By Matt de Simone
Buchanan Town Council met last Monday evening at Town Hall to address a wide-ranging agenda that included interim leadership decisions, consideration of a law enforcement agreement with the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), land use applications, and arrangements for the town’s upcoming carnival.
Council considered a new agreement with the BCSO during the regular meeting, formalizing the provision of law enforcement services within the town limits.
The proposed contract designates Sheriff Matt Ward as the chief law enforcement officer for the Town of Buchanan, allowing deputies to enforce the town code and provide patrol services similar to those of a municipal police department. The agreement also outlines expectations for traffic enforcement, community policing, and special event coverage.
The move comes after the Sheriff’s Office officially terminated the prior agreement in August 2024. Since then, the town has not allocated any funds to the county for policing. The new agreement is designed to satisfy the state’s requirements for continued eligibility for “599” funding – a state grant awarded to localities for public safety services.
Under the terms of the contract, Buchanan would assign its FY2025 “599” allocation of approximately $39,395 to the county. These funds would help offset the cost of providing law enforcement coverage. The town will continue to pay separately for deputies working overtime during special events such as the Buchanan Carnival and Reggae by the River music festival. Ward noted that these funds have to be used for public safety.
Town Manager Angela Lawrence recommended that council authorize her to sign the agreement, pending final review by Town Attorney Jon Puvak. However, this decision has yet to be finalized as an understanding on the agreement hasn’t been met between the town and the Sheriff’s Office.
Among the most pressing items was the appointment of an interim town manager to replace Lawrence, who will step down from the role on May 3. Public comment spoke about this issue with concerns that too much work rests on the town manager position. Council voted on a resolution appointing Jon Ellestad, a former interim manager, to serve in the role temporarily.
Council agreed to renew a contract with The Berkley Group to conduct the executive search for a permanent town manager. The proposal offered a discounted fee of $15,000, half the cost of the group’s previous engagement. Mayor Sue Way noted that the cost was “substantially less” than the previous search due to the fact that Berkley had already performed “a lot of the work.”
Council member Jamie Manspile added that Berkley’s work with the town was “very professional.” He shared that there are currently 14 towns in the state looking to fill town manager positions.
“There’s a lot of people (towns) looking for town managers,” Way said. “We’re competing with a lot of other people. Having a professional organization like Berkley makes a huge difference in our ability to recruit. It’s sounds like a lot of money, I know, but it’s half of what they would usually charge us and the services they provide are invaluable.”
Another item of note was Town Council’s ongoing discussion about proceeds from Buchanan’s annual carnival. Local nonprofits asked for clarification on whether they must continue to share 30% of their earnings with the town, particularly now that the town has reduced its logistical support. Council considered staff recommendations that included setting a fixed rental fee instead of a revenue-based percentage and decided that 20% rent off net profits would be sufficient and the town would donate $2500 to the Buchanan Elementary PTA.
The Buchanan Elementary PTA is working with Limestone Park Ministries and splitting the nights that they handle the raffle at the Carnival. Additionally, it was announced that the popular “ZooDip” game will be coming back to the carnival in 2025. The Sons of American Legion Post 93 and American Legion Riders, and Auxiliary will be running that game.
A public hearing was held for a vote on a rezoning request and related special use permit for the property at 55 Bedford Street, known as the former Buchanan Schoolhouse. Developer Buchanan Schoolhouse LLC seeks to redevelop the property into a mixed-use complex featuring 13 apartments and one commercial space, a project that would increase local tax revenue and housing options. Council unanimously approved the rezoning proposal.
The town recently announced that Buchanan Town Hall will now close Wednesdays at 12 p.m. until May 14 due to staffing issues. The office will close from 12-1 p.m. every other day during the week.
