Supervisors Hear Exit 21 Project Bids 30% Higher Than Expected; Re-Elect Bennett, Garten To Top Posts Old EDA Dissolved; Natural Gas Options To Be Studied, Several Resolutions Approved By Jerry E. Clark   Low Moor, VA (Jan. 3, 2017) - The Alleghany County Board of Supervisors, as expected, quickly re-elected Steve Bennett as chairman and Matt Garten as the board's vice chairman here tonight. The supervisors quickly also approved their code of ethics and by-laws as they approached the meat of the first meeting of 2017. (What many probably did not expect was the portion of Susan Hammond's VDOT report which indicated that the exit 21 project bids had come in about 30% higher than expected, thus causing a rebidding process which may delay the construction timetable). Here's a summary of the board's actions: • heard VDOT's resident engineer, Susan Hammond noted recent maintenance projects, and were informed that Rte. 696 Exit 21 construction bids came in 30% higher than construction estimates. A rebidding of the project will go forward with new bids due on Feb. 22nd. This might delay the project, she indicated. See video here. • they unanimously approved the minutes of two December meetings, that of December 1 and December 6th. • they unanimously approved a resolution to dissolve the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Authority - an old legal entity, not to be confused with the current day and effective Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation. (See video here. • they voted 5-1 to support legislation pending before the Virginia legislature which would allow counties to enact a cigarette tax - emphasizing that they were not proposing such a tax here - only voting to allow Virginia counties the same kind of taxing authority that Virginia cities and towns already have See video here. • heard and approved of a Lanford suggestion to seek funding of $15,000 from the Alleghany Foundation for a study for a natural gas option that may serve the Low Moor area, possibly even the Valley Ridge area. See video here • unanimously approved a resolution of respect for former county deputy Herbert L. Simmons, Jr., who died in December. See video here. • agreed to support legislation to change the ABC code which would allow beer and wine sales at festivals in the county after hearing a request from Joshua Rucker. The measure must still go before the legislature. See video here. • approved two "housekeeping accounting" measures involving supplemental appropriations for a VACAP grant and an asset forfeiture appropriation for use by the Commonwealth Attorney. • approved a $30,000 expenditure for the town of Clifton Forge to use towards the removal of asbestos from the former CSX property from a Joint Venture Fund, created in 1984 as a result of the sale of property Westvaco in Low Moor. See video here. • Approved a new term for Kevin Terrell on the Board of Building Code Appeals. • heard from the Alleghany County Schools Superintendent an appeal to support a move to get the Virginia legislature to approve additional funding for salaries and operations similar to that of other affluent Virginia communities. See video here. • heard county administrator Jon Lanford give his usual monthly report, part of which involved a proposal to hold a joint budget work session with Covington to hear funding requests from outside organizations as well as an expected February request for more engineering funding for the Rosedale sanitary sewer project. See video here. The supervisors then went into executive session to deal with the possible disposal of publicly-owned real estate.

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