Thursday, September 10, 2009

Random thoughts

Fred Ingram and Coy Harville have both said that they are not planning on running again; that more than likely means that Tim Barber won't run again either. Smart. They know that the **** is going to hit the fan about that time, and they don't want to be in the crossfires. The voting citizens of Pittsylvania County voted for the bonds to pay for the new high school renovations - for better or for worse we have to pay that money back. This board has managed to push raising taxes back until a couple of years from now - and then - taxes will almost double.

Knowing this would happen, the Board should have raised taxes a penny or two at a time, so that it was eased into everyone's budget. And more importantly, we needed a board with vision - and members that were less worried about re-election than about growth in the county. Our county needs a means of revenue other than the citizens.

One of the ways to get this is to increase commerce. Sunday Beer and Wine sales would allow more shopping alternatives, and allow for chain restaurants to build in the county. Looking into age-appropriate tourism attractions is something interesting as well. Look at the "slopes" at Liberty U in Lynchburg....this county is prime for an attraction that would bring in young people to have fun...

Of course, that's a job - a real job - to find the right business, and lure them here. It would take some dedication and some networking - and some "fire in the belly" to get it done....but I think it's possible. There are possible alternatives for our county - but if we don't get crackin' - the outlook is beginning to be dismal.

5 comments:

  1. Interesting comment from Citizen. If Coy Harville doesn't run for re-election I agree Tim Barber won't either unless he knows he will have another board member to tell him how to vote. I understand he doesn't look at the board packet before the board meetings. And of course any motion Mr. Barber makes has already been written out for him by Mr. Sleeper as Mr. Harville has everything all wrapped up before each meeting. If any of the other three board members (Mr. Ecker, Mr. Davis, or Mr. Ingram) ask Mr. Sleeper anything about any issue, the next person to hear about their question is Mr. Harville so they, Mr. Harville and Mr. Sleeper, can prepare a plan of action to deal with their question.

    I believe a lots of Mr. Harville's actions as a member of the board of supervisors and a member of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Faculity Authority are geared toward positioning Pittsylvania County for URANIUAM MINING. Uranium mining will be taking place not only at Coles Hills but near most of our county schools.

    I expect we can look for a milling operation very near a couple of our schools as well.

    Mr. Harville will continue to run and fight to win until he has all this in place if he doesn't bankrupt Pittsylvania County first.

    Mr. Harville made sure the county would not use general fund county money to balance the county budget for this year but he is using the general fund money to fund unnecessary projects to further the uranium mining plan!

    Yes, Citizen you are right TAXES will go up in a couple of years they may very well double if not more in light of what is taking place now.

    I don't know what most of the taxpayer will do with the doubling of taxes. I guess a lot of property will be sold on the Courthouse Steps.

    No, uranium mining will not alleviate any tax burden for the taxpayers.

    This county needs people that think for themselves on the board of supervisors. People that will work together for the betterment of our county. People who will seek the advise of others and hire those with the necessary qualifcations to market this county for something other than uranium mining, a on again off again business that could very well ruin our county.

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  2. Yep cause if Tim don't run and they get someone on there that is not afraid to speak up about beer and wine sales then the tunstall District has it made.

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  3. Everyone seems to be centered on Coy Harville. He does not have the sun rise and set in him. The county is required to keep about 10% in it general fund in order to get the best rate on money they borrow. If it goes much below there it will cause the county's bond rating to drop and the county would have to pay more. That is the main reason that supervisors should not spend down the general fund too far.
    If Coy and Tim are not running next time what would they care if they raised taxes some now? The people always want things but don't want to pay for them.
    Money is required for economic development and the only real source of that the county has had for years has been the Tobacco Money. Ingram keeps saying that its the southern supervisors that don't want development in the northern end but that is not true. The Tobacco commission favors regional projects and there haven't been any to fund in the north. The Tobacco Commission did give Gretna Industrial Park money twice but the second time required that the regional park and the one in Brosville be pretty much finished. Now there is a road to "nowhere" (something that a number of folks in the northern end have said) using that Tobacco money. Where will the money for the rest of the infrastructure come from? What about the 15 or so acres in the park that Ingram pushed that are restricted to residential or agricultural use only? Yes, 15 out of about 50 acres are restricted and Ingram knew that when he pushed to buy it. The restrictions should have been taken care before the land was purchased as should have an agreement with VDOT as to where an entrance could go.
    People keep calling Davis a "northern" supervisor. His district does not run above Chatham and runs far closer to the city than many people know. He is not a northern supervisor just one as he said in the paper that thinks he should be chairman and run the county. Doesn't matter who else it is it won't suit him if it isn't him. He believes planning is planning to spend. Apparently he does not understand that planning can save money.

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  4. What is wrong with having 15 acres of "restricted" land in an industrial park? Maybe it is intended to buffer large commercial buildings or protect natural resources-- I don't know. Typically all large land sales for commercial/industrial purposes have some limits- for good planning reasons. Do you think that every single inch of land purchased for a development are or must be built on?

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  5. Ok, Brosville has an industrial park. One business in it. I don't count the ones on 58 as being a part of it. Why isn't Tim and Coy trying to bring something to Brosville. The one business that is in there now is struggling.

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