Town Council approves Veterans Day Parade permit
Chamber Director Kathy Fett also noted the launch of the Floyd Young Professionals group, which had its inaugural meeting with eight members at the beginning of September and has already grown by two. She said the group has “created quite a bit of excitement” for business leaders younger than 50.
Floyd Town Council members unanimously approved the annual Floyd Veterans Day Parade permit at its Sept. 18 meeting. The parade is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9.
Organized by the Orland Phillips VFW Post, the parade will follow the traditional Floyd route: Starting at Mabry Funeral Home, the procession will turn right onto south Locust Street and make another right at the stoplight, onto Main Street. It will end around Barberry Road.
VDOT had not approved the permit as of the Sept. 18 meeting, but Town Manager Andrew Morris said he does not foresee any issues with the department doing so.
Andrew Blevins
210 N Locust Street
Floyd, VA 24091-2105
(540) 745-2777
Next to School House Fabrics on Route 8 in the Town of Floyd.
During the Public Comment period of the meeting, town resident and former Town Councilman David Whitaker applauded Town Manager Morris and the line painting crews that have been working around town to address faded lines and other parking challenges, particularly in the downtown area near Warren G. Lineberry Park.
However, Whitaker said, he’s afraid if there isn’t more enforcement by the Sheriff’s Office and/or signage, people are going to keep parking in the designated no-parking areas, which he said, “are there for a reason,” including giving commercial vehicles room to maneuver during deliveries.
“I don’t see why you wouldn't want to invest in a few “No Parking” signs, as well,” Whitaker said. “I think it would be worthwhile.”
Morris said later in the meeting that he has had conversations with Floyd County Sheriff Brian Craig and Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Branscom to discuss “what enforcement looks like” and how officials can take “more of a Mayberry approach” to it.
Kathy Fett, executive director of the Floyd Chamber of Commerce, also addressed Council during the Public Comment period to let members know about a variety of upcoming events, including ribbon cuttings at Floyd Flooring Company (203 Fox St., at 5 p.m. on Sept. 25), the new Skyline National Bank building (212 E. Main St., at noon on Sept. 27), Eagles Nest Regeneration (148 Rehoboth Lane, at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 7) and more.
She said there are a total of about seven ribbon cuttings scheduled between now and the end of October and that many new businesses coming into the county contact the Chamber “right off the bat.”
Fett also noted the launch of the Floyd Young Professionals group, which had its inaugural meeting with eight members at the beginning of September and has already grown by two. She said the group has “created quite a bit of excitement” for business leaders younger than 50.
Town Manager Morris said during his report to Council that the bonus Small Town Summer event held on Sept. 13 “drew another good crowd.”
“I do think Thursday nights are our strength, but we also get pretty solid attendance on the weekends in the fall,” Morris said.
He noted that the contractor used by the Town to help manage the skunk population has caught a total of 17 this summer and headed into the fall season.
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Morris also updated Council on the status of the “Gold Star” rating from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that Town officials should receive “any day now” in regard to Harris Street properties (formerly Harris Cleaners), which were recently sold.
The properties on Harris Street were submitted by the Town to be a part of DEQ’s Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP), which is a “streamlined mechanism” for property owners to use to address site contamination with the support of DEQ. The program’s main goals are site redevelopment and improved environmental outcomes, the organization states.
(Morris noted after the meeting that the “Gold Star” terminology is language that the town uses internally and is not used by DEQ; property owners that complete the VRP checklist receive a certificate.)
As the final item on his Town Manager’s Report, Morris told Council that both Geraldi’s (110 B N. Locust St.) and Parkway Grille (227 N. Locust St.) are both planning to close at the end of the month. He said there are “different stories” for each of those decisions.