by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
  A board of supervisors plan to transfer property at Big Butt in the Knox District  to Big Sandy Soil and Water Conservation District drew fire Monday during a public hearing on the proposal.
  Specifically, residents speaking out questioned why the county would "give away" $50,000 worth of property it owns.
  Four residents speaking out at the public hearing held during Monday's board of supervisors' meeting did not object to the portion of a mediated settlement with Big Sandy which includes the proposed transfer of property at the former D.A. Justus Elementary site to Big Sandy for office space. However, they took exception to the part of the proposal which also calls for the transfer to Big Sandy of property the county owns at Big Butt.
  Roger Blankenship asked board members how the Big Butt property ever even got to be a part of the discussion in the first place.
  "How does a dispute over two to three acres of land involve 86 acres," Blankenship asked.
  The dispute to which he referred was the one which prompted the case to go to mediation last summer. The county had asked the court to enforce a notice of eviction from the property against Big Sandy, and Big Sandy in turn asked the court to require the county to honor prior resolutions adopted by the board giving Big Sandy a portion of the property at D.A. Justus  on which to house its office.
  The county contended the Big Sandy office where it is now is in the way of future development plans for the property, including construction of a gymnasium.
  In the settlement reached earlier this year, the board of supervisors agreed to allow Big Sandy to use another section of the D.A. Justus property and Big Sandy agreed to  relocate to the "voting precinct" property, near its current location on the property. The county agreed to maintain the water and sewage systems there for the benefit of the voting precinct property from the boundary of the precinct. However, under the terms of the settlement, the county will not be obligated to maintain any water or sewage lines in, on or under the property.
  The settlement, which has previously been approved by the board of supervisors will also see the county pay Big Sandy's expenses for moving its office trailer to the new location, up to the amount of $7,500.
  Additionally, the county agreed to convey the Big Butt property to Big Sandy. The county retained a right of first refusal giving the county a six-month period to elect to purchase the property back from Big Sandy on the same terms and conditions that it is offered to any third party in the event Big Sandy sells it. The transfer of property -- which will not occur until the office is moved -- also excepts as much of the property as will be necessary for the construction and operation of the planned Coalfields Expressay and as much of the property as may be needed for the maintenance or improvement of any existing or future state or county road.
  At Monday's hearing, Blankenship noted he is a member of the Knox Creek Hunt Club which leases some 6,000 acres of land at Big Butt and that acreage, he said is used practically every day.
  "I've heard a lot of people laugh about it, but I don't think it's funny," Blankenship said, adding, "how much did the county pay for it?"
  The Big Butt property was purchased by the county some years ago with