By Carol Vaughn —
Accomack County officials voted Wednesday to move forward with a three-lane option for improving Route 175, Chincoteague Road, as they continue to seek funding for the project through the highway department’s Smart Scale program.
The county submitted two proposals for the road in the initial stage of seeking funding through the program — the second option was to build a 4-lane divided highway between Route 13 and the Royal Farms at Atlantic Road.
“We’re hearing from VDOT that the 3-lane project is looking favorably; it’s scoring well. The 4-lane project is not scoring as well,” said Rich Morrison, deputy county administrator of planning and community development.
Scoring is based on a complicated formula and includes looking at factors such as the number of vehicles using the road daily, among others.
The Board of Supervisors also voted to move forward with seeking funding for the Market Street “road diet” project, but made that contingent upon finding a party other than the county to contribute 25% of the application cost, which Onley failed to approve at its last meeting.
The county had proposed to pay 50% of the cost, with Onancock and Onley each footing 25% of the cost.
The project consists of repaving and restriping Market Street from Route 13 to Hill Street in Onancock. Currently the road has four lanes, which would be reduced to three lanes, with bicycle lanes added.
Additionally, the board voted to move forward next year with an application for funding for a crossover improvement project in Onley.
Proposed improvements for Redwood Road did not make it through the initial screening process and the project is not eligible to move forward with application submittal in this round, according to Morrison.
It could be submitted again in the future.
Supervisor Donald L. Hart Jr. asked to be notified and included in any future meetings about
Smart Scale. He has pushed for years for improvements to be made to Redwood Road, which is in the district he represents.
The board in February prioritized projects to submit to the highway department for funding.
County Employees Return to Offices
Most county employees have returned to their normal work locations after working remotely earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, Accomack County Administrator Mike Mason said.
Exceptions are in offices where social distancing is not possible, including the Assessor’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office.
Some employees are working from the recently completed Emergency Operations Center in Melfa, Mason said.
Many county services are still being offered by appointment only.
Residents Ask County to Charge Fee for Out-of-State Boat Ramp Users
Two residents voiced concerns during a public comment period about out-of-state users of the county’s public boat ramps.
The speakers raised the question of whether the county could charge out-of-state boaters a fee. The question also has been raised in the past.
Janet Martin-Turner said “the trash bins are overflowing” at the Folly Creek facility.
“We have a lot of people from other states using the facilities,” she said.
She said localities in Delaware and Maryland, as well as the towns of Wachapreague, Quinby, and Onancock, all charge a fee to use their boat launch facilities.
“Consider a decal system,” Martin-Turner said, adding, “For that decal they would be getting the use of 23 public access points.”
Derry Stufft said out of a dozen boats launched from the Gargatha facility one recent day when he was there, only two were from Virginia.
He said he has had confrontations with people there about throwing trash on the ground.
“They are day people…It’s not fair…I think it’s time we take action to help the local taxpayers,” Stufft said.
Mason said an attorney for the county is looking into the concept of charging a fee to out-of-state boaters who use Accomack County facilities.
Watermen Grants Awarded; Small Business Grant Applications Fewer Than Expected
Accomack County received 83 applications for 20 grants to assist working watermen and already has sent out the checks, according to Morrison.
The grants were for $5,000 each.
At a June 3 work session, supervisors approved a plan to pay out $1 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funding directly to local businesses and watermen harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A similar program to assist small businesses was not as popular.
The county received only 81 applications from businesses during an application period that opened July 6 and closed July 10.
Some applications received were from businesses in towns that did not participate in the program, so those are ineligible, and there was one duplicate application, Morrison said.
Applications were still under review as of Wednesday’s meeting, but Morrison said most awardees would be notified by the following Monday.
The county had planned for at least 200 grant awards of up to $5,000, or up to $3,500 for closed home-based businesses and restaurants with takeout and delivery during the pandemic.
“We need to process these and see where we land. The window is closed,” Morrison said.
Supervisor Robert Crockett recommended the county offer grants to the 63 watermen who applied who did not receive money in that program, and also offer grants to charter boat businesses, which were not closed down by the governor’s executive orders, but which had to shut down under orders from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
The board did not take immediate action on Crockett’s proposal.
Rent and Mortgage Relief Program
Mason told the board the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission has obtained $250,000 to assist eligible Eastern Shore families facing eviction or foreclosure because of coronavirus-related loss of income.
The money can be used to pay overdue rent and mortgage bills back to April 1, with certain restrictions.
Call 757-787-2800 for information.
To be eligible, the gross household income must be at or below 80% of Area Medium Income (AMI) based on the current month’s income, including any unemployment insurance. Households with incomes below 50% AMI will be prioritized in the program through July 20.
The program provides a one-time payment to landlords and mortgage lenders with opportunity for renewal based on availability of funding and continuing household eligibility.
