ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 1996 TAG: 9602070066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Billy Branson, who has been Wythe County's administrator since 1977, announced Tuesday night that he would resign Sept. 1.
The announcement followed a 11/2-hour closed session of the county Board of Supervisors, with Branson called back in for the last 20 minutes.
Branson has been a target of a citizens' group who opposed building a private prison in the county, especially after he followed board instructions to accompany two supervisors on a fact-finding trip to Texas. The company had an existing prison there and the supervisors brought back a favorable report on it.
The board then voted 4-3 to invite Corrections Corporation of America to build a 1,500-bed prison here. The decision was reversed after three new supervisors were elected to the seven-member board last year. It turned out not to matter, because the state did not choose CCA to build the prison.
Representatives of the anti-prison group attended all three meetings of the new board held so far this year, including this one, but left when the board went into closed session.
The resignation agreement, adopted unanimously when the board returned to open session, includes the board buying one year of Virginia Supplemental Retirement System retirement for Branson, which will base his retirement on 20 years of service; pay his health insurance to age 65, and provide $18,000 in severance pay.
``This county's been good to me and, contrary to what some people say, I think I've been good to this county,'' said Branson, who was working for the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission when he was hired as administrator.
LENGTH: Short : 38 linesby CNB