Buchanan Town Council’s monthly meeting was canceled Monday due to winter weather, but Town Manager Tim Mack’s monthly report—already prepared for the agenda packet—outlined a wide range of ongoing projects, recent events, and recommendations for upcoming council action.
Mack reported that the town’s annual Christmas Market on Nov. 29 drew strong participation. He noted a “great turnout” for the tree lighting and carriage rides and thanked the musician who provided entertainment, as well as Shentel for assisting with the tree lighting. Meredith and Justin Roberts were recognized for donating additional tree decorations, and Shannon Link was thanked for helping decorate.
Public Works staff was credited for insulating vulnerable water meters and winterizing equipment. Mack highlighted their work repairing a major water leak under Water Street and assisting Bitter Creek and Inboden with a leak in the Carson Hill area. That second leak caused a significant drop in water levels, but a 10-hour joint effort stopped the issue. Water levels are now being restored. He also noted that the wastewater digester remains offline as C&S continues pumping out sludge, with an estimated seven to eight feet remaining.
The town has received a draft maintenance agreement from Inboden that would shift both utility operations and maintenance to the company. Staff is in negotiations, and Mack said council should expect the agreement to appear on the January agenda.
Special project work is ongoing, including development of an event playbook, code and utilities research, and coordination with volunteer event planners. Mack also reported that staff is finalizing a Master Service Agreement with CHA, allowing engineering work to begin on the Water Street pump station identified in the town’s 2023 Preliminary Engineering Report.
Discussions have begun with Botetourt County leaders over long-standing concerns at the Buchanan fire station, which is owned by the town but staffed by the county. Mack said both sides are interested in pursuing a solution to the growing maintenance issues.
The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office has expressed interest in holding its annual “BoCo Night Out” at the fairgrounds on October 9. According to Mack, Community Outreach Coordinator Andrea Mundy told staff the event would be fully organized and funded by the Sheriff’s Office and would include free concessions for attendees from across the county.
Mack announced the hiring of new Town Clerk and Utility Billing Specialist Hannah Crawford, who began work on Nov. 24.
His report concluded with several policy recommendations for council consideration, including updating the town’s FOIA policy for clearer guidance on processing requests, revising purchasing requirements to reduce the number of required quotes and add an emergency clause, and beginning work on a Capital Improvement Plan and Strategic Plan ahead of the FY27 budget season. Mack also recommended developing a Standard Operating Procedure to improve communication between town staff and Inboden during emergencies.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
