CF Town Council: 14 Goals Noted By Judy Moffitt Clark   Clifton Forge, VA (Jan. 27, 2021) - Clifton Forge Town Council has a list of 14 goals and objectives for the coming year, and they discussed those and more during a work session Tuesday night, via teleconference. Town Manager Chuck Unroe said that the first item on the list, improving communication with town residents, should have top priority. Among the other goals: promoting the town online through social media; marketing the downtown area and other assets – such as the Historic Masonic Theatre, the Clifton Forge School of the Arts and the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center - and including the old Clifton Forge High School; improving the town’s recycling program, and continuing the town’s clean-up efforts. “These are guidelines for the coming year,” said Unroe. Mayor Pam Marshall noted that the council should also look at the results of a survey to see if there are additional topics that town residents are interested in seeing added to the list. Marshall and town council member Ron Goings discussed one idea, a splash pad, that could be used by children as well as adults, only during the summer months, and could be located in Memorial Park. Unroe said he had researched it briefly, and the cost would depend on how large an area the splash pad would take up, how often it would be in service, and whether or not to recycle the run-off water. Unroe said he would report in more detail at the next council meeting. Also under discussion was the location for the proposed dog park. Originally the dog park – funds for it have been raised by donations – was supposed to be located in the Jungle, an area along the Smith Creek Trail below the former Clifton Forge West School – but Unroe said that the public works department has determined that fencing in an area for the dog park would be costly. They have instead proposed locating the dog park in Matthews Park, which is already fenced in, and located behind Hardees. However, no one on council seemed to be in favor of giving up any athletic or play area for that purpose. Vice Mayor Jeff Irvine said that he had spoken to the two people who came up with the idea for the dog park, and had been doing the fund-raising, and that they are both against using Matthew Park. Problems with recycling were discussed. Unroe said that he had had complaints from residents who live near the recycling bin next to Matthews Park. “It’s been a source of conflict,” said Unroe. He suggested fencing in the area around the bin, to keep trash from blowing into neighbors’ yards. The cost would be around $1,000. On the topic of changes to the Armory Committee agreement, council member Bob Umstead said he was not happy that it appeared that the intentions of the people who had volunteered to work on the committee was being called into question. “It’s a travesty,” he said. “and if we’re doing it to please a group of people, I don’t like it.” Town Attorney Jared Jenkins noted that he had informed the committee members about a year ago that in order to keep from exposing themselves to liability, they should form an LLC. Jenkins said that his priority as town attorney was doing what was fair to the town. Council went into executive session, and will meet for their regular monthly meeting February 9.

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