Housing Projects Proposed at Whitewood, Keen Mountain

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor

       The old Whitewood Elementary School and the former Red Jacket building in the Keen Mountain Camp may soon be home to low income housing projects, People Inc.
       Director Robert Goldsmith told members of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors Monday.
       Goldsmith appeared before the board, seeking board support for applications People Inc. planned to make for tax credits and funding to renovate both locations.
       As planned, he said, the Whitewood school would be converted into 24 apartments and the Red Jacket building in the Keen Mountain Camp, would be renovated to house six apartments.
       Goldsmith also sought, but did not immediately get a partial tax abatement on both structures. He asked board members to consider not changing the tax value of either building after the renovations are completed for a period of at least five years. Agreeing to do so, he said would give the People Inc. project points in the award process.
        He noted that at Whitewood, rental assistance vouchers might be available and he said People Inc. was working with Buchanan County Economic Development Director Craig Horn and Virginia Housing and Community Development on that project.
        At Keen Mountain, Goldsmith said, the building targeted for renovation was originally purchased by People Inc. in which to locate its office. However, he said, in the meantime, the organization has been able to locate another building eight miles closer to Grundy and is in the process of considering whether to purchase that building.
     Garden Supervisor Buddy Fuller asked whether the original study for Whitewood had focused on housing for the elderly and assisted living.
       Goldsmith said the Whitewood study had shown there was a market for family housing with the greatest need for three bedroom units. As a result, he said, People Inc. is developing plans to meet that need.
        Three bedroom apartments are also proposed at the Keen Mountain location.

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$800,000 in Funding for PSA
Agency's Operation Costs Discussed

       A lengthy discussion on the costs of operating the Buchanan County Public Service Authority ended Monday with a decision by the board of supervisors to provide $800,000 in additional funding for the PSA.
        The action followed a public hearing on the matter.
        The PSA budget was one of the budgets cut in order to arrive at a balanced county budget. When the board cut it last June, they told PSA Director Darrell Cantrell he could come back to the board as the fiscal year progressed to request additional funding if it was needed.
        Prior to agreeing to provide the funding, however, board members discussed at length the cost of operating the PSA with South Grundy Chairman Roger Rife, who is also a member of the PSA board, noting that by giving the PSA the additional $800,000, the county’s funding of the agency would stand at $2.2 million. That money, he said was in addition to some $3.6 million the PSA takes in through revenues from the payment of water and sewer bills by its customers.
        Hurricane Supervisor William P. Harris said he could not see the county putting in that kind of money to the PSA.
        “It continues to increase and I don’t know what to do about it,” Rife said.
         He noted that if the PSA were to increase water bills by $5 each, it would only bring in an extra $300,00 to $400,000, but, he said, that would still leave the PSA short of the money Cantrell said it needed to operate.
         “We’ve got a good PSA and they’ve run a lot of water lines, but ask around each county how much you put in your PSA and you find Tazewell County puts in
nothing; it is self-sufficient. Russell County gives $17,000 to $18,000; and Dickenson County, $50,000.
        We’re blessed to be in a position to give $2.2 million, but we’ve got to look hard somewhere,” Rife said.
        Rocklick Supervisor David Ratliff asked Cantrell if new construction were taken out of the picture how much the PSA lacked being self-sufficient.
        “That’s difficult to answer,” Cantrell said, explaining that he had estimated monthly expenses, but he said because of repairs, one never knew from month to month exactly how much would be needed. A motor  going down, he said, for instance, could change a monthly expense picture by $22,000 in one move.
       Cantrell noted that the average monthly expenses that are fixed and anticipated at the PSA are a little less than.

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County Representatives Travel to Richmond for Annual Legislative Trip

        Buchanan County representatives will travel to Richmond next week to take part in the annual legislative trip to the state capitol.
        While there, the county will work in conjunction with local governments from Wise and Dickenson counties to host a Tri-County Legislative reception.
        The reception will get underway at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 17 at the Omni Hotel in Richmond.
       Buchanan County Economic Development Director Craig Horn said in addition to helping to host the reception, Buchanan representatives will also meet with several agency heads to discuss issues of concern to Buchanan County.
      A formal meeting has been set up with the Virginia Department of Transportation to discuss the Coalfields Expressway and other projects of interest to the county.
        Horn said Buchanan officials are also planning to meet with the Virginia Department of Taxation to discuss the recent school composite index number released for the county which drives up the local cost of eduction some $2.08 million in the coming year.
      Another meeting is also planned with the Department of Housing and Community Development, Horn said.
       Several members of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors are expected to take part in this year’s trip, as are school officials, town officials, IDA representatives, Buchanan County Public Service Authority representatives, chamber of commerce representatives and other county citizens, who routinely make the trip in support of the county.

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