Two Voters Express Concerns
Possible Consolidation, Move of Knox District Precinct Discussed

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
     Two speakers turned out Monday morning to state their concerns related to any plans by the board of supervisors to consolidate or move voting precinct lines in the Knox District.   Board members took no action on the matter, but listened to comments from Knox citizens Bobby May and Bobby Hall, as well as James Keen, who represented the Buchanan County Electoral Board.
   It was noted earlier this month that the Paw Paw precinct and the Hurley precinct both have problems when it comes to meeting Americans with Disabilities Act mandates. As a result, the board learned, both will either have to be made handicapped accessible in their current locations, or moved.
   Bobby May noted he has been a life-long resident of and voter at the Paw Paw precinct. He noted the property was donated by his late father, Robert L. May for as long as the county needed it for a voting precinct.
   May said he strongly opposed any proposal to eliminate Paw Paw and merge it with the Hurley precinct.   
   "I don’t think that it is fair to the 726 people registered in the Paw Paw precinct to impose an undue burden upon them by forcing them to travel to another precinct to vote," May said. "The loss of our precinct would be a blow to our community identity."
   May suggested that changes in precinct lines and locations historically have caused people to stop voting and lose interest in the process.
   "I would hope that the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors would share my concern of doing anything and everything possible to encourage citizens to participate in our Democratic process," May said. "Eliminating or combining precincts would only serve to have the opposite effect."
   He said he had no problem if the Paw Paw precinct had to be moved, but he said it should be centrally located within the precinct lines area, be accessible and have plenty of parking. He said he did not think a piece of county property now used by a local church which was suggested at a board meeting last week was appropriate.
   "My recommendation would be to improve the current voting building at Paw Paw and leave it otherwise as it is or to locate a suitable piece of property and erect a new ADA-approved structure," May said.

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Two Public Hearings Scheduled on Grundy Noise, Dog Ordinances

by Scotty Wampler
Staff Reporter
    Grundy Town Council has set two public hearings for its June meeting to receive comments on a revised noise ordinance and a dog-control ordinance.
  The noise ordinance, which town council members have discussed for some time, received a revision recently to correct matters of concern that prevented council from approving the measure in February.
  In the originally-proposed ordinance, noise restrictions were placed on some “mass outdoor social gatherings,” which were defined as events conducted outside or in a partially enclosed structure, on public or private land in the town, to which 100 or more people might attend. The revised document clarifies that events conducted by any public or private primary, secondary, collegiate, or graduate school shall not be included in the definition of “mass outdoor social gathering.”
  The list of exceptions to the general noise violations detailed in the document is expanded in the revised version to include graduations, social gatherings or other activities conducted by any public or private primary, secondary, collegiate or graduate school, and activity conducted, approved or sponsored by the Town of Grundy, Buchanan County or the Commonwealth of Virginia or any agency of any of those entities.
  Councilman Chris Mitchell offered a final revision to the proposal last week during town council’s regular meeting. Expressing concern about restrictions placed on some noise-making devices, Mitchell proposed changing the hours of the disallowed use of items such as pneumatic hammers and chain saws to 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.
  “The summer months, I think, if you work and get something to eat, that’s 7 p.m.,” Mitchell said, referring to the originally-proposed hours of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
  Town council unanimously approved the revisions.
  A proposed dog-control ordinance was also discussed last week by members of the council.
  After an apparent loose dog problem in the New House Branch area was brought to council members’ attention in April, an ordinance to limit the freedoms of canines in Grundy was drawn up and examined.

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.

Proposed Ordinance Would Allow Litter Officers to Bring Civil Action

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
      Litter control officers in Buchanan County may soon be able to bring civil actions against people responsible for littering or dumpling illegally in Buchanan County, if action is taken to enact an ordinance now under consideration by the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors.
     A public hearing on the proposed ordinance will be held June 5 at 10:15 a.m. Board members agreed unanimously, among those present, to set the public hearing.
    North Grundy Supervisor Carroll Branham, Garden Supervisor Buddy Fuller and Rocklick Supervisor David Ratliff were not in attendance at Monday’s meeting, although Ratliff, who had a medical appointment earlier in the morning, did make it to the meeting just prior to its closing.
    The ordinance being considered would allow litter control officers and county attorneys to bring civil actions on behalf of the county -- including claims for injunctive relief, fines, penalties, court costs and attorney fees "against any person or entity that illegally litters the roadways and streams within Buchanan County or dumps or allows the illegal dumping of trash, debris, and wastes within the county boundaries."
    The ordinance notes it is being considered out of a desire by the county, in response to citizen requests, to enforce the proper disposal of solid waste and to promote the health and safety of county residents as well as to actively work to prevent littering of county roads, waterways and properties in Buchanan County.
    In other business, board members heard from speakers related to how best to address the fact that two precinct polling places in the Knox District do not now meet ADA requirements (see related story, this issue). No action was taken.
    Board members also learned a petition has been signed in the South Grundy District related to the need for additional lighting at the Rt. 460-Rt.83 intersection at Vansant; and discussed deadlines for approving a county budget, ultimately agreeing to work on the fiscal document again Wednesday morning (the results of that work session were not available at press time).

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.