County Supervisors review VDOT issues, contracts, coming FY-2022 outside agency requests and public comment rules

On Tuesday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing after a brief adjournment at 6 p.m., the Warren County Board of Supervisors held a work session to discuss, first VDOT issues entering the new year and later early FY 2022 budget items. Those items were requests of partner agencies, including Samuels Public Library, Northwestern Community Services, the Economic Development Authority, and County Health Department.

The EDA discussion included some reference to the ongoing $20-million legal dispute with the Town of Front Royal and how to approach any future work for the Town, should the Town desire it.

As EDA Board Chairman Jeff Browne listens to left, EDA Executive Director Doug Parsons told county officials the EDA will work with the Town or without it, as the Town chooses. The supervisors have not absorbed the EDA as a County Department while waiting to see if a new town council and new town manager will bring a new direction to Town attitudes regarding the EDA. Based on unchallenged mayoral comments Monday evening, the answer would appear to be ‘no’.

There was also discussion of meeting rules regarding the length of time devoted to public comments and how that should be addressed in the future, by code or meeting decisions by board members.

Also, on the agenda was a review of the parameters of several renewable contracts tabled for supervisors unaware of those contract dynamics and use and value to the county government.

See the County meeting video here.

Is it live or is it virtual? With a nod to an OLD Memorex cassette tape commercial; and an additional nod to the 1960’s-70’s ‘surreal’ comedy troupe Firesign Theater for the timeless observation about time and space that has been challenged in 2020 – ‘How can you be in two places at once when you’re not anywhere at all?’ the 1969 album cover of which is pictured below just so you didn’t think I was making that one up. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini