Del. March presents commending resolution from the General Assembly to NRRA

 

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Del. Marie March makes remarks Wednesday at the New River Resource Authority backed by (from left) Tom Starnes, Executive Director Joe Levine and Pulaski County’s Dirk Compton. (Mike Williams/The Patriot)

By MIKE WILLIAMS

The Patriot

The New River Resource Authority – which provides solid waste management services to the residents of the New River Valley – was celebrated Wednesday during a ceremony at the landfill facility on Cloyd’s Mountain north of Dublin.

The object of the ceremony was the presentation by Seventh District Delegate Marie March of a Commending Resolution from the Virginia General Assembly recognizing the NRRA for its over 30 years of service.

March introduced the resolution during the recent session of the legislature, and it was approved by both the House of Delegates and State Senate.

Attending the catered ceremony were current and past members of the NRRA Board of Directors, area government officials, vendors and consultants who work regularly with the authority, and others.

In presenting the resolution to the NRRA, March said the authority had – since its creation in 1986 – “provided sustained economic stability and has demonstrated exceptional environmental compliance while maintaining the lowest regional tipping fees.”

March said the NRRA Board and Executive Director Joe Levine operate a debt-free operation and reserve fund to address future environmental requirements – without having to place additional tax burdens on the citizens of the region.

“I want to thank the board and Mr. Levine for their foresight and prudent handling of their budget, and for their concerns for our citizens,” March said. “I look forward to seeing what the NRRA will accomplish in the future.”

State Senator Travis Hackworth, 38th District, assisted in the presentation and noted the Cloyd’s Mountain facility is a “huge asset to the county and surrounding counties.”

March read the resolution, which specifically recognized founding board members Robert Asbury and Thomas Starnes from the City of Radford.

It also commended former board member Peggy Hemmings who – as a 24-year member of Dublin Town Council – served on the NRRA Board in a variety of capacities including as chairman. She is also the only woman to have served on the board.

Hemmings said she is proud to have been the only woman to serve on the board.

“I watched this grow from almost nothing to the very best anywhere,” she told the gathering.

Levine said the resolution not only represents the 35-plus years of operation of the NRRA but speaks volumes “for what our boards over the years have been dedicated to … keeping the environmental part in line, but the economic side has always been the focus of making sure that taxpayers are taken care of.”

Levine said the resolution speaks for former board members, and all of the employees.

He singled out Marjorie Atkins, Office Manager at the facility for 34 years who is also the recording secretary for the board.

Levine recalled that 25 years earlier, on May 27 the Cloyd’s Mountain facility opened with Pulaski County, Dublin and Radford leaving the Ingles Mountain landfill for Cloyd’s Mountain.

Since then, Giles County and the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority – which serves the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Montgomery County and Virginia Tech – have joined the Authority.

Levine said when he came onboard in 2003, the facility was operating three landfill “cells” in Area A.  He noted Area D has just been opened and is a 16-acre project area that cost some $12 million to construct.  He added the project was funded through reserve funds the authority had saved up over a 10-year period.

(Top Photo) Del. March and former NRRA board member Peggy Hemmings of Dublin share a moment after the ceremony. Hemmings is the only woman to have served on the board. (Mike Williams/The Patriot)

 

 

 

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Del. Marie March and State Senator Travis Hackworth display the commendation resolution passed by the Virginia General Assembly honoring the NRRA. (Mike Williams/The Patriot)