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Wythe County reports broadband expansion, EMS/911 upgrades and a possible local sales‑tax option for schools
Summary
Deputy county administrator Mr. Henkins reported progress on broadband deployments, an EMS inspection passed with one requested policy addition, a computer‑aided dispatch system slated to go live in mid‑April, and described a potential countywide 1% local option sales tax to fund school construction to be placed on the ballot if the board decides to pursue it.
Deputy county administrator Mr. Henkins gave multiple operational updates to the Planning Commission on March 2, reporting broadband construction progress, emergency services inspection results, a near‑term dispatch upgrade, and a potential countywide local option sales tax for schools.
Broadband: Mr. Henkins said broadband contractor Citizens has completed work on Little Reed Island Road and several offshoot lanes and is progressing west with three crews now and plans to double crews in March. He said Point Broadband has laid fiber along major routes in town and that service speeds have improved in some locations. "They've got three crews working now and they're expecting to double that in March," Mr. Henkins said.
Emergency services and dispatch: Mr. Henkins reported that the county's EMS passed an Office of EMS inspection with one requested addition — a vehicle usage policy that will be added to HR. He also said the county expects to go live with a new computer‑aided dispatch system around mid‑April, with training scheduled in March, which is intended to streamline 911 call handling.
School financing option: Mr. Henkins described a possible countywide 1% local option sales tax to fund school construction and debt that the Board of Supervisors could place on the ballot. He said the tax would be countywide (including town restaurants) and could draw significant revenue from travelers and out‑of‑county purchases. He framed the measure as a way to accelerate school upgrades and reduce reliance on higher property tax increases.
Other items: Mr. Henkins said the Department of Forestry plans a controlled burn of roughly 350 acres this spring in Big Survey and that he was elected chair of the Bristol Transportation District Regional Improvement Commission, which allocates casino tax proceeds. He also updated the commission on staffing for dispatch (about 18 of 22 budgeted positions filled) and the possibility of consolidating warrants processing into dispatch if the board approves a transfer.
Next steps: staff will continue to track broadband construction and report back on coverage, implement the requested EMS policy change, finalize dispatch training and go‑live timing, and the Board of Supervisors will decide whether to pursue placing a local option school sales tax on the ballot.
