son Lee Nelson, the family legacy continues to drive Autos by Nelson forward. And the Nelson's dedication to customer service, innovation, and community engagement has solidified Autos by Nelson as a trusted name in the industry. Autos by Nelson has demonstrated a deep commitment to the communities that it serves by providing a variety of local events that make a difference in people's lives as well as numerous local organizations such as the Salvation Army of Martinsville, the Grace Network of Marchville and Henry County, the Marsville Henry County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Southside Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and alo by Nelson commemorates its historic 50-year milestone, the Nelson family and their look ahead to the future while honoring the foundation of hard work and integrity that has defined their success. Now therefore be it resolved by the House of Delegates that all those by Melson hereby be commended for its legacy of service on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and be it reserved further that the clerk of the court house of delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Aud by Nelson as an expression of the House of Delegates admiration for the automotive group's history and its contributions to the Commonwealth. Congratulations.

Agenda item number 13, we'll take up general highway matters. Uh we have with us Lisa Hughes from VOTE. Congratulations.

Um, just to bring you up to date, I know everybody's got a lot of concerns about the the mowing. We are about halfway through our second round for our secondary roads, but I'm telling you, we can cut zoom in the Johnson grass, it's it's really giving us a problem. But um you know we're trying to focus on got sight distance complaints or around school bus stops or intersections. We we try to prioritize those. So if anybody, you know, has any of those concerns, they can call our uh 18004 road number and submit a work order. They can contact the office. So that that's where we are. We'll finish that up and probably start back on our primary routes. um whenever it stops raining, turns cold, maybe around the 1st of October and get that last round done. Uh we've got um couple big projects, pipe projects that we're finishing up on Meadowwood Trail and the Great Road. Uh the Great Road uh should finish up completely in a couple weeks. May have that road open by the end of the week. And Meadowwood Trail, we've got about two weeks to go on it. And um for our paving, we finished that up. Also, we've completed North Fork Road and that's the last thing on our pavement schedule for this year. And that's all I have.

Does anyone have any items from Miss Hughes? I do. One more. Lisa, I forgot uh to go over this one with you. The clover leaf there as you go up Highway 58 West, you know, going toward Handies. The clover leaf there. I know you will someone bush hogs it maybe once or twice a year. Is there any way we can someway clean that up? Get someone to adopt that with the trees. I know there's there's growth under those trees, but make that look um a little bit better, particularly, you know, as people are going up 58.

It it it does. And it I'd love to have for somebody to adopt it, but we'll do that full mow the last round that we we mow. We'll get all that and and we mow wider on our last round and which we'll we'll do and take care of that. Can get that much done. Yes. Is is there any way you can do anything with the trees in the undergrowth or would I need to approach like gateway or Tracy about that? We'll see what we can do. Would you do that trees? Yes. All right. Thank you.

And yes. Well, I I know I've had conversations and I I repeat myself a lot as far as being new to the board and and everything and the the highway matters coming up and what we refer to as the trash and the grass and also very recently I've had lots of requests for road repair or questions about potentially a repair that has been done that the constituents they are saying that's unsatis satisfactory if a pothole has been filled or whatever and then you know again not satisfactory and also I was going to ask you potentially because I have a few people who want to discuss these matters as far as the roads and the paving and what can and cannot be paved and I've asked also delegate Phillips and and delegate uh Williams who is not here but I did ask Eric if he would just stay a minute so we could talk about it because what we hear a lot is about the roads and then we talk about the budget and then from the department of the DOT we hear well it's not in the budget cuz we're in rural Virginia and those well the budget that is that is budgeted for our roads is not as much and the budget for our roads the budget is not adequate for what we need. Uh so as terms of the protocol, Mr. Adams, I didn't know I'd asked Delegate Phillips to stay for this conversation or if Miss Hughes, if you would just kind of if you wouldn't leave this time and like to hear from some individuals, uh committees that are working really hard to do this. And then I also have other just bullet points I would like to go over. And in terms of the protocol,

would we do that now or do you want to hold off until the end? What uh can you indicate how many we're talking about? Because once I open matters presented by the public, that would include anyone else that wishes to speak on matters presented by the public that that has already been signed up like signed up the seven days prior to that's also Yes. Okay. It's it's again whatever. I just want to make sure Miss She had indicated before the meeting she was okay with staying. Oh, good. Perfect. Okay. Thank you. And delegate, you're okay to hang out a little bit longer. Okay. Thank you.

Well, one quick question. Um I talked to you probably some time back about trying to get a sweeper down through Collinsville. Is that still somewhere in the realm? We actually did sweep Collinsville. I thought we do have a sweeper. I'll make sure that we get Yeah. I don't remember ever seeing it come through. Okay. I'll check. Thank you, ma'am. All right. Thank you. Um, that'll take us uh agenda item 14, public hearing for reszoning application R-25-11, John D. Horsley and Claudia G. English. We have with us our director of planning zoning, uh, Mr. Lee Clark. Mr. Clark.

Okay. This property is located at 1317 the Greg roads in the Blackberry district. Property shown on tax map 39318 is lots four and five and also a portion of 393 lot 353. The applicant is requesting the reszone approximately 7 acres from suburban residential district to agricultural district A1. The applicant wishes to market the property for the potential to keep agricultural animals on there. Following public hearing, both the planning commission and staff recommended approval of this request.

I'll open public hearing to take input on this reszone application at 6:14. Is there anyone desiring to address the board on this resoning application? Anyone? Seeing and hearing no one, I will close the public hearing at 6:14. Um, this is in my uh district. If someone would uh make the motion on my behalf, I agree with the planning commission uh as far as approving this. Mr. Chairman, I'd make a motion to approve the reszoning request as presented. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? 6. Uh Jennifer. Agenda item uh 15 public hearing reszoning application R-25-12. Roger and Deborah Wheatley. Mr. park. Okay, this property is located northeast corner of the intersection of Riverside Drive and Governor Stanley Highway. It's in the also in the Blackberry district. Property shown on tax map 15.8 is lot 163A. The applicant's requesting the resigning of approximately 3 and 3/4 acres from commercial district B1 to agricultural district A1. the applicant wishes to reszone the property and has applied for the required special use permit to allow for the development of an RV park. Uh the board of zoning appeals hearing on this matter for the special use permit is scheduled for tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the same room. Following the public hearing, both the planning commission and staff recommended approval of this request.

I'll open the public hearing to take input on this at 6:15. Is there anyone desiring to comment during this public hearing time for this reasonzoning application? Seeing and hearing no indication as such, I will close a public hearing uh at 6:16. Uh also uh in my district, I agree with the planning commission and this has been uh discussed uh with Mr. Clark and myself uh going back couple months. If someone would make a motion on my behalf. Mr. Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve the reszoning request as presented. Second.

Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? It is 6, Jennifer. Uh, agenda item number 16, reszoning application R-25-13 Whitney Slay.

Okay. This property is located at 15 1850, sorry, Daniel Creek Road in the Collinsville district. Property shown on tax map 29760 is lot six. The applicant has requested the reszoning of a lot containing a residence from suburban residential district to office and professional district B3. The applicant wishes to resone the property and has applied for the required special use permit to offer a transitional living opportunity for young adults aging out of the foster care system. The board of zoning appeals hearing on this matter is scheduled for tomorrow at 100 p.m. in this same room. Following a public hearing, both the planning commission and staff also recommend approval of this request.

I'll open the public hearing to take input on this reasonzoning application at 6:17. Is there anyone desiring to address the board during this public comment time on uh this resoning application? Seeing no indication as such, I will close the public hearing at 6:17. Um Mr. Brian, I believe this is in your district. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I have got no objections to the reson of this uh request. So, I'll make a motion to approve the resoning request as presented.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? Is 6. Uh Jennifer. Agenda item 17, public hearing, proposed sighting agreement with Firebird Solar LLC. Um Mr. Ly, do you have any background that we need to uh have on this?

Yes. Firebird Solar Solar LLC desires to um develop a solar power generation um location at the it'll be at the end of Ebony Drive in the Ridgeway District. They have obtained from the Henry County Board of Zoning Appeals a special use permit um that has been um as development process went on and negotiations for this sighting agreement went on has been extended through 2026. So, um, and, uh, I'll just point out the the document that was provided in the electronic package shows that it's been extended again since then. So, it's valid through next year to begin development of the site. Um, of import of note, um, the code of Virginia allows sighting agreements between, uh, the locality and the developer. Part of those sighting agreements can be cash payments. In this case, um, Firebird has proposed to make, uh, in installment payments as described in the agreement for a total of $75,000 if the site is fully developed and brought online. And, um, it's been this public hearing has been properly advertised for tonight.

All right. I will open the public hearing to take input on this at 6:19. Is there anyone desiring to address the board on this? I see one hand. I have a brief policy statement to read as you're coming to the podium. Uh this is time for public comment. We welcome your participation in tonight's meeting. We're here to listen to you. Um state your name. Uh we know the subject matter, the district in which you live, and by coming to the podium, you agreed you will ex exhibit respect for the board and its members. You will receive the same consideration from the board. Please try to keep your presentation to no more than five minutes.

Sure. Thank you. My name is Ed Schwitzer. Um I'm with Catalyze. We're the developer and long-term long-term owner operator of the system. Um I'm from out of town. Um and just a little background about Catalyze. Uh we're a fully integrated renewable energy services company and independent power producer. um as the you know in that capacity like I said we're the developer as well as the owner operator of the system. We currently have uh 225 megawatts of projects uh in operation right now in seven states. Um and we're looking forward to um getting these online as well. So if there are any questions or anything comes up um I'm here to answer any questions for that occur.

Thank you. Is is there anyone else wishing to address the board? I see. Uh, yes sir. Please come forward.

Yes. Hello. I'm Sam Brandingham. I'm a land owner where the solar farm is being built. We're the last house on the lane. There's three houses and u we're the very last house. But I did not know about the public hearing. You mentioned that the public hearing had been properly advertised. There were no signs put up in the neighborhood telling us about this. We just found out this morning by word of mouth that this was being held today. So just wanted to address that. I don't whether you put it in the newspaper or what, but that's that's you're immaterial at this point. Um, I just was wanting to ask if there were changes made to the plan since it was approved by the planning commission approximately 3 years ago. We were at those meetings and um and it was agreed to, but at that point it was the stipulation was that transformer lines were going to be put in on Heavenly Drive. I know initially the company wanted to put them up Aladdin Drive, Dorothy Drive through the church parking area, but I think they changed that. They did change it that before it was approved 3 years ago and it was going to go through Ebony. I just want to make sure there had been no change there. And also at that uh in that agreement, they they told us that they would do whatever was necessary to shield our property from having to look at the solar farm all the time. We're 150 ft from the solar farm. Um, our house, like I say, is remote. We've been there 45 years. We built the house in 1983 and our front porch is going to look directly on the solar farm. So, and it's only 150 ft away. They did leave a 90 ft buffer. They came in and cleared all the trees 3 years ago to put the farm in and nothing happened, but they did agree to leave a 90 ft buffer, but still our

front porch is 60 ft from that boundary line. So, we're looking at 150 ft of of of clearance between our front porch where we have our bird feeders and and sit regularly now that we're retired. And so, they agreed that they would do whatever was necessary to shield the solar farm from us. Summertime is fine. There's spinly trees there that had leaves on it, but in the winter time it's going to be looking like through toothpicks and we're going to see it all the time. So, I just wanted the assurance again today that that was going to happen and then they're not going to come in and put 4 foot one gallon potted plants every 10 ft apart and expect them to shield us from the solar bomb. We might do it in 30 years, but nothing immediate is going to be satisfactory. So, I was scared I wouldn't ask for assurances again that that would happen. I think we've got a 400 ft frontage on our property line and would like to have something substantial there to shield us from having to sit there and stare at that solar farm after being in this remote area for 45 years and now it's just complete change for us for us.

That's my Thank you.

Is there anyone else wishing to address? Yes, sir. I'll be patient by five minutes and start your attention. I'm Paul Nicholson. I'm a 75 year resident in the community for this uh solar farm. I'm within 30 ft of the water supply, the creek, which uh Mr. Cwley ignored when he plotted the place. I'm I'm afraid I'm not in up to date. And what are the proposals? All I get is a piece of paper says y'all have a agreement somewhere another. What is the deal about the sighting? The the populace, including myself, are definitely opposed. It is detrimental to the community and that neighborhood which I've been in 75 years. I mean, I've had water come down from the drainage from that come over the road, stop the traffic to the church. They couldn't drive through it. Since then, it's been improved a little bit. The church build a ball field, but sometimes they come to the top. But Mr. Crawley and his knowledge has ignited that. I got a topographic thing from him. I didn't bring it in. I didn't know I had time. Five minutes. That's all I got. I got more to say. I got a drawing was done by the county. A CAD drawing of that water supply. He won't acknowledge it. I'm downstream. Every time I have a hard rain, I have to deal with it. I've been there 75 years, sir. I've seen

it all. I know what can happen. I've lived there. There's five springs above me. I've been at every one of them. Drink water out of them. But now I'm having a deal because you people, somebody decided ahead of time how to vote. Y'all took more than five minutes to make a decision. I ain't got the five minutes. Y'all talking about my life community and the people that that are opposed to it. A lot of people ain't got enough grit. I'm mad about it. And it was a bad thing to do. The gentleman owned the land. He got it by inheritance. He tried to sell it, but he decided to cut down 200 acres of decidious trees which produce oxygen. Okay. Cut it down. Now they're going to go up and put this thing in. It's going to improve the power supply. It's going to improve the air. You can actually breathe it when it gets through. The trees produce oxygen. Okay. So all we got left is but and people over there don't understand what you get. Don't say, "Oh, I put out 50 watts a piece." Most people don't know the difference from DC to AC. I know I've been electrician for 62 years. You ain't going to change DC to AC. DC is only good if you want to heat your water or do this, but it won't run a motor. And another thing, it's not quiet. I've dealt with it long enough. I know what it does. But now we going to make everything better. All these people, the women, everybody, they think the power is going down right away. That is bull crap. It will not go down. What we're losing is clear air. And we got a detriment problem of water coming down. But I got no holy. Are you people qualified to make a decision on us? I'm qualified because I've been out. You people can do what you want. I don't

have recourse. I know what happens every time I come up here and express I was opposed this thing from outset all I got they throw me to the lions but I'm still killing lions as long as I can so do something right for people we don't need the money your power is not coming down I assure you it's going to cost you more one sale don't produce but 500 watts if you understand watts your house pays 15,000 watts to control it. If things going to be huming 24 hours a day. So all I do is play to you as a citizen. I'm a taxpayer citizen. I'm determined to try to do something about it. But nobody listens. You people got a chance to listen. Do something or else you hear from me again any way I can. Appreciate your time. Is there anyone else wishing to address the board on this uh sighting agreement public hearing? Anyone else? I will close the public hearing then at uh 6:29. Um Mr. Puit, this is in your district. Do you wish to address any of the items or or anything need clarification from Mr. Clark's office

if if Mr. Clark could come up and explain the I mean the mailings that went out I assume to the not about the sighting. Yeah. But in general of the what happened

that's been three years ago now. Um this before the inner county border zoning fields we had uh lengthy public hearings. We may have even had two. it may have got postponed and we add another one after that. Um there is a large buffer on the one side uh next to the the rightway. I think it's Aladdin uh that goes down through the church parking lot and beyond. Um there's extra trees that are required to be planted. Um, I know that there's also been a private agreement between and I'll have to let uh the representative of the of the company speak to that because we were not involved, but I believe there has been a private agreement between the company and a church that allows them to tie in to uh a substation that is behind the church. Um the buffer will all still be there, but they are allowing them to cut a path through this buffer to tie into the substation. Um I don't remember the the issue that uh the gentleman talked about with the drainage. Um the the original designer uh did uh submit to us the the uh professional engineer that the drainage was adequate. Um I have seen over the years, Mr. Puit, maybe you have too. I have seen where there's been water across that road before. Um all we can do is go by what the engineer designs that either it it's adequate or the new design is going to be adequate

to carry the water. Were there any other parts to that question? There were uh of course letters sent to everyone that was in joining property owner and across the road from this property back in 2022 when we held those public hearings. Um I don't believe there's any kind of notice that's required for these sighting agreements. Actually my office is not involved in the sighting agreements at all. Um that's a totally separate process. So that's all I had. Mr. L, would you like to speak on the Oh, the notice.

Yeah.

So, we we do not the notice requirement for a sighting agreement is similar to any or to most actions of the board of supervisor. We're required to advertise it in a newspaper and and and it and um and make it available. I think it's advertised twice. And then we make the actual document available at the county administrator's office. This is all as described in the code of Virginia. What he was probably speaking of is in in many land use cases, the county does go to extra expense and post for zoning changes, post signs on properties, but that is that's not what the code specifies for this agreement. Um other items for mine, this is the first time I've heard from either of those um individuals. I've talked to others um in the immediate area. Um, none of those have had anything negative to say. Uh, the responses that I got from the general area about solar that's down the street, um, over on Old Sand Road was complaints about the burning. Uh, we did address that in the the sighting agreements that there could not be any, uh, burning there, and that's in both of the sighting agreements that we'll um, speak on tonight. U,, but like I said, other than that, I've had zero complaints. um other than the two we we've heard tonight.

Okay. All right. With this being in your district, do you want to offer any motion? Um I I make a motion to approve the sighting agreement from Firebird Solar LLC as presented. Have a motion. Is there a second? Second. Is there any uh further discussion or clarification needed? All in favor? Opposed? That's 33. So the motion Mr. Flo, can I tell what you're voting for? I don't care as well as everybody in here. What are you voting for?

Sir, if you'll give us a moment to conclude business. Understand, sir. I've been here before and you want me to leave. You bring two two deputies this time, one last time. I want to know what you're voting on. Sir, if if you just take a minute, you'll find out just in a few minutes if you could. The motion fails on a three to three vote. A a tie fails. So, uh, this motion failed based upon it being a three tie vote. I'm I'm in favor of hoping these proposals, whoever this gentleman is over there, he seems to come up every time and talk. Is he from Mr. Cwley? I want to know who you represent.

So, that motion, don't you touch me no more. No more. You won. You won. I was just trying to tell you that you won. You guys won because

it was one. That's all I was trying to do. Just let you know. I know you said you couldn't hear. I'm just trying to explain to you that you guys won the dead. They voted. That's why Agenda item 18, public hearing, proposed sighting agreement with Thunderbird Solar LLC. Um, Mr. L Thunderbird Solar LLC uh desires to develop uh solar generation facility at again uh in the Ridgeway District at the end of Ebony Drive. Um this uh sighting agreement um like the last one was was advertised in the in the newspaper twice. Um the uh this agreement calls for payments to the county. It's it has will generate slightly more megawws. And this one calls for payments of to that will total $125,000 to the county should the facility be developed and um come to full capacity at generation. I'll open the public hearing to take input on this uh public hearing at 6:36. Is there anyone desiring to address the board on this public hearing?

Yes, sir. Is it necessary? Please, please come to the podium.

Not sure if this is necessary. I understood these were two separate names with the same project. So you have to do separate votes on these two things. It it is a separate agenda item. Yes, sir. To answer your question, um uh please state your name so that we have that for this public hearing record.

Land owner at the end of the end end of the Aladdin drive where the solar farm is being built. I don't know which is Thunderboard or Firebird is the one that is closest to our property. I just thought thought it was same same project with two names, but I just don't want to take up your time. I just repeat the same comments that I made earlier. Is that necessary for me to say more? Is it necessary for me to repeat myself from? No, sir. Okay. Thank you.

Is there anyone else desiring to address? Yes, sir. Uh Ed Schwitzer with Catalyze. Um I just wanted to add on the storm water that we did get our approval from the Virginia DEEQ for our design. So we're you know we received all of our approvals from like an engineering perspective um from the civil design. So that was it. Thank you. Is there anyone else desiring to address the board during this public hearing? Seeing no indication, I will close this public hearing at 6:39.

Likewise, Mr. Puit, uh, is there any u clarification needed on this since this? No, my my comments um and motion will will echo the last. So, I'll make a motion to approve the site and agreement from Thunderbird Solar LLC is presented.

Second. We have a motion to second. Any discussion? All in favor? Oppose? Motion fails on a 33 tie. Uh that takes us to agenda item 19, matters presented by the public. We have uh Mr. Matt Davis that had signed up. Matt, if you'll come to the podium, please. Good evening. Matt Davis of the RI uh Reed Creek District. Um I'm part of Greater Bassad Area Community Incorporate GBAC. I'm the president. Uh came here tonight just to speak to some of our efforts uh addressing trash in the community, which is a a large topic with a lot of individuals. uh we see quite a bit of it on a regular basis. Uh most recently we applied for a Delta highway uh and we were approved through VOTE and uh the people over there at that office and uh they put up signs for us to acknowledge our efforts. We've been doing this since 2009 2010 where we go out in the community and pick up trash mainly along the Fairstone Park Highway corridor. We do mowings, we do plantings, we prune and try to keep the place looking presentable, but it's a everyday battle, an ongoing thing. Every time you turn around after you've done a trash pickup, there's more trash out there. Uh, this could just be an educational thing. It could be a um something where people just can pay a little bit better attention to the way they transport trash or what they do with their trash as they go down the road there. Uh, it's frustrating sometimes. So, you know, but we try to uh address it the best we can. I just have some volunteers. We've got a three-mile stretch. We do it from

Stanley Town down to Lenor, which is now in front of the old um Basset Cher factory, the Virginia Fire Museum. And uh we try to break it up into like half mile sections, send out some people to pick it up. So, VOTE for the uh for the adopted highway, they ask that you uh pick up twice a year. They ask that you go online and you submit that you've done it. We've kind of break it up to where however many people I have, I try to do them in a half mile section. And that usually takes about 2 hours of picking up trash. And for volunteers, that's a pretty good volunteer day. Just go out there and take care of that, especially during the hot months and and the cold. Uh we would like to encourage more of the community to get involved. We'd like to encourage more civic uh groups to get involved, churches to get grow involved. Um the more we can as a community can try to knock down the trash and get everybody out there to understand what they can do personally to help with the trash situation. We're proponents of that. I've been a uh lifelong proponent of recycling. Uh I've made an attempt at a business to recycle plastics. Uh wasn't that successful at it. Um I've been involved with a church where I was recycling things for uh Boy Scouts that they could get a little bit of the revenue from. There's not a great deal of revenue when it comes to recycling. That is one of those things out there. That's not an incentive for people to get involved doing this. Uh we would go to there's a few recyclers in the community. EMI is one. We had a bin for cardboard and magazines and things like this. And for them to come and pick it up from the church and take it back to them a mile down the road would wipe out whatever revenues that we got from the recycle what they could possibly get for you. I understand that. So then I would take it to them and try to kind of

split that a little bit. So I delivered the recyclables and then they would give us the small monetary value of it and then I'd give it back to the scouts. There's uh you know recycling metals and cans, you know, that's out there that be profitable to some extent. A lot of effort, you know, a lot of quantity uh timing trying to fix this up and make sure that you can get that to them as well. Same kind of thing. Got to put forth an effort and deliver it and uh then you see what you can get from it. So, it's it's small, but I would hope that the community could find ways to involve themselves in making uh the area look better. So, the property owners, there was some way to maybe to incentivize them to recycle or pick up trash in front of their areas. Uh not quite sure. You know, there's a many different ideas out there uh that could possibly benefit uh the community if these guys could if homeowners could property owners could take care of some of the trash themselves. There's a lot of volunteer groups out there. I'm aware of them trying to pick up and help with the thing. It just seems that we're kind of sporadic and it's a uphill battle because as soon as you turn around there's more trash out there. Um, I like, you know, been a resident of this area for quite a while and I know how it is to take your trash to the green boxes to go to the convenience sites. Um, and a lot of times you'll find that there's trash that is blown out of the back of somebody's truck as they went there and then it's on the side of the road. I'm personally always amazed that somebody doesn't see that that might be their bag as they go back by it again after they visited the trash. So each of these little spots demand a little bit more attention, you know, demand that people stop pay attention to what they've got going on and go and pick up the trash. Um I would hope that there would be things that we could do in each district to uh encourage people to um take some pride

in the community and pick up the trash and address recycling. Um it's it's a tough situation. There's not people don't see a whole lot of value to it because there's not much value in it other than taking care of your home, taking care of your community, and its presentation to the rest of the world out there. That's all that. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Are there others wishing to address the board on the matters presented by the public?

Yes, sir. My name is David Craig. coming to Blackberry District and uh I've been working with Matt on some of this cleanup and uh some of the problem is if you do it enough times you'll see you'll start seeing a pattern and you'll start seeing certain things certain type of trash like beer cans and cigarette packs always showing back up and it's it's like the same kind of brand beer and it's always at it seems like it's always at night time and it's in the wooded sections where no houses And so a lot of this trash to me is being generated from these little like Dollar General or these little small convenience stores in the gas station that stay open all night long in the vape shops. I you know I see the Dollar General bags flying around everywhere, the trash, the beer cans. Um and also on you know trying to get the community involved there's a psychological analysis and it's called the broken window theory which is uh it suggests that visible signs of disorder like trash and broken windows can create an environment that encourages further disorder and even more serious crime. The theory deposits that neglecting minor issues like littering signals a lack of care and control leading to a perception that the area is uncared for and attracting further neglig negligence and behavior. Uh and and this has also been done done they've done crime studies on it too and you know areas where you know they neglect stuff the crime gets higher and it just and it and it exacerbates the situation. Um so you know working with other communities to

try to keep it cleaned up is uh you know it helps but we need to also address where or who is generating this trash and throwing it out. And I think, you know, if the uh sheriff's department or somebody can be a little bit more enforceful on the littering problems so that we can try to, you know, help stop some of these problems in in the beginning. And um on a another issue is the uh property rightway. And I'm glad that uh Lisa is still here on this um concerning mowing. Where at what point does the V do take over the rightway and relieve the property owner of doing any kind of upkeep or mowing, especially on intersections where the grass grows up so high that it creates that blocks the view and creates a safety issue because it's it's a couple of sections that I've gone out to over the past three years, two or three times a year, and I'll just take a a sling blade or a machete and just cut the grass down at the intersection so you can see down the intersection. I know this issue has really been bad because you know all the rain stuff is creating a lot more growth but uh you know at what point does the property owner is 100% relieved of trying to maintain their property right especially in these areas where it creates a safety hazard um you know being either business or residential and uh that's all I had to say. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to address the board under matters presented by the public? Okay, Mr. Adams, is this I apologize. Is this also the people that have signed up to speak or is it is that something different? Was only with the one um the only one that was uh signed to speak under this matters presented by the public was uh Mr. Davis. Okay. Well, I I didn't know if anybody would sign because I know I asked Mr. uh Arrington to come up and and speak for matters of the public. Is this when he would do that? Is this when he would do that? Okay. Yes. Okay. Come on up.

Well, thank you. I'm working with Danny Turner for former mayor of the city of Martins a lot working with uh Mr. Arrington on a project. He came to me and said his one of his lifelong dreams is to reset the uh NASCAR speed record and uh wanted to know if I could help him. I've uh developed cancer and uh battle that battle and I said let's go at it and see if we can do this. So uh I've I'll present to you Joe Arrington with with his idea and tell you what we plan to do. All right. Anyway, some may know it, some may not know it. Um, I've been playing with cars since South South Barnesville, Pigsboro, Law Park, FC. So anyway, I'm approaching 70 now and I still play with cars, but anyway, in uh 19 in 1969, 1970, there was a air war between Dodge and Ford or Chrysler and Ford. And in 19 at the end of 1970, uh, NASCAR said, "You can't use any more of these arrow type race cars anymore." So, uh, race team like by the name of KK Insurance, Bobby went to the U Bonavville Salt Flats and set a record in 1971 at 216 something miles per hour. Then in 2007, uh, Dodge approached me when I was at Patriot Center Park and a gentleman by the name of Russ Wixs and they wanted to go reset the record at Bombfield. So, we built the engine there and went to Bombfield in 2007 and run uh 244.9. So Danny and I got to talking about what can we do for the uh 250th birthday of this country. And I said, "Well, only thing I can do is make something

louder." And so anyway, we got to talking about it and we approached the Virginia 250 committee uh and also the commission and they they they've agreed to help some. But at the end of the day, we want to go to Cape Canaveral in Florida. They got a three mile track that's within a quarter inch. The surface for three miles is within a quarter inch. Reason for that is the salt works on the race car. So it it would eventually eat it all up and January in Florida 2026 is pretty appealing. So anyway, this is sort of what the car is going to look like. It's a 1969 body race car. It built it was built off a 2007 Dodge Charger chassis. So, uh, anyway, we hope to represent well the southside community and hopefully get a good get attention of businesses bringing their jobs our direction. So, anyway, that's our plan. About all about all I have to say, Danny. Well, one of the things we when we went to the tobacco commission and we also went to the 25 commission, uh, we wanted to highlight this area. The record was the record engine that provided the record was built here right right down the road here in Henry County. And uh this engine's going to be built in the city of Marshall at Sears the former Sears building. But we're partnering with Danville, Pennsylvania County and hopefully Halifax County and it's going to be Southside region where we feel like it's one of the nicest regions in the world to live and we want to showcase our industrial parks in this region. uh our natural resources, the place to come play and have fun uh and and to live. And so we thought this might be our big opportunity. I'd like to introduce Phillips who just agreed to help us with this.

Sure. I don't want to bump you. Um I'm a big guy. Anyway, uh so yeah, this look, the Virginia 250 is a very cool thing coming up next year. Virginia turns 250 years old. And so it's a celebration of that. That uh committee is co-chared by Carly Fiorina who used to be the CEO of Peter Packer and also president and then my friend and mentor Terry Austin out of I know Terry's been working closely with you guys on that and I'll just tell you a quick anecdotal story. You know they get a lot of people want to do a lot of things. They have mo mobile museums. They have uh something uptown at the courthouse in Martinsville recently with the 250 commission things like that. And he said you guys brought this idea to him. I want to throw him another bus. He said that's cool but I don't know that that really fits. and he started telling one of the some of his younger staffers about what you were doing and they they said, "Actually, that's something I would be into on the 250. I'm not going to come out and look at a mobile museum, but I'd love to tune in and watch somebody try to break the speed record." So then he took an interest in it and gave him $50,000 from the 250 um which the tobacco commission agreed to match funds with another uh 50. And what are you guys trying to raise? 250.

230.

230. So there's 100,000 of that. I know they're working hard with some private business owners and others to support this project and the mun municipalities. So, I I do think uh it's a worthwhile project. I think the state sees value in it. That's why they put $100,000 into it and it it's always cool if we can highlight Martinsville and Henry County and Pennsylvania County and Damble, which I'm proud to represent most all of. So, um I hope you look favorably on this and uh Joey's obviously got the expertise and the knowhow and been there and done that and so we believe you can do it again. So, thanks for your time. And I'd like to uh we got a Virginia uh state of Virginia and and Michigan are trying to see who can celebrate the 25 of the country best and of course the war ended in Virginia and our leadership you know Massachusetts they started the war but didn't finish it. So it ended and it ended starting you could make an argument it's ended in the beginning of the end started in Henry County at what now is Fielddale and the Virginia militia was trained there. They went with Nathan Green all the way to Yorktown and for the surrender. So we got a very proud heritage here and the war ended 5 years later. So it's our goal that tourism and Mr. Harington owns the field press lodge a tourism for the next 5 years. This would be an international place maybe a trail to victory for the United States and have it start in Henry County. So here's a there's official logo. We'll give that to the county. We give one to the city and uh we like to uh like to have um y'all display it somewhere. And um it's going to be one heck of a party next year for our 250th anniversary of the United States. Thank you.

Is anyone else question? Do you need a driver? Driver S is going to be a driver. Now you might need a backup driver. Count me in. Anybody else? Thanks. Is anyone else wishing to address the board on the matters presented by the public? Yes, sir. Is this uh I think I might be on the agenda. Is that is that included? I didn't have your name listed on the agenda, but you're welcome to speak with matters presented by the public. Just state your name and subject.

Michael Typton. I'm talking about 69 justice Martin highway until last month trying to get V do upra upgrade the drain system. Uh I just want to get like an update. I notic Lisa Lisa said something about Lisa talking to some of them when it's over. So maybe I'll get talk to her. But I just wanted to bring back from the board that you know the ditches and stuff and also has the ditches and stuff ain't nothing been done yet you know. So uh still concerned about it and uh some of the guys was talking about having trash and uh so that that rings a bell you know me down there because it's a lot of trash that people walk something down that road and throws the trash over the ditch and that's what's been stopping up my drain. So, we definitely um need some it be good to have volunteers pick up trash and stuff. But, but anyway, this will like I said, I might talk to Lisa after the meetings and try to get updated. Uh, I know u a guy come from uh Salem. Uh, but he he went on vacation for a couple of weeks, but he did call me back this week and he said Kenny King and him supposed to be having a meeting and he couldn't give me no answer yet. Uh, but they still want to have a meeting. So, I'm just hoping it don't pour down the rain before we get around to doing something. That's all.

All right. Thank you. Is there anyone else wishing to address the board under matters presented by the public? Anyone else? That takes us to uh agenda item 20, which is a call for adjournment. If I could have a motion. So move. Second. Dr. Cobble, did you have something to say?

Yes. I I guess I was still wondering about uh maybe and again the protocol for it. So, I apologize if I'm not following exact protocol about having having a conversation with with Lisa here and delegate Phillips for the discussion brief discussion about the budget and how that would how that would work in terms of the our budget for our community which is approved by the delegates. and because we've heard that well there's just not that much money in our budget and I came to almost every supervisor's meeting before I was elected and at every meeting someone brought up a road issue or a trash issue. So I'm saying that we're here so we just we need to we need to talk about it. Uh we need to ramp things up in terms of what we ask for potentially in a budget, bigger budget for the roads. It's that if that's an option, give Lisa maybe more to work with. And then for Lisa's purposes, what in the world can we do better or more of that we're not doing now? Because we hear, yeah, the the the trash flies off the truck. That's what somebody said that to me was a lot of truck drivers and they had a lot of trash on the truck. Okay. And then to Timmy back there with uh with the sheriff's department, how how can they possibly cuz he he goes by my house almost every day and I'm amazed at the amount of trash daily that's being picked up. Sheriff's department's not going to be able to get all the trash. So for Lisa and for Delegate Phillips and for the board, what can we do to address these what in my opinion is becoming an extraordinary issue? And one more thing about that, I probably get a

call or mention something at least weekly, not daily, but at least weekly. The intersections where is the the intersections is the Department of Transportation's uh responsibility. Like, okay, well, yeah, we'll we'll get to it. Uh and then to Matt's because Matt's in my district and we have the GBAC and they work every month. They're picking up trash, planting trees, and mowing and doing all that stuff. They have an adopt a highway sign now, which is amazing. What can we do to encourage groups throughout the entire county to do more of that? I just feel like that we're at the point where we talk about it, we talk about it, we talk about it, but what is the next level of work that can be done to address this extraordinary issue of trash and grass and potholes. Okay. And that's and I'll I don't in terms Mr. Adams a conversation or table it for another time. I just wanted to make sure that while I kept them here that we could talk about it. Well,

for the yeah, the protocol part, I'm not sure that whatever is acceptable uh to the board, but it may be a lengthy conversation and I I'm I'm positive they have heard what you're saying and it may be something that you all want to circle circle together and talk about. Okay. But uh do if they want to offer comments just a quick I know we I'll let her do first.

Okay. I mean 3 minutes maybe. Okay. And the funding that we receive is mostly from gas tax and recordation fees, some other miscellaneous fees, but that is collected statewide and and maintenance is funded off the top, which includes patching, potholes, what we do, patching, uh, mowing, those type of issues are are considered maintenance, funded off the top of the budget, comes down to the Salem district, and we're funded uh, pretty much historically yeartoear we we get small increases but we're like everybody else that works on a budget it's you know it's never enough but uh but we do I think we do very well with what we receive and we try to do our best to spend it wisely and uh you know do what we're supposed to do and in regards to the mowing that this is our policy is that the the primary and secondary roads get mowed three times times a year. I'd love to mow five times a year. This year we needed six times a year, but you know, we just just aren't able to do that and accomplish our other tasks, which are are patching and uh ditching, shoulder work, you know, we we do a lot more than than mow and those are necessary as well. But we do have a fixed budget that uh again that's it's typically funded historically but uh but we do our revenue comes from gas tax you know and now that you're in the discussion of it you know the the things that I see about grass you know and it's not only here in Henry County it's other counties also we're not the only one dealing with the crash issue

and we're not the only state dealing with crash issue. But the thing that I look at because it's my county or you know I live in this county is that you know we're we're striving hard to get industries and new business into this area. You know we're working really hard. Uh and when we have an area that just don't look presentable, you know, to somebody from outside coming to this area, it it's not good for this county. Okay. Uh uh delegate Eric Phillips um my request would be to you is to go back and talk to your delegates and say how can we get funding for Henry County to get to grass mode because you're riding down Commonwealth Boulevard from the city limits and the grass looks decent until you hit the county limits and the grass is about 3t tall. Then you come down Kings Mountain Road and the grass now is about a foot and a half tall or better. I mean, you got people that's come to this area uh not only to do business but to look at

Sure. moving to this area and then and it it's a hindrance, you know, to to the Okay.

So, a couple things. Obviously, we do a state budget. We don't do it by county. So, I don't know how VOTE inside of VOTE. I don't know if Lisa does either. how they allocate their money, how much each locality gets. I'm sure there's some kind of formula for that. But besides grass, I want to speak to roads. We certainly do not get our fair share of money through VOTE for fixing roads, for repaving roads, for infrastructure in general. I know that we are trying to put together a rural roads package that will target specific districts within the Commonwealth. And when I say that, I don't mean necessarily delegate district. It's just regions of the state that would be considered rural, which is most of southwest, southside, and central Virginia outside the metro areas. Virginia uses a smart scale program that we never qualify for any money under. Um, and there's a lot of consternation about that because what happens when you have an area that is growing economically, but still doesn't hit all the metrics? Um, I deal with that again in Pennsylvania County when you got, you know, thousands of jobs coming to a mega park. they suddenly have to and the state found the money to to put a new road in there to get an access road back to the bypass. So, I think we just have to work in conjunction with one another. But overall, you know, it's just like you guys you guys struggle to make a budget that hits every mark and hit every need exactly how you would want to do it. Um, so I think that that is where where the state is, but I would be investment personally to I don't, you know, know how they allocate inside of their own budget, how much they spend on grass versus how much they spend on other things. But I can say this, in my time as two years of delegate, just recently, matter of fact, Jet was in your district that I had a constituent reach out and asked for some help right there around a bridge area near a gun shop and Lisa and her folks went straight over there within a few days.

I think you're aware of it, right? I'm sure you probably I was the one that generated that. Well, I don't know. They called my office and it got done as well, but the gun owner called whatever. So the point is I think when we present them with those things, they rep prioritize and try to try to do the best they can. But again, they got only so many employees, so many people. But listen, I've lived in this area most of my life as well. I couldn't agree with you more. I remember riding down the bypass. It was before race weekend and I thought, "Thank God the race is coming up cuz it'll get cleaned up."

It was embarrassing. I was ashamed to think if we had someone from out of town riding up through here and our main thorough affair, how much trash and things like that were just thrown out of the window. So, I know I'm I've met with with Dale and uh Mr. Adams, Chairman Adams, and I think we were the only two there maybe and we talked about some of what we could do and some of what some other surrounding counties do. I've talked with uh Supervisor Cobbler as well. Um, but it is something I think that, you know, one, we need to do some messaging. One, we need to do some special event days where we go out as a community. Um, I I will sponsor some of it through uh one of my businesses, pay for the trash bag and the gloves and the whatever else to where we put a focus on, you know, keep Henry County clean or whatever. It's not my job to figure out your slogan, but we do need to do something and there needs to be more public awareness about it. There's a lot of complaints about it, but we need more people to get involved and help do something about it. And um so you know as far as how that allocates their money inside of that Joe that would be a question for for Lisa and really probably someone up the food chain from Lisa as far as they spent how they spend their money. We give them you know a budgetary amount for the entire state. Um but I do think we need some special help in growing rural areas like the 48th district and that's something that we are looking to put in the next banial budget to answer your question. So I don't know if you want to answer the second.

All right. All right. Dr. Thank you. Is that Yes. And thank you for your lenience. Okay. Okay. Uh Mr. Wagner, any other board business that we need to consider prior to adjournment? I don't have anything. Board members, do you have any? Just Yes, sir.

30 seconds. You know, I'm very pleased with the number of folk who came out and, you know, took part in the meeting tonight. And hopefully we can get that same kind of conversation with some of the other problems that we have. And I think as a community, I like what Delegate Phillip said. You know, if we can get folk to take pride in our community, some of these things will go away. I know folk who go out and, you know, they mow the yard on the side of the road because they take pride. And we just need more folk doing that. And hopefully we can create some type of energy where people really truly take pride in our community and in themsel first and foremost. If you take pride in, you know, your area, your space, you know, you'll want that, you know, throughout um your community. And that goes to, you know, your cars, you know, your the way you conduct yourself, the way you carry yourself. And hopefully, you know, we can come up with some things amongst us that will um inspire that pride. You know, I'll say it that way because if that part pride is inspired, then all of a sudden everybody's out doing what the folk in the Blackberry district are doing and you know, VOTE has a lot of help and you know, Henry County looks the way we want Henry County to look and people are not, you know, showing up at Walmart in pajamas and all that. So, but I'm not going to get into that tangent. I'm going to leave that alone so I don't get uh, you know, somebody's TikTok or something. And that that's it.

All right. Other business items? Any other items? Uh, I'll entertain a motion from a German. We already made that motion. Well, we sort of got we got us straight. So, let's start again. So, move second. Second. And a second. All in favor? Um, second zero. Jennifer, everyone have a good evening.