South River citizens tired of waiting for adequate cell phone and broadband Internet service

Following a monthly report on local projects from the Virginia Department Of Transportation’s Ed Carter, the Warren County Board of Supervisors were questioned by two of Chairman Cheryl Cullers South River District constituents about a long-festering sore point – adequate cell phone and broadband Internet service in that southern section of the county. First, Brian Wilkinson and then Paul Balserak, both of Gooney Manor Loop in Browntown asked the board to expedite efforts to bring those technological services many at this point in the 21^st century take for granted to them and their neighbors.

Wilkinson, a 25-year resident of the county, told the board he brought a petition with him signed by 169 people he described as “primarily of the Browntown valley across into Bentonville”. But citing conversations with others on the issue of broadband and cell service, added he believed the issue was more widespread throughout more remote portions of the county.

We hope you mean it this time – Brian Wilkinson was the first of two Browntown residents to implore the board to follow thru on improved broadband Internet access and cell phone service efforts this time around. Everyone has their fingers crossed for a coming governor’s announcement on state grant awards to expand broadband service in Virginia. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

While commending the board for its recent inquiries into participating in a regional broadband initiative – “We’re very hopeful for that,” he said, adding, “But we need you to give us sustained attention to this whole process. I track back over the last 10 years and the county has, frankly, given lip service to improving these kinds of services in our area.” Now was the time for follow-thru on such promises, Wilkinson told the board, asking that citizens be involved in the implementation process to assure timely progress.

“We feel we’re at risk in many different kinds of ways. COVID has accentuated this. Last year in particular, access to educational materials for our children was diminished. We still have children who are going and sitting in the parking lots of their schools in order to access the Internet, he told the board.

The next speaker expanded on Wilkinson’s comments on problems accessing emergency services being a life-threatening aspect of the problem. Noting his age of 83, and medical conditions including asthma and what he called a “severe” allergic reaction to yellow jacket bee stings, Paul Balserak noted occasional personal “urgency” in being able to reach county emergency medical services when necessary. He said that at times even landline phone service hasn’t functioned when needed – “And I haven’t been able to get in touch with them because we have no cell phone service,” he said of his home area’s communication breakdown to the outside world. “So, please help us. I don’t know why it’s taking us so long to get decent service to our part of the county,” Balserak concluded as he thanked the board for listening to his and the previous speaker’s concerns.

During his report, County Administrator Ed Daley told the board a state-level decision on the awarding of grants to facilitate regional broadband service applications was expected by the end of December because the outgoing governor wanted to announce the grants before leaving office. Daley noted the county’s projected costs for the broadband expansion at $19 million.

County Administrator Ed Daley, left, offered opportunities for a variety of departmental updates, and explained why the County must redistrict during Wednesday’s meeting. Below, Stacey Swain gave the board an overview of Va. Cooperative Extension Office work through the summer and into fall.

Down one member, Delores Oates was absent with a cited “family emergency”, the board also got a report from Stacy Swain of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office. That report included a summary of the return of 4-H members to the Warren County Fairgrounds for their livestock exhibits after a COVID-aborted Fair situation in 2020.

The Clarke County factor in the ‘Farms’

In other business the board voted 4-0 on a motion by Mabe, seconded by Fox, to accept a request from the Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms (POSF) for the county to take on an estimated $1325.51 quarterly expense related to attempting to get Clarke County resident of the “Farms” to pay “deeded lot fees”. A letter from POSF Chairman Ralph Rinaldi explained the situation currently involving 34 Farms residents over the county line into Clarke who has deeded lot fees attached to their deeds. That is 34 of a total of over 200 Farms residents who live in Clarke County. Interim County Attorney Jason Ham explained that neither the POSF nor the County has the authority to collect the fees from out-of-county residents.

Approval of the request will keep the POSF from having to increase its deeded lot fees to Warren County residents by $322.49 to $$1,648.

Other business

The board also approved a 12-item consent agenda with one item having been removed at the meeting’s outset. That item was the approval of the 2022 board meeting schedule. Tony Carter, who will not be present for next year’s meeting schedule, suggested letting the newly aligned board seated in January with his and Archie Fox’s – neither ran for reelection – replacements in place, work with returning board members to approve that meeting schedule. The primary reason he cited was the recent discussion of moving the 9 a.m. morning meetings to later in the day. Allowing the board who will have those meetings to make the decision seemed the fair thing to do, Carter suggested. The board approved the Consent Agenda as amended, by a 4-0 vote.

The board also heard several departmental reports during the County Administrator’s report, updating personnel and project management items. Among those was Fire & Rescue’s update on its “Boot Drive” scheduled physically for this weekend, with an additional online aspect available as well (see Royal Examiner’s Community Events Calendar). The board also was informed of the arrival of Alisa Scott into the County’s Purchasing Department. Scott was Purchasing Agent for the Town of Front Royal. She is the second staffer, IT Director Todd Jones being the first, to move from Town to County employment in recent months.

Following the two-hour Closed/Executive Session, the county administrator publicly briefed the board on the necessity for the redistricting discussed in the closed session. That reason, Daley explained is countywide population changes over the past 10 years that have taken some electoral districts out of a mandated 5% proximity to each other.

The full meeting and post-closed session work session are viewable in the County video.