April 5 2019.Qxd
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Distributed Free Each Friday Since 2009 April 5, 2019 www.pcpatriot.com Locally Owned And Operated Town of Pulaski photo Pulaski Fire Chief Robbie Kiser and other fire fighters pose with the town’s new Rescue Engine that arrived Wednesday. Town explains $2.95 fee on April water bills By MIKE WILLIAMS tors - like the Town of Pulaski - who provided pub- The Patriot lic water. WEEKEND WEATHER Utt said the fee set by the state is a minimum of Don't blame the Town of Pulaski! $400 or not to exceed $3 per water connection. Saturday Sunday That is the message from town officials after "We have 4,100 or so water customers," Utt said, Partly sunny, with a high near Mostly cloudy, with a high near once again this year hearing complaints and ques- noting the fee owed by the town is usually in the 71. Light northwest wind. 75. tions from town water customers over a $2.95 fee $13,000 range. The amount is included in the Sunday Night - A chance of added to the April water bills. town's annual budget and is, as Utt noted, a "pass- Saturday Night - Partly cloudy, showers before 2am. Mostly Councilman Joseph Goodman asked for a discus- through" item which is paid by the town, but col- with a low around 49. cloudy, with a low around 58. sion on the fee during Tuesday night's council lected from water customers through the $2.95 fee. Chance of precipitation is 30%. meeting. "We charge customers in the April billing and Town Manager Shawn Utt explained that back in the 90's, the fee was passed on to waterwork opera- See FEE, page A3 McCready, Bopp, O’Dell announce re-election bids By MIKE WILLIAMS Dirk Compton who could not attend the event. He The Patriot is seeking the Republican nomination for supervi- sor in the Draper District. Three current members of the Pulaski County Also attending was Thomas Holsinger, manager Board of Supervisors formally kicked off their re- of Lowes in Fairlawn, who is now challenging Joe election campaigns Wednesday during a reception Guthrie for the Republican nomination for super- at Pulaski's historic train station. visor of the Cloyd District. Board Chairman and Massie District Supervisor Each of the three incumbent supervisors made Andy McCready played host for the event that their cases for re-election in November. also featured supervisors Charlie Bopp, Robinson "We're here to continue a process that began District and Ranny O'Dell, Ingles District. eight years ago," McCready said to open the Two other Republican candidates and a repre- event. "We're working to make Pulaski County a sentative of a third were also in attendance. better place to live, work, raise a family and to McCready acknowledged each during the event. retire." They included Tracy Belcher who is seeking the In his remarks, Bopp said he'd lived on party's nomination for county treasurer, and Katrina Compton, wife of retired State Trooper See RE-ELECTION, page A2 Page A2 - The Patriot - April 5, 2019 Re-election Continued from page A1 Robinson Tract Road all his life. Hiwassee School site. "We (supervisors) have done a Both men had praise for lot for Pulaski and when I'm re- McCready and his work as elected, we hope to continue on chairman of the board. with the good things that are "He always has his facts happening," Bopp said. together and his numbers In particular, Bopp mentioned worked out," Bopp said. "He his and the county's effort to does his homework and I sup- fund a new large item drop site port him 100 percent." off Dora Highway in Pulaski. "He is fantastic, and if we are Bopp said he is asking the vot- elected again, he will be our ers of Robinson District to vote chairman again," O'Dell said. for him one more time "so we For his part, McCready said can make Pulaski County he originally ran on a number of greater than it already is." issues, but economic develop- O'Dell noted his life has been ment and keeping an eye on the mostly about construction, and county's financial management he mentioned several construc- topped the list. tion projects he and the supervi- McCready contrasted the sors had completed during his county today compared to when time on the board. he was running for supervisor in Those include, he said, re- 2011. working and re-paving Wilson "The Commerce Park back Grove Road, straightening out then was growing hay and Mike Williams photo curves on Julia Simpkins Road cows," McCready said. "Today Three incumbent Republican members of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday so trucks can better access we have the tomato factory in announced bids for re-election. They are (from left) Ranny O’Dell, Ingles District; Andy McCready, Hoover Color. Future projects there and more projects are on Massie District and Charles Bopp, Robinson District. include addressing the situation the way." at the old Lone Cedar store loca- He continued the old Renfro taxes that I can remember was being a budget hawk. ue." tion where trucks have problems building was empty, but today it for the voter-approved referen- "I watch the budget closely," McCready appealed to voters navigating a box culvert, and the houses Falls Stamping and dum for the new middle school," he said. "Some people know I to come out on April 25 to the Peak Creek bridge situation on NewCan Corp. he stated. ask tough questions on how we mass meeting. Route 100. "The Hill Plant at the old McCready also noted the spend money. The money is "You need your driver's O'Dell said several industries Jefferson Mills plant was empty, change in the name of the coun- YOUR money and you deserve license and you must be a regis- have moved into the county dur- but today it houses a warehouse ty's Industrial Development to know how its spent. tered voter, and vote for the can- ing the three supervisors' terms. facility," McCready said. Authority to Economic "That's probably one reason didate in your precinct," he said. The result, he said, is the county "The old brake plant in the Development Authority to better why I'm not popular with some is seeing its lowest unemploy- industrial park - TMD Friction - reflect its new mission. folks," he said. "But that's okay. ment rate since 2000. was empty at that time. Now we "We need the EDA to not only I'm doing my job. I'm represent- Democrats We added 668 new jobs last have Korona Candles. And the address industrial development, ing the taxpayers and you the year, O'Dell stated. old Warner Lambert building but we'd like to see us obtain voters, and I want to continue Plus, he said, the county is was empty, but today we have more housing stock, retail and being your voice in that regard." to hold positioning itself to bring in new Phoenix Packaging," McCready food businesses," McCready McCready noted that the elec- residents. O'Dell noted a new said, noting it is important to the said. "We need to better balance tion this year is "not just in mass housing development off Blue county's economic development our local economy." November." Sky Lane would add some 15 to keep a strong economic McCready noted he, Bopp and "We have a Republican mass new homes in the $200,000 to development effort going. O'Dell had been big supporters meeting on April 25 in Pulaski meeting $300,000 price range. McCready noted he said in of using inmate labor to do more at the Central Gym. That is an O'Dell also pointed to new 2011 that there are two ways to around the county than just cut important time for Pulaski Pulaski Democratic party can- projects "across the river" in pay the bills in Pulaski County - grass or pick up trash, including County - myself and Mr. O'Dell. didates for local elections will be Snowville and Hiwassee - through economic development painting and cleaning at county We'll have competitors at that nominated at a mass meeting on including funding an almost- or by raising taxes. He said he, schools. mass meeting. If their side turns May 2, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the completed Snowville Fire Bopp and O'Dell "don't particu- He noted during their time on out enough people, we may not General District Court Room Department building and new larly want to raise taxes." the board, the three had worked be in office anymore," Pulaski County Court House, 45 playground equipment at the old "The only time we raised to improve relations between the McCready said. Third St. NW, in downtown county and its two towns and "I would not want to see the Pulaski. would like to see that relation- progress Pulaski County has There are nine local seats to be ship improve even more. made over the last seven to eight filled. All five seats of the coun- Noting the need for the coun- years stop," he said. "I want to ty board of supervisors, the chief ty to continue to attract new continue that progress. We're policy making body for Pulaski manufacturing, McCready said doing great things in a lot of it is the board's intention to areas and I want that to contin- See DEMS, page A3 make Pulaski County the hub of international manufacturing - not only in Southwest Virginia - but in all of Virginia.