City Council Approves Sales Tax Referendum

Radford logoBy DAVID QUESENBERRY

Patriot Publishing 

Radford City Council approved a resolution Monday night requesting that a referendum be held to increase the sales tax in the City by not more than 1 percent.

The resolution calls for a referendum on the sales tax increase to be placed on the November 3 ballot. If the referendum is approved by the citizens, the sales tax in the City would increase to 6 percent.

Additional revenue generated by this increase is intended to be solely used for capital projects for new construction or major renovation of schools in the City, including both bond and financing costs for any project.

Council generally supported placing the issue on the ballot.

Councilman Guy Wohlford said, “My feeling is we ought to put it on the ballot and let the citizens decide.”

Vice-Mayor Seth Gillespie agreed saying, “I think this is an opportunity to let the people decide if that’s what they’re going to be able to do.”

Councilwoman Jessi Foster agreed saying the issue should “be put in the hands of our citizens and let them decide if this is a tax increase they are willing to do at this juncture.”

Mayor David Horton felt it was better to wait until next year to consider the increase since it was not known what the overall tax picture would be for next year or coming years.

Council approved the resolution 4 to 1 with Mayor Horton dissenting.

In related financial matters, Council received an update from John Aldridge of Brown Edwards and Company concerning work on the City’s forensic audit.

Aldridge said at the start of the audit there were 28 different areas that would be looked at. Currently, a review of seven of the 28 areas have been completed with meetings held with City staff to discuss preliminary findings and observations.

Concerning the seven areas so far reviewed, Aldridge said the firm had 26 recommendations for improvements.

The other 21 areas are “in process” and included payroll, personnel, disbursements and the budget process.

Aldridge was very complementary of the assistance given by City staff and their efforts to provide information in a timely manner.

Council also authorized the City Manager to notify the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development that the City would be declining the Appalachian Regional Commission’s East Main Street River and Rail Downtown Connector Trail Grant.

After evaluation, City staff concluded that the City could not commit the financial and operational resources to complete the project within the grant’s timeframe.

According to a memo in the Council packet, “This action reflects the City’s current fiscal realities and ensures that the City does not commit to a project it is unable to complete.”

Council next considered a Memorandum of Agreement with Radford University concerning joint collaboration on a Mobile Health Clinic in the City.

Councilman Wohlford asked about liability, but was told by the City Attorney that the liability was low, since the City was only providing a parking space and the staffing would be by RU students. Primarily the memorandum allows the clinic to be on City property to dispense its services.

The clinic would begin its work doing basic screening for such conditions as hypertension and diabetes. Service expansion was anticipated in the future to include acute care, gap care services and connecting citizens to resources, including referrals to specialists and telehealth services. The clinic is to be open one day per week this fall and possibly three days per week in the spring. After discussion, Council unanimously approved the memorandum of agreement with RU.

Council approved another resolution supporting an application for Smart Scale funding for East Main Street from the Memorial Bridge to its intersection with Third Avenue. The City seeks the funding for improvements for access and safety concerns along this portion of East Main.

Council reviewed several agreements between the City and other entities. Approved was an agreement with the Division of Motor Vehicles to allow the City to maintain a license agency to make vehicle and customer services available to citizens without them having to go to a DMV office.

An agreement was also approved with Pro-Comm to install a communications repeater antenna along with coaxial cables on the City owned tower on Prospect Street.

Council also approved an amendment to the agreement with T-Mobile for use of the City’s tower at 410 Prospect St.

In addition, Council awarded a bid to USALCO for coagulant for the City’s Water Plant at a bid price of $670 per ton or $0.335 per pound.

Several personnel appointments and nominations were also approved by the Council. Abram Williams, Jennifer Bondurant and Bill Fleicher were appointed to the Board of Viewers for property at West Main and Rock Road West. Sally Ann Stapleton was reappointed to the Agency on Aging. Nominated for membership on the Tourism Commission were Kelsey Marletta; Jessica Johnson; Tara Kipps; Alba Alvarez; Rachel Doyle and Amanda Winter.

Council approved six appropriation ordinances to account for funds received by the City. Funds appropriated included: $25,900 Commonwealth Opportunity Fund; $13,506 Comprehensive Services Act Funding; $75,217 Medicaid Expansion; $61,862 Social Services Auxiliary Grants; $29,169 Social Services Administrative State Funding; and $1,000,000 for reclassification of budgeted personnel savings.

At the end of the public session, City Council went into Closed Session, as permitted under the Code of Virginia to discuss a personnel matter and the investment of public funds.

The next scheduled meeting of the Radford City Council will be a special meeting to be held at 6:00 pm, Wednesday, July 22, 2026 in the Council Chambers of the Radford City Hall at 10 Robertson Street.