Below is a summary of the July 25th Martinsville City Council meeting.
City Council presents City Manager Leon Towarnicki with a 'Key to the City'
Martinsville City Council issued a proclamation recognizing City Manager Leon Towarnicki, who will be retiring at the end of the month after 41 years of service to the City, awarding him the prestigious 'Key to the City.'
Towarnicki was initially hired as Martinsville’s City Engineer on January 1, 1982, became Director of Public Works on March 15, 1985, Interim City Manager on December 19, 2011, and City Manager on March 26, 2013. Throughout his entire career, Towarnicki has taken pride in serving the City and its citizens with an unerring sense of genuine duty, dedication, and compassion.
Over the last four decades, Towarnicki has provided guidance to a succession of City Councils on challenging City budgets, uninterrupted service to the public during the global COVID pandemic, and effective leadership during various natural emergencies.
The Council expressed its heartfelt gratitude for over forty years of dedicated and outstanding service to the people of Martinsville by presenting Towarnicki with the proclamation and key.
City Council earmarks a portion of remaining ARPA funding
The City Council unanimously voted to appropriate ARPA funding for the following purposes:
- $200,000 ($65,000 per year) for various housing projects throughout the City.
- $300,000 for the development of MiNet.
- $150,000 for creating a planning and branding campaign.
Update from the Emergency Housing and Community Support Commission
Emergency Housing and Community Support Commission Chair Barbara Seymour presented an update from the commission, including recommendations for Warming Shelter locations. The full report is available here.
City Council passes resolution, transferring the Smith River Sports Complex to Henry County
At the request of the Board of Directors for the Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority (SVRFA), which operates the Smith River Sports Complex (SRSC), the Council passed a resolution in support of dissolving the SVRFA. The Henry County Board of Supervisors also passed a similar resolution.
As the SVRFA is resolved, the Smith River Sports Complex will become a part of the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department.