Town of Blacksburg Adopted Operating Budget FY 2027

SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE

NARRATIVE

The Sustainability Office works with employees and the community at large to promote awareness of the environment, foster individual and organizational change, enhance the quality of life and community resiliency, and act as an information resource on environmental and sustainability issues. FY 2026 ACCOMPLISHMENTS  Collaborated with Public Works on implementation of the Strategic Restoration and Preservation Plan for the St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall; supported ongoing communication with stakeholders.  Secured a $10,000 grant from VA Energy to complete a Community Energy Resiliency Study.  Partnered with Virginia Tech to jointly offer the Commonwealth Climate Futures Symposium.  Secured Town Council approval for a Solar Power Purchase Agreement for Blacksburg Transit.  Shepherded successful re-negotiation of the new, 4-year contract with APCo, on behalf of all public authority customers as the Chair of the VML/VACo APCo Steering Committee.  Continued to serve on USDN’s Network Advisory Committee and the Policy Committee for the Virginia Energy & Sustainability Professionals Network.  Continued to serve as a community advisor to the VT Center for Communicating Science; invited to serve as a community advisor for the VT School of Public Health, the VT Center for Food Systems & Community Transformation, and the VT Climate, Sustainability & Energy Committee.  Provided ongoing leadership to the Virginia Renewable Energy Aggregation Cohort, comprised of 14+ Virginia localities interested in pursuing a collective power purchase agreement.  Continued to offer monthly “Lunch and Learn” community presentations in collaboration with Sustainable Blacksburg and the Blacksburg library.  Continued to support standing service opportunities for community and VT volunteers to support ecological stewardship practices and projects in TOB parklands (twice monthly).  Oversaw project management for formal wetland delineation for Heritage Park.  Continued implementation of the grant-funded ecological restoration project in Heritage Park.  In collaboration with Public Works, developed an actionable EV fleet conversion plan for the Town starting with light-duty vehicles to include appropriate build-out of charging infrastructure.  Began design process for TOB fleet EV charging stations.  Completed energy efficiency upgrades and minor restoration of Thomas Conner House.  Designed and installed a community pollinator garden in collaboration with Parks and Recreation and developed a plan to expand the project to future gardens on other municipal properties. FY 2027 OBJECTIVES  Oversee construction and activation of solar PPA on Blacksburg Transit facility.  Update Blacksburg’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory and update the 2016 Climate Action Plan.  Complete a substantial revision of the Aging in Place Workbook.  Develop an engagement process to address invasive plants with properties adjacent to TOB parks. 57