Flag Lowering

The flags flying from Town Hall have been lowered for an in-determinant time. It seems that the deterioration of the wooden structure to which the flag mount was attached was beginning to crumble due to rot. While the Town has been focusing efforts on enhancing the street scape and on the condition of buildings owned privately in the Historic District, they have let their very own building deteriorate.

There has been at least one repair job on the columns and railings above the entrance to Town Hall since it was build a decade or so ago. Ironically, the Town has recently been contemplating the construction of yet another roofed entrance at the back side of Town Hall without given any consideration of the condition to the front. Rumors have it, that design work for this new construction is being done by the same architect who may also be providing design work for the Farmer’s Market.

Although, the rotting condition of the railings and columns are very visible, there is no visible line item in the Town’s budget to fix anything. In fact it was a member of the general public who pointed out the problem to the Town.

Street Lights

Has anyone noticed the “sample” street light in front of Town Hall? It was placed there to give the public a glimpse of the finishing touches the Town promised would help dress up the Streetscape Project. While the light has been up almost a month now, many people have not even noticed it and those that have seem to think the light probably was purchased from Lowes or Home Depot.

The light and its thin, flimsy looking pole is very unimpressive to most casual observers. But fear not Citizens of Scottsville, it is the wrong light. For proof, check out the ARB approved light in the Council meeting room of Town Hall. It would appear that someone has purchased the wrong lights and are in storage somewhere. A council member placed the blame for this blunder on the power company, AEP, and tried into insure those attending a recent Council meeting that the correct lights would be acquired so in the meantime the sample light was extinguished.

Can anything else go wrong you ask? But of course. But it seems that any current problems or delays are the result of either Embarq or AEP according to the wise ones in Town Hall. It seems that several poles may not come down as they are need to get power to the houses at 550 and 590 Valley Street.  They were overlooked by the great “engineering design firm” known as Volkert and Associates.  With all the years of planning, how where these properties overlooked? Both Embarq and AEP were handed an infrastructure system that is inferior in planning an execution.

A conversation with  any person sporting the logo of either utility company are quick to point out the problems they have encountered and will yet encounter. They are highly critical of Volkert.  Oddly when you attend any council meeting it is implied that Volkert done a fantastic job for the time.  In my book, Volkert and Linco (the genera contractor) should be placed on a leaking batteaux and sent downriver with no oars.