NRVCA Zoning Request Denied, Radford to Lease new Firetruck, Councilors call for Audit

By WILLIAM PAINE

Patriot Publishing

Radford City Council dealt with two pieces of unfinished business at its Oct. 27 meeting by ruling on a controversial zoning request and agreeing to acquire a new fire truck on a lease-to-own basis.

In the Sept. 22 meeting of council, members of New River Valley Community Action (NRVCA) requested that the zoning for a building at 212 Third Street be changed from Central Business (B3) to multi-family residential (R4), so that the first floor could be converted to five single unit residences. The zoning change sparked some controversy because these units were to provide Permanent Supportive Housing for those in the community who are chronically homeless.

Several citizens spoke in opposition to the project because of concerns regarding safety and the potential decline of business in the area. The city’s Planning Commission voted 6 to 0 to reject the zoning change.

“We all support this program but this is a strategic business location,” said Seth Gillespie, who represents council on the Planning Commission. “We’ve spent a lot of effort trying to funnel businesses in there, so we would really like to preserve the lower level for business.”

Both Mayor David Horton and councilwoman Jesse Foster said they supported the program, but expressed concern about the location. Council voted unanimously to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation and reject the zoning change. The bottom floor of 212 Third Street, which has been vacant for several years, will retain its B3 zoning.

In the second piece of unfinished business, City Manager Todd Meredith told council that the contract for a lease-to-purchase agreement to finance the fire truck council ordered in 2022 was ready for signing. According to the contract with Freedom Financial, the City of Radford will pay $905,000 for the firetruck over a period of 10 years at an interest rate of 5.75 percent.

Councilman Gillespie asked why the anticipated interest rate of 4.5 percent had risen to 5.75 percent in the final agreement.

“We were told by Freedom Financing that the increase in the interest rate was due to the credit rating,” Meredith answered.

“Why are we doing this in the first place?” Mayor Horton asked rhetorically. “Council has been working with this cash flow issue for quite some time. We’ve been trying to figure out a way to preserve cash where we can, as we make additional changes throughout the city by reducing budget, by increasing revenues, by trying to shift things around. It has been a very difficult effort … We identified this as a way to preserve cash rather than pay cash for the project and that’s the only reason we’re looking at a lease as opposed to paying cash straight out. That allows cash to be available to do projects as needed.”

“That is correct,” said Meredith. “We’re trying to preserve cash flow for other available expenditures.”

Council voted unanimously to enter into the lease to purchase contract with Freedom Financial to accept the delivery of the new pumper fire engine.

The city council passed three appropriation ordinances at Monday’s meeting. Council voted to allow the Radford Police Department to use $86,589 in asset forfeiture funds to be used for training, equipment and community education. Council also agreed to allow the police department to use funds generated by the sale of magnetic calendars totaling $1,324.

The Victim/Witness Assistance Program provides comprehensive services to victims of all felony and misdemeanor crimes and has been in operation in Radford for 20 years. The Victim/Witness program is state and federally funded in the amount of $129,410. The City of Radford contributes $25,849 to cover the costs for two staff members working in Radford and Floyd County.

Before the vote, council was informed that the city contribution for the Victim/Witness Assistance program was slated for FY 2025 and that the money had already been spent.

Council unanimously voted to appropriate the funds for the Victim/Witness Assistance program.

“I feel uncomfortable when we’re approving grants in arrears,” said Foster about the Victim/Witness Assistance Program during the Council Comment portion of the meeting.
“I really feel like, at this point, council needs to consider a full audit,” said Councilwoman Foster. “I feel like we’re in a mode of reaction and we have to keep pivoting opposed to getting ahead of it and planning. I’m saying that not because I believe there’s a lot of nefarious things going on, I just think there’s a lot of moving parts and changes of position that have left us a little bit in a void of information. I also think, selfishly, that this council deserves it because there are several people in this community that have questioned our integrity and I can assure everyone that I do not have an offshore account anywhere.”

“We’ve talked about it time and time again and I support it,” said Gillespie of the audit. “I think a level of trust has been lost and this would go a long way to repair that.”

Councilwoman Kelly Artrip stated that she had already inquired with accountants at Brown Edwards about a citywide audit.

Mayor Horton said he was “open to the idea,” and directed Manager Meredith to initiate procedures to procure an audit.

Two individuals addressed council in the Citizen Comment portion of the meeting.

Regina Meredith told council that her father purchased property on Rock Road in 1962 and that she and her sister currently reside there.

“During the time between 2023 and 2025 the real estate taxes that I pay yearly have increased approximately $375,” said Meredith. “This is the greatest increase we have seen since acquiring the property.”

“Over the years, the growth in this portion of Rock Road has included New River Overlook apartments, the Englewood subdivision, Moog Aspen Motion Technologies, which is now vacant, and most recently, Gloria Villas,” Meredith explained. “With each new addition to this section of Rock Road, we have asked to be connected to city water, only to hear that it is too expensive and that if that ever changes, we will be notified.”

Meredith said there are five single family homes “sandwiched between these properties” and that a sixth home being built there would have to drill another well.

“It’s probably worth a look,” said Mayor Horton. “Todd can you and your team take a look at the cost to connect any or all of those properties with city water?”

City Manager Todd Meredith agreed to look into the matter.

Allen Cook asked that council amend Radford’s Senior Tax Relief program in relation to property taxes. Cook said that the total income cap to qualify for the benefit in Radford was only $24,000, while Pulaski County’s was $30,000 and Montgomery County had a $70,000 cap. Cook urged council to consider raising the cap to between $36,000 and $48,000 to qualify for the Senior Tax Relief Program.

Mayor Horton noted that the program was put in place nearly 20 years ago and agreed to consider the matter after the election of Radford’s new Treasurer and Commissioner of Revenue.

Lastly, the city board proclaimed November 2025 as Radford Theatre Celebration Month, noting that the Radford Theatre, which opened Nov. 28, 1935, holds the distinction of being the oldest and longest running single screen in Virginia that shows first run movies.