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Resident alleges repeated private-property spraying, urges county action
Summary
Joe Upcavage told the Board he believes his property was repeatedly sprayed with agricultural chemicals, raising health concerns and asking why county authority cannot act under Dillon's Rule; the Board asked him to provide details to staff and law enforcement as needed.
Joe Upcavage used Citizens’ Time to report what he described as repeated spraying of his leased property and said the incidents posed a health risk to his household and animals. Upcavage said he had called the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) but feared retaliation and said he had not been able to obtain the applicator's identity or the chemical used. He described soil and household contamination, noted dead chicks on his property, and said he feared for his baby and pets.
Chair Smith asked whether the spraying was aerial; Upcavage replied it was done from a tractor by a private applicator leasing adjacent land. Chair Smith asked Upcavage to provide the information to County Administrator Bear and the Sheriff if he believed threats had been made. Staff did not undertake immediate enforcement action at the meeting but advised the resident on available reporting channels and follow-up with VDACS and law enforcement.
