Operating Budget 2025-2026

TOWN OF BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA GENERAL INFORMATION

DEMOGRAPHICS The Town of Blacksburg was founded and organized in 1798 and incorporated in 1871. Blacksburg is located in Montgomery County, Virginia, and approximately 40 miles southwest of Roanoke, Virginia. The Town has a land area of 19.7 square miles and is the largest town in Virginia by geographic size and the second largest by population with 44,826 residents according to the 2020 Census. Town residents are citizens of and subject to taxation by Montgomery County. EDUCATION SYSTEM Primary and secondary education is provided by Montgomery County Public Schools. The Town generally plays no part in financing or operating public schools, although residents of the Town do assist in financing the operation of the schools through payment of taxes to Montgomery County. Blacksburg is the home of Virginia's land grant university, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ("Virginia Tech"). Virginia Tech, founded in 1872, has a student population of approximately 37,000, another 8,000 in faculty and staff, and is the principal employer in the Town. FORM OF GOVERNMENT The Town has been organized under the Council-Manager form of government since 1952. Town Council (the "Council") is the legislative body of the Town and is empowered by the Town Charter to make all Town policy. The Council, including the mayor, is elected at large for four-year overlapping terms. Town Council elections are held on the first Tuesday in November in odd numbered years. The Council appoints a Town Manager to act as administrative head of the Town. The Town Manager serves at the pleasure of Council, carries out its policies, directs business procedures, and has the power of appointment and removal of all Town employees except the Town Attorney and the Town Clerk, who are appointed by Council. Duties and responsibilities of the Town Manager include preparation, submittal, and administration of the capital and operating budgets, advising the Council on the affairs of the Town, handling citizens' complaints, maintenance of all personnel records, enforcement of the Town Charter and laws of the Town, and direction and supervision of all departments. The Council, in its legislative role, adopts all ordinance and resolutions and establishes the general policies of the Town. The Council also sets the tax rate, user fees, and approves and adopts the budget. The Town presently has ten departments: Engineering and GIS, Financial Services, Parks and Recreation, Planning and Building, Police, Public Works, Technology, Transit, Volunteer Fire, and Volunteer Rescue. Each department has a Director who is responsible to the Town Manager or a Deputy Town Manager. The Town also has six administrative offices: Executive Management, Human Resources, Community Relations, Town Attorney, Housing and Community Connections, and Sustainability.

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