Proposed New Solid Waste Management Ordinance, Rescue Squad Transition, County re-opening and COVID-19 Updates, County Revenue, and Much More

Our June meeting was filled with lots of important actions and information that I want y’all to know be aware of as it will and does directly impact you. This include setting a public hearing for our revised Solid Waste Management Ordinance, updates regarding COVID-19, details on county reopening, transition of the rescue squad, and much more. You can view our entire meeting here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzO7Grwdqcs.

New Solid Waste Management Ordinance

Staff presented the Board with a new Solid Waste Management Ordinance in draft form that we will hold a Monday, July 13, 2020 public hearing on. I hope you will read it and consider its impacts as it addressed the access to the solid waste sites that many of you have expressed, notably the farming community.

The premise of the changes in the ordinance is that we are seeking to separate the county vehicle decal and develop a household waste permit, which we need approval from the Virginia General Assembly to do (in creating the new permit). This is an effort to allow those who are traditional and non-traditional county residents without county decals to dump household waste in the solid waste facilities.

The draft, proposed ordinance addresses absentee landowners, farm use vehicles, residents, non-residents, etc. Below is a link to the the draft ordinance. I encourage you to review this and get back to me with your thoughts.

Rescue Squad Transition

While the Board decided to renew its new contract with 24/7 coverage with DRT (Delta Response Team, our contractor) operating out of the Glenmore Squad Building through December 2020 (using FEMA funds to pay for this), we also, and more importantly, voted to seek the following objectives:

• For the Board’s EMS Committee to assume the provision of emergency services currently provided by the Buckingham Rescue Squad.
• For the committee to make a recommendation as to the funding of the assumption of services should the county assume provision of these emergency services.
• To allow county staff to make application, on behalf of the county, for an an EMS services operational license through the state.

It is important to understand that leadership of the current rescue squad voted unanimously to allow this process to take place in an effort for the county to begin planning to undertake the role of providing emergency services and EMS response to the residents of Buckingham.

I have confidence that, in Emergency Services Manager Cody Davis, the EMS Committee, and County Staff, that we can find an innovative way to charter through these waters and find a solution for the county that will involve volunteers and result in a product that effectively serves everyone in their time of need in a timely manner.

COVID-19 Stats and Updates

Staff provided the Board the following update in terms of COVID-19 case numbers.

• There are a total of 481 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Buckingham, 10 of which include people hospitalized and three have died.
• Buckingham Correctional Facility is at 44 confirmed cases and 9 are staff members.
• Dillwyn Correctional Facility has 93 confirmed cases and 2 are staff.

Buckingham has seen a second, or a renewed outbreak, of COVID-19 recently. I implore you to please practice social distancing, wear a face covering in public and to be as safe as possible.

Our county government now has a new re-opening date of Monday, June 15 at 8:30 a.m. In county facilities, there will be specific guidelines in place for social distancing, temperature checking, screening, and wearing face covering in place, not only to protect our citizens, but to protect county staff as well.

Appointments to Anti Litter Task Force

The Board appointed David Ogden, Eddie Slagle, Lewis Bryant, and Kenda Hanuman to the the new Anti Litter Task Force, which will work with the county’s recycling committee to create new and innovative ways to allow less trash on the road an in our landfills, resulting in a cleaner environment.

County Revenue Update

As you know, COVID-19 has rocked the nation’s and state’s revenue streams. Buckingham County is very, very blessed and lucky to not have had a large hit in our year to date revenues with regards to real estate, personal property, and other taxes.

Above (at the top of this page) you see a comparison graph of current collections of various taxes to last year’s collections. Though there appears to be a large deficit in our real estate collections, this is because of the large volume of real estate tax billing that has not yet been processed by the Treasurer’s Office. They are fully-staffed now and are in the process of entering in checks and revenue sources, and county staff have assured the Board that we will see an uptick in our actual collections.

Staff will report on our collection rates monthly.

Public Hearings Held, Permit and Zoning Text Amendment Approved

1. The first public hearing regarded increasing the Courthouse Security Fee from $10 to $20 per criminal or traffic case. This comes at the recommendation from the sheriff. The Board approved this.
2. The second hearing regarded a request from Elijah Cain to operate a commercial garage and repair shop at the intersection of Tower Hill Road and Route 60. He is proposing a 1,500 square-foot steel building as a commercial garage there. The Board approved this.
3. The third hearing regarded adding a zoning text amendment for the purpose of operating non-retail office space (a home health staffing agency) and the application of a special use permit for that purpose. Applicant Jamise Vowels is proposing a home health staffing agency on Randolph Creek Road. The Board approved this.

Contact Me

PLEASE always feel more than welcome to call, email, text or visit me (using social distancing for the time being). If you have any comments, ideas, criticisms, compliments, or anything to say regarding my representing you on the Buckingham Board of Supervisors, please get in touch with me. You can call/text me at 434-390-7023, email me at jmiles@buckinghamcounty.virginia.gov, or come see me at 13170 W. James Anderson Highway in the court house village. I would be pleased and happy to hear from you anytime.