The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE – Clifton Forge Town Council hired Darlene L. Burcham as full-time town manager Tuesday night.
Meeting at the town library, council went into closed session after the regular meeting and later came out into regular session and announced she had been hired with a salary of $99,500, with benefits.
She was hired as interim town manager May 12 to fill the position left vacant when Tracey Shiflett left after serving for 21 months.
Burcham served as Roanoke city manager for 10 years, 2000-10. She was earning $62,000 as Clifton Forge interim manager.
Before accepting the position in Roanoke, Burcham served as director of human services, assistant city manager and then deputy city manager for Noroflk.
The vote to engage Burcham on a full-time basis in Clifton Forge was 5-0.
Prior to the closed session, council approved a Drug/Alcohol Free Workplace Policy. The policy will cover all employees but at first it will apply to all new employees and other employees that are involved in an accident.
Burcham said the Federal Department of Transportation requires that all public safety sensitive employees, including individuals required holding a CDL license must undergo drug/alcohol testing. She said that most local governments have adopted a drug/alcohol free work place policy that goes beyond the mandated group to cover all municipal employees. She said that the Drug/Alcohol Free Workplace Policy will be applicable to all town employees.
All Clifton Forge employees will be given a copy of the policy and each employee will be required to sign the acknowledgement that will include that they have received a copy.
Part of the policy states that any employee suspected of having used illegal drugs, controlled substances or alcohol in violation of the policy will not be permitted to work or drive town vehicles or personal vehicles on town business and may be subject to testing and/or appropriate disciplinary action.
The town will use the same company that Alleghany County uses to test employees for drugs and alcohol.
Council previewed its new website at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The website is scheduled to “go live” Thursday. The new website address is: http://www.cliftonforgeva.gov.
Burcham todl council “in today’s world, the first contact that many people make with a community is through its website. The new site will hopefully provide first time visitors as well as long term residents easy access to information about our wonderful little town that can be proud of its past as we move toward a brighter future.”
The website offers unique features and functions that allow users to access information and links to and about the town’s history, cultural, recreation, education and tourism opportunities, recent news about the town as well as contact information for the town and its services, Burcham said. Karen Kuhn, Clifton Forge Library director, will be in charge of updating the website frequently and additional features are planned. Credit was given to photographer Chuck Almarez for the use of his photographs on the website.
Council recognized Robbie Boyd, superintendent of the Clifton Forge Fire Department, for passing the state Fire Marshal’s exam. Burcham noted that Clifton Forge has never had a fire marshal and the town appreciates the many hours Boyd has put in to pass the exam. Boyd will set up a schedule to inspect all businesses. He cannot inspect private homes unless he receives a request from the resident.
Council held a second reading on using funds from an insurance company that were received last year but never used for repairs.
The town received $17,756 in insurance proceeds relating to the collision damage on the rear of the fire department ladder truck. The repairs to the truck were recently completed and council had to appropriate last year’s funds for payment of the repairs.
Burcham, reporting on the county and Clifton Forge merging emergency dispatching, said that she hopes the merger will be complete by Oct. 1. She said merging the two departments will save the town some money but the main reason the departments are being joined is current duplication of calls. All calls will be dispatched from Alleghany County except when the county center is down and then the calls will be dispatched from the Clifton Forge Police Department.
Clifton Forge has five dispatchers but the county will need only two and Clifton Forge will pay for their salary. The other dispatchers will be given first opportunity for a job when there is an opening.
The Clifton Forge Skate Board Park has been closed for two weeks because of vandalism. Burcham said she hopes to get the park open in two weeks but is trying to contact some skaters and their parents to see if some kind of schedule can be worked out with parents supervising the park.
Clifton Forge adopted an ordinance last month that requires residents to place trash cans on the curb at a certain time and pick them up at a certain time. The ordinance went into effect Sept. 1 and residents and businesses that do not comply with the regulation are mailed a notice telling them they are in violation of the new ordinance.
Alleghany County has received a grant from the Alleghany Foundation to hold a Tire Amnesty Day Saturday Oct. 23, from 9 a. m. to 4 p.m. at the county’s Island Ford Transfer Station.
The C&O Heritage Center will host a bean lunch, Friday. A station work session will be held after the luncheon.
Business After Hours with the Chamber of Commerce, will be held tonight at the C&O Railway Heritage Center from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
During the hear the public session, Debbie Faulkenbury, program director of Clifton Forge Main Street, reported that the Farmers Market is doing quite well and may be continued until the middle of October. The time will be changed, beginning this Friday, the hours will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. She also said that a concert to raise funds will be held at the Masonic Theatre Oct. 9.
John Hillert, chairman of the board of the Masonic Theatre, announced that the Faith County Mountain Valley Players will present a show from the author of Radio TBS, and feature a colorful set of good ol’ folk gather for the country fair and stiff competition in the arts and crafts category, Sept. 24 and 25, at 7 p.m. and Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.
