AdvanceChristiansburg

As election day approaches and campaigns get underway, and to avoid presuming what the big issues are to you, I would like some open discussion on your topics of interest.  I am wrapping up my first term on Town Council and have decided to run for a second term.  In looking back at the reasons for running the first time, and in what's been accomplished over the last 3+ years, I'm generally encouraged that important progress is being made in several areas of community development and town government.  But there's still a lot of work to be done.  So, I'd appreciate hearing from you on specific questions/issues and to share the dialogue in this open format.

It's been an honor and a privelege to serve the citizens of Christiansburg as a member of council, especially considering the high quality of fabric that we have as a people and as a community.  To quote Abraham Lincoln, "I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."  Regardless of the outcome of May's election, it's easy to say that a person would be hard set to find a better place to call home than Christiansburg. 

With that, Let's Keep Christiansburg Moving Forward -- and have some discussion on that.     

Paper = Present system of Cash or Check Only for town bills (personal property and real estate taxes, utilities, etc.)

Plastic = Debit/Credit Card, or Online Electronic Fund Transfer/Third Party Internet Service

Since the first days of running for Council in 2006, a frequent and recurring citizen request has been to provide the opportunity to pay bills electronically, especially on-line.  Progress in this area for some time was like a black snake swallowing a garden spade -- slow and by jerks.  The revamped Town website will support on-line bill payment; the holdup has been the inability to accept Debit/Credit/Electronic payments, and financial software that does not presently have the necessary interface to receive electronic payments (another story unto itself, but is now being addressed).  Significant recent progress is at hand with the Town Treasurer and the Treasurer's Department taking the lead in getting us there (cheers).  Council will be making a final decision on the details of this matter in a few weeks, and I would appreciate knowing your thoughts on how you think we should handle this.  Online payments are not an option until the software in the Treasurer's office is updated, but I earnestly believe that the Teasurer's Office will have us there during CY 2010.

As I see it, here are the choices:

Option 1:  Continue a Cash or Check only policy

Option 2:  Provide for Debit/Credit Card Payments - No extra charge to person making payment (same as Montgomery County, Town of Blacksburg, and a majority of other localities)

Option 3:  Provide for Debit/Credit/Online Payments - Extra charge (3% presently being discussed) to person making certain payments that incur transaction fees.

Option 4:  Your idea? 

Going into this, I'm inclined to go with Option 2 as my sense is that this is what most folks expect, and believe is the most widely accepted method for encouraging payment (increased tax and bill recovery, decreased paperwork, and customer convenience are the clear advantages -- and will likely have a negligible net effect on the bottom line). 

Thanks in advance for your input.

Since the morning of Friday December 18th, the Town of Christiansburg Public Works Staff has been working tirelessly and round-the-clock to keep Christiansburg moving in the midst of a 16-inch snowstorm event that effectively paralyzed the area through the weekend.  It's unlikely that any town resident could not have noticed the effort that these unsung heroes have been putting forth in clearing the roads and assisting stranded motorists during the first 48 hours of the storm.  This same laudable effort was put forth by the Police Department as well (one officer I spoke with at 7:00p on Friday evening along Cambria Street noted that his shift began at 6:00a that morning, and he still had work left to do).  In talking with the Town Supervisor in charge of this effort, he noted this afternoon that there have been 25 public works staff working 12-plus hour shifts on approximately 22 pieces of equipment (17 dump trucks plus several pieces of heavy equipment including backhoes and large pick ups) non-stop to clear the streets of snow and assisting stranded motorists retrieve their vehicles. 

I won't bore you with particular stories over the weekend for I'm sure your personal experiences are more poignant, but the point is that we have a top-notch group of dedicated professionals tending to the necessary tasks that keep our daily lives as normal as possible and I want to make sure that we take time to say THANKS.  So next time you see one of these folks in your neck of the woods, let them know they're appreciated by tipping your hat, waving, or sharing an encouraging word if possible.    

Virginia Municipal League's Annual Conference 2009 began on Sun 18 Oct 09 and ended Tue 20 Oct 09.  Attending from Council were Mayor Ballengee; members Barber, Carter, Stipes, Vanhoozier, and Wade.  Overall conference turnout was down slightly from previous years, likely due to economy.  Excellent relationship building, interaction with other jurisdictional leaders, roundtable discussions, and advice from experts on a wide variety of pertinent topics.  Complete program here. 

The following are a few highlights:

Sunday 18 Oct 09:  Exhibit Hall & Opening Reception - Compared notes with neighboring jurisdictions (B'burg, Radford, Pulaski, Roanoke, etc.), as well as vendors and subject matter experts of all sorts.  Noteworthy contacts were MuniCode, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Waste Industries, and VML-VACo Financing.

Monday 19 Oct 09: Town Track - Ingredients of a Successful Community - Neal J. Barber; C. M. Mitchell (Mayor, City of Galax);  Woody Crenshaw (Community Leader - Town of Floyd).  The following references were encouraged:  www.boomtowninstitute.com and the book Smart Communities by Suzanne W. Morse.  Successful communities do the following:

1.  Think and Act Strategically - Have a vision for the future; have a plan to achieve the vision; build on community strengths; practice democracy; encourage participation in decision making; have a realistic appraisal of future opportunities; are aware of competitive position.

2.  Continually Develop Leaders - Recruit women and minorities into leadership roles; transition power to younger generation.

3.  Use Resources Wisely - Invest right the first time; seekoutside help; invest in the future; leverage resources.

4.  Organize for Action - Work together; have a cooperative community spirit; have a positive "Can-Do" attitude; believe, ultimately, that we make the difference; have active economic development program; use information resources in sophisticated ways.

5.  Emphasize Quality in All Aspects of Business & Community Life - Have sound and well-maintained infrastructure; are willing to invest in quality; build a community "brand".

6.  Have a Strong Sense of Place - Shaped by the physical, cultural, and historical environment.

Excellent case studies were provided by Mayor C. M. Mitchell (Mayor of Galax - slogan: Best "Pick" in Virginia!) and Woody Crenshaw (Crenshaw Lighting) of Floyd - about focusing on some of the above tenets to "Invest in a Creative Economy".  Of special note in these talks were Cross Roads Institute and Chestnut Creek School of the Arts in Galax and the several new projects and venues that Floyd has cultivated that defines its future as a destination/domicile as well.  Galax has come a long way with cultivating its identity for niche industry (114 new ones through Cross Roads Institute since it opened), mountain crafts and music, recreation (New River Trail), and overall mountain heritage.  Having been to Galax several times in the last year (including the Moose Lodge Old Time Fiddler's Convention in August and a Bluegrass peformance/live radio broadcast in the Old Rex Theatre in Spring 2009), the charm and allure of the town are firmly in place and they are successfully reinventing their community.  As Mayor Mitchell indicated, their success has come largely through regional cooperation and support from Grayson and Carroll Counties (Galax straddles the two counties, much like Radford does between Montgomery and Pulaski).  The Crooked Road and Round the Mountain initiatives were also discussed in relation to Galax.  Common themes and clear commitment to success by these folks.  

On Floyd, paraphrasing Crenshaw, "We finally decided about ten years ago that having no four lane roads, airport, gas transmission line, etc. maybe wasn't such a bad thing afterall, and that if we focus on making Floyd the kind of community that we'd like to visit and live in, that other people might like to as well."  And I think anyone who's been to Floyd lately can see the makeover.  One neat enhancement (streetscape) project they did was building the small artisan nooks along the sidewalk just outside the famous Floyd Country Store.  Doing this encouraged local musicians to jam on Saturday nights and has resulted in lots more interest in being in the downtown area on weekend evenings.  Also good stuff for us to ponder and put to use.   

Future of Transportation in Virginia -  Dire, and worsening daily, as far as funding goes.  In addition to localities no longer receiving state $$ for new projects (Urban Program - think the completion of Route 114), a time is soon coming when maintenance demands will also outpace available funds.  Need new and significant dedicated revenue for infrastructure maintenance and enhancement.  Following reports from key VDOT personnel, VML Staff contrasted gubernatorial candidates Deeds and McDonnell and their positions on a transportation agenda. 

Tue 20 Oct 09 -

Gubernatorial Candidate Deeds cancelled planned appearance.

Roundtable Discussions on Creating Arts and Cultural Districts (Harrisonburg has an excellent model for Christiansburg; could integrate Antiques into District);  Infrastructure Financing Amidst a Recession - focused on Community Development Authorities; Streetscape Appearance Green Enhancement - attended this session with Councilman Vanhoozier and will consider several of the ideas discussed, especially the public-private partnership for sprucing up our gateways and roadway corridors.

Evening Banquet & Program - Induction of Town Manager Lance Terpenny as VML President for 2010.  This was a very special occasion for Lance, his family, and the entire Town.  The event was well-attended by department heads and key staff, etc. which added to the moment.  Congratulations to Lance for a long-time dream fulfilled, and to the town for the honor and esteem that his appointment brings with it.

Feel free to ask about anything else that went on; I missed Tuesday morning's session due to a scheduled meeting with Mr. Dana Martin, our Commonwealth Transportation Board member, on the upcoming 2010 Transportation Enhancement Application for the Huckleberry Trail (Due 01 Dec 09).  Even in tight times, the Huck remains very attractive and "fundable" for the next cycle - which is good news.  

New horizons are forming for one of Christiansburg's most important landmarks, the Christiansburg Industrial Institute (CI).  From 1866 to 1966 the Institute offered education, inspiration and community to African Americans trying to better themselves in the face of adversity.  In its prime, CI encompassed 185 acres of land and 14 primary buildings that offered on-campus and off-campus education, technical/trade training, and life leadership modeling for young people during the long period of racial segregation.  The original campus includes property now occupied by Christiansburg High School, Horne Funeral Home, Food Lion, Oak Tree Town Homes, Lion's Gate subdivision, and Vista Via Subdivision.  The remaining building, named after former Headmaster Edgar A. Long, is situated on 4.4 acres at 140 Scattergood Drive near Christiansburg High School.  Thanks to a dedicated group of Alumni and a relatively new 501c3 organization, Christiansburg Institute Inc.,  formed in 1996, a new commitment is underway to to preserve and promote CI through enacting its legacies of education, service and excellence in the remaining Edgar A. Long Building.  The building itself is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Virginia Historic Landmark.  For nearly three decades the Agricultural Program was overseen by famous Franklin County native Booker T. Washington.  Needless to say, the historic and cultural significance of CI is a town treasure that desrves the complete support of the town in achieving its noble plans of restoration and ongoing vitality.

More recently, an important partnership between CI and Virginia Tech has formed, together with the Towns of Christiansburg and Blacksburg, and even more recently Montgomery County, to formulate a solid plan for a rebirth of this facility as a living resource for community building, education, preservation, and exhibition.   I've had the pleasure of serving on this important Partnership Committee since Fall 2008, and it's clear that several key developments are at hand that will springboard this vision into reality.

Ms. Elaine Carter, Executive Director of Christiansburg Institute Incorporated, and resident alumni/board members will be increasingly present before Council to report on the progress of these efforts, as well as to present opportunities to participate in this revitalization.  To date, the Town has offered some key infrastructure components including sidewalks, public sewer, etc. to the adaptive reuse of this building and the overall Master Plan.  With the momentum and support of this important working group, it won't be long before this dream is realized.  I, for one, am very much looking forward and committed to it.