In an effort to get more local citizens involved with county government, the Carroll County Board of Supervisors recently advertised for local citizens interested in serving on county committees.

During its April 14 meeting, the supervisors appointed local citizens to the Carroll County Recreation Committee, the Carroll County Planning Commission, the Carroll County Tourism Advisory Committee, the Regional Library Board, and the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission Transportation Technical Committee.

The board began with the Carroll County Recreation Committee. Before nominating members, Sulphur Springs District Supervisor David Hutchins made a motion to pare the committee down from 11 members to six members, with the six members coming from the five county magisterial districts as well as one at-large member. After the motion passed unanimously, the board members took turns nominating citizens to the rec committee.

Fancy Gap District Supervisor Manus McMillian nominated Ronnie Mankins, Pipers Gap District Supervisor Tom Littrell nominated Myron Dalton, Hutchins nominated Alvin Davidson, Pine Creek District Supervisor Wes Hurst nominated Curt Sumner, Laurel Fork District Supervisor Andy Jackson nominated Gene Kimble, and At-Large Supervisor Sam Dickson nominated Robin Whittington.

County Administrator Gary Larrowe noted those nominated would serve four-year terms retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008 and expiring at the end of the current supervisors’ terms on Dec. 31, 2011.

Hutchins made a motion to appoint the six nominated citizens to the recreation committee, while also noting that all six would serve a very valuable role over the next four years.

“I want to add a tag to that motion that they also be not only empowered, but that they have the authority or responsibility to start working toward putting together for the county a long-term recreation policy that will allow us to move our county forward in terms of recreation and in terms of whatever is the best approach to the county,” Hutchins said. “I know there’s no money there and that will have to come from studies and those things, but I would like for them to know that it is not only their job to determine how many kids are going to play on what team, it is their job to plan the future of recreation for the county and present it to us.”

Jackson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The board then turned its attention to the four open positions to fill for the Carroll County Planning Commission. Nominated were Rex Hill (by Jackson), Margaret Leggett (by Littrell), Joey Dickson (by McMillian), and Shelby Inscore-Puckett (by Sam Dickson).

Following those nominations, Sam Dickson resigned from the Planning Commission since Joey Dickson is his son.

“Do we have another one somebody wants to nominate? That’s four, but if we are going to vote on this list, my son is one of them and I will come off because he is better qualified anyway,” Sam Dickson said. “He is a Class A contractor and he’s built houses in a lot of subdivisions and he knows the subdivision policies. He is a lot more informed than I am on that part. He is very qualified and if he is going on, I will resign.”

That meant the board would need to nominate one more person for the Planning Commission. Sam Dickson said the Planning Commission is a very important job because of the new subdivision policy. McMillian then nominated Eddie Bunn, before Larrowe mentioned there might be a conflict of interest with that nomination.

“I think he’s a fine gentleman and he does great work, but he does do engineering work in Carroll County and submits plans to the planning commission,” Larrowe said. “We just do not want to cause a conflict of interest.”

Saying he didn’t want to put Bunn in a position that would appear to be a conflict of interest, McMillian withdrew Bunn’s nomination and instead nominated David Williams. Hutchins made a motion to vote on the five nominated persons for the Planning Commission, which passed unanimously.

Upon Wes Hurst’s nomination, Glenda Dalton was unanimously approved to serve on the Regional Library Board.

Nominations were then accepted for the new Carroll County Tourism Advisory Committee. Nominated were Molly Harrison (by Hutchins), India Teller (by Hurst), Don Foster (by Jackson), Hughes Burton (by Littrell), and Richard Triplett (by McMillian). Those five were unanimously approved to make up the new tourism committee.

Hutchins nominated VDOT Contract Administrator Johnny Hurst to serve as the county’s representative to the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission Transportation Technical Committee.

“It’s transportation related and he seems to have a background parallel to what the committee would be doing,” Hutchins said.

Hurst was unanimously approved to serve on the committee.