Author: wythe

Crystal Springs Recreation Area Road To Be Paved

by wytheCommunity / Government

CRYSTAL SPRINGS RECREATION AREA ROAD TO BE PAVED

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Crystal Springs is 1,800 acres of property owned by the Town of Wytheville. The beautiful Crystal Springs Recreation Area has breathtaking views and wonderful trails to enjoy during a day outdoors and is excellent for biking, hiking and camping.

The property is owned by the Town of Wytheville, but outside of its corporate limits, which prohibited them from applying for VDOT’s Recreational Access Road funding. The Wythe County Board of Supervisors partnered with the town to make application for the funding to improve Pump Hollow Road, which leads from Route 21 to the scenic Crystal Springs Recreation Area which serves around 4,200 visitors a year.

The Recreational Access Program is a state funded program which is intended to assist in providing adequate access to or within public recreational areas and historic sites. The board was recently notified that Pump Hollow Road has been approved for Recreational Access Road funding. This will allow the current gravel state maintained road to be paved.

The Town of Wytheville and Wythe County would like to express their appreciation to the local VDOT staff that assisted the localities in preparing this successful application.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

Department of Emergency Management Letter for 12/11/18

by wytheCommunity

December 11, 2018

 To the Citizens of Wythe County

Winter Storm Diego has passed, but the snow that it has left will stay with us a few more days. As we go through this week, we will have days of melting and mornings of refreezing. These trends can make morning travels treacherous. Please continue to use caution when commuting in the mornings and give yourself additional time to travel.

Wythe County would like to take a moment to thank the citizens for heeding the warnings during the storm. Most citizens stayed home and didn’t attempt to drive the snow-covered roads. Wythe County Emergency crews were able to navigate to emergencies with very few interruptions. VDOT along with county and town crews worked around the clock to clear roads. Thank you for being prepared, helping your neighbors and community, and thank you for staying safe.

Please continue to monitor the weather as we are forecasted to receive rain this weekend. With the rain and melting snow, we could see possible flooding in some areas. Again, thank you for the wonderful job that everyone did to help. Stay Alert and Stay Safe.

Curtis W. Crawford

Emergency Services Coordinator

 

Department of Emergency Management Letter for Dec. 6, 2018

by wytheCommunity

To the Citizens of Wythe County

This coming weekend looks to be the first significant winter event of the season. At this time, predictions are still varying on the impact to our area. The National Weather Service is predicting accumulation and significant impacts to travel beginning on Saturday night. The forecast is predicting accumulation to begin Saturday night and continue through Monday.

Wythe County wants you to be prepared. Please make sure you have supplies in case the roads become dangerous or if power outages occur. Have a food supply, water, batteries, warm clothes and blankets, an alternate source of power or heat, and/or a place to be with a generator. Please make arrangements for all these supplies prior to Saturday evening. When the accumulation begins and the roads become difficult to travel on, please only travel if absolutely necessary. If we can keep the road traffic down, VDOT and emergency crews can work more efficiently. This also helps keep crews safe. If you don’t have to travel then please do not during this weather. Additionally, please plan for pets that are outside in the colder temperatures.

Please keep yourself informed of any changes that are occurring due to the weather. Watch or listen to local stations and watch the Wythe County Facebook page and homepage for updates. We will keep you informed as things change. Watch local media for closures and cancellations that might occur due to the weather. If you have any questions please visit wytheco.org for further information. Let’s stay safe and informed during this storm.

Curtis W. Crawford

Emergency Services Coordinator

 

Wythe County Dog Tags on Sale at Treasurer’s Office

by wytheCommunity / Government

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Wythe County Officials would like to remind citizens that dog tags are on sale and due to be purchased by January 31, 2019.

Code Enforcement Officer A.B. Dunford encouraged residents to make sure rabies vaccinations are up to date. Please be aware that rabies inoculations are required prior to purchasing a dog license.

“Please get out now and get your dog tags and rabies shots for your animals,” Dunford said.

Dunford said officers will be doing compliance checks throughout the county to assure that all dog owners are compliant.

The price of the dog tags are as follows: 1 year $5, 2 years $10, and 3 years $15.

If your dog has been neutered or spayed the costs are as follows: 1 year $4, 2 years $8 and 3 years $10. Dog tags can be purchased at the Treasurer’s Office inside the Wythe County Courthouse.

According to Dunford, rabies cases have been confirmed in Wythe County, so dog owners need to make sure that all rabies vaccinations are current.

Dunford said that keeping your animals vaccinated is the best form of protection from this deadly disease for both residents and their pets.

Wythe County dog tags went on sale October 1, 2018.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

 

Wythe County Approves Tax Extension To December 28

by wytheGovernment

WYTHE COUNTY APPROVES TAX EXTENSION TO DECEMBER 28

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Wythe County Board of Supervisors recently voted to place an extension on the county’s real estate and personal property tax due date. The extension takes the date up to Friday, December 28, 2018 at 6 p.m. The original tax due date was December 5, 2018.

As a part of the extension, the Treasurer’s Office will be offering extended hours which are as follows: Saturday, December 1 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The Treasurer’s Office will also be open until 6 p.m. on December 5, 26, 27 and 28. The normal operating hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

According to Wythe County Treasurer Lori Guynn, there are several payment options available for residents to take advantage of when paying their taxes.

• 24-Hour Drop Box: Using the enclosed envelope, a check or money order may be placed in the 24 hour Treasurer’s Office drop box located beside the Circuit Court Building on South Sixth Street. *Please do not put cash in the drop box. Payments are considered on time if deposited in the payment box by midnight on the due date.

• In Person: Regular business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are several options for residents to pay which include cash, check, money order, credit/debit card (only MasterCard and Visa are accepted). Make payments payable to: Treasurer of Wythe County.

• By Mail: Using the enclosed envelope, mail check or money order to the Treasurer’s Office. Please make payments payable to: Treasurer of Wythe County. Please do not mail cash or credit card information. All mail postmarked by December 28 or earlier are considered timely payments by the Treasurer’s Office.

• By Phone: Call the Treasurer’s Office at 276-223-6070 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to pay by credit/debit card (Master and Visa only).

• Online: Credit/debit card and e-check payments may be made online at www.webfeepay.com. A convenience fee of 2.75 percent of the transaction amount will be charged by the card provider. Your account number is required. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted. Payments will incur a $3 fee.

Additionally, Wythe County offices will be closed for Thanksgiving from noon on November 21 through November 23, 2018. Wythe County offices will also be closed for the Christmas Holiday on December 24 and 25.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

 

Wythe County Holds Special Meeting

by wytheGovernment

WYTHE COUNTY HOLDS SPECIAL MEETING

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – On Friday, November 2, 2018, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting at 5 p.m. to consider recommendations from the APEX Construction Committee.

The special meeting was called by the Chairman because the committee’s recommendations were both weather and time sensitive and the next regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors would not occur until November 14. Several of the items recommended by the committee needed to be addressed promptly before the arrival of sustained cold temperatures.

The Board of Supervisors approved construction of a concrete pad and appurtenances for installation of propane tanks for heating the arena portion of the building. They also approved installation of seventy-five (75) feet of sidewalk on the south side of the building that was not specified in the plans. This will provide better access from the handicap ramps on the west side of the building to the ticket booths and main entrances of the building.

The Board also approved a change order for construction of the access road and handicap parking areas. When the contract with the general contractor was approved last year, the access road and handicap parking areas were deducted. The approved change order adds those items back to the contract and improved the surface from the blot seal application specified in the original plans to using bituminous paving. The funding for the above items was planned for within the current construction budget, but affirmative action was needed by the Board of Supervisors to continue with the necessary change orders for construction.

In additional items, the Board approved transferring funds from donations received from the SWVA Horseman’s Association, that are currently held in a reserve fund, to the county’s general fund to pay for bleachers scheduled to be installed within the next two weeks. The Board has also been working with the Virginia Department of Transportation to have Ready Mix Road brought up to VDOT standards. The Board approved awarding a contract to King General Contractors in the amount of $66,775.20 for drainage improvements required to bring the road into compliance.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

Veterans Memorial Highway Celebration

by wytheCommunity

WYTHE COUNTY PARTICIPATES IN VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY DEDICATION CELEBRATION

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Approximately 80 citizens joined Supervisors Hale, Vaught and Lester beneath the historic Shot Tower in Wythe County recently to  celebrate the dedication of U.S. Highway 52 as Veterans Memorial Highway.

Wythe County Administrative Assistant Rhonda Vaught said it was great to see the event take place. “I was very honored to be there,” Vaught said. “I  remember when Mr. Easter first started working on this project, so it was awesome to see this come to fruition after all these years. It was great to see all the  communities come together for such a good project.”

Wythe County Engineer William Vaughan also attended the ceremony at the Shot Tower.

“We had a good ceremony,” Vaughan said. “Mr. Easter made a special appearance. He’s the one who pulled all this together over the years.”

Clyde Easter has been working to preserve the memory of all veterans within the mountains of southwest Virginia for several years. Easter is from the Fancy Gap area of Carroll County, Va. Easter is a twice wounded veteran of World War II.

For many years, Easter has strived to get U.S. Highway 52 through Carroll, Wythe and Bland Counties designated as Veterans Memorial Highway. Now, his dream is a reality.

In a letter of support for Veterans Memorial Highway, Easter said: “Ladies and gentleman, I urge you to pass this resolution supporting the naming of U.S. Highway 52, Veterans Memorial Highway. I believe that by doing so that it would perpetuate, and preserve the memory of all veterans of all wars, those that survive, and those that gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today.”

U.S. Marine Corps retired Lt. Colonel Tim Maxwell was the keynote speaker for the event in Wythe County. Maxwell was injured in combat when his operating base in Kalsu was mortared by an enemy attack in 2004. He had shrapnel tear through the left side of his body and two pieces embedded in his brain. Maxwell pushed himself through rehabilitation. Out of the situation he saw an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of other Marines. He established a Wounded Warrior barracks at Camp Lejune, NC so that no Marine would go through the recovery process alone.

Tim and his wife, Shannon, run Sempermax Support Fund and Semper Fi Farm in Rural Retreat, Virginia. They are committed to helping wounded, ill, and injured veterans of all service branches and all wars find support and renewed purpose.

Maxwell served 21 years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring in 2009.

Several citizens took part in the event by driving antique cars in the U.S. 52 Veterans Memorial Highway Procession as it traveled from Bland County, Va. to Carroll County, Va. Events were also held in Bland and Carroll counties celebrating the day.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

Special Called Meeting of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors

by wytheGovernment

The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors has called a Special Called Meeting of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 at 5 p.m.

The Wythe County Board of Supervisors will convene in regular session on Friday, November 2, 2018, at 5 p.m. to review recommendations for the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center construction project and Ready Mix Road improvement project.

The meeting will take place in the Board Room of the County Administration Building which is located at 340 South Sixth Street, Wytheville, Virginia.

*The primary reason for the called meeting is to review APEX Committee recommendations pertaining to pavement and the heating of the facility. Both of these recommendations are weather and time sensitive.

Please see website for Agenda.

http://www.wytheco.org/