Bonnie Cranmer
Contributing writer
The Craig County Board of Supervisors met on Thursday, July 11. After the brief VDOT report, Woody Lipes gave an update on the Craig Valley Railbed Trail and feedback from the public. He stated that Craig County has a long history of tourism and the revenue that tourism provides to the county. Lipes addressed concern over the cost of long-term trail maintenance, reduced by volunteers who provide labor and other benefits. “The trail is going to be a significant feature in Craig County and we don’t want to miss an opportunity,” Lipes told the board.
In other business, the board of supervisors issued a proclamation recognizing the Maywood Garden Club’s 70th anniversary. Their commitment to beautification at the Triangle on Rt 629 and their ongoing work in the community is valuable to the county. Nan Gray represented the Maywood Garden Club and received the proclamation presented by Board Chair Jesse Spence.
The budget for both the county and the school was revisited with a public hearing with no comment. Craig County Public Schools superintendent, Dwayne Huff, shared with the board that a survey for interest in the preschool program for three- and four-year-olds has received a positive response. The school will continue to collect responses and report in the future. Interested parents can find the survey on the school website.
During the hear the public portion of the meeting, several issues were discussed. The Craig County Farmers Committee provided further information about land use to the board. Angie Guthrie-Ponton presented the board with a packet of information, including the collection of petitions. Guthrie-Ponton detailed hours per year anticipated to maintain the program, along with citing examples from Giles County. Rebecca Frango reviewed the limited number of farms in the county that would potentially qualify for the program.
Jim Joyce addressed the funding issues, stating there is access to substantial dollars that Craig County has the ability to achieve through the Inflation Reduction Act if a Climate or Energy Action Plan is instituted. There is an option for George Mason University to offer assistance. Henry County has successfully implemented their plan with this funding. Several other residents expressed both support and opposition to the program. As the final resident, Rob Coulter, a longtime farmer and landowner stated, “We are the only county within 100 miles not using the land use.”
Another issue was addressed by Steven and Susan Edwards, homeowners in the Craig Woods community. Steven provided the board with several examples of potential violations ongoing at a home tattoo parlor in the development. Susan raised medical amd hazardous waste disposal concerns and documented Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations, both for the business and for the county’s waste transfer station.
The meeting went into closed session for personnel matters and the land use proposal. When they returned, Board Chair Jesse Spence, stated that the board will get further guidance on the land use plan and research the next steps. The next discussion on land use will be at the September meeting.
Photos by Bonnie Cranmer
