Covington City Council Discusses Rezoning Request, GO Virginia, and Utility Bill Increase By Jennifer Bailey Staff Writer   Covington, VA (May 6, 2025)— The Covington City Council held a two-part meeting with part one beginning at 5:30 p.m. and led by the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation. The meeting was to discuss a rezoning request by King's Tire Service of two lots on Holly Street. After a brief presentation by King's Tire Service, the issue was voted on and approved by the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation. Then, at promptly 6:30 p.m., Mayor William Carson called the Covington City Council's work session into order. Kicking things off was GO Virginia Region 2 council member, Jacob Wright, who talked a little about the foundation. GO Virginia got its name from the acronym "growth and opportunity," with its full name being "Virginia Growth and Opportunity Foundation." Region 2, according to their website, "consists of the cities of Covington, Lynchburg, Radford, Roanoke, and Salem; and the counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Roanoke." Their purpose is to support economic and workforce growth throughout the state of Virginia. Wright's full presentation is now available on the Alleghany Journal's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alleghanyjournal. Following Wright's presentation, City Manager Allen Dressler gave his lengthiest presentation to date, including a blow-by-blow of the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget plan. The portion which would affect residents most was Dressler's proposal to increase the water bill by $2, the trash bill by $4, and the sewer bill by $4, which would mean a $10 total increase, taking the current utility bill from $90 for unlimited water use to $100 for unlimited water use. Dressler explained that "The city is required to complete a rate study... so that we meet our legally required rate covenant, which was bond agreements back in 2011 and 2012... Currently, we're not meeting that 115% requirement, so we have to address it." According to Dressler, "Water should pay for itself." The city manager also did a breakdown of the water and sewer funds. For the water, there is a current fund of $2.2 million, but a cost of $2.5 million, leaving a $319,000 deficit. Meanwhile, the sewer fund is $1.9 million, but with a cost of $2.4 million, leaving a $489,000 deficit. In total, that equals a $4.1 million dollar fund, a $4.9 million cost, and an $808,000 deficit. The more than 3/4 million deficit is the reason for the proposed $10 increase on the water bill and the city's failure to meet the 115% revenue requirement. Dressler's presentation in its entirety is now available on the Alleghany Journal's Facebook page.

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