30 Volunteers Help Clean Illegal Dump at Rocklick

      Some 30 volunteers took the time Friday to take part in the first of three clean-ups of illegal dumps in the region. The target for the first clean-up was in Buchanan County at an illegal dump at Rocklick. When all was said and done, some seven tons of material and more than 700 pounds of tires had been removed.
      The Tri-County Illegal Dump Clean-Up event was part of a combined effort to educate citizens of Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell counties on illegal dumps and what can be done to clean them. Two other clean-ups are planned, including one on February 10 in Russell County and the last of the three on February 17 in Dickenson County.
      The dump cleaned up Friday was on Rt. 645 at Rocklick in Buchanan County.
      Regional Litter Recycling Coordinator Toby Edwards said the clean-up Friday included not only the pick-up of loose garbage, which volunteers bagged, but involved the gathering of appliances, as well, including a refrigerator.
       "Our regional project was a success in that it shows that our three counties are working together to address the issue of illegal dumping and cleaning them (illegal dumps) up," Edwards said.
       "Not only are we demonstrating how local governments can rid our hillsides of trash, but also citizens are encouraged to join in with this endeavor."
       The Cumberland Plateau Regional Waste Authority assisted the three counties and their litter control coordinators and litter officers with planning the event.
        Buchanan County’s Department of Sanitation contributed staff and a trash truck and the Buchanan County Litter Office provided probationers and lunch for participants.
       Dickenson County contributed staff, probationers, pickup trucks and litter removal equipment; and Russell County contributed staff and probationers.
       The Big Sandy Soil and Water Conservation District provided staff.
       The Virginia Department of Transportation assisted with the litter removal with staff and trucks.
       Edwards noted that efforts have been underway to attract tourists to the region to see the mountain scenery found throughout the region, as well as other attractions like the Ralph Stanley Museum and the Breaks Interstate Park.
       "As the old saying goes, ‘we as a region need to clean up around our home -- company is coming,’" Edwards said.

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 Amended County Road, Bridge Plan Remains in Limbo
Existing Road Questions Cause for Delay in Action

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor

      The adoption of an amended county road and bridge policy was tabled again in January after members of the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors raised questions about the proposal and what it would mean to roads already in the county road system.
    No answers were forthcoming and County Administrator W.J. Caudill suggested the board might wish to address questions about the policy to former Assistant County Attorney Frank Kilgore, who had drawn up the amended policy prior to leaving his post.
      Board members agreed to delay action on the policy after South Grundy Chairman Roger Rife raised questions about whether the county would need to go back and correct roads not conforming to the new policy, or whether those roads would be grandfathered into the policy.
      Rife noted that at Janey Hill, the area is listed as a subdivision and he asked whether under the new policy that meant the last house had to have a public turn-around in order for the road to be paved to the last house.
       Ultimately, board members took no action and tabled the matter.
     In other business, reasons for the delay in a road widening and curve straightening project planned on Rt. 680, Bill Young Mountain, were questioned by Garden Supervisor Buddy Fuller.
     Fuller asked Virginia Department of Transportation Resident Engineer Conrad Hill to explain what Fuller called "the setback" on the project.
       Hill noted right of way has been part of the problem and he indicated that work on that is continuing now to try to get back to an August ad date on the project.
        Fuller also asked Hill if it would be possible for signs to be installed on Rt. 460 and on Rt. 635 directing motorists that the route does travel to the West Virginia state line.
       Fuller noted the current absence of signage has some motorists confused along the route.
       Hill said he did not see a problem with installing the signs at the intersection of Rt. 635 and agreed to check into it.

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