Mecklenburg Tourism Coordinator Tina Morgan provided details of the upcoming fishing tournament. During the first week of May, Buggs Island Lake will host the 2023 Sant Croix Bassmaster Open for Division Three. They are expecting a full field of 240 teams at Occoneechee State Park May 3rd through 5th. 

The anglers are expected to begin arriving for practice anywhere between a few days and an entire week ahead of the tournament. During this time, visitors will not only be fishing, but will be dining, shopping, fueling up, finding supplies, and staying in local hotels.

Hosting this event will give Mecklenburg County credibility with other big tournament trails, and will bring a significant economic impact. This tournament will be the biggest tournament the county has seen since 1998. Morgan added that she secured $10,000 through VTC’s ARPA Sports Marketing Grant to help make this tournament possible.

Virginia’s General Assembly created the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission to plan and commemorate the 250th anniversary of Virginia’s participation in American Independence. Events will take place through 2026. Each locality is encouraged to participate in planning programs, events, or place interpretive signs to demonstrate VA’s unique position during this historic time. Grants will be available to help develop such programs, but applicants must be officially designated as a VA-250 community. To be designated as such, a resolution must be made at the locality level.

Tom Tanner motioned to approve this resolution; the motion was approved by a unanimous vote.

Two of Mecklenburg’s polling locations need to be changed. Precinct 103’s polling location is Clarksville Elementary School. Since the school will be going under construction, the facility will not be available for use. Jason Corwin, Mecklenburg’s Registrar, has talked with the manager of the airport who has also served as an officer of elections at that same precinct. He suggested that his facility would be perfect size-wise and access wise for the new location. The Electoral Board has already voted and approved this move.

The second polling place is Precinct 901 located at Nelson’s Store. Though the store has been used as a polling place for years, the board discovered that it is not up to code; people are able to gather and congregate within the 40-foot area. Therefore, the board recommended moving the location to comply with all applicable laws. Corwin suggested moving it to Wharton Memorial Baptist Church which is about a mile up the road from Nelson’s Store. He is waiting on the final word from the Deacon Board, however he has been speaking with the pastor throughout. He needs approval from the board so that as soon as he gets a yes from the Deacon Board he can file with the Attorney General’s office and get the move done as quickly as possible.

Andy Hargrove motioned to approve the relocation request as well as the submission of the letter to the Attorney General’s office. Once their office has approved it, the board will change their ordinance. The motion passed.

The Mecklenburg Supervisors issued a resolution in honor the late Glanzy Spain, Jr. “It is my honor to read the resolutions honoring one of our own,” Chairman Glenn Barbour stated. His wife Jean Spain accepted the resolution and thanked the board.

In other news:

Paul Jackson submitted an application for a special exception permit to construct a recreational vehicle park—consisting of 117 sites—on a property located on the north side of Bailey Drive approximately one tenth of a mile east of its intersection with Huss Road in Election District 8. David Brankley motioned to approve the application; the board voted in kind.

The board has also received a special exception permit application from Thomas Pinion to allow for children’s outdoor adventures and weddings to be located on Skipwith Road. Brenda Blackwell motioned to approve the application; it was unanimously approved.

VDOT’s crew has been conducting pipe and shoulder work as well as gravel maintenance throughout the county. They are planning for a litter pickup beginning in April. They will begin on the primaries and then some of the high volume secondary roads.

The Route 92 Bridge Project is still on schedule for completion at the end of June. Rural Rustic Programs will kick off in April or May weather-permitting. This year’s agenda is Route 603 Estes Road, 607 Woodland Road, 623 Ray Road, 721 State Line Road, and the bridge closure coming up on Route 712 Paschal Road. Paschal Road’s bridge is scheduled to close on April 4th and then reopen on July 5th.

VDOT will be touching base with the County’s Administrator one the Six-Year Plan as soon as they receive concrete numbers.

The board approved Anthem Insurance’s Renewal. There was a 4.4 percent increase. The only benefit change was the annual deductible amount for the high deductible health plans. Individuals plans’ deductible will increase from $2,800 to $3,000, and family plans’ deductible will increase from $5,600 to $6,000.

The supervisors approved a bid received for the Roanoke Campus Water Supply Contract C-Booster Station. Three total bids were received. The lowest came from WACO, Inc. at a cost of $2,188,353. WACO’s bid was approved.

Tom Tanner and Wayne Carter were both re-appointed to the Roanoke River Service Authority Board.