Council Working On Budget Draft
The replica batteau that had long been on display at Jordans Point in Lexington has finally arrived in Glasgow.
After over a year of negotiating transport, the batteau was brought to its new home near the Glasgow boat launch at the confluence of the James and Maury rivers on March 29 and placed on a wooden structure built for it.
Batteaux, flat-bottomed boats, transported cargo on the Maury and James rivers in the 1800s. Glasgow has a particular tie to batteau history because in 1854, a slave who worked on batteaux, Frank Padgett, led a rescue to save passengers from a canal boat that had become stranded in the James River at Balcony Downs. Padgett and his fellow rescuers saved dozens of passengers before his boat broke on the rocks, resulting in his death.
The replica batteau was built about 50 years ago and was used in batteau festival events before being put on display at Jordans Point under a pavilion. The city of Lexington in 2023 removed the batteau from the park, with officials saying the city had plans to use the pavilion for public gatherings.
A member of the Miller’s House Museum reached out to Glasgow to see if the town wanted the batteau and Council voted to accept it that October. It has been in storage in Lexington since 2023.
The truck, trailer and expertise to move the batteau last month was provided by volunteers with the Virginia Canals and Navigations Society - Dylan Schumacher, Robert Schumacher and Dan Tucker. Employees of the town and Lexington used backhoes to lift the batteau on and off the trailer.
Town Manager Allyson Finchum said discussions are underway about the construction of a shelter for the batteau at its new home. -Work on the FY25-26 budget for the town is continuing. A draft was presented to Council at its April 8 meeting and a budget work session was scheduled for last night, April 22.
No salary increases for staff, which numbers five people, are planned. However, a bonus of 2-3 percent is being considered. “Finances are tight and may be more limited in future years,” said Finchum this week. “This approach helps mitigate future budgetary impacts.”
Town officials are considering the need for an increase to the water and sewer rate. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for June 10.
The town, meanwhile, is continuing to look for a new police officer, and that topic was expected to be discussed at last night’s budget session.
The town is presently employing temporary, limited, part-time staff for special projects in public works, public utilities, and administration. These employees do not receive benefits, thereby providing a low-cost approach to receiving needed services to the town. -The staff continues to work on updates to the town code and a public hearing on code amendments will be scheduled for June 10.
-Public Works conducted routine work of clearing brush here and there, taking equipment for maintenance and inspections, cutting trees at Centennial Park for the Garden Club and pulled up stumps. They spread mulch along Blueridge Road and entrance sign coming into town. They did a trace on the main water line from the main well down to the ball field where Wells Construction has begun work on replacing main water lines with new 12-inch pipe. Notices went out in the last water bill explaining this to the citizens. They have also been busy upgrading the new town facility across from town hall. -Carolyn N. Bradley, farmers’ market manager, noted plans are coming along for the Spring Vendor Event scheduled for Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Several applications and fees have already been turned in, others are pending. These will be accepted through April 25.
There will be a vendor meeting on April 25 at 11 a.m. at the market building. The regular market will open for the season on Friday, May 9. This will be held only on Fridays this season, the exact hours to be determined at the vendor meeting. They are doing away with the $10 reserve-a-spot, and there will be a no fee for setup this year. -Parks and Recreation Committee members Brandy Flint and Chris Flint and Vice Mayor Tom Camden picked up trash on March 22, along 4th Street to 6th Street on Catawba and Shawnee. They picked up a total of 12 bags of trash.
Mohawk employees also participated in a litter cleanup event on April 19 and picked up 18 bags of trash along town streets and vacant lots.
Editor’s note: Some of the information for this story was contributed by Darryl Woodson.
