Christiansburg's town council meeting Tuesday night was unremarkable, if apparent confusion and rudeness are overlooked.
Moving from the speakerless Joint Public Hearings and Public Hearings (where select background information was fed to attendees by the town manager), the amended agenda was voted on. The mayor noted this had been changed to add the Christiansburg Police Department's reaccreditation while forgetting it was also expanded to allow the just concluded presentation of a posthumous resolution honoring Sgt. Kenneth Gibson.
Items scheduled for the Citizen Hearing included the Planning Commission (PC) recommendations to council. This morphed into council action, seeing a motion and vote and yet another motion made before a citizen graciously asked at what point citizen comments would be heard.
Although the mayor testily pointed out the Public Hearing on these matters had been held two weeks previously, that missed the point -- which was the PC recommendations (and conditions) had not been previously available. And that a Citizen Hearings was in fact on the agenda.
The speaker was a county appointed official with over seven years of service and experience on the Department of Social Services Board. After each council member was provided with a list outlining the Commonwealth's regulatory processes for family day homes -- which tacitly pointed out the PC and council were shifting from local land use questions to state licensure requirements -- Councilman Brad Stipes pounced, forgetting protocol and good manners when addressing a town resident and Virginia government liaison.
At council's last meeting, Councilman Barber responded to a business operator's concern over a sign permit and stated it would be resolved at the "next" meeting. That would have been this meeting. It wasn't on the agenda, however, and the business operator had not been provided any updates in the interim. At the meeting, she obtained a copy of the Planning Director's response to her complaint and indicated dismay at what she perceived to be a misrepresentation of facts.
Another citizen asked that updates be provided on the contract between the town and Virginia Tech as regards providing $5 million in aquatic center funding and the business plan for that facility. Again, missing the point and restating the obvious, the speaker was given a "status report" on the spot. A director has been hired and VT lawyers just gave the contract back to the town's attorney. Again. Perhaps the speaker was asking for these items to be placed on a future agenda, ensuring citizens and council all received the same information?
Another citizen asked for an update on downtown parking, noting new rules were to have been in place by now. Again, the mayor and town administration gave an "status report" on the spot. Perhaps the speaker wanted to hear more about how this is being communicated to the public, downtown business operators and property owners, instead of where staff was shopping for signs?
Another citizen was practically shaking with anger when talking about town tax tickets which lacked sufficient information, increased BPOL fees followed by donation letters for the aquatic center, costs associated with a bus survey and extending this service, and pulling lodging taxes away from a regional tourism effort instead of simply reducing this tax. "Few knew about the plans for the aquatic center, fewer had a chance to provide any input. Asking for input about bus service is a start because at least you're asking what people think or want. You're obligating the Town of Christiansburg to finance this stuff -- but where is the money coming from? With today's problems, you're going to hurt people."
Councilman Barber asked what had happened to council's action on revising slow moving vehicle, or moped, requirements to allow these regulations to be in place by January 1. Seems this is in the works, too, but it really appeared to have been something where the ball was dropped.
A confused coup d'état closed out the evening's entertainment when, with payment of the bills NOT on the agenda, the town manager pointed out it was time to renew membership with the chamber of commerce. "Should I pay this," he queried? This thinly veiled attack on a town-created strained relationship failed completely. Response from council was almost embarrassing and clearly indicated the belief this membership was essential. As Councilman Jim VanHoozier sagely pointed out, "The tourism contract and our membership in the chamber are totally separate issues."