GATE CITY — Town resident Zane Scott made a third appearance Tuesday to ask Gate City Town Council to reconsider provisions in the solid waste ordinance governing where pickups are done.
Scott in recent months had said that his residents had seen trash pickup for several years until the current provisions were enacted. He questioned town officials’ statements that accessing Scott’s residence posed right-of-way easement issues and difficulty for the town garbage truck.
Mayor James Lawson said the public hearing allowed council to consider public concerns.
Rental property owner Mark Jenkins asked council to reconsider provisions in the ordinance requiring property owners to sign for town-provided garbage containers. He said his tenants take responsibility for water and sewer accounts when they sign leases, adding that they should also be responsible for signing for the cans.
Council delayed action on the solid waste ordinance until the April 8 regular meeting.
Budget planning
Council’s schedule for planning the 2025-26 town budget includes budget committee meetings on March 25 and April 3 along with a March 30 deadline to complete a proposed budget draft.
Council will vote at its April 8 regular meeting to set a May 13 public hearing on the draft budget with a June 10 target date to approve the final budget.
The town sanitation authority budget process includes voting at the authority board’s April 7 meeting for called meeting on May 12 for a public hearing on the draft authority budget and a called June 9 meeting to adopt that budget.
Benefits
Council voted 4-0 — with members Pat Elliott and Wallace Ross, Jr. absent — to approve four benefits for town employees:
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A cut in employees’ health insurance deductible from $1,000 to $500, effective for the 2025-26 fiscal year
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100% funding of Virginia Retirement System life insurance policy premiums for town employees — a $5,200 total increase in town contributions for total premiums of $9,455 — in the 2025-26 fiscal year
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Granting each full-time employee 40 hours paid time off per 26 pay periods worked, effective Tuesday
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Establishing Good Friday as a holiday for town employees, effective immediately
Presentation to Miles
Lawson presented resident Quentin Miles with a plaque recognizing his organization of the Miles for Diabetes fundraising walk. In October, the second annual Miles for Diabetes Walk in Gate City raised $1,600 that will help folks in short-term situations where they may have problems affording insulin or other diabetes-related medications. A $200 increase from the first walk in 2023, the project has given Miles hope to expand what can be done to help diabetics in the area.
All money raised by Miles for Diabetes is administered by 501©(3) nonprofit Scott County Christian Social Ministries,
Daniel Boone goes to Historical Society
Council voted to donate the Daniel Boone statue in town hall to the Scott County Historical Society. Lawson said the statue — welded metal with buckskin clothing and a felt hat — would be better suited to display at the society building.
Harmon said the statue was constructed approximately 50 years ago by a welder at the Scott County Career and Technical Center.
New town logo placard
Lawson and council member Dexter Harmon displayed the new town logo sign that will be displayed after council chambers are repainted before the April regular council meeting. Harmon said students at the Scott County Career and Technical Center reproduced the logo and printed it on vinyl adhesive sheet before mounting and framing it.