On October 25, 2011, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors held its bimonthly meeting at the County Administration Building. The meeting included public hearings of two county topics, committee reports with the acceptance of a water extension addition and the acceptance of a historical survey agreement.

Two public hearings were held, the first of which regarded the Mount Rogers’ Planning District Committee Regional Water Supply Plan. Mount Rogers, in conjunction with the Cumberland Plateau and the LENOWISCO Districts, completed the plan in accordance with requirement set Virginia State Water Control Board Regulation which required all counties, cities and town to submit a water supply plan.

The plan saved each municipality about $25,000. The plan, the board passed the resolution to adopt the plan.

The second public hearing continued the discussion of the Transient Lodging Tax. The proposed amendment deleted two articles of the tax in their entirety, added eight rules and definitions, and added a an article stating “Revenue from the portion of this tax exceeding two percent shall be spent on tourism as allowed by the Code of Virginia.”

The board’s additions of the stated rules raised concerns from one community representative who felt the board’s definition of tourism was not encompassing enough.

According to the definitions, tourism was defined as “activities associated with all overnight and day trips to Wythe County.” The Webster’s Dictionary defines the term tourism as “the practice of traveling for recreation.”

Cellell Dalton, County Administrator, suggested the board allow Scott Farthing, County Attorney, to request an opinion from the Attorney General of Virginia to see if the county is indeed within its rights in either the current tax or the proposed changes and to consult with Gerald Mabe, Commonwealth Attorney, for his opinion.

Gary Houseman, board member, requested the board review the letter in draft form prior to it being sent.

Among the committee reports was to enter an agreement with the College of William and Mary to conduct a historical survey of sites in Wythe County. The Wythe County Historical Society will provide day-to-day oversight of the survey.

The survey is funded by a $35,000 grant from the Department of Historical Resources, a $10,000 grant from the Wythe County Historical Society and $25,000 from Wythe County.

The project will consist of completion of a county-wide architectural survey identifying properties dating from circa 1940 and earlier. Priorities for survey include previously undocumented significant structures dating to the 18th and 19th centuries, buildings and sites of special significance from the first half of the 20th century, identification of any potentially eligible historic districts and recommendation of district boundaries complete with accurate mapping.

According to the information submitted to the board from the college, although sporadic studies have occurred, coverage has been geographically erratic and the level of documentation inconsistent. The 2011-2012 historic architecture survey is intended to identify major deficiencies in county-wide survey coverage.

Data collected from the survey will be used for recognition and protection of important properties in short and long range land use planning, to encourage preservation easements and land conservation and to help inform the public and serve as an educational tool. The project will support the county’s heritage tourism and economic development programs, and will facilitate federally mandated environmental review projects.

Upcoming events for the county include the joint Board of Supervisors and Wythe County School Board meeting on Nov 9 at the school board office where the facility study will be discussed.