Bedford supervisors award contract to firm to update parks plan

BEDFORD — By a narrow 4-3 vote, the Bedford County Board of Supervisors on Monday awarded a contract for a firm to update the county’s master plan for parks and recreation.

The plan was last updated in 1993 when the county population was roughly 50,000 and the county had fewer public parks. Now with several parks being developed in the western and central parts of the county, officials felt it is time to re-evaluate needs and get citizen input.

Bedford County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said the county would send out surveys and hold public meetings at all three local high schools.

Prior to discussing the master plan, Ruby Dooley, a citizen, gave supervisors a copy of a deed dated Aug. 25, 1832, that showed the sale of 283 acres of land along Falling Creek Road from James Jopling to the county.

The property encompasses the sheriff’s office, an emergency communications center, facilities for the public service authority, group home facilities, nursing home facilities and a new park called Falling Creek Park. Dooley said except for the nursing home and possibly the group home, all other uses violate this deed.

Dooley asked the supervisors to suspend activities on the land and halt further construction to prevent an

injunction.

After her request, Supervisor Roger Cheek expressed interest in getting a legal opinion before voting on an issue that concerned land within Falling Creek Park.

“I’d hate to be breaking the law and not even know it,” said Cheek.

County Attorney Carl Boggess said he read the deed at least three times and would address it before the supervisors in a closed meeting, after which he said he would render a written opinion on the county’s position.

As for the vote on the parks and recreation master plan, he said there was nothing to keep the county from moving forward in awarding a contract.

Eight firms responded to the county’s request for

proposals for conducting a study for the master plan. The estimated cost is just over $47,000.

Supervisor Annie Pollard, who voted against awarding a contract, said the county should finish the parks in developing stages before spending more money on a study for more.

“To me, we need to stick with the parks we have,” she said. “We put a little money here and a little money there, we’re going to get further behind.”

Chairman Steve Arrington also said the county should be leery of its spending under an Aug. 31 deadline of allocations from the state, which he said still remain unclear at this point.

He and Cheek also voted against awarding the contract.

Supervisors John Sharp, Gary Lowry, Dale Wheeler and Chuck Neudorfer voted to approve it to PROS Consulting.

In other news:

- Supervisors voted to spend $614,500 in road improvements along Perrowville Road for the Jefferson Forest High School renovation. The work should begin June 9 and be finished by Aug. 5, said Guzi.

- Bob Flynn and Thomas Seagroves were reappointed to the District 2 and District 7 seats on the Bedford County Public Service Authority.