The Blacksburg Town Council held a work session on September 5, 2023, at the Blacksburg Motor Company, 400 South Main Street. The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m. and adjourned at 11:33 a.m. Present were Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith, Vice Mayor Susan Anderson, Councilmembers John Bush, Susan Mattingly, and Michael Sutphin. Councilmembers Lauren Colliver and Jerry Ford, Jr. were absent. Town Manager Marc A. Verniel, Town Attorney Lawrence S. Spencer, Jr., and Town Clerk Lorraine S. Spaulding were also present.
Blacksburg Rescue Chief David English provided an update on the proposed EMS revenue recovery program. The County is finalizing the contract for billing services with the selected vendor. Once that contract is complete, the Town will be ready to introduce its revenue recovery ordinance. The tentative start date for the program is January 2024.
Town Attorney Lawrence Spencer reminded Council that the Town has a policy on electronic participation in meetings, which has never been used. He presented a draft document with minor updates for Council to review.
Deputy Town Manager Chris Lawrence reminded Council of two sewer projects ready to start construction, with an expected eighteen-month timeline. The budgeted cost was lower than the proposed bids, so a transfer of $1,500,000 from the Water and Sewer Fund is necessary to fund the construction contract.
Deputy Town Manager Chris Lawrence reviewed the proposed interchange study, which will assess pedestrian and bicycle access along the Prices Fork corridor. The project will ultimately be a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) project, but the Town must complete the design and proposed improvements before VDOT can consider accepting it into their 2024 cycle.