Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The town manager in Blacksburg is proposing no increase in the tax rate this coming budget year.
During a regularly scheduled council meeting last week, Marc Verniel recommended a budget of $57.716 million.
If a home is assessed at $300,000, then the Blacksburg property tax would be $780 per year.
The proposed budget includes an increase in water and sewer rates within Blacksburg. Billing for sewer with the corporate limits would go from $3.27 to $3.47 plus $7.26 to $7.80 for each 1,000 gallons. Outside corporate limits, customers would see an increase from $5.72 to $6.06 plus $12.88 to $13.65 for each 1,000 gallons.
For those not served by town water, the sewer service would increase from $47.43 to $50.28 inside corporate limits. The monthly sewer charge for outside the corporate limits without town water would increase from $83 to $87.98.
Water fees inside the corporate limits would rise from $3.24 to $3.43 and a rate of $9.05 up from $8.54 per each 1,000 gallons. Outside the corporate limits, the billing service charge would rise from $5.68 to $6.02 and a rate of $15.84 from $14.94 for each 1,000 gallons or fraction thereof.
There would be no increase in the stormwater fee.
All town employees would receive a two percent salary increase. The proposed budget does include several new positions: police sergeant, Communications Specialist, police public liaison supervisor, parking enforcement officer, eight transit operators and four transit dispatchers.
A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held on April 14.
Council also approved a Conditional Use Permit to allow a medical school to construct a second building in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. Blacksburg’s Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is expanding. recently announced a new 32,000 sq. ft. building at 1701 Kraft Drive.
VCOM Assistant Vice President for Communications Amy Ostroth said the addition will add
instructional space to support existing and announced academic programs associated with the school’s educational partnership with Bluefield University.
“That includes the Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences program, as well as preparing for the launch of a Master of Health Science in Anesthesia program in 2027. Similar anesthesia programs are already established at our Auburn and Carolinas campuses,” she said.
The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine is a private, non-profit college in Blacksburg with three branch campuses, providing education and research to prepare community-focused physicians who improve the health of those most in need.
The school opened its first campus in Blacksburg at Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in the fall of 2003 and graduated its first class of physicians in 2007.
VCOM currently operates a 60,000 sq. ft. main campus in the Corporate Research Center on a 13-acre campus.
Council also appointed Andrew Warren to the New River Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board for a term ending Dec. 31, 2026.
