At the Wythe County Board of Supervisors bimonthly meeting on Nov. 22, 2011, the board resolved an issue regarding heating units at Max Meadows Fire Department. In addition, the board approved the opening of a fulltime IT position.

During the meeting, a representative from the Max Meadows Fire Department addressed the board regarding a sixteen-year-old heating system at the firehouse that was not functioning. Although the original agreement with the fire department was that it would maintain the heating units, the board agreed to have the units evaluated and either repaired or replaced.

The concern regarding having an inadequate heating system at the fire station was that the water could freeze in the trucks and cause costly damage.

During a recess of the meeting, Cellell Dalton, county administrator, asked Billy Bowers, Building and Grounds Supervisor, to go to the fire station and determine what kinds of units would need to be installed. Before the meeting ended, Bowers reported to Dalton that the heaters had been repaired by a local firm. In fact, when the units were last repaired by the MMFD they were wired incorrectly.

Under old business, Gary Cody, Wythe County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director, reported his findings regarding board member Coy McRoberts’ request to examine the eastern end of Wythe County for youth and senior activities.

Cody reported the first step would be to establish a program at one of the local schools. He said he’d spoken with the principal from Jackson Memorial Elementary who is in favor of supporting the program.

The board requested Cody conduct a survey to assess the need and support for the program in the area.  The survey was to include a means to measure parents support for a before school, after school programs or both programs.

Gary Houseman, board member, also suggested Cody look into having senior programs at the Barren Springs Fire Station as it has a classroom with facilities.

For a more permanent location for community events on the eastern end of Wythe County, Cody suggested a shell building be constructed on the land owned by the Ladies Auxiliary, just above the fire station. This would be an investment of almost $2 million.

The board suggested the county help the Ladies Auxiliary look into grant funding to aid the building’s construction and then the board would assess what funding it could provide.

In September, the board requested a public hearing be held regarding Salem Stone opening a rock quarry in Progress Park. Since the time of the request, the issues presented by the public have been withdrawn.

Contingent on a few logistical issues being resolved, including how the entrance to the quarry would affect the rest of the traffic at the park, the board withdrew its request for the public hearing. The Board directed the County Administrator to work with Salem Stone on resolving the issues.

In committee reports, board member Martha Umberger requested approval on behalf of the Budget Committee regarding the opening of a position for an IT employee to be half funded by the Sheriff’s Department. This individual would spend fifty percent of his/her time servicing the IT needs of the Sheriff’s Department intricate computer system and fifty percent of his/her time serving the IT needs of other constitutional officers.

The board agreed to the opening of the position and directed the sheriff conduct his usual hiring procedures with input from Dalton.