By Abby Whitt, Contributing writer
This year marks 60 years of the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club serving various causes in Blacksburg and surrounding communities.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors adopted a proclamation to recognize the club’s anniversary and decades of efforts at its June 9 meeting.
“The members of the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life through service projects, civic engagement, and support for local schools, families and first responders… through thousands of volunteer hours and countless initiatives,” the proclamation states.
It adds that the club has made a lasting impact in strengthening and uplifting the local community.
The Mount Tabor Ruritan Club supports a number of projects, including scholarships for local students, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Montgomery County, local scout troops, the Blacksburg Fourth of July and Christmas parades, Montgomery County Christmas Store, and more, as cited in the proclamation.
Club members also host a number of annual fundraisers to benefit their programs and local causes, including their summer fish fries and apple butter making.
Also at the June 9 meeting, board members heard an up-to-date list of its Capital Improvement Plan, which is a living document that changes as priorities and projects evolve.
The CIP spans multiple years (from fiscal year 2016- FY 2030) and contains projects with a use life of at least five years.
Existing projects include a new magistrate and court services facility, which is substantially complete, with a cost of $8.1 million; the Teel Park Build Out, which is nearing completion, with a cost of $13 million; the Falling Branch Corporate Park Phase 2 project, which is in progress, with a cost of $8 million; and Elliston Fire Department upgrades and renovations, which are in the design progress and estimated to cost about $12 million.
Two projects are in the planning process, according to the presentation heard by the Board on June 9: the Cinnabar Green Space and Storage project (estimated to cost $2.4 million) and upgrades to the Christiansburg Library (estimated to cost $16.1 million).
New projects included in the CIP for FY 26-30 include three that are in progress, including the Extension Office project at 201 Radford St. (projected to cost $2.1 million), the Career Fire and EMS Project at 305 Roanoke St. (projected to cost $5.5 million) and the Radio Infrastructure Project (projected to cost $10 million).
A Government Center Improvements Phase 2 Project is set to begin in FY 2027 with a projected cost of $4.1 million, and a Government Center Generator Project is set to begin in FY 2029, projected to cost $5 million.
In action at the meeting, members unanimously approved the Allocation Formula Agreement with the New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority for the Radio Infrastructure Project, as well as supplemental appropriations for Montgomery County Public Schools.
A total of $758,000 was approved for “unanticipated revenue for school instruction” and $500,000 was approved for “unanticipated revenue for school operations and maintenance.”
The final NRVECRA agreement equally splits the project costs across the county, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Virginia Tech (25% each), and it states each entity is responsible for 100% of its own ordered radio costs.
Blacksburg and Christiansburg are also 100% responsible for their own debt costs under the agreement.
The board also approved a one-time expense for fire and rescue totaling $100,000 for turnout gear and equipment for volunteer agencies at the meeting. Supervisor Todd King abstained from the vote.
