Commissioners discuss Reentry Coalition, advanced air mobility drone, tornadoes; public raises transparency concerns

Commissioners used their update period to highlight recent county engagement and concerns. Commissioner Greg Kaffenbarger described attendance at an NRCS soil carbon storage event and the Reentry Coalition meeting, calling the latter "extremely eye opening" and praising multiagency collaboration for justice-impacted residents. Commissioner Sasha L. Rittenhouse said Ondas demonstrated a drone "able to fly in the air for three (3) days (70 hours of flight time)" that will operate from the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport as research continues.

Rittenhouse also briefed the public about recent tornadoes in Clark County — an EF-0 north of Springfield, an EF-1 east of Springfield and an EF-2 south of Catawba — and noted delays by the National Weather Service in labeling the events. She announced a joint City/County work session on the Public Safety Building to be followed by extended public comment at the Sept. 2 commission meeting. During public comment, Terry Adkins asked whether the county would recover funds from Sheltered Inc.'s property sales; Commissioner Patterson and counsel Beau Thompson said they will pursue recoveries but noted the properties appear heavily mortgaged and that Sheltered Inc. declared bankruptcy, which may limit available funds.