Do you remember when — At the 9/7/2010 Christiansburg Town Council Meeting, Town Council voted to approve a freeze on Steps pay for employees. Then, on 9/21/10 the topic arose again. This time one of the supporters of the move moved to rescind that vote and to readdress the issue with the discussion being...
Your Tax Money
Christiansburg is equal to Lynchburg when it comes to Special Events?
It was June 21st, my sister’s birthday, when Christiansburg Town Council held a meeting. Along with multiple other items on that agenda, there was a request from the Christiansburg Civic League for some help offsetting some unexpected expenses that were incurred at their Train Day event held in Cambria.
Open Government Focus in Latest Issue of The Community Planner
The Community Planner is a quarterly journal on Planning. What makes it unique is that it is written to provide information to citizens as well as professionals. It is produced on a CD rather than in print because along with the 60 or so pages of each journal, there are also additional features added....
And the Mayor Casts a Tie-Breaker!
Well, it certainly didn’t take as long as last year, but it was contentious. The budget was passed 6/1/11, by the skin of its teeth, with Mayor Ballengee casting the tie-breaker vote. It would seem the bone of contention was primarily whether or not public workers would get a raise for the first time...
Christiansburg Budget – Is an end in sight?
There have been several meetings concerning the budget for the Town Christiansburg. While seeming to be a negotiation process, there remains certain issues on which the Town Council appears to be split. (Hope the Mayor has his “tie-breaker” out and ready. Are you ready for a repeat of last year’s budget woes?
Gov.101: Budget Process is the Hot Topic
PUBLIC INVITED – Christiansburg Budget Process Tuesday night, May 10th, 2011 @ 6:30pm, the Government 101 Series co-sponsored by the Christiansburg Library & Civic League will have Christiansburg’s Chief Financial Officer, Valerie Tweedie present to discuss how the budget process works and to answer questions. It should be an interesting evening.
Christiansburg Mayor again gets the “Tie-Breaker” Role
At the April 5th Town Council Meeting, Mayor Ballengee was once again required to be the “tie-breaker” on a vote. The Mayor’s role is such that the only time he casts a vote is when there is a tie vote by the Council. In this case it had to do with whether or not...
“The Community Planner” a Toolbox for Citizens and Governments
Introducing The Community Planner Whether you are a planning professional, an elected or appointed official, or a citizen who wants to have more information and be an active participant in your government, The Community Planner has something to offer you. It is provided on a CD-Rom so there is plenty of room for templates,...
“Plain Text” shouldn’t be optional on public documents!
Consider this a public service announcement: Virginia Coalition for Open Government holds FOIA workshops in Roanoke! I have been reading documents related to government (particularly those subject to FOIA) for some time now. Without realizing it, I was staring at what might well be the biggest problem with such documents and true transparency. Quite...
Understanding the Freedom of Information Act: Take advantage of a great opportunity.
Sunshine Week began on March 13, 2011 and there are a lot of events occurring around the Country. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a key component in keeping Sunshine in government. For citizens, governments and the agencies subject to the FOIA, knowledge is the key. Understanding rights and responsibilities inherent with FOIA...
