The deal is on.
South Boston and Halifax County - with two supervisors dissenting- agreed Thursday on a boundary settlement proposal with support documents carrying a 12 year moratorium on future annexation.
About a half dozen county sub-divisions, as well as some territory and businesses in Riverdale and along Route 58 included in South Boston's previous boundary adjustment proposals, will remain in the county.
The negotiated settlement must now be advertised for public hearing - probably in mid-December - and then voted on by the two governments.
The next step will take the agreement before the circuit court for approval.
If approved, Halifax County Administrator Dan Sleeper anticipates the change taking effect Dec. 31, 1997.
The county was facing a Dec. 1 deadline from both South Boston and the Town of Halifax for a boundary adjustment agreement. An agreement would avoid costly annexation proceedings.
Two supervisors, Earl Watts Sr., whose District 5 includes Riverdale businesses affected by the boundary adjustment, and R.E. Abbott, opposed the agreement. Supervisor Bill Abbott was absent.
South Boston Town Council - with H.W. Starke and Radford Trent absent - supported the proposal.
Support documents in resolution form will be back before the governing bodies at the public hearing.
Issues addressed in the resolutions during the joint announcement last week included the following:
On the moratorium, the 12 years is in effect unless 51 percent of registered voters in an area make a request.
A second resolution, South Boston sharing water/sewer capacity with the county to foster industrial development, and also to allow the county to buy additional water/sewer capacity.
A third resolution, by South Boston, would address the need for an excellent school system and for economic development, which is reflected in the town's decision to forego attempts to annex industry.
Those pieces are to be put together as final wording is established, which had not been accomplished as of press time.
"I believe we have reached an historic point and we have done it by talking," said South Boston Mayor Glen Abernathy in announcing the agreement to advertise the settlement proposal for public hearing.
Abernathy said he hoped "to continue talking" and more readily understand each other and improve life for the area.
"Nobody got what they wanted. Everyone gave up something and got something," said Dr. Don Lacy, the Virginia Tech facilitator working with the governments in boundary adjustment talks.
Lacy described the negotiations as "difficult and frustrating" for everybody in that they really wanted to work together but everybody had a need and a desire. However, the facilitator said there was "a real spirit of compromise once issues were on the table."
Lacy said the key was to "keep it local" as decisions are made.
"I don't think we would have gotten where we are without him," said Halifax County Board of Supervisors Joe Satterfield Jr. of Dr. Lacy.
The Halifax County administrator said following the meeting that county revenue loss resulting from the proposed boundary adjustment was not yet available, that auditors were checking figures. But Sleeper did say the loss was "significantly less" than earlier projections.
"We were just trying to do the best we could to have the least impact on the overall citizens of the county," said Sleeper of the negotiated settlement.
Following the joint agreement Thursday night, District 5 Supervisor Earl Watts did not mince words. "I am totally against annexation of any kind. Most of the businesses are in my district. It will hit them so hard for BPOL and meals taxes, which will be passed on to the general public," said Watts. The supervisor did say he was glad a number of the neighborhoods were left out "because they did not want to be included."
Also opposing the joint agreement, Supervisor R.E. Abbott. "The people don't have any choice in it," said Abbott. "They didn't want the people, they just wanted all the businesses, the quick money. They didn't want the people, they would vote them out."
Also reacting to the proposed agreement, Mike Armstrong, co-chairman of the Association for Better Government, said yesterday: "Folks in the subdivisions are glad they are not included in this agreement but I do not know that this solves the problem. We will still have these governments arguing with each other about these types of things.
"Boundary adjustment is not good for the businesses in the Centerville area," added Armstrong. "The biggest underpinning was to get this consolidation of services and government, and this has not been addressed yet."
Armstrong also added he was not aware of all agreement details.
The Town of Halifax and the county are scheduled to meet in joint session Thursday at 6 p.m. at Mary Bethune complex in Halifax.
The two governments will meet in executive session and are "expected to put the finishing touches" to a boundary agreement proposal, Halifax Town Manager Robert Greene said yesterday.
Proponents and opponents of using high-powered rifles to hunt deer in Halifax County will square off tonight during a public hearing before the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.
The public hearing was scheduled when veteran deer hunter Dean Throckmorton of Scottsburg recently requested the supervisors to study a possible lifting of the rifle ban.
The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the second floor meeting room of the Mary Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
The board will also receive public input to add a section to the County Code which references a change of hunting seasons throughout the county. Other public input on hunting laws in Halifax County will also be heard by board members, county officials said.
Anyone requiring special assistance to attend the hearing are asked to call the county at 476-3300 prior to the meeting.
During a special meeting Thursday night of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, a public hearing for citizen comment on the Six-Year Plan for county road improvements was authorized.
That public hearing will take place on Monday, December 8 beginning at 7 p.m. The hearing will be held in the second floor meeting room of the Mary Bethune Office Complex in Halifax.
The Six-Year Plan, which is in the process of being organized by local officials of the Virginia Department of Transportation, calls for a total proposed spending of $15,123,774 during the period from 1998 to 2004.
According to preliminary documents, annual proposed expenditures for road improvements in the county are $2,410,722 for 1998-1999; $2,418,486 for 1999-2000; $2,476,897 for 2000-2001; $2,551,857 for 2001-2002; $2,632,906 for 2002-2003; and $2,632,906 for 2003-2004.
VDOT Resident Engineer Joe Barkley will attend the public hearing and will take note of recommendations from citizens and supervisors.
In addition to improvements of existing paved roads, the proposed paving of about 25 miles of currently unpaved county roads will be discussed. (The county has 48 miles of unpaved roads which have at a daily traffic count of at least 50 vehicles, officials said.)
VDOT officials stressed that the order of projects that will take place is not fixed at this time.
After looking at the preliminary Six-Year Plan, supervisor Earl Watts of Election District #5 took the opportunity to ask Barkley about the delays in the left hand turn lane from Rt. 129 with its intersection of Rt. 716 at Love Shop.
At certain times, the high traffic count backs up considerably and causes long delays for motorists attempting to get onto Rt. 716, Watts pointed out.
Barkley stated that he would study the pattern of the traffic light to determine if any changes can be made to rectify the situation.
A Clover woman is facing grand larceny charges after being arrested for stealing an electric guitar and a color television set, according to Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
Michelle Faucette, 36, of Clover was arrested Friday for the grand theft of the items which belonged to Willis Page, according to the investigation.
Faucette was indicted by a grand jury of the Halifax County Circuit Court for the offense which allegedly occurred on January 1, 1997, police said.
She was arrested by Deputy David Gibson.
In other arrests:
· Eddie Clark, 34, of Nathalie was arrested Saturday on a felony count of grand larceny of an Automated Teller Machine card which belonged to Curtis Younger.
The alleged theft occurred between September 1 and September 25, according to the investigation. Clark was released on bond pending his preliminary hearing in the Halifax County General District Court.
Clark was arrested by Deputy T.K. Redd.
· Charlie Wilson Jones, 38, of Nathalie was arrested Saturday on a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon, police said.
A .22-caliber pistol was found on Jennings while he was being arrested on a charge of being drunk in public, according to the investigation.
He was released on bond pending his trial in the Halifax County General District Court on January 16, 1998. Jennings was arrested by Deputy R.C. Lipscomb.
· The theft of three weapons from a home in Virgilina is under investigation by the Halifax County Sheriff's Department.
The theft of the weapons from the residence of Janie Scott was reported on Saturday by her son, David Budzinski of Hampton, police said.
The weapons had a total value of $1,150, according to the investigation.
One person was slightly injured in a two-vehicle collision which happened Thursday on U.S. 58, one-tenth of a mile west of Rt. 744, according to the Virginia State Police.
Darryl D. Morefield, 37, of Alton was treated for injuries after his 1993 Dodge van struck the rear of 1987 Autocar truck driven by William Harvey Perkins, 42, of Red Oak, according to the investigation.
Perkins was making a right hand turn into a parking lot when the collision occurred, police said.
Damages to the Dodge van were listed at $6,000, while damages to the truck were estimated at $500, according to the investigation.
Perkins was charged with improper turning, while Morefield was charged with reckless driving, police said.
The 8:35 a.m. crash was investigated by Virginia State Trooper R.C. Compton.
Five Halifax County High School gridders have been named to the Second Team All Western District football team.
Two players, senior Jacquan Penick and junior Kerry Clark were named on the Offensive Team with Penick being named as a running back and Clark being noted for his prowess as a wide receiver.
On defense, junior Shannon Wright was named on the Second Team as a lineman, junior Kevin Morton was named as a defensive end, and senior Jerritt Medley was named as a Second Team defensive back.
Halifax County High School football coach Larry Smith noted yesterday that the voting and selections are based on the players that participated in all of the Western District games.
"We had several kids that played well in district games but some of them played only one game or a game and a half in district games," Smith said, "and we couldn't get them in the nominations."
"We struggled all year long," Smith added, "and we had so many players out at various times for various reasons. When it came down to voting, a number of them hadn't played in a lot of the district games."
Pearl Poole Powell of 621 Berry Hill Road, South Boston died November 13, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 91 years of age.
Mrs. Powell was born in Durham, NC December 25, 1905 the daughter of William Waverly Poole and Corina Frances Smith Poole and was married to George William Powell. She was a member of Second Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Candace Cliborne of Goose Creek, SC; one step-daughter, Mary Womack of Petersburg; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Graveside services for Mrs. Powell were held Sunday, November 16 at 3
p.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery with Rev. Horace Murray conducting the service.
Rosa Seamons Reese of Oxford, NC, formerly of Virgilina, died Thursday, November 13, 1997 at her home. She was 86 years of age.
Mrs. Reese was born in Halifax County and was married to Harvey Milton Reese. She was a member of Hitesburg Baptist Church.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, November 16 at Hitesburg Baptist Church with Rev. William Salmons officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Surviving are two daughters, Geraldine Reese Clay of Hurdle Mills, NC,
and Faye Reese Clayton of Roxboro, NC; five sons, Beverly 'Frankie' Reese
of Danville, Henry Reese of Henderson, NC, Wayne Reese of Chase City, James
Reese and Ronnie Reese, both of Oxford; 19 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren
and two great-great-grandchildren. Mrs. Reese was preceded in death by her
husband and Kathleen Reese and Wilma R. Lacks.
Inez James Booth of 1013 Marshall Avenue, South Boston died Thursday, November 13, 1997 at Avante' of Lynchburg.
Miss Booth was born in Halifax County on December 23, 1918 the daughter of Willis Abraham Booth and Malitta Bowling Booth. After graduating from Virginia Commercial College in 1941, she moved to Washington, DC where she was employed by the Department of Navy for 35 years.
Graveside services for Miss Booth were held Sunday, November 16 at 2 p.m. at Oak Ridge Cemetery with Rev. Raymond Quick conducting the service.
Survivors include four nephews, Norwood C. Lacks, William O. White and Harold Booth, all of Lynchburg and Lewis M. White Jr. of Forest; three nieces, Mary Cook Motley of North Chelmsford, MA, Alma L. Perrin of Ashland and Anita Booth of Lynchburg, and many great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by 11 brothers and sisters, Nettie B. Lacks, Sissie B. Cook, Dolly B. Shepherd, Christine B. White, Drusie Belle Booth, W. Holt Booth, Sally B. Fallen, Fannie B. Seay, Charles W. Booth, Willard A. Booth and John H. Booth.
Mary Edith Thomas Purcell of 708 Marshall Avenue, South Boston died Friday, November 14, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 70 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Purcell was born September 14, 1927 in Granville County, NC the daughter of Claude Thomas and Mary Williams Thomas and was married to John Washington Purcell. She was a member of Sharon Baptist Church of Granville County.
Funeral services were held at Brooks Funeral Home chapel Sunday, November 16 at 2 p.m. with Rev. Grover Stevens officiating. Burial was in Black Walnut Baptist Church cemetery.
Survivors of Mrs. Purcell include two daughters, Patsy Purcell of Roxboro, NC and Benita Purcell of South Boston; two sisters, Mabel Clark of South Boston and Bertha Pearce of Raleigh, NC; and one brother, Robert Thomas of Oxford, NC.
Mrs. Kathryne Davis Beale of 5191 Volens Road, Nathalie died Saturday, November 15, 1997 at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Beale was born in Halifax County on April 16, 1925 and was 72 years of age. She was the daughter of Dorsey Talmadge Davis and Susie Anderson Davis and was married to Thornton Leroy Beale. She was a membe rof the First Baptist Church of Republican Grove and a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority of Madison College.
Mrs. Beale is survived by: one daughter, Jean Calloway, of Fredericksburg; one sister, Elizabeth Wall, of Bon Air, one granddaughter, Corbin Calloway, of Fredericksburg.
Funeral services for Mrs. Beale will be held today (Monday) at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Republican Grove with the Rev. Shelton Miles conducting the service. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.