By Matt de Simone
The Board of Supervisors approved a resolution presented by Director of Financial Services Tony Zerilla at last Tuesday’s meeting for the request of supplemental appropriation for courthouse renovations and VATI broadband grant.
The following appropriation for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 is made to allow carry-over of approved funding begun in Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Preconstruction costs and residuals totals $267,581.60 ($133,581.60 for the courthouse renovation and $134,000 transferred to the EDA for the local portion of the VATI Grant).
Assistant County Admistrator Jon Lanford asked for consideration to award KNA Contracting the contract for constructing “Package A” of the Botetourt County Courthouse renovations beginning next year. The board unanimously approved the consideration.
Bids were opened on September 29 at 2 p.m. Two bids were received for the Botetourt County Circuit Court – Package A project. KNA Contracting was the lowest bidder with a total base bid of $5,208,657.
Deputy County Administrator David Moorman gave an update on Colonial Elementary School’s Emergency Radio System.
During active shooter training conducted by the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Department in Colonial Elementary School, County Administrator Gary Larrowe was informed by deputies that radio communications were not functional within the building.
The county immediately began to work to address the matter in partnership with school and public safety officials.
Moorman provided an update on the status of emergency radio communications in Colonial Elementary School. The system should be up and running in the coming weeks, according to Moorman.
The Board of Supervisors concurred with the recommendation of Landon Howard and Debora Wright with Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge (VBR) approving the operating budget and the proposed revenues and projected administrative expenditures for the use of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Tourism Recovery Program Funds.
Howard and Wright gave a presentation about VBR various projects around Botetourt County which included the Ironman 70.3, Grand Fondo, and 2022 USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championship. The duo also mentioned the various national publications that featured articles on Botetourt County as a tourism destination.
Botetourt County and Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge have worked together on the ARPA Tourism Grant. The amount of $60,000 was allocated from the state to specifically market tourism in the county. Botetourt is the fiduciary of the grant and will be uploading the documentation in partnership with VBR.
Dr. Richard Bailey read the resolution accepting the Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge ARPA Program and Expenditure Plan and authorized County Administrator Gary Larrowe or his designee to execute and file any required documents.
For more from last week’s board meeting, visit Botetourt County’s Agenda Center (botetourtva.gov/AgendaCenter) for a full review of last week’s agenda items.