The Washington County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and voted to authorize cleanup or special-tax assessments on multiple properties found to be dilapidated or overgrown.

During the hearing the board heard from Samuel Harrison Bussey III, owner of a parcel on Black Bayou Road, who said he had removed most debris and moved a bus off the property but that a small pile remained. Bussey asked the board for time to finish cleanup; the board agreed to give him two weeks to clear the remaining items and to provide photos to county staff demonstrating the work. "One week would be fine with me ... we'll do 2 weeks," Bussey said during the hearing.

Other properties addressed at the hearing included the Mount Zion Baptist Church site in Glen Allen, described by staff as an eyesore with no active members identified; the Speed Robinson Estate lot at 20 Robinson Road in Wenerville, which the board authorized the county to cut; and a property listed as "TBTS broadcasting" in care of Tony Baldwin on Black Bayou Road, for which the board ordered cleanup of dilapidated structures and overgrowth. The board also approved four parcels for special tax assessment to recover county costs if the owners do not comply.

Miss Moore, the staff member who led the public hearing, and other staff said notices had been published and that some properties had not responded to outreach. The board voted on each item during the hearing and recorded motions to proceed with cleanup and assessments when required.

Why it matters: Board-ordered cleanup and special assessments are routine tools to address public-health, safety and nuisance conditions; approvals allow county crews or contractors to abate hazards and recover costs through a special tax assessment if owners do not comply.

What the board decided: The board closed the public hearing and approved the staff recommendations: give Mr. Bussey two weeks to clear the Black Bayou Road parcel and authorize county cleanup and special-tax assessments for listed properties where owners do not act. The board also instructed staff to document the work and provide the board with follow-up records.