March 2017 Town Council Meeting Notice

Notice of Meeting for Non-Departmental Budget on 3-20-17

Notice of Budget Meetings on 2-28-17 & 3-1-17

Town Talk with Mayor Lowe on 2-15-17

Town Talk With Mayor Lowe

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017, Mayor Cathy Lowe will hold the next “Town Talk” event. She invites the public to discuss town initiatives, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with others in the community. This FREE event is in a casual, friendly environment and all are welcome.

“I look forward to our next Town Talk,” said Mayor Cathy Lowe. “We are excited to continue this fun event while achieving our goal to connect with everyone who lives, owns property, and works in Abingdon.”

The February “Town Talk” event will be held at the Comfort Suites at 8:00AM. The Comfort Suites is located at 1093 Ole Berry Drive behind the Exit 14 McDonald’s.

For more information on “Town Talk,” call 276-451-0439. 

Meeting Notice for Council Work Session on 2-8-17

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2016 ABINGDON SHORTS COMPETITION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Amanda Livingston

               Marketing Manager, Abingdon CVB

               335 Cummings Street, Abingdon VA 24210

               (276) 492-2236

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2016 ABINGDON SHORTS COMPETITION

Abingdon, VA – The Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce the winners of the first ever Abingdon Shorts competition.  The short film competition was designed to promote and support creative talents in directing and producing short films related to Abingdon’s tourism, culture, and heritage.  Prizes were awarded for first, second and third place.  The 2017 competition opens February 1st, with films due by July 19, 2017.

There were several short films submitted, of which the judging committee selected the top three to receive awards.  First place went to producer J.R. Linkous’ short film titled Like a Kid Again, a ninety second piece about what it feels like to hit up Main Street in Abingdon at an older age. Jon Phelps’ narrative comedy titled The Shoot received second place and J.R. Linkous also placed third with his spoken word film titled Playtime.

Films had to be less than three minutes long, and embody the spirit of Abingdon's tag line: "It's Always Play Time in Abingdon."

All three winning films can be viewed at http://www.abingdonshorts.com/2016-winners

“We were excited to see the quality of films submitted this first year for the competition,” said Kevin Costello, Director of Tourism for the Town of Abingdon.  “We plan on using the films as promotional content on our website and social media outlets and plug the producers at the same time. The producers did a fantastic job incorporating our tagline “It’s Always Playtime in Abingdon” into their work and capturing the essence of the competition.”

Filmmakers can visit AbingdonShorts.com for competition guidelines, prizes, and judging criteria.

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New Sewer & Trash Utility Delinquent Notice

TOWN OF ABINGDON

Abingdon, Virginia

New Sewer & Trash Utility Delinquent Notice

The Town of Abingdon Public Works Department has issued a new sewer and trash utility delinquent notice for residents and businesses. In the event that sewer and trash fees are past due, there are new stipulations for reconnection. If sewer service is disconnected, there will be a $50.00 reconnect fee. If trash service is disconnected, there will be a $20.00 reconnect fee.

Payments must be received at Town Hall offices before 3:00 PM for same day restoration, otherwise service will be reconnected on the next business day. If payment is received after 3:00 PM on Friday, the service will not be reconnected until Monday (or the next business day). All payments must be made by Cash or Credit Card; no personal checks will be accepted. 

E.B. Stanley Middle School Student Wins “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

TOWN OF ABINGDON

Abingdon, Virginia

E.B. Stanley Middle School Student Wins “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

Dillon McReynolds, a 7^th grader at E.B. Stanley Middle School, was selected as the Region 1 winner of the Virginia Municipal League’s “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. He will travel to Richmond to receive his award at Virginia Municipal League Day, on January 25, 2017, at the Library of Virginia; at 3:00 p.m. McReynolds will be presented a certificate from Governor McAuliffe and a $150 cash prize. He was one of the eight regional winners selected.

“This is the first year that the Mayor's office has asked students to participate in the VML contest and we are pleased beyond words that one of our students won VML's statewide award,” said Mayor Cathy Lowe. “I extend our gratitude and congratulations to Dillon McReynolds, his parents, his teacher Courtney Turman, and E.B. Stanley Middle School. We are proud of all involved in this great honor.”

The “If I Were Mayor” essay contest is conducted by the Virginia Municipal League as part of promoting good local government. This contest allows 7^th grade students from all over the state of Virginia to describe what they would do if they were Mayor of their hometown. The essay contest is a key component of the league’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become more involved in making their communities better places to live, work and play.

Pictured: Dillon McReynolds

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Contact: Nancy Chafin                                                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(804) 523-8527; cell 804-502-8881

nchafin@vml.org

VML Announces Winners of

The 2016 “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

(January 19, 2017) -- Each fall, the Virginia Municipal League (VML) invites all Virginia 7th graders to participate in its “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. The essays describe what the students would do as mayor to make their cities and towns great places to live.

This year, more than 1,200 essays were submitted by students from across the Commonwealth.

Governor Terry McAuliffe will present the awards to this year’s eight regional winners at a special ceremony to be held January 25 at the Library of Virginia in Richmond.

The winners are:

Statewide winner: Jerry (Trey) N. Mitchell III of Lawrenceville

Region 1: Dillon McReynolds of Abingdon

Region 2: Andrew Middleton of Covington

Region 3: Sadie Dryden of Buena Vista

Region 4: Skyla Rain of South Boston

Region 5: Liv Scappa of Falls Church

Region 6: Maha Laiq of Warrenton

Region 7: Jerry (Trey) N. Mitchell III of Lawrenceville (statewide winner)

Region 8: Terrence Massenburg of Portsmouth

About VML’s “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

The annual “If I were Mayor Contest” invites seventh graders from throughout Virginia to submit essays describing what they would do if they were mayor of their hometown.  Entries are due around December 1 each year. The essay contest is a key component of VML’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become involved in making their communities better places to live, work and play.

About VML

The Virginia Municipal League is a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan association of local governments established in 1905 to improve and assist local governments through legislative advocacy, research, education and other services.  The membership includes all 38 cities in the state, 160 towns and eight counties. See www.vml.org.

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Connect with Abingdon, VA

Stay Informed!

The Town of Abingdon uses a variety of platforms to keep you informed. From meeting notices to town services to events, we encourage you to use all the outlets listed below to stay connected with us in 2017.

Positive Letters from the Public

The Town of Abingdon received these two letters from the public regarding January Jams. Thank you to these two people for the positive feedback and lettings us share your experiences with others! 



Hello all! 
I love living here for many reasons, one being that I get to see live shows from music legends in the beautiful Appalachian town of Abingdon. My husband and I, and many of our friends, attended the January Jams for 3 nights in a row this past weekend, which is my inspiration to write to you. The shows were spectacular! We honor and cherish the tourism office's dedication and tireless work to bring folks together to celebrate our culture and introduce us to talent only bigger cities have the luxury of experiencing. 
I represent myself and my friends in this correspondence. We are young professionals who range from school teachers, to medical personnel, to small business owners and more. We are so grateful for the tourism office's professionalism and hard work. Whatever role you play in bringing great music to Abingdon, we thank you, too! And please thank anyone else involved in Abingdon's awesomeness that I may have forgotten in this email.
We look forward to our continued support of the tourism office's events.
Kind regards,
Michele L. Goodbread 

Respectfully to all involved:

As long time Washington County residents my wife and I wish to express our enthusiasm and appreciation for the existing and continually evolving entertainment options in Abingdon and the surrounding areas. I speak with many people about this, and for those less familiar with our great town and its many offerings I tell them this: Abingdon has been a great place to live and a magnet to tourists for many years. However, recently the options have only diversified and increased -- primarily the options for live music performances. 

I have seen a direct correlation between this and the number of younger and not so young people attending shows in Abingdon. Many of these people would not necessarily choose Abingdon as an entertainment destination; however, many will tell their friends and return themselves simply because of the outstanding quality of the productions brought here by some visionary folks. We have a good friend who plans her family visits back to this area around some of the musical shows at The Barter. I have personally met and spoken with countless numbers of people attending Thursday Jams who are from out of the area, and attracted to the festive atmosphere and quality of the shows -- and return. Many have been unfamiliar with the The Creeper Trail, and return for that experience. Many were here because of The Creeper Trail and then learned of our musical offerings and return for those.

We attend regularly the Thursday Jams, and have attended several January Jams at The Barter. We have seen nationally touring, nationally recognized groups that are rarely seen in towns this size. The show I am in particular referring to this past Sunday night was absolutely a world-class experience, as have been any others we've attended there. From the level of talent and creativity of the musicians, to the professionalism of the Barter production crew -- including the state-of-the-art sound and lighting -- to the inviting ambience of The Barter itself, the overall experience is simply unparalleled in the area.

I do not intend to discredit or diminish the other opportunities for live music. Our entire area is seeing an explosion in high quality original new music of all genres, with many very talented local musicians as well. There is something for everyone. There are venues for everyone. We love to see shows in our home of Abingdon, but also attend Bristol Rhythm and Roots, in itself a world-class three day festival. There are wonderful intimate small stages where you feel you are as much a part of the performance as the musicians themselves. One is the up close and personal performance stage at The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol.  I also must mention The Willow Tree in Johnson City, with its plentiful shows and large variety of music and other performances. Check their frequent performance schedule and pay this truly warm and inviting gem a visit. Live music lovers more and more realize that our entire region, from Marion to Johnson City to Asheville is incredibly rich with a diversity of amazing new music. In my opinion it is a shortsighted mistake if this were ever viewed as competition. I believe in reality it is the opportunity for collaboration and sharing in this artistic wealth, which will only benefit and enhance the reputation of our region, and correspondingly benefit the towns individually as well.

We applaud the foresight of the town's planners in realizing adding more arts and entertainment options is not so much a change of the status quo, but an enrichment to our lives and community, and to the lives of the additional visitors attracted to this now even more vibrant than ever "famous small town". We are thankful for the embracing of the arts here, and especially on a personal level, as this supportive and nurturing atmosphere has allowed our daughter to continue to live here while pursuing her dreams of a career as a visual artist and entrepreneur. I tell everyone that the more I travel, the more I am delighted to call Abingdon home. It is a beautiful, special, welcoming, artistic and evolving gem full of amazing and special people, and I hope that never changes. Thank you sincerely for all you do.

Stan Blankenship

Community Engagement Survey

TOWN OF ABINGDON

Abingdon, Virginia

The Town of Abingdon, VA has compiled a community engagement survey to allow citizens, business owners, and property owners to engage with local government. Your feedback is important to help plan, manage, and improve services and programs. In order to allow us to better serve the community, please take a few minutes to complete this survey. The Council members and staff will use the responses to improve the future quality of services in Abingdon.

“In the spirit of open and transparent local government, the Town of Abingdon values your public input and civic engagement in ensuring that the town plans in a way that benefits the true will of its residents, property owners, and business owners,” said Town Manager Greg Kelly. “Accordingly, I encourage everyone to answer the following survey to ensure that your viewpoint is heard.”

This survey is anonymous and can be accessed at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TOWNOFABN

A link to the survey is available on our website, blog, and social media outlets.

The survey will close on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

Thank you for your participation and your willingness to help make Abingdon a great place to work, live, and raise a family!

Town Business Licenses Mailed

For Immediate Release

          The Town of Abingdon, Virginia Department of Finance has mailed via U. S. Postal Service, first class mail, the annual business license application. This application is required for all new and existing businesses in the Town pursuant to the Town of Abingdon Code Section 18-28.  License Required.  

          THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON MARCH 1, 2017 BY 6:00 pm.   Any applications filed after March 1, 2017 may be subject to penalty and interest.  Applications can be mailed to Abingdon Town Hall, Finance Department, P. O. Box 789, Abingdon, Virginia  24212 or delivered in person to the Town Hall located at 133 West Main Street, Abingdon, VA.

          If you are a business in the Town of Abingdon and do not receive your business license application by January 20, 2017, by mail, please contact the Finance Department, 276.628.3167, to request an application.  

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MEETING NOTICE for 1-18-17

February 2017 Town Council Meeting Notice

Town Offices CLOSED on 1-13-17 & 1-16-17

Town of Abingdon

Offices will be

CLOSED

Friday, January 13^th for

Lee-Jackson Day

and

Monday, January 16^th for

Martin Luther King Day

Director of Planning Job

Chamber Luncheon Meeting Notice for 1-12-17

Boards and Commission Openings

Abingdon Planning Commission is seeking a member to fill an open position. The committee meets the 4^th Monday of each month at 5:30pm in the Arthur Campbell Room at Town Hall. Members Interested persons should complete the Board and Commission application found at www.abingdon-va.gov under forms and downloads and return the application to Kim Kingsley,  kkingsley@abingdon-va.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2017.  Council will consider the applications at their regular February 6, 2017 Council meeting. Interested persons may be subject to completion of a statement of economic interest form and may not miss more than three (3) meetings during a 12-month period of service.

Abingdon Historic Preservation Review Board is seeking a member to fill an open position. The committee meets the 1^st Wednesday each month at 5:15pm, Arthur Campbell Room at Town Hall. Members Interested persons should complete the Board and Commission application found at www.abingdon-va.gov under forms and downloads and return the application to Kim Kingsley,  kkingsley@abingdon-va.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, 2017.  Council will consider the applications at their regular February 6, 2017 Council meeting. Interested persons may be subject to completion of a statement of economic interest form and may not miss more than three (3) meetings during a 12-month period of service.

January 2017 Work Session and Regular Meeting Agendas

Town Talk With Mayor Lowe 1-18-17

Town Talk With Mayor Lowe

On Wednesday, January 18, 2017, Mayor Cathy Lowe will hold her first “Town Talk” event. She invites the public to discuss town initiatives, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with others in the community. This FREE event is in a casual, friendly environment and all are welcome.

"I look forward to hosting this new initiative and meeting with the citizens of Abingdon,” said Mayor Lowe. “I believe that communication is the key to a happy and healthy community. Occasionally, I will be joined by other Council and Town Staff, as we venture out and connect with people in the town."

The first “Town Talk” will be held at the White Birch Juice Company at 8:00AM. White Birch is located at 170 East Main Street, across from the Washington County Courthouse.

For more information on “Town Talk,” call 276-451-0439. 

Economic Development Authority Meeting on 1-10-17