The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. (VR) – The August Community Gathering will take place on Thursday, August 21 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the John Hillert Auditorium of The Historic Masonic Theatre.
Guest speaker is Karen Weber, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Brownfields Coordinator. Her topic is “Small Town Revitalization—Planning for Successful Brownfield Redevelopment”. Karen joined VDEQ’s Voluntary Remediation Program team in April 2022 and transitioned to Brownfields Coordinator in November 2022. Prior to VDEQ she worked in environmental and engineering consulting for 19 years. Karen has a B.S. in Geoscience and a M.A. in Education from Virginia Tech. She is a licensed geologist in Virginia and has extensive experience in soil, groundwater, and vapor monitoring as it relates to site investigations and risk assessments. Karen prides herself on being an ambassador through community engagement that supports and promotes site assessment and redevelopment of Brownfield sites throughout the state and has worked closely with stakeholders on dozens of Brownfields sites funded through grants from EPA and VDEQ.
The Town of Clifton Forge has been participating in the BAD Housing Inventory Program, announced during July’s Community Gathering by Chuck Unroe, Town Manager, for several months. The BAD (Brownfield, Asbestos, Dilapidated) Buildings Program started as a statewide initiative in West Virginia to provide technical assistance and site analysis tools to enhance abandoned and dilapidated buildings in communities. Virginia’s DEQ and West Virginia’s program work in conjunction.
During the August Community Gathering, Chuck Unroe will give an update on the “state of the town”.
The Clifton Forge Community Gatherings are held monthly to provide a forum for citizens. All residents, businesses, and others interested in a dynamic future for Clifton Forge are encouraged to attend. It is not necessary to be a resident of Clifton Forge to participate in the Community Gatherings. All area citizens are welcome to participate. Attendees are welcomed and encouraged to share ideas and strategies to make Clifton Forge a better place to live, work, play and do business. The Clifton Forge Community Gathering initiative, although not a part of the Clifton Forge Town Government, works closely with the Town. It serves as a vehicle to allow citizens to play an active role in future of the town in cooperation with government leaders. For additional information contact Clifton Forge Main Street at (540)862-2000.
