Supervisors vote 'to send message'

by Doug Thompson
In a symbolic move that delays an inevitable decision, Floyd County Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to reject Virginia-mandated changes in the county's Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance.
"It's time to send a message," said Courthouse Supervisor Jerry W. Boothe in voting against the ordinance following a scheduled public hearing where no one appeared to speak for or against the proposed ordinance.
Earlier this year, the state found the county out of compliance on state erosion and sediment control programs and ordered the county to deliver a compliance plan that included increases of inspection of construction and landscaping projects.
County administrator Dan Campbell told the board that complying with the plan would require the county to hire an additional inspector, something that could cripple the county's tight budget in a bad economy.
However, the county must approve the state-mandated changes to the ordinance as part of the compliance plan and will take the ordinance up again next month.
Boothe, Little River Supervisor Virgel Allen and Indian Valley Supervisor Fred Gerald voted against the new ordinance. Burks Fork Supervisor Bill Gardner and board chairman David Ingram voted for it.
In another matter before the board Tuesday, Supervisors learned that solutions to the county's recurring problems with billing for ambulances may not be going the way they thought they approved with changes to the system earlier this year.
Supervisors changed the billing system because of complaints from county residents about the collection practices of the private firm the county uses for billing. An earlier change that said the county would only bill insurance companies for ambulance services was later amended to meet federal requirements. That system would provide for billing of insurance companies for those with private insurance or Medicare and a bill to those without insurance.
Supervisors thought only one bill would be sent and no collection action would follow but learned Tuesday that some residents may be getting up to three bills and that some are required to fill out employment information.
The supervisors asked EMS Administrative Clerk Myra Grim to provide more information on the current system.
Campbell also said the current contractor handling the billing is "difficult to work with" and does not always provide timely information to the county.
In other action Tuesday:
--The board delayed approval of a local government agreement with the Virginia Department of Health until they get more information over what service may or may not be moved out of Floyd County.
--The board approved a proposed resolution to the county emergency operations plan;
--The board approved a memorandum of understanding for sewer treatment service outside the service area with the Pepper's Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority in Montgomery County.