Blacksburg Town Council Meeting – March 25, 2025

The Blacksburg Town Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers. The meeting lasted approximately 58 minutes, adjourning at 7:28 p.m. The main focus was hearing FY2025/26 agency funding requests from numerous community organizations as part of Citizen Comments. The consent agenda was approved unanimously, and council members gave brief announcements.

Consent Calendar

• The Town Council approved the minutes from the March 4, 2025 regular meeting as part of the consent agenda on a unanimous roll‑call vote (7‑0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Susan Hansen (Blacksburg Master Chorale) requested $1,000 in funding. She noted the chorale uses past Town support for scholarships, awarding $2,000 in scholarships last year to ten adults and four children. The chorus has no paid staff and practices at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church.
• John Viars (Wonder Universe – Children’s Museum) requested $5,000. He stated the museum, located in the Christiansburg Mall, serves about 35,000 children annually, with an estimated 25‑35% coming from Blacksburg schools. The museum has nearly 15,000 square feet and hosts field trips from six counties.
• Ferne Moschella (New River Land Trust) requested continued support. She highlighted that over 23 years the trust has conserved about 58,000 acres of farmland, forest, and open space through conservation easements and restoration.
• Kacie Hodges (Blacksburg Community Band) requested about $600 (the band’s annual budget is $17,000). The band has approximately 100 volunteer performers, gives seven free concerts per year, and awards two $500 scholarships to high school seniors.
• Wendy Baldwin (Imagination Library of Montgomery County) requested funding to support the Dolly Parton program. She reported 2,200 children enrolled out of 3,500 eligible in the county (34% in Blacksburg), with over 18,000 books delivered since inception. The cost per child is $16 per year.
• Ginny Ayers (Literacy NRV) requested support. She noted that 8% of Blacksburg adults read below a third‑grade level and 16% speak a language other than English at home. The organization has about 150 tutors, 50 from Blacksburg, providing free one‑on‑one literacy instruction.
• Raymond Parks (New River Valley Agency on Aging) requested continued funding. He stated the agency supports older adults aging in place, noting that by 2030 20% of the region’s population will be over 65. The agency leverages local support for Older Americans Act funding.
• Sherry Wyatt (Montgomery Museum of Art and History) requested $5,000. She cited that 36% of museum membership resides in Blacksburg. The museum recently hosted the Virginia Association of Museums conference with 300 attendees.
• John Walker (Cayambis Institute) requested $1,000. The institute’s Sinfonietta orchestra, founded in 2022, now has 17 players and aims to present four concerts per year in Blacksburg. The organization holds a biennial composition competition to discover emerging composers.
• Suzanne Gardner (Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance – RBIA) requested funding for the organization’s accelerator programs and events. She noted RBIA directly served 13 entrepreneurs in 2024 through its RAMP accelerator and hosts events like Beer & Biotech and a Tech Night in May 2025.
• Debbie Edwards (Friends of the Farmers Market) requested support. She reported record sales of $2.31 million in 2024, issued $23,000 in SNAP/Virginia Fresh Match benefits, and created an emergency fund of up to $2,000 for vendor disasters. The market supports over 40 small businesses.
• Seth Davis (The Lyric) requested operating and capital funding. He noted a 25% increase in overall attendance last year, educational programs tripling, and collaborations with over 40 community groups on 85 programs. The Lyric celebrates its 95th anniversary next month.
• Laina Schneider (Live, Work, Eat, Grow) requested continued support of $15,000. She announced a new community garden at Heritage Park with 19 plots, bringing total household garden plots to 129 across four gardens.
• Diana Frances (Blacksburg Museum and Cultural Foundation) requested annual funding. She highlighted work with the St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall working group on restoration plans, and renewed programs such as 16 Squares tours, haunted history tours, and Blacksburg en Blanc.
• Pete Macedo (502 Lee Street) thanked Council for listening to residents’ concerns about the 801 North Main Street project. He announced his intention to run for Mayor this fall, stating he had collected over 125 signatures.

Council Announcements

• Councilmember Liam Watson thanked all the agencies for presenting their work.
• Councilmember Susan Anderson expressed disappointment about the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors’ recent resolution regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Student Life Village, but thanked those who participated in supporting DEI at Virginia Tech.
• Councilmember Jerry Ford, Jr. noted upcoming community events.
• Councilmember Jerry Ford, Jr. also announced the Interfaith Food Pantry food drive (March 16‑30) with a goal of 30,000 cans.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda (approval of March 4, 2025 minutes) was approved unanimously (7‑0).
• No other formal votes or decisions were taken; the meeting consisted of citizen comments and council announcements.
• The next regular Town Council meeting is scheduled for April 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.