Wayne Marcum originally applied for the permit at the Lee County Planning Commission meeting held on January 28. During that meeting, Tim Long, Director of the Lee County Industrial Development Authority, explained that Marcum had been purchasing from the Lee Oil Company located in Middlesboro, but now he wanted to have his own facility. Long said that Marcum will be placing the storage tanks behind the facility away from the highway and that he has purchased double wall tanks that have been DEQ and EPA approved. Long said that the storage tanks will be placed behind the facility away from the highway and that there has been no opposition to the construction.
Long added that 12 people would be employed at the facility. No opposition was heard during the public hearing, so the Supervisors approved the permit.
Lee County Treasurer Rita McCann reported that recent efforts to collect delinquent taxes have added considerable revenue to Lee County coffers. She reported that there is $500,000 more in revenue than this time last year because of the tax collection.
McCann also came with a request to amend the County Ordinance Regarding Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled.
“We have taxpayers who are receiving tax relief with delinquent years of taxes owed to Lee County,” she said in a letter to County Administrator Dane Poe. “I am requesting the County Ordinance Regarding Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled Section 15-22 be amended, either to allow no tax relief if delinquent taxes are owed to the County or if delinquent taxes owed and tax relief if given... be applied to the current tax year.”
Poe said that a public hearing would have to be held before the ordinance could be voted on by the Supervisors.
VDOT representative James Parsons updated Supervisors on a road project turning primary roads into secondary. He said they planned to turn Old 58 in Dryden into Business 58. Parsons and the Board discussed briefly the “6 Year Plan” rural additions project. Parsons said the Supervisors only had $56,000 to work with, while the cheapest of the five roads considered was $40,000. Parsons and the Supervisors agreed that combining funds over multiple years could be a possibility.
“There’s not much money to with,” said Parsons regarding VDOT’s inability to complete most of the pending road projects.
During public hearings, Tommy Livesay suggested that with the stimulus money Supervisors and VDOT complete the bypass around Pennington. District 3 Supervisor Larry Mosley agreed and commented that the economic growth of Lee County mostly depends on the building of the bypasses.
“If we don’t get it done now, we’ll never get it,” said Mosley.
The Supervisors asked Poe to draft a letter to Virginia government representatives for government funds of the bypass be included as part of the stimulus money.
Another citizen asked the Supervisors why VDOT had not done any more work on Robbins Valley Road, where she lives, and why it was not included in the Rural Additions road project. She said she had been applying for the road improvement since 1991 and that she had qualified for it since that year. The Supervisors heard her request, but Poe told her bluntly that her road is one of some 40 applications requesting improvements. The Supervisors denied her request.
The Board made several appointments to the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration Committee, including Mike Brendal from Wilderness Road State Park, Mark Woods from Cumberland Gap National Park, Sue Rosenbaum, Karen Thomas, Lou Carson, Chuck Robinson, and Darrell Long.
Darrell Cody was appointed to the Dryden Water Authority, and Sean Morris to the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable.
The Board received a grant for the Domestic Violence Officer which will keep that officer’s position in tact and secure a savings of $1,800 for the county.
Poe presented the Supervisors with a resolution consenting to permanent financing for first floor renovations; and he presented an agreement with Consulting Engineering Services, Thompson & Litton regarding the county’s defense of a suit filed by the airport construction contractor.
The Supervisors also approved the installation of a phone system at the airport.
The Supervisors will wait till next month to decide whether to continue operation of the Thomas Walker Pool, and will advertise a vacancy at the Transfer Station.
The new director for the Lee County Chamber of Commerce requested the Supervisors for office space. The Supervisors said that they could provide an office under the condition that the Supervisors’ dues to the Chamber be waived. The director said he agreed with that condition but would need to discuss with the Chamber first. The Supervisors made a motion to draft an agreement to allow use of the space after the Chamber approves the condition to waive the fees.
Poe recommended that the Board approve a resolution for a water project in Robbins Chapel. The Supervisors also authorized Poe to sign a corrective action plan to resolve gas readings at the landfill that were exceeding State Board requirements.
Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.
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