LEE COUNTY SUPERVISORS OFFER SUPPORT FOR REHABILITATION CENTER

JONESVILLE - After a lengthy discussion Tuesday, the Lee County Board
of Supervisors gave its permission to the Lee County Coalition for
Health to seek a federal grant - worth as much as $1.5 million - to
jump-start a proposed substance abuse treatment center in Dryden.

Dr. Art VanZee told the board his group wants to apply for a grant
worth up to $500,000 per year over a three-year period, but the grant
application deadline is Jan. 10. The grant applicant must be a unit of
local government, and the applicant must take an active role in the
grant administration, he said.

VanZee asked the county to be the applicant and said it could then
hire a grant administrator - possibly the Lenowisco Health District,
which has offered its support.

Supervisors had some concern over the county's liability and on
whether the county would be financially responsible once the grant ran
out. County Administrator Dane Poe explained that a series of
agreements would be needed among the facility, the county and the
health department but said it could be done. Poe further said the
county could give permission for the coalition to apply, and if
agreements were not satisfactory, the grant did not have to be accepted.

Other supervisors were concerned about plans to take residents from
outside the county.

VanZee told the board his group is already working to obtain other
funding and is hopeful by the time the grant expires - if it is even
awarded - other funding sources will be in place.

After a lengthy discussion about other issues, the board agreed to
allow the coalition to apply for the grant.

Supervisors also agreed to let a group of Dryden citizens seek a
federal grant to make improvements at the primary school ball fields
and playground. Bill Willis, who serves on the group as well as the
school board for the district, said plans are to upgrade the ball
fields so Little League teams will have a place to play games, improve
the playground, and construct a walking trail around the entire facility.

Lenowisco officials have agreed to help with the grant application
process, and the project will not cost the county anything, he said.

Willis said he also plans to get the school board's approval of the
project, as it owns the property involved.

Since the grant comes from the federal government, he said, the local
governing body must give its permission for the group to apply.

Supervisors approved the project with the stipulation that county
funds will not have to be expended.

In other matters, the board adopted a resolution requesting the State
Compensation Board reinstate funding to constitutional officers,
appointed Patsy Quillen to the Dryden Water Authority, and agreed to
make the Blackwater dumpster site into a manned convenience center.

It was also agreed to close the courthouse and give county employees
Dec. 24-27 off for Christmas and to close on New Year's Day.

Poe announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new airport at
Flatwoods will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 23, and the board authorized the
administrator to draft a lease agreement for owners of airplanes
stored at the airport in Pennington Gap to leave those planes there
for up to six months after the new facility opens.

Supervisors further agreed to begin legal action against a company
hired to collect delinquent taxes if a satisfactory progress report is
not submitted by next month.