Welcome to The Maysville Voice, the newsletter for those who reside and vote in the Maysville District in Buckingham County. I am pleased to bring you lots of information, links, and resources to inform and engage with you as your County Supervisor. This newsletter is filled with lots of resources and information from our most recent Monday, Nov. 6 Board Meeting, including information about an approved 149.5 megawatt solar facility in northeastern Buckingham, a siting agreement for the project, appointment of a new Planning Commissioner for the Maysville District, introduction of two very small-scale solar facilities, an update on our successes with the Anti-Litter Task Force, our next Town Hall meeting in December where CenturyLink will attend, an update from our EMS Department (Rescue Squad Transition), and various other updates.
149.5 Megawatt Solar Facility, Siting Agreement Approved
On last Monday, we voted 4-2, following a very lengthy public hearing, to approve of a 149.5 megawatt solar facility that would be sited on roughly 2,000 acres in northeastern Buckingham County. The solar panels would encompass about 900 acres of the 2,000.
I intently listened to and read all submitted comments from the public during the meeting, and engaged with landowners and those with concerns and supporters of the project. The numerous conditions and rules we have approved and the siting agreement for Riverstone go above and beyond in ensuring that this project will ensure the protection of the environment and the well-being of those who live near the project’s footprint. These include a 350-foot setback from existing residences, buffers within and around the entire project, strict erosion and storm water control measures, wildlife corridors, numerous runoff basins, and third party, professional consultants to review all plans before construction. Additionally, this is clean, green energy and Buckingham will benefit from this project. Solar energy is clean, safe, and ecologically beneficial. The project will emit no carbon pollution, release no heavy metals, acid gases or small particles, and require no water to operate.
Riverstone Solar represents an initial capital investment of about $190 million. Based on the county’s adoption of the revenue share ordinance option, it is estimated that the project will initially contribute about $209,000 per year. This amount will escalate by 10 percent every five years, with the total county revenue under the revenue share anticipated to be about $12.7 million over the project’s 40 year life. Additionally, the project will contribute real estate taxes that are estimated to be around $2.1 million over the project’s 40 year life. We also voted 4-2 on the siting agreement, which memorializes many of the financial benefits of the project, including professional, third party reviews of the project.
Riverstone will create about 480 full-time equivalent positions during construction, many positions of which will be targeted for Buckingham County residents, representing about $24.3 million in wages in our county’s construction sector. Once operational, Riverstone will provide more than 355,400 megawatts of clean, green energy to the local transmission grid, which is enough to power about 30,000 homes annually. Several full time jobs will be created after construction, which, again, will be targeted toward hiring Buckingham residents.
To read more about the numerous conditions we placed on the project, follow this link: https://buckinghamcountyva.org/administration/boards___commissions/board_of_supervisors/board_agenda_minutes_youtube.php.
Hearings Set for December on Small Scale Solar Projects
On Monday, Dec. 13, 2021 at 6 PM, we will hear from the public on two small scale 2 megawatt solar projects proposed by Impact Power Solutions — one on Gravel Hill Road and the second off of Route 20. Each project is proposed to have about 26 conditions on the facilities. The first is about 36 acres and the second is 21 acres, and both are being termed “Community Solar Gardens.”
EMS Transition Update
On last Monday, we received an update from EMS Chief Cody Davis, as to the transition we are deeply in with a new county department and many new county staff responsible for emergency medical services.
In the past two months, the department has fielded 446 calls for care, resulting in 394 treatments/evaluations, and 52 canceled or refused calls. During that same time, the new transition has seen roughly $452,327 in income, which is outstanding and overperforming budget expectation. I am very proud of the work our county staff and the EMS Committee and the Board have invested into this new venture. I have heard many stories, including one involving a member of my family, regarding the fast, professional care shown by our EMS department.
Litter Pickups in 2021 Net 440 Bags off Buckingham’s Roadways; Fall Clean Up sees 180 Bags Collected
The Buckingham County Anti-Litter Task Force recently celebrated another successful roadside clean up, one that netted 180 bags of litter being collected.
“We are so proud of the efforts of the 11 groups and 70 people who picked up litter along our roadways and volunteered their time and energy,” said Board of Supervisors’ Vice-Chairman and District Four Supervisor Thomas Jordan Miles III, who serves on the Task Force. “We all see the trash along the roads and it is up to us to do something about it and to make changes, and the Task Force helping fix this problem.”
The First Place Award went to St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Second Place went to Buckingham Branch Railroad, and Third Place went to Shawn Miller.
Miles also offered thanks to members of the Task Force, who all worked hard to recruit, organize, publicize, and make the effort a success. “We owe a great deal to Liz Jones, our main contact for volunteers who worked hard to process applications and hand out bags and grabbers, and Roger Eitelman, with Keep Virginia Beautiful who helped us organize and inspired us.”
New Planning Commissioner
After many years of service to Buckingham County, Dabney Crews’ term on the Planning Commission has expired. On a unanimous vote on last Monday, we appointed J.D. Crews to fill his position. J.D. is a graduate of Virginia Tech, and is an active cattle farmer, and has used many innovative ways to do business. He also serves on the Buckingham Farm Bureau Board of Directors, and the Farm Service Agency Board of Directors. I have confidence he will do an outstanding job in this new role.
Upcoming Town Hall Meeting
Our final Town Hall Meeting of 2021 will be held Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 7 PM via call in, Facebook Live, and Zoom. See more details as how to attend below. Many representatives will join us, namely CenturyLink, whom I met with today.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82102878145
Meeting ID: 821 0287 8145
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Meeting ID: 821 0287 8145
Contact Me
Should you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or opinions about this
newsletter, county government, services, opportunities, etc., please never
hesitate to contact me. You can reach me at 434-390-7023 via text or phone,
email me at jmiles@buckinghamcounty.virginia.gov, or write me at PO Box 188,
Buckingham, Virginia 23921. You can also come see me at my house at 13170 West
James Anderson Highway, Buckingham, Virginia 23921.
Jordan
Thomas Jordan Miles III
Vice-Chairman, Buckingham County Board of Supervisors
District Four Supervisor (Maysville)
434-390-7023
13170 West James Anderson Highway
PO Box 188
Buckingham, Virginia 23921
Maysville District Supervisor Thomas Jordan Miles III 