Copy of
E-Newsletter from the official website of Henry County, VA
Henry County Monthly Newsletter
May 2010

Household Hazardous Waste Day a success

The spring version of the Household Hazardous Waste Day was held April 17 at the Henry County Service Center. Once again it was highly successful, and many thanks to those who volunteered to help.

Officials recorded 155 vehicles entering the facility - 130 from Henry County and 25 from the City of Martinsville. Volunteers collected 1.45 tons of computer and office parts to be recycled.

Employees from Environmental Options, Inc., working alongside volunteers, collected 26 drums of paint, antifreeze, motor oil and other fluids.

More than 25 volunteers and paid staff working the event, including Henry County staff, City of Martinsville staff, inmates from the City of Martinsville and from Henry County, Gateway Streetscape Board members, and local fire and rescue volunteers.

A $5,000 grant from the Department of Environmental Quality helped defer the costs of the event, which include paying to dispose of the toxic materials collected.

A big thanks to Mike Amos of our Refuse Department and LaConya Martin of the Gateway staff for putting together this year's event.

Supervisors adopt FY '11 Budget

The Henry County Board of Supervisors adopted the County's Fiscal Year 2011 on April 27. The Board is slated to appropriate the money for the budget on May 25, with the budget taking effect July 1.

The budget totals $109,444,497. When compared to the FY 2010 Proposed Budget of $117,516,572, this year's budget represents a reduction of $8,072,075 or 6.9% from the FY 2010 budget. The budget includes no tax increases and no pay raises for County employees.

The budget includes an allocation to the School Board of $17,077,895 for FY '11, which is level with FY '10 local funding and the amount requested by the School Board.

The full budget document can be viewed on the County's website - www.henrycountyva.gov.
PSA Board of Directors receives FY '2011 Budget proposal

The proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Henry County Public Service Authority Budget includes no rate increase for customers.

PSA General Manager Benny Summerlin presented the proposed FY '11 Budget to the PSA Board of Directors on April 19. The Budget totals $11,621,812 for FY '11, which is about $500,000 higher than the FY 2010 Budget of $11,105,120. The primary reason for the increase is the purchase of backup power generators for the Philpott Water Plant. That expenditure is expected to be $768,000.

The Board of Directors set a budget work session for May 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the County Administration Building. That meeting will be held in the fourth floor conference room.

The proposed budget includes no pay raises for PSA employees. The County will continue to cover the full cost of the employee's health insurance.

Mr. Summerlin highlighted several events from the current year during his presentation, including the opening of the Henry County Service Center in Bassett. The facility houses the PSA Construction and Maintenance Shop as well as space for the Henry County Sheriff's Office, the Henry County Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Henry County Schools' Maintenance Division.

The report also highlighted the project to bring public sewer service to the Philpott Lake area. In a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the property, this project ultimately will result in the construction of small marina on Philpott Lake.

The proposed FY 2011 PSA Budget can be downloaded from Henry County's website - www.henrycountyva.gov.
The PSA Board of Directors is scheduled to adopt a budget for FY 2011 on May 17.