Town Council - Regular Meeting

I'll tell you about it. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to tonight's Abingdon Town Council meeting, Monday, August the 3rd, 2026. Please note there will be an opportunity during the meeting for citizens to address the council when I, the mayor, declare public comment open. When requested that anyone addressing the council sign up, approach the podium when called, and state your first and last name. Kim, if you'll please call roll.

Mr. Webb. Here. Ms. Quetch? Here. Ms. Pillian? Here. Vice Mayor Austin? Present. And Mayor Anderson?

Here. Now I will lead everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. If everyone will please remain standing, the fire chief, Tim Estes, is going to lead us in tonight's prayer. Thank you, Chief.

Good evening. I'm standing for Pastor Steve. He had an emergency pump up at church, so let's bow our heads. Lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for this opportunity to come together under your grace and under your leadership. We ask that you lead, guide, and direct our leaders of this great town to make the decisions that are best for you and our town. Lord, we also thank you for all these student athletes that stand here with us today, and we really thank you and praise you for their accomplishments that they've had this year. We ask all these things in your precious holy name. Everyone say it. Amen. Thank you, Chief.

Now, if I could get approval of the agenda.

I'll make that motion.

Second. Second by Derek Webb. Any further discussion? Kim, if you'll please call roll. Mr. Webb. Aye.

Ms. Quetch. Aye. Ms. Pillian. Aye. Vice Mayor Austin. Aye.

And Mayor Anderson. Aye. Now, if we could have approval of the minutes for our meeting on July the 6th, 2026, if someone could make a motion on that.

I say move.

Second. Any further discussion? Kim, if you'll please call roll.

Mr. Webb. Aye. Ms. Quetch. Aye. Ms. Billion. Aye. Vice Mayor Austin. Aye. And Mary Anderson.

Aye. Ms. Kim, do we have anyone signed up for a public comment? I'm sorry, sir.

I do not believe that.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We'll move on from public comments because we have no one signed up for public comments, which will now move us to our proclamations. We have two proclamations tonight. The first proclamation recognizing the Abingdon High School girls softball team for winning the 2025-26 Virginia High School League Class 3 State Championship. And Amanda Pillian will be reading that.

Whereas, the town of Abingdon takes great pride in the accomplishments of its students and recognizes the positive impact of athletic achievement on our community. And whereas, during the 2025 to 2026 school year, Abingdon High School achieved the extraordinary accomplishment of winning Virginia High School League Class III state championships in girls volleyball, girls basketball, and girls softball. And whereas this remarkable achievement is believed to be the first time in Virginia High School League history that a school has captured state championships in girls volleyball, girls basketball, and girls softball during the same academic year. And whereas the Abingdon High School Lady Falcons softball team completed an undefeated 29-0 season by defeating Broadway High School by a score of 7-3. to win the 2025-2026 Virginia High School League Class III State Championship. And whereas the championship reflects the dedication, perseverance, teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship demonstrated by the student athletes, coaches, athletic staff, families, school administrators, and supporters of Abingdon High School. And whereas the members of the Lady Falcons softball team have served as outstanding ambassadors for the town of Abingdon, representing their school and community with integrity, determination, and excellence on and off the field. And whereas this historic season has brought great honor and distinction to Abingdon High School and has inspired pride throughout the town and the surrounding region. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the Mayor Dwayne Anderson, and the Abingdon Town Council do hereby congratulate and recognize the Abingdon High School Lady Falcons softball team for winning the 25-26 Virginia High School League Class III State Championship. Be it further proclaimed that the Town Council commends the student athletes, coaches, school leadership, families, and supporters for their dedication, excellence, and outstanding representation of the Town of Abingdon.

I don't know where I'm going, but I've got something for everyone. Congratulations, ladies. Great job, everybody. All you ladies do is win, win, win.

What's going to happen this year?

Anthony, did you want to say anything? Does anybody, Anthony, would you like to speak?

Do you want me? Yeah.

I just want to thank you all for inviting us. It's been like surreal.

I don't think it's really sunk in yet, but we did definitely proud of Abingdon and the students.

Yes, ma'am. Awesome.

Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you.

That's pretty cool to do that.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I never won any state championships, but I never played either.

That wipes us out. Wow. That wipes us out. We went from 100 to zero real quick.

Yeah, they didn't make leashes next time.

We have one other proclamation today, and that's a proclamation recognizing National Farmers Market Week, August 2nd through August 8th, 2026. And Councilman Derek Webb will be reading that.

It would be my pleasure, Mayor. I know that's a hard one to follow up, but I'm going to do my best, David. I'm going to do my best. We're very proud of what you're doing. This is a proclamation recognizing National Farmers Market Week, August 2nd through the 8th, 2026. whereas National Farmers Market Week will be celebrated throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the United States from August 2nd through August 8th, 2026, recognizing the important role farmers markets play in strengthening local food systems, supporting agricultural producers, and enhancing local economies. And whereas farmers markets provide residents and visitors with access to fresh, locally grown and locally produced foods while creating direct connections between consumers and the farmers, growers, bakers, artisans and small businesses that serve their communities. And whereas the Abingdon Farmers Market has become a valued community gathering place that supports local agriculture, encourages entrepreneurship, promotes healthy food choices, and celebrates the agricultural traditions of Abingdon and Southwest Virginia. And whereas the dedication of the Abingdon Farmers Market vendors, staff, volunteers, and community partners contributes to the vitality of the town and provides meaningful opportunities for local producers to grow their businesses and connect with customers. and whereas the Town of Abingdon further supports local food entrepreneurs through the Abingdon Community Kitchen, which provides a shared-use commercial kitchen and business incubation space for farmers, food producers, caterers, bakers, and other small businesses, and whereas supporting farmers' market and local food businesses helps keep dollars within the regional economy, promotes food security, preserves agricultural heritage, it's a lot to say at one time, and strengthens the connection between the Town of Abingdon and the surrounding farming community. Now, therefore, Mayor Dwayne Anderson of the Town of Abingdon, on behalf of the Town Council, does hereby proclaim August 2nd through 8th, 2026, as National Farmers Market Week in the Town of Abingdon, and encourages residents and visitors to celebrate by supporting the Abingdon Farmers Market, purchasing locally grown and produced goods, and recognizing the farmers, vendors, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and community partners who contribute to the strength and vitality of our local food system. And witness thereof, seal of town of Abingdon, Virginia. And I want to say personally, you'd be hard-pressed to find a farmer's market as nice, as clean, with as much variety as our farmer's market. And I think everybody would echo that. Dave, you do a great job. You're a good friend of mine, but I also really appreciate what you're doing for the town.

Thank you. That was well said, Derek. And I just want to say that my kids and my wife, you know, they frequent the farmer's market. The kids' buck things that you have been doing at the farmer's market is greatly appreciated by everyone in this community. So, like, I'm going to echo what Derek said. You're doing great things for the Advent and the farmer's market. You put us on the map. And thank you for everything, all your hard work that you're doing down there. I've got a little something for you as well, too.

I just want to say the market truly appreciates your support, things you've been doing for the market. You know, we now have the new doors. New lights were just installed so that when it's starting to get to fall, everything's a little bit brighter in there. And we appreciate the town's support with everything we're trying to do. And we just really appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We got some new tables, too, so people can eat a little bit.

Yeah, they're almost here.

They're in, yeah, they're waiting for winter delivery, I'm not sure. But, yeah, it'll be nice and warm for the spring. Yeah, it'll be nice and warm for the spring. Yeah, they're supposed to be here any day now, but we'll see. Yeah.

Thank you, David. Now we'll move on to public hearing. We have one thing with public hearing today, and that's the public hearing on the proposed issuance of bonds by the town of Abnon, estimated aggregated maximum amount of the bonds is $5,701,200. The bond is to proceed as expected to be used to pay the cost of capital improvements to the town's water system. And I'm going to ask Amanda Henniger, Director of Finance, to come forth and present that to us, please. AMANDA HENNIGER.

Good evening, Mayor, members of council. So the public hearing is being held to propose the issuance of bonds to finance the town's Phase II sewer system rehab project. This is the second phase, the first phase just wrapped up. So the project is a critical investment in our wastewater infrastructure and a rehab of the aging sewer lines through the town. The project is being financed through the VRA, Clean Water Revolving Loan Program. So the total estimated project cost is $7,975,171. Of that, the repayment loan is $4,174,371. The principal forgiveness is $3,557,675. And then there's an EPA grant for $243,236. So about 48% of the project is actually being covered through principal forgiveness and grant funding. The proposed bond issuance will secure a VRA loan portion of the project. The loan carries a 0% interest rate for up to a 30-year term, making this extremely favorable for the town. The construction is anticipated to be completed around November 2027, and repayment of the loan is expected to begin somewhere around April 2028, which is going to be fiscal year 28. with a debt service payment of approximately $140,000. And this public hearing is required before the town may proceed with issuing the bonds associated with the VRA.

Does anyone on council have any questions for Amanda?

Okay.

Now, I'd like to open the public hearing. I don't think we have any. I'd like to open the public hearing, and with no one here, no one with the public hearing, we can close the public hearing. We have one resolution, and that's a resolution authorizing the issuance of the sales of the general obligations to the sewer revenue bond in the amount not to exceed $5,701,200 of the Town of Abn in Virginia, providing the form, details, and payments of the bond, authorizing certain related actions. And I have Amanda again, if anyone would come up or if anybody has any questions for Amanda. Now I'm going to ask, do we have a motion for the resolution authorizing the issue of the sales of the general obligation for the sewer revenue bond in the amount not to exceed $5,701,200? I'll make that motion. Do I have a second? I'll second. Any further discussion?

I just want to say it doesn't get much better than 0%. That's exactly right. That's probably the scenario, right?

No further questions. Kim, if you'll please call roll.

Mr. Webb.

Aye.

Ms. Quetch.

Aye.

Ms. Pillian. Aye. Vice Mayor Austin.

Aye.

And Mayor Anderson.

Aye. We have no first reading of ordinance tonight, no second reading of ordinance tonight, no consideration of bids. no new business, no old business. We have miscellaneous business and communication from our town manager, Mike Cochran.

Yeah, happy Monday. The one thing I just want to say, obviously, everybody was here last week. For those of you that weren't, you missed something great, but it was incredibly busy last week, and I think it was probably the busiest Highlands Festival that many people have seen in quite some time. But our staff does a tremendous amount to support them. And it really was an amazing, we had a couple of really nice events. Gabe was telling me that they had over 100 people out at the muster grounds doing the tour for the historical tombs tour. Great turnout for that. And then the events we had at the meadows, the balloons and all were just amazing. If we could just control the weather, it would have been something else. But we really had some neat events last week, and a lot of activity in town. And so, you know, just glad that the Highlands Festival board, those folks work hard, and this is really nice to see it pay off this year and have some great events. And I actually knew some of the songs at the music stuff, which is hard to believe. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, but other than that, I just appreciate everybody's hard work on everything, and they just do so much all the time. Public Works, we're finally getting the wayfinding signages coming up. They're being installed in the areas where we have them, and we'll keep expanding on those. But they do look a light year better than what was there before. And then the high school state championship sign, if it's not installed yet, it's in. We're just waiting to get it put in. So that'll look nice as well. Hopefully it's big enough. After last year, we're going to have to add a couple extra panels to it.

Where are those going again?

It's down past, it's on the entranceway on 19, on the way in. Coming from 19, on the way in before you hit the Dollar General, there's a swath of land off to the right, and there'll be somewhere right off there in the right-of-way. But it'll look really nice. I'd like to have more, but 19 seems to be the way that most of the folks seem to come into town, and there was some... We have more space there than we do off of 17. It's just 17 is crowded right now. There's a lot of work we have planned coming from VDOT in that area. So that would be the more permanent location that way. But other than that, yeah, it was just a... What was that? Yeah, the S-turn is finally done. That was the final part of that Phase 1 sewer rehab. That was that culvert underneath there needed to get replaced. And so it's been replaced finally. Last year they put in a temporary one, and then it took them a while to build the thing. So they tried to do it during the summer. And as I mentioned in one email, it was the part about the roundabout for the school district. And I touched base with them before the meeting, and they still don't have any plans. I just don't see any viable way to do it other than do their original plan was to work as much as they could. and then pause it when the school starts, and then take it up as soon as the school's over. They have like another eight to 10 weeks worth of work to do. So it's an amazing amount of work, and it'll be there in May. So there's just too many different moving parts to make all that work. But it's going to be nice when it's done.

Yes, sir.

So that's all I have.

Thank you. Well, I'm going to echo Mike with everything with the Virginia Hollins Festival. I didn't get to attend Friday night over at the Meadows, but my family did. There was an enormous crowd of people over there. From what I was told, that's probably one of the biggest crowds that people have seen over at the Meadows. The balloons were the highlight of the Virginia Highlands Festival. I know we had other things that were shining for the festival, but That brought the families out. The music, the lighting up of the balloons was really nice. I got to attend on Saturday, but like you said, due to weather, they didn't really go up. But on Saturday, they were letting the kids do a lot of hands-on with the flames and everything shooting up. So I thought that was really nice. I did have a proclamation that I read on Thursday declaring Elder Spirit Day, July 31st, for the town of Abingdon. Elder Spirit sends their thanks to the Abingdon Town Council for the proclamation on the Elder Spirit Day. So I was really pleased to be there. And we had a nice turnout for that. And I just hope that there were a lot of businesses that have reached out to me and said that over the course of the Virginia Highlands Festival, they did see an increase in business, which I like to hear that that helps out the locals that are doing business along Main Street and throughout Main Street and Washington County and the town of Admin as well. Amanda, if you have anything you'd like to say.

Just everything about the festival is spectacular. I know there's so many people in the town who spent long hours working and Police, fire, public works, tourism.

Rec department.

Rec department, groundskeepers at the Meadows, public works, just absolutely everybody. The town looked beautiful. Everything at the Meadows was just amazing.

I'm so glad I got up early and went Saturday because I would have missed it if I had decided to sleep in and wait and go Sunday.

But it was great. It was great. And I think it was one of the best weeks I've seen in Abingdon in a really long time.

I connect on that.

Yeah, it made me proud. And I've heard from business owners and restaurant owners that they had great weeks also. So bringing people into town really helped.

Vice Mayor Austin. Well, a couple of things I would mention. First of all, Mr. Cochran's already talked about not completing the roundabout during the school year. And I think that's very, very important. I read your your email that you sent to council about that. And I jokingly said, if the gentleman from VDOT wants to give us his cell number so we can publicize it, we might consider doing that. But I don't think he wants to, and I don't blame him. So that would just be a disaster, I think.

Yeah, no, it's, yeah, I kind of, when they asked that, I was like, yeah, I don't see that being viable. I mean... It's just last year we did it for the curve and it worked, but it was a different approach. This one, it would be at the end of November. That's a long time to put up with that. So they had one over in Lebanon they're going to do simultaneously, whatever.

Good. The second thing I would mention, and this is, mind you, I will be the first to say, but sometimes I... see small details around me, and I did at the opening of the Highlands Festival. There were several of us there for that opening. And there was a signpost right over there that's in front, near where the fountain is. And I wasn't definitely or strictly watching it, but I looked over and there was a man from Public Works that was down pulling two weeds about that tall from around that sign. And I thought to myself, you know, that's somebody that really takes their job seriously and really takes the town and beautification of it seriously, going back to what Amanda just said in her remarks. But he was down and got those two little weeds out while we were there before the actual opening.

That's awesome. Thanks for recognizing that. Donna?

Donna?

I'll just echo everything you've already said about the festival, but it just thrills my heart to see so many young families out there having a blast. And plus, I received a lot of great positive feedback from so many people. So that's what we want to hear. And I was there, and I loved it.

Derek? Won't belabor the topic, but the festival was great. My family and I had a great time. I even saw some of the folks that originally didn't want the meadows out there having a good time. So I think it's important to note that I think everybody has finally come around. But in all seriousness, though, what a beautiful place to have events like that. So it just makes my heart feel good.

And as you said, Derek, I'm going to echo that. I've done the thing at Elder Spirit. There were several people that was at Elder Spirit that are in that community of Elder Spirit. that wasn't for the Meadows. But they came to me that day, and they said that they see the light. They see the change. They might not have been for the Meadows, but they're proud for everything that's going on at the Meadows and where we're at now with the Meadows. So I think we came a long way with that, and I'm very proud of that. And one other thing that I forgot to mention, I know that I took that way, and I think Amanda and Derek did too, the lighting of the Virginia Creeper Trail. Thank you. I appreciate that for Public Works because there were several people when we were there for, what was it? The 4th of July. We were there for the 4th of July. I told you that's just on Saturday. My wife, they had the head buddies and everything. They were ready to go and my wife said, hey, you'll never guess. They had it lit up to where you could see your way back towards the parking lot so the entrance of the Virginia Creeper Trail. Thank you to Public Works for that as well too. We're getting bigger and we're getting better. We just keep working on what we're doing. We're headed in the right direction. I'm proud to say that I am on the Abingdon Town Council and I am the mayor here in Abingdon. Everyone makes us look good, but it's the people, what people don't realize, it's the people that put in the 9 to 5 and the Saturdays and Sundays that make us look good up here. I just want to say thank you to everyone that that had a part in the Virginia Highlands Festival and everything that was about the Virginia Highlands Festival.

And I would also like to add that the Meadows is one of the best projects that's ever happened in the town of Abingdon.

Yes.

And when you see an event like that there, you're just so thankful that we have it here. Yeah. Agreed.

Yeah.

Agreed.

All right. We'll move on to our next thing on our agenda, which is appointments to boards and committees. We have two people that we can reappoint to the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator. One is to reappoint Bob Howard, who is eligible to serve an additional term, and to reappoint Mike Spiegler, who is eligible to serve another additional term. I think that we can take these together and we don't have to go into closed session.

I'd like to make a motion that we reappoint Bob Howard and Mike Spiegler to the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator Board.

I'll second that. Any further? It was made by Vice Mayor Austin, second by Donna. There's no further discussion. Kim, if you'll please call roll.

Mr. Webb?

Aye.

Ms. Quetch? Aye. Ms. Pillion? Aye. Vice Mayor Austin? Aye.

And Mayor Anderson? Aye. And with that being said, we'll call this meeting adjourned.