Photo by Matt de Simone
By Matt de Simone
For Tim Mack, serving as Buchanan’s town manager means wearing a lot of hats.
On any given day, he may be reviewing budgets, working on grant applications, addressing zoning concerns, coordinating infrastructure projects, meeting with residents, or responding to unexpected issues that arise across town.
“Being a town manager of a small town, you don’t have any department heads and you have a very small staff,” Mack said. “Like all of my other staff, we all wear different hats.”
Since taking over the position last fall, Mack has found that the qualities that attracted him to Buchanan in the first place have only become more apparent.
“The most exciting part about the town is the cultural component of it, the history, the resources, the geography,” Mack said. “The people that live here care about all those things, and they want to be here.”
That commitment to the community is something Mack sees on a daily basis.
What stands out most to him after several months on the job is the level of civic engagement among residents. Whether it’s attending Town Council meetings, following town business on social media, or voicing opinions on local issues, Mack said Buchanan residents remain deeply invested in their community.
“People care about living here,” he said. “They want to be here.”
For a town manager, that passion can be both rewarding and challenging.
One of Mack’s primary responsibilities is balancing the town’s immediate needs with larger projects that may take years to complete.
“It’s very challenging,” he acknowledged.
Buchanan has experienced staff turnover and leadership changes in recent years, he noted, which left several major projects needing attention. At the same time, residents still expect day-to-day services and concerns to be addressed promptly.
To meet both demands, Mack said he relies heavily on a capable staff that can handle daily operations while allowing him to focus on long-term planning and project management.
During his first year, he identified three major priorities: improving the town’s water and sewer systems, strengthening financial planning, and building a fully staffed and stable workforce.
Among those accomplishments was the adoption of Buchanan’s first-ever capital improvement plan (CIP), identifying future infrastructure needs and position itself to pursue grant funding.
“It’s basically a wish list,” Mack explained. “But it helps prioritize things, helps start saving money, and helps us go after federal grants.”
For small towns like Buchanan, grant funding can make the difference between completing a project and putting it on hold indefinitely.
“They are probably the single most important thing a small town needs,” Mack said of grants and outside funding. “Grants can sometimes double your budget, triple your budget if you’re doing it right.”
His experience in planning and community development has shaped how he views Buchanan’s future.
Rather than pursuing large industries or major residential developments, Mack believes the town’s greatest opportunities lie in tourism, recreation, historic preservation, and small-business growth.
“Buchanan never will be the town that is going to bring in a big industry,” he said. “This is a recreation economy. It’s tourism-based.”
To support that vision, Mack hopes to move Buchanan further into Virginia’s Main Street program, which focuses on downtown revitalization and historic preservation. He believes the program could help attract small businesses, restaurants, and retail shops while maintaining the town’s historic character.
“There’s a fine line to walk,” Mack noted. “But the key is finding ways to bring in small business.”
Building trust with residents has also been a major focus since he arrived.
Mack said transparency, communication, and responsiveness are essential in a community where residents pay close attention to local government.
He pointed to expanded communication efforts on social media, detailed information packets for Town Council meetings, and an open-door policy as ways the town has worked to keep residents informed.
“The thing that’s the most important to me is transparency,” Mack said.
At the same time, he recognizes that trust takes time.
“As many people as have come and gone through Buchanan, you have to be here in this seat long enough for people to feel comfortable with you,” Mack explained.
That emphasis on communication ties directly into what Mack believes makes Buchanan unique.
While Botetourt County as a whole enjoys strong civic involvement, he said Buchanan’s level of engagement is especially noticeable.
“I feel like everybody in the town stays involved,” Mack remarked.
Looking ahead, one project has him particularly excited.
The town is pursuing a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) focused on studying improvements to Buchanan’s wastewater treatment system. If awarded, the planning grant would fund a comprehensive engineering study that could position the town to pursue significantly larger construction grants in the future.
“It’s a creative way of finding funding for upgrades for infrastructure,” Mack said.
For now, though, most days begin the same way.
Mack arrives at Town Hall, reviews emails and phone calls, checks in with staff, and advances projects wherever possible before tackling whatever challenges the day presents.
“Sometimes you have a nice quiet morning,” he said with a laugh. “Other days there’s a zoning issue, a utilities issue, or some sort of regulatory thing that needs attention.”
And even after the workday ends, the job rarely leaves his mind.
“Even when I’m at home on the weekends, I’m thinking about a project I’m working on, presenting to council, or the next steps,” Mack said.
Serving a community where relationships are personal can create unique challenges, he acknowledged, but it is also one of the things he enjoys most about the role.
“I love it,” Mack said. “At the end of the day, if you have the right personality and want to be a small-town town manager, it motivates you and drives you.”
