NOTICE OF HOLIDAY CLOSINGS

SPORTS COMPLEX DESIGN - PUBLIC INPUT WORKSHOP

TOWN OF ABINGDON

Abingdon, Virginia

SPORTS COMPLEX DESIGN - PUBLIC INPUT WORKSHOP

The Town of Abingdon will host a public input workshop related to the planning and design of the proposed sports complex near Green Spring Road. Everyone is encouraged to attend the public input workshop to review preliminary design concepts for the proposed facility.  Citizens and the community will be able to meet with the Town’s consultants and staff members to provide feedback related to the proposed layout of the site. The workshop is open to the public and will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016, from 5pm-7pm in the Arthur Campbell Room on the 1^st floor of the Municipal Building located at 133 W. Main St, Abingdon. 

For additional information, please contact Tenille Montgomery, Community Relations Coordinator, by phone at 276-492-1557.

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AlertAbingdon Emergency Notification System

Town of Abingdon, Virginia

AlertAbingdon Emergency Notification System

                                               

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Abingdon Keeps Citizens Safe and Informed with Emergency Alerts

Residents and Businesses Can Sign Up to Receive Critical Communications and Emergency Alerts

Abingdon, Virginia – The Town of Abingdon is now working with Everbridge, the worldwide leader in unified critical communications, to keep residents, staff and emergency personnel safe and informed with quick and reliable emergency notifications and public service announcements. The Town of Abingdon has begun using Everbridge Resident Alerts to communicate with citizens and businesses during emergencies and other critical events. Residents are encouraged to register immediately to receive these alerts: alertabingdon.com

The AlertAbingdon emergency notification system consists of multiple means of notification to alert residents about a variety of events, ranging from severe weather, fires, floods and other emergencies, to more routine announcements, such as road closures and utility maintenance. Citizens can be alerted by one or more of the four Outdoor Warning Sirens, home phone, business phone, cell phone, text, email, fax, twitter, and most recently by our new mobile member app for apple and android.

Residents listed in the Town of Abingdon 911 database will be automatically subscribed to alerts by phone. Citizens without a landline are not in the 911 database and must first sign-up to receive messages.

“It is the town’s hope that with this new Emergency Notification System, the town residents, staff and visitors will be quickly and efficiently warned of unsafe emergency conditions as knowledge of them arises so that they can stay out of harm’s way.  I strongly encourage all citizens to subscribe to the Abingdon 911 database,” said Greg Kelly, Town Manager for the Town of Abingdon.

Register at alertabingdon.com now.

For any questions, please contact Tenille Montgomery, Community Relations Coordinator, at 276-628-3111.

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Abingdon Town Council Meeting Agenda 1-4-15

The Town of Abingdon will hold it's regular Work Session meeting on Monday, January 4, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Arthur Campbell room of the Municipal Building.

Following that meeting, the regular Town Council Meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Chambers of the Municipal building.

Special Called Meeting Agenda for 12-28-15

Development of Town of Abingdon Sports Complex

On December 28, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. the Abingdon Town Council will hold a public hearing to consider the purchase of approximately 40 + acres of land from CEMA Corporation.  Members of the Town Council are pleased to announce that the purchase of this property is being made possible through a gift from K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc., parent company for Food City.  K-VA-T’s President/CEO, Steve Smith provided the town with a letter of intent which sets forth his objective to donate $2,289,750 to use in the purchase from CEMA Corporation 40 + acres of land, for the development of a sports complex. It is the desire of the Town Council that the existing dwelling, commonly referred to as The Meadows, be preserved and incorporated into the ultimate build out of the sports facility. This project is a shining example of how public/private partnerships can benefit a community in ways that will provide much needed road safety improvements, increased revenues, further historic preservation, and promote health through youth sports and recreation.  

Town Manager Greg Kelly has been working to acquire the appropriate land to develop a sports complex since he became the Town Manager over nine years ago.  The need for such a facility has existed and been considered for several years prior to his tenure.  While he undertook discussions with CEMA Corporation a few years ago about the acquisition of the Meadows, it was not until March 2015 that Marathon Realty, a subsidiary of K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. approached the town with a desire to assist in its efforts to acquire the property.  Several months of negotiations between CEMA and Marathon Realty followed, until they could reach an accord relative to the land transaction. Once Marathon acquired the option on the property, the Town Manager initiated negotiations for a public/private partnership with Marathon.

This public/private partnership will result in four major accomplishments for the Town.  First, the Town will be able to realign Green Spring Road and Cook Street which will improve traffic conditions.  Second, it will allow for a commercial development that will generate the necessary revenues to make the realignment possible and generate significant revenues for years to come.  Third, it will provide the necessary land, in a prime recreational location, to develop a much needed multi-use sports complex for the community’s youth.  Finally, it will give the Town control over the historic Meadows home, allowing the Town to find a suitable use.

“This is an excellent example how you can preserve and honor the past while progressively planning, and moving in to the future,” said Town Manager Greg Kelly.  “The Town should celebrate this public/private partnership.”

The Town Planning Commission process will ensure that both developments are aesthetically appealing and blend with the historic and recreational charm of the Town. The Town’s expenditures will be placed into the road realignment, road access and infrastructure to the Town’s 40 + acres, the build out of the sports complex, and the preservation of the Meadow’s home. 

With respect to the commercial development component of the partnership, the developer commissioned an archaeological study that revealed nothing of historic or archaeological significance on the commercial site and confirmed that there are no burial sites on the property.  The archaeological study’s map and conclusions/recommendations can be found on the Town’s blog at http://townofabingdonva.blogspot.com/2015/12/historic-and-archaeological-resources.html

If the Town accepts the gift and acquires the property, it will hire a consultant to develop a conceptual plan for the sports complex and the preservation of the home.  A major part of this process will afford the public the opportunity to offer comments and suggestions in public design forums.  Site plans for both the commercial development and the sports complex will go through the review and approval processes of the Abingdon Planning Commission. 

The Town Manager, the Town staff and the Town Council are very excited to see this public/private partnership come together.  It demonstrates how local government and local businesses can work together for the greater good of the community to improve the infrastructure and the quality of life.

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Historic and Archaeological Resources Survey for The Meadows