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VERIZON EMPLOYEES Larry Ratliff and Brad Carter work to reroute phone lines downtown last week as some of the utility work is accomplished in advance of the Rt. 460 road project which is tied to the Grundy Flood Control Project. The edge of the redevelopment site is seen at left. Residents may expect to see much activity on the project in the coming month as road construction, demolition and construction of the ringwall get underway.
(Staff photo/Cathy St. Clair.) |
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Town Project Moves Forward
May 1 Groundbreaking Scheduled for Road, Ringwall |
by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor |
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A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the Rt. 460 road project through Grundy and the start of construction of a ringwall to protect the town of Grundy will be held May 1.
The joint groundbreaking event will get underway at 11 a.m. on Riverside Drive, behind the former Street Law firm location.
By the middle of next month, construction is also expected to begin on new buildings on the redevelopment site, with the first structure to be built being the parking building, which will house Wal-Mart on the top level, according to Town Manager Chuck Crabtree.
"The developer, Commonwealth, is still looking at the middle of May to start the footers to pour the footprint for the buildings," Crabtree said. "The first thing people will see go up is the parking building and the Wal Mart on top of that."
An early summer ground-breaking is planned on that aspect of the project, however, as of press time, a date for that had not been set.
Crabtree noted a summer or fall 2007 opening is projected for the new Wal Mart and other tenants who will locate in the new town center. An announcement on who those tenants will be has not yet been made by the developer, however, work to negotiate various leases and contracts was reportedly underway at press time.
In the meantime, Crosspointe Contracting continues to work on the redevelopment site laying water and sewer lines to feed the new development. That work is on schedule and is expected to be complete by mid-summer.
Buchanan County Public Service Authority Director Darrell Cantrell noted the PSA has completed the updates it needed to make to the town water supply system to feed the lines on the redevelopment site.
"It’s in use and ready to be tapped and put to wherever they need it put," Cantrell said.
A pre-construction conference was held on the road aspect of the project last week, according to Virginia Department of Transportation Public Affairs Officer Brenda Waters. Attendees at the conference, included not only VDOT, but also the road contractor, town representatives and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. |
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For more of the
story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at
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Radio Equipment Upgrade Could Streamline Emergency Response Efforts
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by
Scotty
Wampler
Staff
Reporter |
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Local
emergency
response
agencies
may
join
forces
in
the
near
future
to
streamline
communication
countywide.
The Town of Grundy is working toward securing funding
from
the
Department
of
Homeland
Security
to
upgrade
its
emergency
radio
equipment,
it
was
revealed
at
Town
Council’s
regular
meeting
last
week.
“It’s something the state has been working
on
for
some
time
now,”
Town
Manager
Chuck
Crabtree
said.
“With this new system, they want to be able
to
talk
to
everybody,”
he
said,
referring
to
the
integrated
radio
system
that
will
allow
all
emergency
personnel
in
the
county
to
communicate
with
ease.
The effort is part of Homeland Security’s
goal
to
connect
first
responders
in
localities
statewide.
The
new
radio
equipment,
valued
near
$15,000,
would
be
obtained
by
the
town
upon
its
receipt
of
the
grant
funds.
Agencies such as the Grundy Police Department,
the
Buchanan
County
Sheriff’s
Department
and
E-911
would
all
use
the
same
radio
system,
Crabtree
said.
The installation of a new system countywide would also
solve
radio
communication
issues
the
police
department
has
been
battling
for
some
time.
Radio communication for police officers
in
Grundy
has
become
so
unreliable
that
the
issue
was
brought
before
Town
Council
just
last
month.
Grundy Police Chief Barney Stiltner
told
Town
Council
members
that
some
officers
have
lost
complete
contact
with
dispatch
recently.
Stiltner and another town officer detailed to council
members
a
recent
incident
where
a
man
suspected
of
driving
under
the
influence
was
pulled
over
to
be
questioned.
Upon
questioning,
the
suspect
reached
for
a
handgun
that
was
concealed
in
his
pants.
The officer, after subduing the suspect,
attempted
to
call
for
backup,
with
no
success.
Councilman Bill Stokes suggested last
week
installing
a
set
schedule
to
service
police
radios
in
order
to
prevent
problems
from
becoming
as
prevalent.
Police radios should be tested at least
yearly,
he
said.
Crabtree speculated the new radio system
would
be
installed
sometime
this
year,
provided
the
grant
money
is
awarded
soon.
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For more of the
story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at
newsstands now. To subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today. |
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