Todd Walters (right) was honored Tuesday night by Christiansburg Town Council for his 27 years of service to the community. Mayor Michael Barber presents Walters, who is moving to New Market as that community’s new town manager, with a resolution thanking him for that service as the director of engineering.
Ridership for Christiansburg’s bus service continues to be steady, and town leaders know there is a need for it in their community, but it is also becoming more costly.
Representatives from Blacksburg Transit (BT), who provides the service to the community, said the current price tag is increasing and if the town wants additional services, the amount provided by the town also has to increase.
Christiansburg Town Council heard the news during a Tuesday work session shortly before its regularly scheduled meeting. BT General Manager Rick Fox said the reality shows the budgeted amount will have to increase and yes, the town could be serviced better with several new routes.
Total ridership has not increased in Christiansburg over the past year with numbers showing almost 29,000 people using the bus service for the past three years.
Blacksburg Transit operates two services to Christiansburg: 1) fixed route (explorer and commuter) and demand response, commonly known as the “go anywhere” route.
The explorer route operates two loops through the town from 7:15 a.m.-6:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Commuter side of the serve operates on limited stops around town Monday-Friday with one trip to Blacksburg in a.m. and a return trip in the p.m. The two-town trolley also piggybacks on the other two.
The go anywhere operates 7 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m.- 4:45 p.m. Saturday with two vehicles. Residents have to call and request the bus to pick them up and must be done two weeks in advance.
The expansion could include stop and go routes for the Cambria section of the town and a change in the current schedule to better serve New River Valley Mall. Fox said BT is currently taking public comment on both and hope to start the change by February.
He also said there has been discussion with a work group from town that includes staff and several council members to add a Radford Road and Roanoke Street route.
“We would like to have a 12-month trial period on this route to determine the usage, and possibly start it in 2019,” Fox said.
The overall increase would be close to $206,000 with the town having to provide 50 percent of the amount ($103,000). Those current costs are $265,865 for Christiansburg again with a 50-50 match via transportation grants.
Two years ago, council fretted over the amount when they were told federal and state funding might be going away.
Fox and his staff were able to find new transportation grant funds to continue the service for this past year, and he is optimistic funds will still be available for fiscal year 2019.
He recommended the town move ahead with the Radford Road/Roanoke Street service, while re-visiting existing routes.
“We can then re-evaluate the budget for FY2020, Fox said.”
The possible increase for bus services came on the same day that Town Treasurer Val Tweedie presented the audit report for the past fiscal year’s budget.
According to Tweedie, as the town has begun the 2018-2019 budget work sessions, there are some indicators of growth in sales, meals and lodging taxes.
“In general, we saw some improvement in all our revenue numbers and growth was small but steady,” she said.
Revenues were slightly higher than budgeted this past fiscal year, and expenditures were less than budgeted.
The fund balance increased by almost $5.1 million, primarily as a result of capital project rollovers.
“We had several projects scheduled for this past year, but we were unable to complete them so they were carried over till this year,” Tweedie said.
The treasurer reported that the town is “fiscally healthy,” and in a good shape.
“I would recommend that [council] consider assigning $4 million of the fund balance as follows to accommodate major projects that are one to two years out, as well as new grant funding projects currently in the works and to reduce the need for future financing needs for some of our very large projects,” she said.
The recommendation included: $1 million be placed into reserves for the recreation department, $1 million for the water treatment plant, $1 million for future capital projects, $500,000 for street reserve and $500,000 for software reserves.
Other news
Town council approved a conditional use permit for a new pet retail space on North Franklin Street that allows for the kenneling of animals.
Ernie Wade and Jim Vanhoozier were also approved for two new five-year terms for the Christiansburg Board of Zoning Appeals. This was a reappointment for both individuals.
