Town to receive an electric car

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

The town of Wytheville will have a year’s free use of an electric car for municipal purposes. Its parking enforcement officer will be the designated driver.
At Monday night’s meeting, Wytheville Town Council approved an agreement with Evatran LLC, developer of systems used for recharging electric vehicles. Council members agreed to provide a space at the Wytheville Police Department where Evatran can install one of its charging devices.
“We think this is a very exciting concept to be a participant in a ‘green initiative,’ reducing the carbon footprint created by internal combustion engines,” Councilman and Budget and Finance Committee member John W. Jones Jr. stated Monday evening. “Evatran has developed technology that will allow an electric vehicle to be recharged without the use of a connected wire.”
He noted Evatran will evaluate the effectiveness of its equipment for a year. The company, Jones said, contacted the town several months ago seeking its participation in the program.
In other action Monday night, Council:
 Set a public hearing for comments on an urban archery program that would allow bow hunters to kill deer within town limits. The hearing will be included in the Monday, March 22, council meeting at 7 p.m.
 Heard an overview of the possibility of generating electricity at the sewer plant by capturing methane gas produced by the plant’s digester. The architectural firm of Thompson and Litton, at no cost to the town, has prepared an application to the Department of Environmental Quality for grant funds that would be used toward the project.
 Reappointed Charles E. Shockley and David T. Bush to the Wytheville Planning Commission for another four-year term.
 Learned there are no candidates for the three vacancies on the town’s Board of Architectural Review. Susan Zammit, who is not eligible for reappointment, has agreed to serve until a replacement is appointed. Two other vacancies exist.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com.