Blacksburg Town Council Work Session - February 6, 2024

The Blacksburg Town Council held a work session on February 6, 2024, at 11 a.m. The session included updates on sustainability legislation, sidewalk snow removal, a financial report, and a closed meeting to evaluate the Town Manager's performance.

Discussion Items

• Sustainability Legislative Update: Sustainability Manager Carol Davis provided an overview of legislative items of interest to the Town, including renewable energy and building energy efficiency initiatives. Davis highlighted policy priorities from the Virginia Energy and Sustainability Peer Network, which comprises 26 member localities, and noted that more information would be available as the General Assembly progresses.
• Sidewalk Snow Removal Discussion: Deputy Town Manager Matt Hanratty reviewed the Town’s weather event plan, including updates to the Town website on Public Works services and reminders of citizen responsibility for sidewalk clearing. He also mentioned the option to use a local contractor for snow removal in key pedestrian areas. Council encouraged stronger enforcement of commercial properties that fail to maintain their sidewalks.
• Second Quarter Financial Report Overview: Finance Director Susan Kaiser provided an overview of the quarterly financial report for the period ending December 31, 2023.
• Council/Staff Exchange: Town Attorney Larry Spencer advised on an upcoming public hearing regarding the Meadowbrook Greenway Deed of Designation, required for a contract with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Council also discussed the allowance of vape shops near school zones and the need to review approval processes for gas fueling stations due to health impacts.

Key Outcomes

• Closed Meeting: Vice Mayor Michael Sutphin moved to adjourn to a Closed Meeting at 12:03 p.m. under the personnel exemption (Virginia Code § 2.2-3711(A)(1)) for discussion and evaluation of the Town Manager’s performance. Councilmember Susan Anderson seconded, and the motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote (Anderson, Colliver, Ford, Hager-Smith, Mattingly, Sutphin, and Watson voted yes; none opposed).
• Resolution 2-A-24: Council reconvened to Open Meeting at 1:08 p.m. Vice Mayor Sutphin moved to adopt Resolution 2-A-24, certifying the propriety of the closed meeting. Councilmember Jerry Ford seconded, and the motion passed on a roll call vote (Anderson, Colliver, Ford, Hager-Smith, Sutphin, and Watson voted yes; Councilmember Mattingly had left the meeting at 12:45 p.m.; none opposed).
• The meeting adjourned at 1:08 p.m.