Will council please come to order and will the clerk please call the roll?

Anderson, present.

Bush.

Here.

Oliver.

Here.

Or?

Here.

Egar Smith.

Here.

Mattingley.

Here.

Here.

We'll begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Will the uh Vice Mayor please lead us?

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God.

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

We want to begin with a recognition for uh Kelly Mattingley, and so I'm gonna ask you to come forward.

Shall I use the you should be able to use the yep that one?

No, no, no.

All right, well, let's come down here.

Yeah.

Here we are.

Um I think a lot of uh people in the um in the chambers here tonight understand that there are many things that a town government is not allowed to do um by state ordinance.

Uh if I could make you stay, but the state won't let me do that.

So this is a resolution honoring Blacksburg Public Works Director, Stephen Kelly Mattingley.

Stephen, in case anybody missed that.

Whereas Kelly Mattingley began his career with the town of Blacksburg as the director of public works in 1994, whereas Kelly has been involved with numerous high-profile projects ranging from new roads and bridges to streetscapes, landscapes, utilities, and building construction.

However, his enduring legacy is the creation of the town's environmental sustainability program.

Whereas Kelly initiated the first building energy retrofits to all town facilities that introduced energy efficient lighting and HBAC systems, implemented single stream curbside recycling, introduced biodiesel fuel to the town's vehicle fleet, and most recently began the process of transitioning the town's fleet of vehicles from petroleum to electricity in coordination with the town's Office of Sustainability, and whereas Kelly established long-lasting community partnerships by supporting the infrastructure needs for annual downtown events, partnered with the YMCA at Virginia Tech on successful programs such as e-waste recycling and helped found the nonprofit Sustainable Blacksburg, which in collaboration with the town and Virginia Tech has held a series of annual educational events since 2007.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia, that Kelly Mattingley be recognized and appreciated for his contributions and dedicated untiring service to the town and its citizens.

Speech.

Coming back to Blacksburg in 1991 to raise our family was probably the best decision we ever made.

This is a great community.

In 1994, I was really lucky to get this job.

I didn't have a lot of experience, but uh the town manager at the time, Ron Secarist had faith in me, and uh I really am grateful to him for this opportunity.

It's been an honor serving the community for 28 years in this position.

And I I've always tried to uh show the public respect that they deserve and treat them as partners and not adversaries.

And I hope that they they see that in me as well.

Um not sure what the future holds.

I've heard retirement's pretty cool, like a lifelong vacation from this point on.

Um this time next month I should be a grandfather, uh, which is gonna be very exciting.

Um's having a first child, and um they live in Richmond, which is um very accessible, which is gonna be great.

Again, thank you.

Um I'd really love to stay for the whole meeting.

Uh I've got a slightly better offer from uh a cadre of friends back there that includes um pizza and beer and uh hot tub and a fire uh fire pit.

So with that, I um did my did my farewell and I wish you all the very best, and thank you again.

Mayor, if I may, uh before Kelly gets too far out the door, um I don't want to stand in the way because A Susan is missing out on all the fun stuff the longer we go tonight, but she has another job to do.

But if if I may just um public works is a department that can be sometimes the only interaction a citizen has with the town.

Um and Kelly said it right there, and I've heard it say them before, but Kelly consistently ensured that public works' customer service in response to a citizen was friendly, responsive, and always made the citizen feel listened to and responded to.

Um, and that's something I'll always remember.

Um, Kelly's leadership and vision and environmental sustainability is a lasting legacy, uh, not just here but across the state uh as a leader.

Um, and I would say, you know, and at a at the conclusion of a 28-year career just here, of course.

He had another career before he came here.

Um Kelly has had a positive influence on the community, no doubt.

Um, and I appreciate his approach.

Uh and this is his quote, and I have a um uh fortune cookie that had it one day, and it's do the right thing because it's right.

And as soon as I opened that fortune cookie up, I said, Oh, that's Kelly's Kelly wrote that.