Blacksburg Town Council Meeting - May 14, 2024

The Blacksburg Town Council held its regular meeting on May 14, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers. The meeting covered a consent agenda, citizen comments on various topics including a police complaint, a Gaza ceasefire resolution, address identification in a new development, and support for photo speed enforcement, followed by a proclamation and council announcements.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from April 9, April 16, and April 23, 2024.
• Introduced Ordinance 2056 to authorize photo speed monitoring devices in school crossing zones, scheduling a public hearing for June 11, 2024.
• Approved the Blacksburg Transit Substance Abuse Policy.
• Approved Resolution 5-A-24 supporting VDOT's Smart Scale application for FY2026.
• Vice Mayor Sutphin moved, Councilmember Anderson seconded; motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• James Earthman (Eggleston) alleged that two Blacksburg police officers violated his civil rights and maliciously prosecuted him for disorderly conduct; the charge was dismissed by a judge. He stated he had emailed council about the grievance.
• Susan DeLay (302 Cherokee Drive), representing a group calling itself "The People of Blacksburg," called for a ceasefire resolution on Gaza. She stated the group had collected over 450 digital and at least 50 physical signatures on a petition, but council had not called a vote. She noted that since the initial presentation on March 12, 2024, Palestinian deaths had increased from 31,184 to at least 34,904 and injuries from 72,889 to 78,514. The group then left the chambers to hold a "first people's council" outside.
• Dustin Kaufman (Christiansburg resident, postal employee; identified as Dustin Crawford in the transcript) raised concerns about duplicate house numbers in the new West Hill development in Montgomery County, which could cause confusion for emergency services. He requested better communication between developers, the county, and the post office. Town staff indicated they would follow up.
• Charles Schade (401 Clairmont Drive) expressed strong support for Ordinance 2056 (photo speed cameras), citing research showing they reduce speeds and crashes. He also expressed distress over the situation in Palestine and encouraged council to find a constructive way to engage. Mayor Hager-Smith responded, noting that council had issued a statement and sent letters to federal and state representatives.
• James Hardell (233 Price Street) shared a 2006 article by Charles Krauthammer arguing that Israel has offered a Palestinian state four times and was refused, and criticized ceasefire advocates for not acknowledging the October 7 Hamas attack.
• Waverly Evans (205 Franklin Drive) voiced disagreement with prior speakers advocating for a ceasefire, stating he was the person accused of Islamophobia in a previous meeting. He argued that the U.S. has representation while Gaza does not since Hamas was elected, and that the group does not speak for all Blacksburg citizens.

Proclamation

• Mayor Hager-Smith read a proclamation declaring May 19–25, 2024, as Emergency Medical Services Week, recognizing the contributions of EMS providers.

Council Announcements

• Councilmember Colliver congratulated high school graduates and noted downtown parking availability.
• Councilmember Mattingly announced upcoming improvements (facelift) to the Draper Road area, expected to begin in the coming weeks.
• Councilmember Anderson mentioned the Toms Creek Basin stakeholder process, which will study future development possibilities while maintaining rural character; a 12-month process with multiple citizen input opportunities.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously (7-0).
• Ordinance 2056 introduced and scheduled for public hearing on June 11, 2024.
• Proclamation for EMS Week read and acknowledged.
• No vote was taken on a Gaza ceasefire resolution; council had previously issued a statement and escalated concerns to federal and state officials.
• Staff will follow up on the address duplication issue with Montgomery County and the post office.
• Meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m.

Note: The speaker who raised address concerns is recorded as Dustin Kaufman in the minutes and as Dustin Crawford in the transcript.