Month: April 2020

May 2020 Town Election Information

by wytheGovernment

On Friday April 24, 2020, the Governor Postponed the May 5, 2020, Municipal Elections until May 19, 2020. Below are important dates regarding the Election:

The Virginia Department of Elections announced that all town voters may cast Absentee Ballots in the May 19th Town Elections. All voters are encouraged to request and vote an absentee ballot by mail. All eligible voters may request a ballot using Reason Code 2A, even if they do not suffer from an illness or disability.

To request an absentee ballot:

1.) Apply online using the Virginia Department of Elections Portal at: elections.virginia.gov

2.) CALL (276) 223-6038 or EMAIL [email protected] to request an absentee application be sent to you.

3.) Important Dates: May 12, 2020 is the last day for the Registrar’s Office to receive an absentee ballot application by mail.

4.) The Registrar’s Office will be open on May 16, 2020 from 8:30 to 4:30 for curbside voting. Please call (276)223-6038 before coming to the office.

Please ensure that your application is complete. Absentee voters are reminded to allow sufficient time to receive and return your voted ballot, allowing for possible postal delays. Do not delay in requesting or submitting your ballot.

Wythe County Electoral Board & General Registrar
245 South Fourth Street, Suite 101
Wytheville, Virginia 24382
Telephone: (276) 223-6038
Fax: (276) 223-6039

Lennon E. Counts
General Registrar

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FORT CHISWELL EXXON STATION PLEDGES PORTION OF SALES TO LOCAL RESCUE SQUADS THROUGH MAY 31ST

by wytheCommunity

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – The Wythe County Administrator’s Office is pleased to announce a partnership with the Fort Chiswell Exxon station that is located off I-81/77 Exit 80. 

Under the terms of the partnership, the gas station will donate five cents for every gallon of gasoline sold between now and May 31, 2020, to the Lead Mines Rescue Squad and the Rural Retreat Volunteer Emergency Services.

The offer comes at a time when volunteer emergency services across the nation are facing unprecedented struggles due to the economic downturn, as the organizations rely heavily upon donations.

Curtis Crawford, Wythe County’s Emergency Coordinator, said, “The offer of the Fort Chiswell Exxon station was extremely generous and will go a long way in helping to supplement what would normally be contributions from private citizens during better economic times.”

Crawford went on to say that the two squads average making roughly 2,500 calls each year, adding, “The costs to running and maintaining a fleet of ambulances and a squad is astronomical — the ambulances themselves are close to a quarter-million dollars each and maintaining them in top working order is a major expense for our community.”

Dharmendra Patel, owner of the Fort Chiswell Exxon said that he is honored to host the fundraiser for the volunteer rescue squads, saying, “The people at the rescue squads do a wonderful job for our community and during these times of financial distress, we feel like this is a great way for us to say thank you.”

Patel said that he will be opening a station in Rural Retreat within the next few weeks and will include this station in the fundraising drive.

Brian Vaught, chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors expressed his gratitude in a statement saying, “Members of the Board of Supervisors join me in expressing our appreciation to the Fort Chiswell Exxon for their generosity in donating to our local volunteer rescue agencies.  We’re proud of our volunteers and the businesses that make Wythe County an exceptional place to live and work.”

Small Business Loan Fund Established for Wythe & Bland Counties

by wytheCommunity

Three local organizations have launched a loan program to support small business sustainability in Wythe and Bland counties during this challenging time.

The Joint IDA of Wythe County, the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Wytheville Incorporated have jointly funded a $60,000 loan pool to support small business needs during this time of economic uncertainty.

Executive Director of the Joint IDA David Manley commented, “Although we know our community is resilient, we should help each other when we can. We are offering business loans up to $2,000 each that will be repayable over two years at zero interest.” He added, “We know this is not likely to make or break many businesses, but it might help offset expenses while cash flow is down, and zero percent interest is hard to beat.”

Each organization represents different geographic territory, so the loans from 2020 Fund will be distributed proportionately to those areas:

“The application and process are both simple and we will work to have this money out in the community as quickly as possible,” commented Jennifer Atwell, Executive Director of the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce.

Loan applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Simple financial statements including 2020 first quarter balance sheet and profit and loss are required as are some basic qualifications including articulable impact from COVID-19. Acceptable uses of the financial assistance include operational expenses like rent, payroll, and utilities, as well as purchase of inventory and marketing.

“It is important that we support our small businesses not just with words but with resources,” added Todd Wolford, Executive Director of Downtown Wytheville Incorporated. “This is one way we can do that.”

Please visit https://www.madewythepride.org/wythe or any of the partner websites for the loan guidelines and application.

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Public Notice

by wytheGovernment

Wythe County Administration Office Operations

The Wythe County Administration Office will be closed to the public from April 6 through April 17, 2020. Please note the offices will be closed on April 10, 2020 for Good Friday.

County staff will be at the office and available by telephone or email.

The main number is 276-223-4500.

Utility payments can be made with a credit card via phone (276-223-4501), by U.S. Mail, or by using the drop box located to the right of the entrance.

Building Permit forms can be obtained online at http://www.wytheco.org/index.php/resources/forms  and may be completed and returned via email, U.S. Mail, or via the drop box. Upon receipt of the permit, staff will contact you for payment information.

We value your cooperation and understanding. We appreciate your vigilance in practicing social distancing during this time.

We encourage you to call the main number with any questions or concerns and follow our website and social media sites for information.