By Heather Michon
Correspondent
Fluvanna County relies on volunteer first responders to come to our rescue in times of trouble.
Now, these dedicated volunteers will have the opportunity to earn some money for their service.
The Board of Supervisors voted on Wednesday (Feb. 5) to approve a Fire and EMS Incentive Program Incentive Program.
This program establishes a tiered payment system based on how many duty hours–the hours spent in the firehouse waiting for calls–a first responder works in a fiscal year.
A volunteer working 144 duty crew hours is eligible for a $300 cash incentive, and those working 288 hours could see a $595 incentive. There are also small incentives for administrative volunteers and volunteers in leadership positions.
Through this program, the county hopes to provide some financial support for volunteers who spend so much time away from their families but could also improve retention.
County Administrator Eric Dahl explained that implementing new tracking software would take some time, especially since some departments are currently understaffed. He recommended launching the program on July 1, at the start of the new fiscal year.
Supervisors asked Dahl if the program could be started earlier using manual tracking. Tim Hodge (Palmyra) argued this could allow volunteers to earn incentives while the county works out any potential bugs in the automated system.
The motion to approve the program, back-dated to begin on Jan. 1, passed on a vote of 5-0.
County building
Supervisors also voted to approve a $136,295 contract with Enteros Design of Richmond for a space needs study to be used in designing a new county office building.
County staff has long since outgrown existing office space and set aside $16.5 million in their FY2022 budget to construct a new building in the same complex as the Fluvanna Public Library and the Fluvanna County Sheriff’s Office. The building would house both the administrative staff and the Department of Social Services.
A space study was conducted in 2019, but since that time, the county has added at least one new department, and staff needs have changed. “This would totally revamp, update that study,” said Dahl.
The study will present a preliminary conceptual plan for both the new building and renovations of existing county buildings, along with budget estimates for the project.
Bike repair station
The Rotary Club of Fluvanna County won approval to install a bike repair station and informational kiosk in the Village of Palmyra.
The station, which will be located near the Old Stone Jail, will provide tools and pumps for quick bike repairs, along with information about the historic village green. A similar station has been located at Pleasant Grove for close to a decade.
In 2023, TransAmerica Bike Route 76 was rerouted to pass through Palmyra. Rt. 76 is a 560- mile trail connecting Yorktown, Virginia to Towner, Colorado, on the Kansas-Colorado border.
