At a special meeting Tuesday night, Rappahannock’s supervisors wasted

At a special meeting Tuesday night, Rappahannock’s supervisors wasted no time in coming up with a slate of nominees to recommend to Circuit Court Judge Shore Robertson for appointment to the county’s Equalization Board.

Endorsed unanimously were Martha Lou O’Bannon (Stonewall-Hawthome District), Howard Butler (Piedmont), Frank Fishback (Jackson), Sheila Sweet (Hampton) and Paul Nichols (Wakefield). Judge Robertson is scheduled to interview the prospective board memebers on Thursday morning before making the appointments.

Following a training session conducted by the State Department of Taxation, the Equalization Board will sit for six months to hear appeals from landowners dissatisfied with the appraisals set on property in the countywide reassessment recently completed.

“What are they going to be paid?” asked Supervisor A1 Henry.

“Well, the Board of Assessors got $20 a day (for their work accompanying the professional appraiser on his rounds, reviewing the values set on land and improvements and hearing appeals from landowners),” noted Supervisor Newbill Miller. "I know that’s not enough, but that’s the going rate.”

“It is a community service. Even at a high rate (of pay), it would be a community service,” said Supervisor Nelson Lane.

“They’re not going to do it for $20 a day and they’re not going to do it for $50 a day, if they’re' not motivated to do it,” said Mr. Miller, winning consensus support for his proposal that the pay remain the same as the Board of Assessors’.

Also by unanimous vote, the board named a committee to study a proposal to install “enhanced 911” in Rappahannock with the computer-improved emergency service communication system to be paid for through a surcharge on the telephone bills of county residents. The committee members are Richie Burke (Stonewall-Haw. , thome District), Mary Edna