Announcements

Notice of Vacancy – Planning Commission

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Abingdon Planning Commission is seeking a member to fill an expected vacancy.  The committee meets the 4th Monday of each month at 5:30 pm in the Arthur Campbell Room at the Town municipal building, 133 West Main Street.  Interested persons may be subject to completion of a statement of economic interest form and may not miss more than three (3) meetings during a 12-month period of service.

Interested persons should complete the Board and Commission application found here and return the application to Kim Kingsley, kkingsley@abingdon-va.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17.

Council will consider the applications at the April 20, 2020 Council meeting.

Announcements

Virginia Creeper Trail Temporary Shutdown Effective Immediately

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In order to protect public health and safety during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Virginia Creeper Trail will be temporarily closed, effective Monday, April 6th at 5:00 pm. The decision was made jointly by the managers of the trail–the US Forest Service and the Towns of Abingdon and Damascus. 

“Recent overcrowding along portions of the trail, concern for increasing the burden on local Emergency Medical Services and the health and safety of all trail users were the driving forces behind this decision,” explains Matthew Crum, President of the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy.

This decision aligns with state and local measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is aimed at preventing groups from congregating and violating “social distancing” guidelines and is consistent with the closure of several other public trails across the Commonwealth.

As of 5:00 pm, Monday, April 6, all access points along the 34-mile trail from Abingdon to Whitetop Station will be temporarily shut down until further notice.

“Ensuring the health and well-being of our communities, visitors and employees is our top priority,” says Joby Timm, Forest Supervisor for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. “We look forward to reopening the Creeper Trail and welcoming all trail users back as soon as we safely can,” adds Lisa Quigley, Executive Director of the Creeper Trail Conservancy.

Please direct questions to the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy at 804-334-5853.

The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail is a 34.3-mile rail-to-recreation trail, traversing through two counties from Abingdon, Virginia, through Damascus, and ending just past Whitetop Station in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, at the Virginia-North Carolina border. Damascus and Abingdon local governments administer the trail from Abingdon to Damascus (mile 0-15); the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests’ Mount Rogers National Recreation Area manages the trail from Damascus up to the North Carolina line (mile 15-34).

Governor Northam’s Order of March 30, 2020: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-55-Temporary-Stay-at-Home-Order-Due-to-Novel-Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf

Guidelines for health and safety, recommended by the CDC, are available at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html.

Announcements

Town of Abingdon, VA Offices Closure Schedule

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The Town of Abingdon is taking several measures to support the goal of protecting the well-being of our community, and the capacity of our overall healthcare system. The Town of Abingdon offices will be CLOSED until further notice. Essential employees will still report to work as scheduled. Feel free to contact employees by phone at 276-628-3167 or via e-mail. 

 Tentatively, the Town Council Regular Meeting/Budget Work Session is scheduled for April 20, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public; however, we encourage you to view via live stream on the Abingdon TV YouTube page.

 As a reminder, for the duration of the State of Emergency within the Commonwealth of Virginia, the following policies are applicable:

  • There is a “dropbox” located outside the first floor of the Municipal Building for patrons to return business licenses, building permits, and other items to the Planning and Public Works Departments. Other services (such as applications for permits, licenses, and applications for utility services) may be negotiated by use of telephone or e-mail communication. Many forms can be downloaded from our website www.abingdon-va.gov (and identified using the Search tool).
  • All essential services will continue (Police, Fire, Public Works – including trash collection, and wastewater operations).
  • Most committee and commission board meetings are canceled until further notice. Please refer to the Town’s website for notice of public meetings.
  • Tourism offices, at 335 Cummings Street, will continue to serve visitors by phone and e-mail only.  The building will be closed to the public. You may contact the office via phone at 276-676-2282 or e-mail at acvb@abingdon-va.gov.
  • The Muster Grounds, at 1780 Muster Place, will be closed to the public. You may contact the Grounds via phone at 276-525-1050.
  • Playground facilities and pavilions with picnic tables will be closed until further notice. Reservations of outdoor recreation pavilions owned by the Town shall be discontinued.  Public parks shall remain open under normal operating conditions to provide exercise opportunities to citizens, as long as patrons remain compliant with appropriate social distancing guidelines.
  •  The Coomes Recreation Center will remain closed through April 23, 2020, following the Governor’s order. For further updates follow their social media pages or check their website- https://www.coomescenter.com/.
  •  Payment of taxes, fees, and utility bills may be accomplished through online access, via U.S. mail, by phone at 276-525-1464, or by use of the secure “dropbox” located at the front of the Municipal Building.

The Town of Abingdon encourages you to take advantage of the measures listed and ask that you do your part to mitigate this crisis. Continue to follow the town website and social media pages for updates and schedule changes.

Announcements

NOTICE REGARDING UPCOMING MEETINGS

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As a result of the State of Emergency, the Council for the Town of
Abingdon has CANCELLED the following meetings:
April 6, 2020 – Regular meeting
April 9, 2020 – Budget work session
April 23, 2020 – work session
***
The Council for the Town of Abingdon has SCHEDULED a
Regular meeting/budget work session for
Monday, April 20, 2020 at 6:30 pm
Council Chambers
133 West Main Street.
The meeting is open to the public, however Council strongly urges to view
via live stream on Abingdon TV YouTube page.

For information, please contact:
Kim Kingsley, Clerk
kkingsley@abingdon-va.gov
(276) 492-2149

Announcements

Coomes Recreation Center – COVID-19 Announcement

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As COVID-19 continues to cause concern across our region, the Town of Abingdon has made the decision to close the Coomes Recreation Center for a two (2) week period beginning Saturday, March 14, at 5:00 p.m.  Although we realize the center provides opportunities for our community to focus on overall wellbeing, we take the health and safety of our staff and guests very seriously.  As community leaders continue to work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we will continue to monitor the advice of the CDC, Commonwealth of Virginia, and our local health officials.

Although social distancing is encouraged, we understand the importance of the social component that our center brings.  We encourage our community to continue to keep in touch with each other through phone conversations and social media outlets.  You can also follow updates on our Coomes Center Facebook page and website at www.coomescenter.com.

Respectfully,

James Morani
Town Manager

Announcements

Notice of Upcoming Town Council Meetings

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NOTICE OF MEETINGS
THE ABINGDON TOWN COUNCIL WILL HOLD COUNCIL MEETINGS AND WORKS SESSIONS*
ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:

May 4, 2020 at 6:30 pm – Council Chambers – Municipal Building
May 21, 2020 at 2:30 pm* – Council Chambers – Municipal Building
June 1, 2020 at 6:30 pm – Council Chambers – Municipal Building
June 24, 2020 at 2:30 pm* – Council Chambers – Municipal Building

For information concerning the agenda, please contact:

Kim Kingsley, Clerk
kkingsley@abingdon-va.gov
(276) 492-2149