By Sharla Bardin
BLACKSBURG — Candidates for town council say they want to serve because they love the town, have ideas about how the community should grow and want to work for open and accountable government.
Those were some of the responses given in Monday’s candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County and held in council chambers.
More than 70 people were in attendance at the forum that allowed the candidates to talk about why they are running, while also answering questions that touched on such topics as council actions, alternative transportation and affordable housing.
The candidates for the four open seats are incumbent Susan Anderson, Bryce Carter, Frank Lau, Cecile Newcomb, Robert “Tom” Rogers, Michael Sutphin, John Bush, Krisha Chachra and Greg Fansler. Incumbent Mayor Ron Rordam is running unopposed.
Candidate Paul Lancaster announced in September that he would cease active campaigning for the election to dedicate time to his health. Lancaster was hospitalized in April with an extremely rare spine infection that affected his mobility. He returned home in July.
The election is Nov. 3, and the council seats are voted on at-large.
In Monday’s forum, candidates were asked to cite examples of what the current town council has done right and wrong.
Carter said he applauds efforts to create a more sustainable community but would like to see officials take a closer look at the historical value of structures in the historic overlay district.
Chachra said what the council has done right includes partnering with groups in the community and working to make it a tourist destination. She said a challenge in the town is the use of land and space in downtown and thinks it’s important to take a look at zoning and the best use of downtown space.
Fansler thinks what the council has done right is revitalizing downtown storefronts . One action he questions is the renovated Blacksburg Motor Co. building. Fansler also said there is no current plan for the Blacksburg Middle School property redevelopment.
Lau said what the council and town staff have done right is addressing the sewer capacity issues in the north end of town. As for what the council has done wrong, he said a lot of time is spent on issues in downtown and there are other issues in the town.
Newcomb said what the council has done right is passing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2006. One of the goals is adopting emission reduction targets, according to the town’s Web site. Newcomb thinks a wrong action was that town council should not have rezoned the entire First & Main shopping center property as commercial. She said there should have been a buffer of less-dense zoning between the homes and businesses.
Rogers said what the council has done right is the approach with protecting the environment. “We need to be good keepers of our land.” As for what’s wrong, Rogers said the town needs a better tax base to afford different projects and needs to work more with retail developers.
Sutphin said what the council has done right is creating an open government, complimenting the town’s use of its Web site. As for a wrong action, Sutphin said the council did not create a buffer zone between the residential area and commercial area at the First & Main shopping center property.
Anderson said what the council has done right is the environmental efforts going into “greening our community.” Anderson also said she thinks the Blacksburg Motor Co. building “is a showcase and gem” and was an effort to take a historic building and reuse it. She also thinks the farmers market renovation will help enhance downtown. As for something that council needs to address, Anderson said there needs to be a closer look at overoccupancy of some residences.
Bush said right actions from the council have been the efforts on downtown revitalization and the Blacksburg Motor Co. building. He thinks the council needs to focus more on creating more affordable housing.
More pathways needed?
Candidates also were asked whether they think it’s important for the town to have a totally connected and uniformly identified system of pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Rogers said he thinks the pathways are important and also said they should be safe. Sutphin said the town needs to be a pedestrian-, bike- and transit-friendly community.
Anderson said it is important to have a connected community of pathways and there are plans in the town that aim to enhance pathways. Bush also said he supports more bikeways and walkways and suggests that the town partner with neighboring communities to provide more paths.
Carter said he supports more pathways and also would like to see a trolley system. Chachra said she believes in the benefits of alternative transportation and thinks incentives could be used. She also said she is interested in a trolley service that connects to the town’s commercial centers.
Fansler said pathways are also beneficial and that it’s important to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians in the town. Newcomb also wants to see pedestrian and bike paths throughout the town, as well as more lighting for pedestrian paths in some areas.
Lau said he thinks students need more education about safety with alternative transportation, such as their roles as pedestrians and bicyclists.
