January 2020 Meeting Summary

First, as I was jogging today, it (again) dawned on me how blessed and proud I am to represent you and your families in the Maysville District on the Buckingham Board of Supervisors. I thank God and you all for this opportunity. I hope you know it is truly my honor to be your voice on the board, and to do that successfully, I need to hear from you on what’s important to you and your family. Please never hesitate to call/text me at 434-390-7023 or email me at jmiles@buckinghamcounty.virginia.gov or visit me at my home (13170 W. James Anderson Hwy, Buckingham).

Board Actions from January 13, 2020

If you have any questions or concerns about the following or anything I didn’t cover on the agenda (see prior post/email), please don’t hesitate to contact me.

• The board appointed District Five Supervisor Harry Bryant as Chairman and District Three Supervisor Don Matthews as Vice-Chairman. The board also adopted bylaws (operating rules).
• The board a public hearing planned regarding a zoning text amendment (regarding private parks and playgrounds).
• During VDOT matters, I brought up the issues, among others, you have told me about Red Road and the need to complete the surface treatment on the Route 60 end. VDOT also addressed a petition presented by Jessy Warner, signed by many residents and neighbors on Route 15 near Sprouse’s Corner, about extending the 45 MPH speed limit from just south of Sprouse’s Corner to Andersonville Road, which I support. VDOT will perform a traffic study and return in about two months with results.
• Robinson, Farmer & Cox reported on their financial audit regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 Audit, which was returned with an unmodified or “clean” audit.
• There were many committee appointments, and I am proud to say that I will represent District 4 on the Utilities (Sewer and Water) Committee, and will represent Buckingham on the Commonwealth Regional Council (where today I was appointed Treasurer) and on the Crossroads Community Services Board (CSB).
• I also voted in favor of creating two new committees: One in which to create to form a committee to draw new businesses and industry into the county and better market our county, which I offered the motion for, and another to address recycling needs across the county. Expanded recycling is one issue that many of you brought up during the campaign, and I am proud to support this.
• The Board voted in favor of a request for an easement from the engineer who is designing the utilities for the new hotel on Wingo Road off of Route 15 that they needed for the purpose of a sewer lateral. This project will invest more than $6 million into our county and bring several jobs with it.
• I also voted in favor of resolutions to memorialize the late Brady Jones and to honor Dan Senger.
• Emergency Management Coordinator Cody Davis, along with District One Supervisor Bobby Jones, offered a report from the Amish Safety Committee. Their report was extensive, and their work has included proposed actions, such as more signage, vehicle reminder stickers, the Amish considering additional white or amber strobes on rear of buggies, a comprehensive “Share the Road” educational campaign, distributions of literature with county decal purchases, partnering with the school division to include additional curriculum in driver’s education courses, and holding a “Safety Day” in conjunction with Historic Buckingham’s Mayfest in May of this year. I expressed my support for these innovative measures in that distracted driving is the root of many of these issues, which not only include horses and buggies, but joggers, tractors, walkers, bicyclists, and other slow moving vehicles. The Amish community is going to be polled for these and various ideas to improve their safety and ours.
• I expressed concern, which was shared by the board, regarding bills being considered by the Virginia General Assembly that would result in less control by localities, especially rural counties, amid the growth and expansion of solar farms in our county and region. I will address that in another post.
• As always, should you need any assistance or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.