Citizens First For Blacksburg Grassroots Democracy at work

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors (BOS) is holding a public hearing THIS Monday, January 9th at 7:15pm at the Montgomery County Government Center, 755 Roanoke Street, Christiansburg, Va.

A summary of our Election Endorsements for the November 8th Election. Please make sure to get out and vote tomorrow!

Blacksburg Town Council:
John Bush, Leslie Hager-Smith, and Michael Sutphin

Montgomery County Board of Supervisors:
Bill Brown (District E)
Mary Biggs(District F) (Unopposed)
Matt Gabriele (District G)

Montgomery County School Board:
Joe Ivers (District F)
Sarah Woolsey (District G) (Unopposed)

Virginia General Assembly:
Don Langrehr

There is a growing desire among citizens and elected officials in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County to work together to promote good government ideals across all levels of our local government. We see this as a positive development and are pleased to be part of it. After nearly a decade of involvement in Blacksburg Town Council elections, Citizens First is making endorsements in some of the Montgomery County elections this year.

Please join us to leaflet Blacksburg neighborhoods, Sunday, Oct. 23, 1 PM, for the candidates listed below (all endorsed by Citizens First). Gathering at the Cellar, 6 PM, for those who wish to hang out afterwards and share experiences.

Volunteers are also needed to prepare packets of leaflets any time after 11 AM that day (no walking needed).

Citizens First endorses Don Langrehr for Virginia State House of Delegates, 12th district. Don was one of three candidates Citizens First originally supported for Blacksburg Town Council that won a landslide victory in the May 2004 election, and he has served on Council since. He has consistently produced results and has proven to be a trustworthy champion of the principles Citizens First stands for: Good, effective, and open government; quality, competent leadership; and putting the citizens first in his decisions.

Citizens First endorses three candidates for Blacksburg Town Council: incumbents John Bush and Leslie Hager-Smith, and Michael Sutphin. These three would best continue a particularly harmonious and effective period in Blacksburg Town Government, during which Council has advanced important projects, governed with transparency and accountability to citizens, and promoted economic development.

Citizens First Blacksburg Town Council Forum
Wednesday, September 14th, 7pm-9pm
Community Room, Blacksburg Library

This fall is an important time for our organization and for all citizens of Blacksburg and Montgomery County, as it is an election year. As we have in previous years, we will be held a Blacksburg Town Council Candidate Forum and will be making endorsements as we find appropriate.

We begin with the Blacksburg Town Council election. This year, there are three positions open for Town Council and five candidates running:

Now that the website has been launched, our focus is quickly shifting back to local issues. We thought we’d share what’s on our minds and invite your feedback in the comments section.

Task forces have come and gone, innumerable meetings of the Montgomery County School Board, Board of Supervisors and Blacksburg Town Council were held but the future of a new BHS was brought to a head by the collapse of the Blacksburg High School gym in February of 2010 and the the subsequent finding that the remainder of that structure could not be occupied safely.