Hi, everyone. Floyd Town Council met Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. I, unfortunately, was not there, and this edition of the newsletter is being brought to you by Town Manager Kayla Cox, who generously walked me through the night’s agenda over the phone today.
As I’m sure many of you are aware, there was a massive traffic back-up on Route 8 yesterday evening (in both directions!) I tried to detour my way around the blockage and saw several ambulances. Based on that and some posts I’ve seen on social media, it appears there was a pretty severe accident. So I’m keeping the injured in my thoughts and hoping everyone is okay.
The one positive outcome of missing last night’s meeting is that I learned something new: first, my way around the back roads of Floyd County but second, that the Council is now live-streaming their twice-monthly meetings via Zoom. Meeting information is available on the Town of Floyd website.
Now, here are a few updates from Council. Next week, in the lead-up to Thanksgiving, I’ll have a couple really fun features on some local Floyd business owners. At least one will be behind the paywall, so if you’ve been considering subscribing but haven’t yet, now’s the time! And thanks to you all, paying or not, for your continued support and interest in this newsletter.
-Ashley
Council approves PSA funding, revisits discussion on town signage
The Floyd Town Council met for what Town Manager Kayla Cox said was a brief meeting Thursday night, revisiting some issues from previous meetings.
Following the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday morning, at which the county government approved a request for $80,000 in CARES Act funding from the Public Service Authority, the Council approved its own contribution to the water system. The PSA is hoping to install new meters that can be read remotely, in order to limit potential COVID-19 exposure for its employees. The county had already allocated money for this project. However, the PSA told local elected officials that in order to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for spending CARES Act funding, work would need to be sped up and the contractor paid more. The Town Council approved about $35,000 in funding.
According to Cox, the Council also approved an additional $2,100 for the PSA to update its software, and integrate the new meters into its billing system.
The Floyd County Merchant’s and Businessman’s Association typically hosts a Christmas Parade through downtown on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. This year, the organization planned instead to host a “topsy-turvy” drive-through vendor event in the Floyd County High School parking lot. The Town Council issued a permit for such an event at its last meeting. However, Cox said the association is re-evaluating in light of new restrictions announced by the Governor’s office last Friday. The new statewide measures limit in-person gatherings to 25 people. So far, Cox said, there have been no changes to the plan for the parade. And “if the parade happens, Town Council will be there” to participate, she said.
Ron Campbell, a co-owner of The Maggie Gallery, spoke to the councilmen Thursday night about the possibility of funding additional wayfinding signage downtown. Campbell has advocated on the issue multiple times in the past. After reading a story a couple months ago in the Floyd Press, Cox said, Campbell was under the impression Council had approved spending on new signs. However, the money was actually allocated to fund the New River Valley Regional Commission’s work revising the Town’s signage ordinance.
Campbell told the Council he thought additional wayfinding signage could help support small businesses in Floyd and more effectively direct tourist traffic, Cox said. She and Town Clerk Katie Holfield prepared a synopsis of VDOT’s wayfinding signage program, as well as the Town’s signage policies, which were discussed at the meeting.
As she has done periodically throughout the pandemic, Cox also offered the Council an update on the Town’s finances Tuesday night. As before, she said tax revenues in the aggregate have been relatively stable. The Council budgeted for a shortfall when they compiled the FY 2021 budget. Meals and lodging taxes typically account for 47% of the Town’s budget.
Meals taxes for the most recent reporting period (typically monthly) exceeded the budget by 130%, Cox said during a phone call Friday. However, lodging taxes “continue to be down in Town, and have not rebounded to what (they were) at this point last year.”
At its next meeting Dec. 3, the Council will hold a public hearing on a request to paint a mural on the side of the Blue Ridge Florist building. The business is located at 106 W. Main St. The process whereby mural applications are approved is the same as for a Conditional Use Permit, Cox explained. The request is reviewed by both the Town Planning Commission and the Town Council, and requires a public hearing. The Town Council meets at 5:30 p.m.