Wythe County supervisors agree to say “I’m sorry”

  Wythe County’s board of supervisors has agreed to say “I’m sorry.“

  As part of a settlement with the Virginia Office of Attorney General, Wythe County’s board of supervisors has agreed to offer a public apology for a law it passed in 2007.

  The 2007 ordinance banned all group homes in the county.

  An assistant attorney general argued the board passed the law in response to Camelot of Virginia, an organization which works with kids and teens with diagnosed mental problems, wanting to open a group home for boys in the Grahams Forge section of the county.

  The attorney argued the ban violated the Virginia Fair Housing Law.

  In the settlement, or “consent order” as it is legally called, the board and some county staff are also required to take a three hour class on fair housing policies.

  Camelot of Virginia’s chief executive officer said the organization has no plans to revisit the issue.

  Camelot’s CEO said the group opened a home for girls in the town of Wytheville in 2007. 

  He said the group home for girls has been doing fine.

  Neighbors in the Grahams Forge community argued to the board of supervisors their property values would go down and crimes rates up if Camelot was allowed to open the home, according to court documents.

  You can link to a statement on the issue from Virginia Attorney General William Mims here .