District Supervisor Marshall Ecker's: A resolution concerning uranium mining and milling in Pittsylvania County

Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 11:02 am
Staunton River District Supervisor Marshall Ecker's column

Please mark your calendar for Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Edwin R. Shields Courthouse.

I will present another, stronger resolution to the Board of Supervisors to send legislators in Richmond to keep the moratorium on uranium mining and milling in place for Virginia.

This will be an important decision that will affect your way of life forever if the moratorium is lifted next year.
Please come and show your support in keeping the ban.

A resolution concerning uranium mining and milling in Pittsylvania County was pulled from the agenda after the attempts from those in higher positions of government to kill this resolution before it had a chance to be heard.

The fallout from this action generated far more interest than if they just let it die a slow death.
It is a shame that local government can’t be left on its own to govern the citizens of Pittsylvania County on such an important issue on keeping the moratorium on uranium mining.

A lot of money is at stake, and as long as the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors takes no action on this issue, then the perception is that we don’t care about protecting the health and welfare of our citizens.
A lot of local governments are watching our actions, or in this case our inaction, to take a stand on keeping the moratorium in Virginia.

We were also advised to wait until February or March of next year if we wanted to do something.
I know that will be too late to take a stand and we will be sold out to big money.
Centra

Supervisors approved a resolution for Centra Health’s proposal to provide a CT scan and associated equipment and apply for a certificate of need from Virginia.

Centra is proposing a 50,000-square-foot facility with state-of-the-art equipment in Gretna near the Hampton Inn.

We need everyone to email your support for this project to Dr. Karen Remley and Peter Boswell at Karen.remley@vdh.virginiaa.gov or peter.boswell@vdh.virginia.gov or call Ross Electric to get address for writing a letter. Time is of the essence as Oct. 1 is the cutoff date.

Other action
Most other Board of Supervisors’ actions went very smoothly with a 7-0 vote for the following items:
Change order # 1, Daniel & Co., to reduce contract by $6,817;
Appropriate $5,000 additional to Altavista EMS block funding, which had been approved last year but not included in this year’s budget;
Chatham Train Depot agreement between Pittsylvania County and the historical society;
Amend funding to Danville Life Saving Crew, $20,000;
Longwood Small Business Development Center, $10,000;
Approved resolutions for scenic river designations for Dan and Banister rivers;
Approved $50,000 for repairs to treasurer’s office, commissioner of revenue and juvenile court areas;
Change order for inspection fees, Federal Engineering, 911 towers, $10,800;
Change order Haymes Brothers, landfill expansion, $36,720;
Appropriate $50,000 local match for emergency services grant to purchase generator to run critical equipment during loss of power at Moses Building;
Approve expenditure refunds $18,604;
Apply for additional funding for Klopman Mills sewer project from tobacco commission;
Advertise request for bids for Orphanage and Jefferson roads.
Public hearings
The Board of Supervisors has set three public hearings for the following items:
Raise DMV stop fee from $20 to $30;
Amend Pittsylvania County Code Chapter 6-6.3, property tax exemption;
Surplus property at 485 Milton Highway, Ringgold.
These hearings will be held on Oct. 16.

Board packet
To get the Board of Supervisors’ packet or other information, go to the county’s home page, www.pittgov.org.

This is a tool for all citizens to use and help to keep a watchful eye on county business.
Feel free to contact me by telephone at 335-5967 (Please, no phone calls after 9 p.m.) or you can e-mail me at any hour at marshall.ecker@pittgov.org.

I want to know your thoughts or ideas on issues.

Marshall Ecker represents the Staunton River District on the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors.

http://www.wpcva.com/opinion/article_3d71bcae-07eb-11e2-a8d4-0019bb2963f4.html